The Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1855-1875, 1859-12-22
For tn. Palladium
COMMERCIAL CAUSES AND CURE
FOfk SLAVERY.
No. III.

!. sv.rv one that will carefully consider
the ,uAs,i,n. that linens can DE procured tor
about the cos, of cotton goods, AID since
linen has much more intrinsic value than cot
ton. it must come into more general use;
gradually displacing cotton as cotton has
gradually been displacing linen. The great
support Of Slavery will then gradually be re
moved, and with it the greatest danger TO
our glorious Union There will then be no
..irrepressible conflict" between North and
South. and all will be peace.
II would seem to the most casual obser-
yer that linens ought not to cost. as they now
do, from twice TO thrice as much as cotton
goods of the same weight and tinaness, since
dressed fax in the market costs not much
more than raw cotton. But as a difference
does exist in the prices of these fabrics II
may be we'll to look at the causes. The
cos. Of manufacturing flax by the present
mode is needlessly great. compared with cot
ton. The writer spent "A winter 10 England,
Scotland and Ireland with the view Of learn
ing what he could in regard to this business.
Twelve years ago he formed general opin-
ion there. among persons Ia this trade, that
there must ere long be great Improvements IN
the manufacture. reducing the expense, so
that linens might bs brought down to the
cost OF cotton goods. These long looked
for improvements have been made, and the
inventor. failing in obtaining the necessary
capital to render his patents available. now
proposes to surrender them. with other III
ventions not yet patented, to the public.
1t is known that the greater cost oil manu-
featuring fax over cotton arises from.
l. The great labor and expense OF rot
ting, breaking out, and preparing the hore
tor market.
e. The great expense of hacking or di
viding the flaments of flax and separating
the long from the short tibres
2. The greater CO t OF the preP1rtnS no.
spinning) machinery.
The improvements alluded to consist:
l. In machinery for breaking the fax
straw without rafting Or rotting.
2. Machinery for washing out the g lut-
tinous or gummy matter from the fax and
and purifying its tibres.
B. A machine for separating the long
and short fbres, by which a boy may do the
work now done by 50 hackers and do the
work in a better manner.
4. By simplifying. cheapeniny, and rem.
1ering more efficient the preparing m lchln-
cry. particularly the drawing ani rowing
rames, SO that linen factories need not re-
luire more capital hereafter than cotton fac
ories of the same number OF spindles.
Flax straw at S5 per ton makes the cost OF
,ure linen fibre 9 cents per pound, (the
oss in preparing not exceeding nine-tenths)
and it has been found by actual trial. that
the cost OF putting it in s"oh condition
that it may be spun rs chsaply as cotton,
does not exceed cents per pound This
will reduce the cost OF production of linens
to that Of cotton goods.
u
here for breaking the unrotted flax to be
used in the rough state as a substitute for
hair for upholstering purposes, aud one is IN
the flax being, now for the first
time in this country, used i'll the manufacture
IF bagging for covering cotton bales. Specl-
mems NAV be seen at the Spencer House.
These machines cost from $500 to $500 each
and break out about tw tons of unrotted flax
straw per day. or fax enough to make. when
refined and purified by the process above
alluded to. 400 pounds of linen goods. In
Dayton. Xenia and Piqua, OHIO, there are
machines similar 10 the one here, being a
ries of rapidly running fiu;ed rollers, the flu-
ting being varied in tineness, and the flax has
to be pu. through two or three times. The
f atom machine has also series OF pairs of
fiuted rollers which hold, crush and pass
along the sheet Of fax straw, while it is ac
ted on rapidly by several pairs OF sharp steel
toothed combs. somewhat like the dotfer
combs OF wool carding machine. dividing
he tibres without rupturing them, while they
remove the shaves. The flax com IS from
This machine in "slioer" form. or endless
belt of flax. blended together like cotton
from drawing frame In cotton factory.
Now this silver. or rowing condition is the
very condition required for cheap handling
and refining by machinery. Where sliv-
er is coilsd into a tub or barrel, warm water
is admitted, and. after standing some time,
the end OF the silver is inserted by boy be
tween a pair of flutcd rollers OF wood o,
brass, and by the action of these rollers, the
dirty yellow waters are pressed out, snsl the
fibre, by repeated action of the machine and
change of water, is cleansed and divided. in
; short time, when by being boiled in an
alkaline solution. rinsed and passed through
a bleaching preparation, it becomes white
1t is then passed through a simple machine,
" hich dries IL IN motion. when the flax has
a fne. silky soft appearance. being still in
the rowing or silver form.
Now let any ons take handful OF this
yellow coarse unrotteG hix now found at all
our upholstererS in this country. and ne will
be surprised AT the change 1t VIII undergo
bv two or three ws>hIngs In warm water and
then boiling in either strong soap suds or al
alkaline solution. Ii will be soft, fine and
silky in appearance. AMI then. if put in a
weak solution of chloride of lime. and then
in water made slightly sour " th oil OF v'trio',
it presents white anl beautiful appearance.
By very little manipulation of this kind.
one will see the great advantage that would
result from the use of the tilted rollers. and
having the flax in an endless silver iorm--
A boy in this way can refine fax enough to
run a small linen factory. putting several s.lv-
ers through pair of long fialed rollers st
oace-
Tne trials OF the newly invented machines
and processes we're made BY company in
the State of New York few years ago.
when an attempt being made by majority
OF the directors 10 deiraud not only t e in
veu,or. but many of the other stockholders.
4 i