The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1867-05-17
TheEmporiaNeWS.
KANSAS WOOL TRADE.

Owing to mildness of climate aud gen
eral adaptability in every respect, Kansas
should properly be one of the foremost
sheep raising aud wool growing States of
the Union. But heretofore a variety of
causes among which may be enumerated
the unsettled condition the country dur
ing the war, and the scarcity ard high
price of sheep in the West, have operated
to prevent it from becoming a prominent
branch of business. II is only within
the past two years that anything has been
done worthy of notice.
Two years ago there was not wool
enough raised here to knit the socks for
the little ones, and the few factories that
were struggling into existence were com
PEELED to depend on other States for the
small quantity required to supply them.
We often beard persons say at that time
that building factories in this State would
be loosing operation for eight or ten
years, on account of it requiring that
length of time to stock the country with
sheep to produce enough wool to supply
them. They argued tina: it would be i'm
possible for home manufacturers to com
pete with other States, aud we would be
compelled to look to the East for our
supply of wolen goods. There was some
show of truth in such assertions at the
time, and the manufactures themselves
looked at it more in the light Of an expe-
riment than anything else.
But we are happy to state that it was
a most successful experiment, and the
large proportions the wool business is
beginning TO assume is extremely or att
flying. In the past two years large mum
bers Of sheep have been brought into teh
State, and the number is daily increasing
Some owners have from one TO two thous.
and head, and the majority are of superb
or breed, or improving very fast. There
are at the present time eight factories
and wolen mills in operation in Kansas,
with more going up this coming summer,
and all supplied to their full capacity with
Kansas wool.
The Fort Scott factory is able 10 work
up from seYenty-fVe to a hundred thous-
sAnd pounds per year, and is turning out
fabrics that, for excellence and quality,
will bear comparison with almost any Of
the East.
In Lawrence are two-the Kansas
Wooden ComPany's and Lawrence Com.
pany's mills-both frst-elass factories.
and will both soon be running to their full
capacity, night and day. Their fabrics
are the very best in the market, and are
rapidly supsrseding the sLody shams
from the East. The Lawrence Company
have on hand, at the present time, some
eight thousand yards of their manufac
lures for sale, and will soon be turnir Q
ont about four hundred yards per day.
Instead of depending on other places for
wool, as predicted, they will, after sup
plying themselves, as one Of the propris-
tors informed US, ship a hundred thous
and pounds or more to the Eastern
markets.
These are only beginnings, and we feel
safe in predicting that in a very few
years every article of wooden wear that
is needed in the State will be manufac-
tured here at home, and save the thous-
ands that are annually sent East for buy
ing such goods. Every pound of wool
and every yard of cloth that is manufac
tured here, is that much material given
10 the State; and from what Las been done
and Is doing at present, it promises to be-
come OF the first Importance to the State
These matters do not receive he notice
that their Importance demands, but we
believe that few years will elapse till
Kansas will stand at the head of the States
in the raising and manufacture of wool.
Laurence Tribune.