Lace Making (Curtains) / Helmets (Making War Equipment) / Yellowstone Park / New York City / Tractor Plowing and Seeding and Manual Harvesting Part 3
Description
The original catalog description provided by the Ford Motor Company reads as follows: a. “Mending the drop stitches.” Man operating weaving machinery in factory interior. “Unrolling the woven curtains. When 70 yards have been woven in one continuous length it is taken off the roller.” Men remove length from the machines, carry them off. “Searching for drop stitches.” Woman inspects lengths - women at Singer sewing machines. “Finishing. The selvage of the curtain, woven to prevent damage to the lace during its manufacture, is now trimmed off the curtains scalloped and over locked in one operation.” Women performing the above operations - men operating various machines which perform the operations described below. “Washing and bleaching. Two miles of curtain are sewed together, travel through a series of porcelain rings into boiling vats, washed and rinsed and dried in a whizzer.” “Dressing consists of starching, assorting according to width, stretching and ironing.” “Finally the finished curtains are folded and paired and ready for shipment.” [1918] b. “The problem that confronts the maker of war equipment is quantity and fortunately quality is our long suit, for Uncle Sam has a reputation for delivering large orders promptly. Witness, in these pictures, American methods of painting and assembling helmets for our troops.” Men assemble metal military helmets, attach chin strap, dip racks of helmets into paint tank. “Removing a coat of tallow applied to prevent rusting.” Men wipe off helmets. “System now becomes apparent as the helmets are prepared for the paint tanks.” Helmets are placed on racks, dipped into paint tank, hung to dry. “Saw dusting, applied with air pressure, prevents the helmet acting as a reflector.” After saw dusting, racks of helmets are placed in a bake oven. “Baking in a temperature of 275°. We suggest this treatment for the Kaiser. ‘Eventually, Why Not Now.’” “Conveying to assembly room.” Helmets are dropped down an inclined chute - military personnel examining pile of helmets. “Assembling head gear to helmet.” “Each helmet is carefully inspected.” Civilian and military inspectors examine helmets. “While these helmets are guaranteed to withstand severe knocks they are not Knox helmets.” “Packing under air pressure.” Helmets are pressed into wooden crates - clerk checks shipment, lid is nailed on crate. “In Revolutionary days it was the habit of George Washington to seal his portmanteau while traveling about the land. Following his custom the government has religiously sealed all of its parcels ever since.” Crates are stenciled, seals soldered, crates fastened with wire and stacked. “Already for Over There.” Worker stencils crate end, ‘Size 7½. 25 Steel Helmets. Jan. 29, 1918. Weight 100 lbs. Air Space, 3.17 cu. ft., INV. 31, Serial 713.’ [1918] c. Bear cubs climb down a tree. [1917] d. “The capitals of the old world harking back through the centuries smile kindly on ‘Little Old New York’ still an infant in arms yet in one hundred years ‘Manhattan’ has outgrown them all excepting London.” New York sky line - park scene - large ball with sign, ‘Governor’s Committee of Women on National Defense’ - official addresses spectators, Red Cross worker and sailor stand on platform - flag-decorated buildings in business district. [1917] e. Row of tractors pulling plows across a field, pulling seed drills - man cuts grain with scythe, followed by man who gathers up stalks - man with scythe talks with a second man - manual harvesting operation continues - horse-drawn reaper - sheaves of grain. [1918]
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