New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1843-09-14
The Calico Printing Business.

The following letter is from the correspondence
of the Rochester Democrat, and contains matter
Of no little interest
PKouDxycE, Il. l., Sept }, 1852.
1t is but Il iew years since an attempt was
made in the United States 10 print cal!coes. re
vious TO 1922, all goods Of this description were
imported from foreign countries, the greater Pait
coming from England. That year, a company
of gentlemen 1T Taunton, Massachusetts Org
n;sed a company and commenced the business
/ Calicocs at that Tine were selling from ~ cents
n al per ward. England had long enjoyed the
monopoly of supplying America Like neai'E
I'll now enterprises, the company after struggling
;or few wears failed. In the mean time, DINERS
ava;ling themselves Of the knowledge OF the ba-
s;ness gained at Taunton, commenced similar
operations-but owing to the low rates OF duties
on the foreign article, they were obliged to limit
their works, it being conducted wholly as a mat
ter of experiment, and hoping to succeed by M
>provenent Of machinery IN the end ne arm
OF 1882. gave new impetus 10 the business aIid
several embarked in it, IN this city. The PFoh's
of the business were not found to be very lucFa,
tive at first. The various companies VISITED
England and procured workmen to come 10 lhis
country, and thereby lmPart knowledge o. t'iV
art to our own COt!ntrymen. ms succeeueu
well! The provisions .f the Tariff OF 1862, now
ever, reduced the amount Of duties each year
and the business again became DUBIOUS. ',ti'
with Yankee perseverance, they continued thcir
works. while the last Tariff has placed them IN :
better prospect. Within three years the number
of establishments have now increased 10 81 VITA
100 machines. The largest of these establish
mcnts are located in this vicinity, and give en-
ployment TO many hundred persons. The past
hoe boon hard onp them, owing 10 lnc
Great competition and the stagnatlon OF trade.
The reyiva of business, however, throughout the
country, which has been going on for the last SIX
months. has made fair market and now they are
again in successful operation. The prejudice
which for wears. has grown, that the colors were
not fast. is now giving away by the experience IN
the business, which is now brought to great per-
lection. and the fastness of coors even rival the
English prints, while the variety Of patterns num-
bering over one thousand, cannot be eXcelled even
in Great Britain Such is the enterprise OF the
business, that no sooner does new style appear
in market from foreign country, than lis exact
resemblance is 40 initiated, that 1t cannot be
told from the English and Is Afforded ~ per cent
lower.
The business is one Of vast Importance to the
country. In 1896, over l50,000,OOO yards OF
calicoes were imported. Last year the lmporta-
tons fell off to 100000 yards, while the An!e
rcan prints made in 1912, reached the enormous
amount of l5S, 02S 900 yards worth Sl4,00U,-
900. The capital employed in all branches OF
the business is not far from 100000 dollars.
Instead of importing, we begin to export. We
are competing in the article with the British IN
South America and in the coarser qualities hope
lo get possession of the China market. :.