Democratic Sentinel, Volume 20, Number 6, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 14 February 1896 — Artificial Whalebone. [ARTICLE]

Artificial Whalebone.

It is not at. all easy to see how firstclass dressmakers can make much use of artificial whalebone, especially that sort made of leather uud compositions of various kinds. All high-class work is stiffened witli bones that arc soaked in water until llie needle will penetrate them without difficulty. They are then pressed in to their extreme limit, and sewed so that they cun by no means get out of place. None of tlie composition hones are of any value for such purposes. It seems st range that something cannot lie invented tlmt will he a tletter substitute for a whalebone than tlie flimsy, unreliable and unmanageable stuff about which so much ia said J Steel bones would lie excellent if they could lie made so that they would not rust, lmt this, up to date, is out of the question, judging from tlie experience of many who have tried them. To be sure, there are claims that certain kinds of slays will not rust. They may not, perhaps, for the first few days of using; hut those who have iiad dresses and underwear ruined by ugly yellow rust-spots have learned the lesson to tlie'r cost. There is a good field for some ooe to invent a material or combination of materials elastic, firm, unbreakable, and with sufficient spring to return to shape after being compressed. Why could not one use a steel strip coated with aluminum or some non-rustable metal? Have tlie strip pierced with holes at intervals, through which it could be sewed in place. This would do away with the necessity of putting them in water, indeed, all artificial whalebones should he provided will* sew-tlnough places, iu order to lie of any special value.