OSTRICH PLUMES. Another Turn In the Whirligig of Fashion's Glass.

Te Aroha News, Volume V, Issue 236, 7 January 1888, Page 2

OSTRICH PLUMES. Another Turn In the Whirligig of Fashion's Glass.

"Ark Indies again weaving ostrich plumes?" asked a reporter for the New York "Mail and Express." " Yes," replied the manufacturer. " Ostrich feathers will soon be as fashionable among the fair sex as they were a few years ago." " W hen did the fashion drop out ?" "The decline in" the use of ostrich feathers began about 1883, and since then the fashion has steadily faded until last) year, whon scarcely any were used ab all. But the revival has begun, and you will soon see the pretty plumes as plenty as ever." "Are the feathers imported in the condition they are worn V " Oil, no. The tariff is too high to adinib of that. The feathers are imported in the raw state, and prepared after they reach here. There are only eight manufactories of ostrich feathers in the United States, 1 and seven are located in this city. The capital employed aggregates $1,000,000, and employment is given to about 600 to 800 persons, 250 to 300 of whom are girls." " What is the work done by the girls ?" . [ "Curling, wiring and preparing the feathers. The curling is done by a peculiar I kind of knife made for that purpose, the blade of which is curved. As the work is of ;v delicate nature— for each feather or plume has to be worked upon separately— it is necessary that only expert hands should bo employed. Carelessness or want of experience would soon cause heavy losses, for the beauty, of plumes is heightened by the evenness of every feather. It takes about five years for a girl to become really expert, although many may become fairly efficient in a shorter time. They earn from $7 to $25 a week, according to their quahfi- • cation. The dyers, who, of course,, are j men, earn from &15 to $35 per week. "Are the feathers of wild ostriches, used?" „ , " No, not now. To get bhe feathers of a wild bird it is necessary to kill him, and - were that kept up the species would soon \ become extinct. Ostriches are now reared r on farms in South Africa, where- the >s feathers are collected and sent to this country, via London. When they arrive they,;* look very different from those you see m the „ store windows. They are dirty, draggled, ' and discoloured, and have to be cleaned. u When first taken, from the washing theyi* look as bad as those on a web goosey {£yi# • the proqess of preparing they becqme^ke pretty plumes you see. l Long andejegant plumes are prepared singly, while-; the" smaller ones are made into bunches o^;thr6ej>x) 'like the emblem of fthe>lMnce:of f the>IMnce:of Walfcs. an H •order to prevent, the, feathers from tygak^ ' ing, it is* necessary -'at times' to wire them , " \ and 'this ' atetf l Requires'- r expertness/ "for 4 W J broken (feather is\of .• little valuer" * ; ui%* 1 y.WJ>en did .ostrich,,, feathers,, b.eocmpjg Sfasliionable "as" "drnojpeipj. forj^w^men^fj , t '"'V' r ''U.J a ,'»^ *<'Aboiit ninety years' ago. <* TheyMveVe "brcaigfib into uselbyafoanaiamedatelßiniiaV * "6i&App. -Prfer to that^heM^ OVP4 f Ke'f so<Su became for Honnetgifej xhififf. and the deihattd M 'Vifttfohf lerfHieftf-exceeW-the < supply/i -^. vmo/'> Lstfi*fe