HOW BUTTONS AKE MADE

fh«r« Ar* Two Kjotoma for tho r*tnrnl of BuIIub*. tho Kncllah nod tho t'roBrh«»V«cotab!o Ivory but* too* Larsoly Vaod In Thla Country. Id anclqpt times buttons were far from being aa universally used as they are now. Cla»i>i, hooks and eyes, fastenings made of x wooJ. were the tides used for holSlng together the two edges of garmeata. Two hundred years ago th'Te waa not aa many buttona In the Whole world as may be found today in the smallest notion department. In fact, until the fourteenth century, the world managed to struggle along without these conven-

iences.

When the first introduced buttons were used as ornaments, and sewed on tbd garments at random, according to the taste or caprice of the wearer. During the latter part of Queen Elisabeth's reign it was discovered that a small slit cut in the cloth and fastened over the button rendered these ornaments useful. From that time on buttons have continued to grow in popularity until the making of them has become one of the most Important Industries. With the practical use of buttons there came a marked change in the style of garmenst worn by civilized people. The last relic of the flowing robes, handed down from patriarchal days, was consigned to the shelves of musgpms and the simpler forms of modem dress

adopted.

Buttons not only made the modem style of garmedts possible but also were the direct cause of the innumerable forms of undergarments. It was the fashion In the early days of buttOh making to sew as many buttons on the clothing as the texture would bear. Even the laboring classes managed to bedeck themseKes to a degree which today appears ridiculous. This at once created a demand, and the close of the seventeenth century saw the button Industry well established in Europe, the center being then, as now, Birmingham. England. In 1746 the famous Soho works were opened, where steel buttons were made of such beauty and finish as to 1 command a price of $720 per gross, or

$5 each.

' The first manufacture o^buttons in the United States was In tne year 1826) by Samuel Wililston. While he was dragging along as a country storekeeper at Ensthampton, Mass., bis wife thought that she could cover by hand the woden buttons of that time and thus earn an honest penny; From this humble beginning the couple advanced In their ambition until they had .perfected machinery for coverii buttons the first employed in this country. From this sprung an immense factory, and then others, until Samuel Wililston made half the but-

tons in the world.

There are two systems used for the measurements of buttons the English and the French. The English measurement runs. 14. 16 18, .20. etc,', "lines;" thh French runs. 4. 4 12. 5. 6 1-2, etc. An English line is onefortieth of sn inch. The French line may -be expressed thus: .08887 of an

Inch.

The French - line measurement Is said to be obsolete, yet It is every day in practical use. To illustrate in what relations the two systems stand to each other, the following table is

submitted:

English measure...18 20 22 24 26 28 French measure... 5 6* 6 6% 7 7% The materials employed In button making are as varied as the styles of buttons. In addition to metal ' and well-known mother-of pearl and vege table ivory, there are also glass, porcelain, agate, horn, bone, rubber, paper and different woods, while among the ms^-rials used for covering buttons may be mentioned lasting, brocade, twist, velvet, silk and mohair. Vegetable ivory buttons are made in large quantities and widely used In this country. The ivory tout, as it is

Are HOW THE DEALERS SUPPLY THE Ow- j GREAT DEMAND.

palm tree grown South America, the principle point of shipment being Colon, a coast city of Venezuela. The nuts grow in great clusters of about 50. incased in a shell, as are chestnuts in the burr. The shell comes off easily after the nuts /-tote ripe. > At (his stage they fall from the trees j and are packed on the backs of natives ) to the points of shipment These are U then transported by vessels to New York, generally as ballast, the cost of the nut in this country being principally the’cost of picking and transporting it The outs as used In commerce are from 1 to 3 inches In diameter and nearly round. To prepare them for manufacture they are sawed into slabs, of the proper thickness, from which’ the buttons are cut by a turning lathe In the form of round "blanks." These pieces are then punched with the nec essary thread holes, rimmed and polished. One peculiar feature of the ivory nuts is their easy susceptibility to coloring matter. They dsn be colored any tint or shade desired. In order to make them readily absorbent the buttons are well steamed and then the dyes applied, after which they are dried, again polished and tore ready

make nse of this feature of the Ivory button to great advantage in the adaption of buttoas *e garments Even 1» making up mottled goods, buttoas in perfect harmony with the color of the material may be secured. The grain of the nut being of s r.r* «saa tsvtwr.

ders easily worked Into argr desirable shape. About 4000 tons of Ivory nuts brought to tills country annually. Ing to the cheapness of the nnts is not more then *200,000 per annum I Who lh . ,. or . b „.„ Ars-ntil.s it.. Involved In the traffic. The cost of A.imak r.r cuy UiM-M.r. ti... manufacturing Is the principle item of | so.ooo sold by on. sin. L.» Tear— expense, about 80 percent of the cost l Wb.tcaa bo imm. st th. w..kiy tel... of tho butons being the labor. Un- j WJth the a(lvent of electricity and like rubber and bene, they are not | the automobile came an avalanche of affected by heat or cold; hence are leArned articles upon the approaching not so liable to. bleak in the eye. j horseless age, and extremists actually ‘ it In the near future when the

DANISH OLD /CE PENSIONS.

mi. 1 * A

Con*l(l.r.d to Work W.D

a T.-n T.an* Triak

A law for the pensioning of sunrsrousted snd Indigentrltlzenshasbeen ration In Denmark ever slnco After a ten years' trial the people have become so favorably Impressed by Its results that a genera) demand has been made on the government for additional legislation along the same line. The amendment of the law is one of the most important tasks of the rlgsdag, now in eesslop. The present law is based on the principle that every person who has reached the age of sixty and finds himself.unable to earn a livelihood for himself and those dependant on him Is entitled to public support without being regarded as an object of public charity or suf-

fering disfranchisement.

It is required that the pensioner shall be a Danish subject; that he shall have been convicted of any felonious offense; that his indigence shall be the result of extravagance or the deeding away of hla property, and that he shall not have been the recipient of public charity within ten years of his pensioning. In round numbers 60.000 persons are now receiving aid under the law. and Use n bor of those dependent on them Is estimated at 17,000. The pensioners thus form one-sixth of the populaUon that has passed the age of sixty. 1898 the average annual sum paid to each pensloncrwas 114 kroner,orabout $30. Taking cltiea and rural communiUes separately, however, there Is • marked dtffenence In the average, which In the former amounts to 160 kroner, or $42. while the latter give only 98 kroner, or $25. Such sums may seem ridiculously small when It is membered that they are the sole source of Income of a person for a whole year. Their insufficiency Is admitted by the authorities, but their adequacy should not be Judged by American standards. A kroner will go aboutvas far over

there as a dollar here.

The total amount of money paid un-

der the law In 1898 waa $1,300,000. One half of that was paid by the communities and the other half by the state. The fixing of the amount to be granted |B# ito each pensioner has so far been left to the communities, many of which, while unable wholly to refuse

known to have conceded only

a nominal support. Among the amendments now proposed the most. Important Is one fixing a minimum sum below rbteh a pension must not fall. It la proposed to shift the burden Incurred by the law as much as possible from the communities to the general government. and to permit pensioners to receive an annual income of not more than 100 kroner, or $26. from other sources without becoming disqualified. One thing seems certain, namely, that the law has come to stay. And whatever changes may be made in it these will certainly serve to extend, not to

restrict, the scope of the law.

• w On. e solar

for examples of stars In the last stags

this kind. The bare and rocky

face of the moon affords a desolate picture of what may result from this long-continued process of condensation. The volcanic region which Is shown to excellent advantage In a iholograph recently taken with the Yerkes telescope, gtm'no evidence of the existence of life; In fact, the spectroscope Indicates that If there Is any air on the moon It is mnch to rare to

support Ufe as we know 1L

Fortunately, the moon Is not the only example of a worn-out star. The earth, which probably has many counterparts In the universe. Is another example of a less desolate kind. Here through the process of condensation which Is the chief cause of celestial phenomena has ceased, the problem of evolution has not ended. In fact.

elements will not be completely solved for centuries, it mny be truly said that the questions raised by the countless living organisms In a single drop of ditch water are still more complc-.. and will require a still longer time lor their solution.—Popular Science Monthly.

n In In rural England the lpcal'"cops" are given to disguising themselves as re-

work. they scoop In many unsuspecting automobilists. who seldom fall to fall victims to the temptation to “let 'er out" Tbs minions of ths law perch on the roadside fences a half-mile or mors apart, and when the flying motosist'goss past ths first ons at a top speed frrond the limit the disguised •■copper’' tigasls his comrade farther down the toad, and lbs latter Immediately

Jumps Jumps

to stop aad follow hi. to ths nearest police station, where the Magistrate levies a stiff fins with dignity'and enthusiasm. The local are waxing fat as a result

Into tbs road, and the latter Into tbs road and compel*

uo use for the horse of commerce or the heavy carriage. The ponderous 2.000-pound Percheron. Clydesdale. Shier, or Suffolk Punch would no longer pull twice Its own weight. The mammoth brewing. Ice. and coa^ wagons, with their triple teams, would be replaced by steam or electric motors. The expree companies and the great commercial houses who require hundreds of light draught-horsm for the qoick delivery of their orders in all parts of the gract city would follow suit, while as for cab proprietors and the livery stables, the automobile would put them out of existence in

short order.

It is strange, yet true, that this large crop of scientific prophecies has turned out to be principally chaff, and that the horse Is still king. It Is true that electricity with regard to the street-car system, has replaced the horse on all the trunk lines of the city, yet it is a surprising fact that the Metropolitan Traction Company still employs 7.000 horses. Wealthy men buy and use automobiles, but they still retain their fine carriage and their fast road horses. There are automobile cabe. but the cab service of New York is generally supplied by horses, and that vast section of the public who like an occasional drive and go to a liYery stable prefer a horse and buggy to the machine that they do not understand. and with which. If they are sensible, they also have to hire a chauffeur. As for the great commercial firms, the: have nibbled at the auto-express wagons, and a few are seen on the suets, but they do not represent one percent of the vast army of vehicles which so swiftly deliver at every door in the metropolitan city the daily purchases. It Is estimated that there are In New York 100.000 general-purpose horses, and it is a significant fact that prices have in the past two years advanced fully 26 per cent., and that with the strong foreign demand there will be a still further forward movement. A dozen big firms could be mentioned who require from 200 to 300 horses each, and one bakery firm alone has 200 In use. The various express companies own from 400 to 500 horses each, and the brewery companies pride themselves upon their handsome heavy horses which cost from $300 to $500. The Interesting question arises how la the greet demand supplied.'and Mr. Joseph Carrol, who Is aa acknowledged authority on the subject. In an Interview has supplied many Interesting details. The great market of New York la not supplied by chance, but by an organized system which extends to every state in the union where horses are bred and to all the great markets where horses are sold. To Insure a constant supply of the heavy 2.000-pound horses for brewery purposes. shrewd capable buyers in the West, where these horses are bred, buy them when two or three years old, send them to Ohio and western Pennsylvania, where they are sold to the fanners with the understanding that they will be repurchased at a mutually satisfactory pries when the animal

of development Each of the planets ^ mature and perfectly fit for heavy may in fact be regarded as an objjert draught purposes. Ohio has of th 1 * •”— ’ —■* —— . . . . ' -

selected because experience has prol that the climate, soil, and water are,

tor the,dayelop-

— this class. The fanner gets two or three years' work out- of the animal, and it la to his interest to feed and care for him well, as upon the perfection of condition depends the price he will get While the buyers attend to that •pedal branch, they are constantly on the lookout for good generel-pjirpdee horses, and ms fast as the car-load, or. when they are buying Jn Buffalo

secured, to J£ew

York, for this Is a business in' which delay means expense and loss. Large sales, both public auction and private, are constantly goin on. contracts from foreign buyers have to be shipped, as fast as the big stables are emptied Jbey have to be refilled. A normal stock tor private sale always ready for inspection is a thousand head, and it ^rlll be easily understood that each a stable requires a small army of attendants and salesmen, while the feed and horseeboelng departments are of ednalderable Importance. While the big firms who reef Ire a large number of horses generally buy them by private contract, the butcher,baker, and groceryman, and the other numerous buyers who only need one or two horses patronize the public sales. These take place twice a week, and It Is common occurrence tor 600 harness horse* to be sold In a day. At these sales. In addition to the horses owned by ths firm selling, there are consignment* from all sections, brought here by dealers who find New York a quick and luceratlje Buyer* are perfectly p Hones bought at auction can be tried bw two days, or at'private sale three, and If not aatlafactory can be returned, and thus good faith is maintained all round. Jn this simple way me flrfc sold $0,000 horses worth *4,000.000, hut year, end *1.000,000 worth more were bought in the west end •eat direct to the purchaeers here, while the same ratio in n smaller d*

gree, will apply to other dealers In Greater New York. With the supply of coach horses nothing la left to chance, and in spite of the touto-carriage the demand today la brisker and prices for choice teams higher than ever before. The system of preparation for this market for these horsea is more elaborate. Every big firm engaged In this trade exclusively or having a coach-horse department has a training farm within a convenient distance ot New York. The shrewd, keen-eyed horseman who buy in the north or west, or In Canada are quick to detect the rough equine diamonds which, when polished, will be the pride of the park or the horso show. They are bought In the rough, and are then sent to the farms, where they are acclimated and thoroughly trained. They are taught to go single _pr double, and are thoroughly schooled to pass steam or electric curs, and are accustomed to. all the sounds of city life. It Is a common occurence tor one of these farms, watch are the direct feeders of the big saleatables. to have 200 horses on hand getting a city efiacation. While the horse Is getting waywlso the grooms arc steadily at work changing the rough coated countryman to the sllkcn-coated gentlemanly equine. The horse realizes the change of position. He quickly begins to carry his head proudly, he soon learns how to handle his feet, responds smartly to the bit, and Is, In fact, then fit for the market. He is then sent to the salesstable in New York and Is ready for the purchaser. At many of these stables there are always on hand from fifty to one hundred horses, and If buyers do not see what they want, they can pay a visit, to the home farm. When it is borne In mind that a good average coach or carriage horse Is worth $500, it will be easily seen what a vast amount of capital Is Invested In this special line and what it takes to supply the great demand. In addition to the groat private salcsatables there are also continually occurring public sales of this class of stock consigned by well-known dealers In the west who cater exclusively for this market. These sales take place nearly every week at the American Horse Exchane and give a clear Idea of prevailing values and the trend of the market. The figures quoted are'from official sources, but they refer exclusively to the Borough of Manhattan. It Brooklyn and the other sections of Greater New York were added, and other contiguous towns the amount would probably be neatly doubled showing that New York is the greatest horse-buyer of the continent, and one of the greatest of the world.—New York Post.

AUSTRAUAN MINE TRICKS.

a la Eff.ru to In p recent ease In which a certain mine manager was sentenced to two years' Imprisonment at Brisbane for obtaining money by false pretences, amusing particulars of the method in which mining should not be conducted were given in the following letter. which was found locked In the prisoner's safe and which was read In court: "I am pestered wjth visitors, all watching progress, and my presence both at drill and shaft is absolutely necessary- For Instance the shaft In which we obtained that splendid return of gold—you know It was compulsory' that the ground should ‘cave in'—well, that made It Imperative that I should do the work myself, and after the smell-sized timber had been put in over night I made tho remark that the ground was running, and was afraid that It might ‘cave in.' "It did—because I went down In the middle of the night and knocked every

tod. I had to 'salt' the mine, and to do It carefully, but I did It, and did It well. too. I qulte understand your anxiety, but the moves were made with diplomacy, and we were fully protected. Mind, old man. the mine is a payable one without salting, but actual returns would not have moved the

"Now, today.I got the biggest shock of all. 8 s brother came. I was working on the wash and was In a

take a dishful onc^ wash Tt. He did

bo. Meantime I made a c a grain of gold in It, and pi

I prof 1 Invjj

de a clay pill, put and put It Into my

> my dish

month. When he banded me the I promptly did a sneezing fit and the accidently fell Into the dish, and you ought to have seen hts face when he washed It! He behaved like a

pill accidently fell Into the dish, and

to have seen It' He be

acuwwj. shook hands with me and generally played the fool. I Invited him to try another dish. But no. he was 'more than satisfied, had taken the dirt himself and had washed IL' ssed upon him the utmost with the result—as a matter of coarse—that h# promptly rode into

-London Mall.

It tx no disgrace to be poor, but it is often inconvenient A few tobekee of nature smooth many a wrinkled skin. “ -Experience is a reboot. It is also a* times. of your wife's relatives

established 1901.

FIRST NATIONAL BANK

or care may,

CAPE MAY CITY. N. J.

OFFICERS

WCSTLEY R. WALES, Patsiozm SAMUEL F. ELDREDGE, Vice Pscsidiht GEORGE M. HENDRICKS, Casmicm DIRECTORS SAMUEL F. ELDREDGE, ArroaNcv-sT-Lsw. WESTLEY R. WALES, Physician and Dnugoist. WM- N. NORCROSS, Gaocce, Mav-s Landino LEWIS T. STEVENS, Attorncy-ai-Law. A. L. HAYNES Hcatino Apparatus. GEO. C. EDMUNDS, Groczs West Capc Mav. GEORGE M. HENDRICKS, Casmikh Accounts of MsrobsoU aud lodlrlduAls solicited, certificates of deposit bearing three per cent Interest Issued, iotereit beglnuluc st the date of liaue. Bankers' money orders psysble in all pirts of the United States snd Foreign exchange, psysble In all pans of the world sold st lowest rates. Specie; attention is given to collection.. N. B.—Postage stamps snd postal card* always on band for convenlenos of patrons.

Paint! Paint! Paint! properly, apply them thoroughly and rapidly, and exercise

properly, apply them thoroughly and rapidly, andexercise

-1 taste in the selection of colors. Guarantee all work, cheerfully rnlib estimates, and promptly attend to all ordera. A complete >^5* line of Paint*, Oil. Stain*, Patties Fillera, Brnahes, Varnishes,

and other Coloring Materials of highest quality. LiAFAYETnUE BENNEH®

103 Jackson Street, CapeMay, N. J. PRICTICAL HOUSE, SIGN AND DECORATIVE PAINTER. AGENt FOR J. E. PATTON’S SUNPROOF PAINTS, also give special attention to glass contracts, and handle exclusively the products of the PITTSBURG PLATE GLASS CD. They are of finest quality and am ?Ycr in price than the common grades, which give nothing but dissatisfaction. All kinds of plate, white, window and colored glass carried in stock.

•ho gwretait moat U not always In largaat nut A great pedigree may

a -v if®f®M© * • We have just received the latest Imported Goods. Now is the time to get your Spring Clothing Ready. KDWABD VAN KESSEL, Custom Tailoring. 424 Washington Street

Brown "Villa, 228 Perry Street CAPE MAV, N. J. UNDER NEW MANAGEMENT. Large Airy Rooms; Renovated Throughout; Excellent Table; Open all the Year. Mrs. E. W. HAND, Prop. MECRAYS' CENTML MARKET, Corner Washington and Ocean’Streets, 602 Washington Street, 217, 219, 221 Ocean Street

CHOICE BUTTERS - Sharpless' Gilt Edge - k SPECIALTY. Country Produce, Fresh Daily from our own Farm. FISH, OYSTZaS, CLAMS AND TZBBAPIfi. BLESSED POULTBY. U^*The Largest Market in Cape May City.

WM\ S. SHAW, GENERAL CONTRACTOR ’ Dealer In HUE, BRICES, SARD, CEMENT AND BUILDERS' MATERIALS. Tklbphonb No. 30. - 623 Elmirj*. Stkbtc)

Di^y goods pno notions . Also a complete stock of heavy and light weight UNDERWEAR aa-DIX WRAPPERS A SpecialtyWe charge nothing for.ho wing good*. Therefore, we tnutypn will oil *nd exunta* our itoek before going elfewbere. OUE MOTTO B TO PLEASE MBS. M. A. CLARK 502 Broadway and Turn pi Ice. CARE NAA.Y N. J.

HOTElEx GrORDOKl

(FORMERLY PIER AVENUE INN.) NAGEMENT. RENOVATED

UNDER NEW MAN

iGEMCL .

OPEN ALL THE

BOARD I NO BY THE PAY OR WEEK-

108 DECATUR STREET, A. R. CORDON.

CLINTON SOUDER,

ENOVATED THROUGHOUT.

YEAR.

. O

CAPE MAY CITY, N. *.

jyFurniture, Carpet*. Oilcloth*, Mattre**©*, Matting, Window S and Awning*. 811-818 MANSION STREET.

SEASIDE STUDIO, ADJOINING STOCKTON SURF BATHS. 1© L J lCrX r U'RES as CrEITTS JLXdD TTUPIXTa -FJT-Hto Exterior and Interior Work of all Kinds. Picture* Copied and Enlarged. Developing and Printing Done for Amateurs. W"VIEWS OP CAPS MAY. _ W. R. S MIT Hr Proprietor