Nothing was lost

Nothing was lost

The dryed hair was bought by the plasters. Some craftsmen made hats and door-mats. Scraps and horns were used for making glues.

And finally, the barks were transformed into briquettes.

How to finish the leather

After the tan, the skins had to be softened and curried. Afterwards, these skins were used by local shoe-makers, harness-makers and saddlerries ; but also by craftsmen from France, Germany Luxembourg…

Thanks to the local tramway, the town developped considerably the business of these products : tanneries, timber, flour and bark-mills.

But progressively, american cheap skins and new processes that did not use barks caused the decline of local tanneries in Houffalize »(1). In the middle of the 20th century, all taneries had disapeared.

(1) Simonet Amy and Caprasse jean-Marie, Le canton de Houffalize III- Inventaire archéologique de l’arrondissement de Bastogne des origines au XIXe siècle, 1985, Editions du CRIL, page 145.

 

The tramway in Houffalize

In 1889, the Société Nationale des Chemins de fer Vicinaux opened a new line of tramways between Houffalize and Bourcy (via Hardigny, Vissoule, Cowan). This new line made easier :

The movements for the travellers. From Bourcy, they could reach Gouvy or Bastogne, where other trains reach other cities. At that time, Houffalize was already a touristic place and even a thermal place (the water of the » Source des Moines » was recommended by doctors to nurse deficiency of the kidney, arteriosclerosis, irritations and deseases of the liver…

The commercial business of the city (carriage of goods like wood, products of brewery, tanneries, flour- and bark-mills)

The post thanks to a small black letter box fixed on the back of the waggon. It was the same for every local tramway.