Page:The New International Encyclopædia 1st ed. v. 18.djvu/718

* STRAW MANUFACTURES. 620 STREET. baskets, and shoes. The most important branch of the straw-i)laiting industry is the making of straw hats or of straw braid to be sewed into hats. Much of the straw braid which is used for hats in Enghind and America is braided in China and Japan. The conversion of straw into braid is a simple process, requiring few tools but deft fingers. Wheat straw is the material conmionly used. The straw pipes must be sufficiently long be- tween the joints, flexible,, and of good color. The straw is prepared for braiding by first pulling, instead of mowing the crop. It is then cut into lengths and permitted to dry and bleach in the Sim. after which tlie outer sheath is removed and the straw is again bleached, this time in sulphur fumes. The straw is then sorted as to diameter, length, and color. It is estimated that in Saxony and Bohemia alone, from 20,000 to 30,000 persons of both sexes and all ages are engaged in this industry. The finest work is done in Tuscany, where the indus- try was established in the thirteenth century. Here .a particularly fine grade of straw has been produced since 1718, from which the famous Leghorn braids are made. Tlie Tuscan straws are not split. In 1840 looms were adapted to straw- braiding, but they have not superseded band labor. The plaits are known by the numbers of bents into which they are worked as 7 or 11 bents. The production of the finer grades of Tuscan braids is a most delicate operation, so trying to eye and nerve that the workman cannot engage in it for more than two hours at a time. coloring matter of madder, to the preparation of the mercury compounds of many alcoholic radicles, and to several important syntheses in organic chemistry, notably those of lactic acid, alanin, and taurin. His publications include: Das chemische Lahoratorium der Universitiit Krisiiania (1854); Theorien mid Ex-perimente zur BcstimmuiKj der Atomgeicichte (1859) ; and a German edition of Regnault's well-known text- book of chemistry (begun 1851). STRECKER, Herman (18361001), An American entomologist, born in Philadelphia, He acquired considerable skill as a sculptor and designer, but his chief claim to distinction is due to his study of butterflies. His collection of these insects was the largest in America and one of the largest in the world. He published: Btit- terflies and Mothsi of North Amei-ica and Lepi- d<ipteni. Rliopalocrra and Tletcrocrrii. Iiidi(/e- nous and Exotic. After his death in 1901 his col- lection was bought by Dean Hoffman for $20,000 and was presented to the American Museum of Natural History in New York City. STRECKFUSS, strek'foos. I-Cabl (1778-1844). A German poet and translator. He was born at CJera, studied Law at Leipzig, and occupied high positions in the Prussian civil service. His original works include: Gedichte (1823), Neu- ercDichttingen (I83i), and ErzaJiliaigen (1830), but he is best known as the translator of Ari- osto (1818-20), Tasso (1822 and often), and Dante ( 1824-26),— His son Adolf (1823-95), a novelist and historian, was the author of Fried- Straw and .Straw Manufactures Imported into the United States (From the U. S. Statistical Abstract for 1900) 1896 1897 1898 1899 1900 Tone Dollars Tons Dollars Tons Dollars Tons Dollars Tons DollarR Unmanufactured 7,879 31,140 1,199,284 9,386 31.768 1.006,201 1,448 4,463 260,437 2,075 4.564 259,186 5,496 15.7.50 Manufactured 336,287 STRAW- WORM. See Wheat Insects. STRAY. See EsTBAY. STREATOR, stre'tor. A city in La Salle County, 111., 94 miles southwest of Chicago; on the Vermilion River, and on the Chicago, Bur- lington and Quincy, the Chicago and Alton, the Wabash, the Indiana, Illinois and Iowa, and the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe railroads (Map: Illinois, D 2). There is an attractive park in the heart of the city. Streator has important rail- road interests, and is the centre of an agricul- tural section noted also for its deposits of coal and clay. Bottle and window glass works, foun- dries and machine shops, and brick and tile manufactories are some of the leading industrial establishments. The government is vested in a mayor, chosen every two years, a unicameral council, and subordinate officials who are ap- pointed by the mayor with the consent of the council, Streator was settled in I860, and was laid out in '1867. It was incorporated as a vil- lage in 1870. and organized as a city in 1882. Population, in 1890. 11.414; in 1900, 14,079. STRECK'ER, AnoLF (1812-71). A German chemist, born at Darmstadt. He taught suc- cessively at Giessen. Christiania, Tubingen, and Wiirzburg. His extensive original work led to interesting discoveries in connection with the galls of various animals, to the isolation of the rich I. und die Quitzoxcs (1859) ; Vom Fischer- dorf zur WeltMadt ; .500 Jahre Berliner Ge- schichte (last ed., 1899) ; and of n'eltgeschichte, dem deutschen Volk erzahlt (1865). STREET (AS, street, from Lat. strata, street, highway, fem. sg. of stratus, p.p. of sternere, Gk, CTnpcvvivai, storennynai, crpuvvvvai, strHnnynai, OC'hurch Slav, streti, Skt. star, Goth, straujan, OHG. streiecn, Ger. streuen, AS. streawian, streoician, Eng. strew). The term as here used denotes a way for foot and vehicular traffic in cities and other more or less closely inhabited areas. Some of the points to be observed in planning a city's streets are as follows: The streets should radiate from the principal centre, and sometimes there should be sub-radiations from local centres. Tliis will save time and distance and afford an opportunity for better artistic ef- fects in the way of commanding central features, such as public squares, monuments, and buildings, and pleasing vistas. Placing pipes and wires in subways, or underground galleries, is a modern means for relieving overhead con.gestion. Much relief has been gained in a number of cities by placing the wires in inclosed underground con- duits accessible from manholes, or covered cham- bers placed sufficiently near together to render street excavations unnecessary. See Subways; etc.