The Crawford County herald. (Knoxville, Crawford Co., Ga.) 1890-189?, December 12, 1890, Image 2

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A BROOM FACTORY. How a Very Useful Article Is Made. The Material Used in the Pro¬ cess of Manufacture. IIow many housekeepers who do some sweeping themselves or have other people to do it for them ever take the trouble to consider how the broom is made? To begin with, the sticks mostly come from Michigan. They are made of basswood or maple, which grow plentifully in that state and afford a material that combines the advantages of lightness and strength. The wood is turned with lathes into broomsticks, with a hole through each end—one of them in¬ tended for the housekeeper’s string to bang the instrument up by. Some of the sticks are left in their natural hue and others are painted red, to satisfy the tastes of aii sorts of purchasers. The rest of the broom is made of straw chiefly, and this material is ob¬ tained from a sort of corn plant grown expressly for the purpose. Doubtle-s you have noticed the tassel on an or¬ dinary corn stalk. Wliat the tassel is to the edible corn is found in the wisp that grows from the top of the broom corn, which bears no cars at all. There arc turn kinds of broom corn, roughly speaking—the coarse sort for ordinary sweeping and the fine dwarf sort for ‘‘parlor brooms” and whisks. The fine stuff is plucked by band, while the coarse variety is cut with the knife. It is in bales of 300 pounds eacli that the material reaches such a factory as there is over in Georgetown, which produces 75,000 brooms every year to help scoop up the sweepings of the District of Columbia. Perhaps you would like to know how often a broom is made. To begin with the wisp tassels cut from the corn tops must be assorted as to length. This process is performed by an ex- pert who takes the wisps from the bale and distributes them among a se- rics of coinpa tinents. The broom whisps thus assorted go into the hands of «* man who horns tne _____ a revolving vise with its end project¬ ing—the end, that is to say, which is to be the broom. This operator first passes a fine wire through the hole in the end of the broomstick and by the aid of a treadle makes the length of wood revolve until it has taken up three or four bindings of the wire from the great coil below. Then he grasps a number of whisps of long¬ stemmed broom corn, to serve for what is known technically as “handle stuff,” fastening them to the stick high up with windings of the wire. All the time while the w ire is wrap¬ ping the straw upon the stick it is made to bind more tightly by blows from a hammer. Next is bound around the embryo broom which is called the “shoulder stuff,” with shorter steins, which, as was the case wiih the handle stuff, is trimmed oil close above the wire binding with a sharp knife. Stalks yet shorter, from which the stems have been cut off en- tirely, are finally wound upon the out¬ side with more wire, and the whole business is clinched and fastened wdierc the broom meets the stick with a strong belt of tinned brass, its cor¬ rugated edge bouud down with the wire so that the straw is made as much a part of the broom handle as if it grew upon it. Now the broom goes to the sewer, who passes flaxen twine around its middle and pierces the substance of the broom through and through with a needle provided with similar flaxen cord, so as to bind the straw together closely. Now it only remains to chop the straw ends of the brooms off even with a sort of cleaver knife and to comb the seeds out of them with a re¬ volving machine armed with teeth, in order to make them ready for market. A first-rate broom is bought by dealers at from $3.25 to $4 a dozen and sold at from $4.50 to $4.80 retail. Some brooms, for heavy sweeping of ships’ decks and outdoors, cost $G a dozen. The coarse straw is best for those. You can calculate the profits of the manufacture for yourself when you are informe 1 that broomsticks, white or red, cost $14 a thousand, while the straw' is 6 1-2 cents a pound for the best of it, and an ordinary broom contains 2 1-4 pounds of this latter material. Broom corn that it slightly green is much better for the purpos* than the ripe material, because the latter is brittle, and, on this account, to deceive purchasers, it used to be the custom for manufacturers of brooms to tint their material green with the fumes of brimstone. At present the same effect is more cheaply obtained by soaking the stuff in a colored mix- ture. Supplies of broom corn for this country are chiefly secured from Chicago and Philadelphia, to which points the farmers ship their broom corn product, consigning it to com- mission men, who sell it to the manu¬ facturers.— [Washington Star. Hovr the Tzar Built a Railroad. “The Winans brothers,” said Gov¬ ernor Curtin, “were among the first railroad builders of Russia and the story of their fortune-making there reads like a romance. They first came to the notice of the czar from a con¬ tract which they took to build a bridge across the river Neva. In building was much swifter than they supposed and the river was deeper, and the re¬ sult was that they lost about $75,000 on the job. About the time the bridge was completed the czar came down to see it. He was told that the Ameri¬ can contractors had lost on it, and he knew the amount of their loss. He offered to reimburse them, but they re¬ fused, and said that in their country men stood by their contracts, and that if they had made $150,U00 instead of losing 150,000 rubles they would have said nothing about it, and they would have considered it a fair business ar¬ rangement. “This reply pleased the czar very much. It showed him that the Wi- uaus were honest business men, and the manner in which they had made tlie bridge showed him that they were good civil engineers. He then told them that lie wanted this road built, and a survey was made for the pur¬ pose. The surveyors laid out the road in a sort of a zigzag line, taking in the biggest cities and the best grades. This survey was shown to the czar Nicholas. He looked at it and then said: ‘That is not what I want, 1 and taking down a map of Russia he laid a icaci petto™ «!'***, ii, resting one end of the pencil on tile city of Mosc®^ a]u j the other on St. Petersburg. ‘There is where I want my road to run,’ said he; ‘it must be in a straight line from one city to the other, and the railroad will make other cities between its chief points.’ The Winans built the road, and through Latrobc got this twenty- five years’ contract to run it. < 4 After twenty years had passed the Russians had learned all about the road and its machinery, and they wanted to take it out of the hands of the for¬ eigners. I was minister to Russia at the time, and the Winans hearing of this disposition of the czar came to me and asked me what they should do. I replied, “If the czar wants the road you had better sell out to him and fix a price on it when he offers to buy. If you don’t lie will take it on some pretext or other, and the chances are you will have to take what they choose to give.’ A few days after this Winans was asked to sell the road to the government. He fixed his price at $9,000,000 and got it without a word.”—[Chicago Herald. The Dutchman’s Breakfast. The coffee and bread which satisfies the Frenchman and German—who agree if in nothing else in their morn¬ ing meals—is no breakfast for the “heartier” Dutchman. Cheese in two or three different stages of oldness is added, dried beef, probably worst and almost certainly the small dried fish called skat, which all Holland eats at all times and which women ofteu carry in their pockets, as small boys carry apples. Even in Holland one does not arrive at the chops or steak of the Ilri on. Her butter is a tender point with the Dutch housewife.—[New York Commercial Advertiser. Then He Adjourned, live or ten minutes of cip harassing silence had sped away into the voice¬ less past and then a bright idea struck Mr. Nevergo. “It seems like a Quaker meeting,” lie observed. * * Yes,” answered the young woman, with a hopeless, dreary giance at the clock. ‘*1 have been wondering when the spirit was going to—to move you, you know.” [ FACTS FOR THE SICK! A Letter from an Eminent Di¬ vine in Regard to the Best Medicine in the World. Read. Wonderful Curos. Atlanta, Ga., January 2, 1890. Six months ago, at the request of a friend who was interested in the sale of King’s Royal Germetuer, I made a writ¬ ten statcuient of the benefits 1 had re- ceived from the use of that medicine. Iu that statement I expressed the belief that it would cure me entirely of catarrh. Within the last two months I have re¬ ceived letters from every quarter ol the natiou calling on me for further iuforma- tion in regard to my health. It has been impossible for me to write privately request, to each person who has made this and I am therefore under the necessity cf making another public statement. I am free from catarrh. 1 believe that I could get a certificate to this < ffect from any competent physician. 1 have used no medicine within the last six months except King’s Royal Germetuer. My health is better th*n it has been in thirty years. I am in possession of information which warrants me in saying that the re¬ lief which I have experienced from the use of the medicine is not more certain and radical than that which it has brought to hundreds of persons in Geor¬ gia and other States. I feel it to be my duty to say, also, that the effects of this remedy upon my wife have been even more signal and wonder¬ ful. She has been almost a life-long in¬ valid from Nervous Headache, Neuralgia and Rheumatism. Iu a period of thirty years she has scarcely had a day’s exemp¬ tion from pain. She has been using Ger- meteur about two months. A more com¬ plete transformation I have never wit¬ nessed. Every symptom of disease has disappeared. She appears to be twenty years younger, and is as happy and play¬ ful as a healthy child. We have persua¬ ded many of our friends to take the med¬ icine, and the testimony of all of them is that it'is a great remedy. J. B. Hawthorne. Pastor First Baptist Church. Royal Germeteur builds up from the first dose, the patient quickly feeliDg its invigorating and health-giving influence. It increases the appetite, aids digestion, clears the complexion, regulates the liver, kidneys, etc., and speedily brings bloom to the cheek, strength to the body and joy to the heart. For weak and debili¬ tated females it is vadfeat a rival or a peer. and If you are su ... |been offered _. , lase fail of a cuU, I * in „ ■ - «*-4.4s nit.,. life of Science « vork micro¬ For sale bv on teur Company" mu- M mode in A j e lanta, Ga., and iMits can unite . * $1.50 per concent WlliCil makes one gallon of f liTOcvue as per di- rections accompanying each bottle. Can oe sent by express C. O. D. if your drug¬ gist cannot supply you. 1 S FORTUNES FOR MANY. Allen, the blacksmith, is now a mil¬ lionaire through replying to an advertise¬ ment of unclaimed estates, &c., &c.— Times, London, March let, 1888. If your ancestors came from the old country, write to The Eukopean Claims Agency, 59 Pearl street and 24 Stone street, New York city, inclosing 25 heir cents for reply, and learn if jrou are an to any of the unclaimed estates there, worth more than half a billion dollars, that rightly belong, chiefly, to American de¬ scendants of Europeans who came to America years ago. If your ancestors came over more than fifty years ago, there is a probability that you are heir to a fortune. Gt THE GEORGIA ALLIANCE RECORD Is a large 8-page weekly devoted to Alliance news, agriculture, horticulture, stock raising, literary and general news. Send for a sample copy. Address ALLIANCE RECORD, 4t Montezuma, Ga. J. I. BLMBAIE, —DEALER IN— DRY GOODS, Groceries ana Hardware. A full line of HARDWARE am CROCKERY. Quality of all Goods. Guaranteed and Prices as low as the low est. 1 also sell the famous NEW HOME AND LOVE SEWING MACHINES. Buy from me, and thus save tht A cuts’ enormous commission. U ill de liver Machine anywhere within ten miles of Knoxville. You can have ample time to try me. Satisfaction guaranteed or uc pay. ME. CALL AND SEE J. W. BLASINGAME, Kuo villo, G-a. CENTRAL GEORGIA ALLIAR WAREHOUSE i Cotton Received, Stored and Handled at Lowest Prices. INSURANCE LOW. ■ - WFIGHT f OUR MOTTO; We Price Our Own Cotton R. W. BONNER, Manager, Mat, ALLARD BARNWELL , Salesman .________ C. G. HILSMAN & dealers in | IY GOODS OF FINEST Qlfl GROCERIES, Hardware and Of Every Quality, Style and Price. We also sell Wagons, Buggies and Sewing Machines, iu fact, nearly to be found in either a city or country store. We have established a branch store at Culloden for the accommodation ustomers, and are now doing a general supply business. We have an extensive ginnery with all modern conveniences. Will gin and buy all the cotton brought us without delay and gn satisfaction. We solicit your patronage and cordially invite you to give us a trial. HILSMAN & FINCHER BROS., Robley, Ga. PATRICK. J. M. JM H. T. FITZ FITZPATRICK & JORD Culloden, ■ Georgia Experience baa taught us that the quick sale and short profit system far the most satisfactory to both buver and Thi- oyster. honest, dealings, are th^principles on which we base our hopes 6t succe Ouf Stock Consists of DRY GOODS, NOTIONS, SHOES, HATS, HiRDII GROCERIES, Amt m fact everything usually found in a first-class general We handle the Celebrated OLD COLONY SU in Men’s goods, and the QUEEN ANI CRESCENT in Ladies’ goods- Every pair guaranteed We will open very soon a handsome line of goods suitable for Christinas We guarantee prices arainst any market within your reach on eve; v We heartily thank our many friends for the liberal patronage given us, solicit a continuance of the same. FINCHER BROTHERS. WATCHMAKERS AND JEWELERS i 4 Harris House Bio ^ I.UJ989S m FORT VALLEY, GEORGIA. r. 4 -S? Keep a Full Line nf Watches, Clocks, GoidH o 0 Sill Roll Plate Jewelry, Bridal and Christmas Pra^ •3. O ***** <2 At- SPECIAL V5-- jP/j RAILROAD WATCHES A Best makes at lowest prices, Will dup article © of any city, North or South. Every -- -i'.irr teed Just as represented. . REPAIRING A SPECIALTY. Silverware, Sewing Spectacles, Etc* fi i—A mm\ ^pSliomer HAlt k Piano! Finest ir. the Market - . FINCHER BROS i E L. BURDICK, DEALER IN Corn, Meat, Flour, Hay, Oats. Meal, Wheat, Bra Sugar, Coffee, Lard, Syrup, Tobacco, Salt, Bogging, Ties, etc. lien you come to ^Micon call and see nic and get my prices. E. L. BURDICK, Agent. 452 Poplar Street, - Macon, Geofl