The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1869-07-02
.~vpIcAN SILK MANUFACTURE.

uasnIlf
=, nPIaioot PHo of American manufactures, said
tbot tbs United States can produce all the
II,r .,''S ;,norted fabrics, except silk. Yet the
U'.,.nsyrotivelv infant State of California has
cS,IpyIad over a public building an American
aag Of which every particle and process were
49, ,roducts of home manufacture. Inc nag
l: tpe ,',o,ed over the old Crystal Palace was
1, WINCH ;,' colors by Major Ryle of Paterson,
THOMAS N. Dole of the same city has,
;.S;n q month, received from party of
Hrn-ob and Swiss immigrants, who are found
- = 0r,onnfacturing and agricultural colony
.SSantrol .nSS Kansas. orders for thrown trans
Ia - oroanzines with which they purpose to
.oole velyets for the Chicago market.
Fariy American silk Manufactures.
Az early as 1747 Governor Low, OF Clncln-
Ooti wore n coat made of silk which was
raised and manufactured III hsoWn o'aVe' III
177O. the English Queen was proud to wear,
90 a nresent from the colonies, an American
rnode Gown. and Charles ii, in 1860, wore
ooronaIion robe of American silk. The pro-
dnction of raw silk in America was at first
5iscouraped by company mismanagement,
then bv fhe speedy profitableness of tobacco,
afterwards by the Revolution, and the easy
production of cotton, and finally by the
famous ''silk mania, which began IN 1870.
Windham county, Connecticut, had produced
90 GREAT quantities of raw silk that the atten-
fOn OF IQe NuOl6 SOuhNhJ WV o-AN.NON1
and Congress, that year, appointed
committee to investigate the subject of silk
raising. with view to legislative protection.
The committee reported, in 1926, that the
cnlture of the mulberry and the worm was adj
Visable for agricultural as well as economical
reasons. Richard Rushs official pamphlet on
the subject was spread broadcast The peo-
pie, during the next few years, speculated
largely in the mOTUS RlUttIcduGuS, a species of
mulberry, native of the Philippine Islands,
and cultivated in France. Farmers IN all the
States planted great number of mulberry
trees. Even Maine offered premiums for raw
silk. In 1880 a bill was introduced in Con-
gress for appropriating $4,000 to the estab-
lishment at Philadelphia of 'filature' in which
young men and women might be taught,
under the direction of M. Duponceau, the
processes of raising and preparing raw silk,
they to be teachers of others. 1t was ex-
pected that great quantities of raw silk could
be exported. But it was during the Nulliica-
ton times, and the bill was lost Notwith-
standing the want Of encouragement, States
offered bounties for raising the mulberry
trees. Between 1928 and 1898, twelve mills
were erected in the United States for the
manufacture of imported silk, until the home
product should be sufficient. Large planta-
tions of trees were made; mills started
mp in the Eastern and Middle
States; the young trees sold at the
nurseries at high prices. A large class of the
silk enthusiasts limited themselves to theories
and pamphlets yet at Troy, Concord, Hart
ford, Philadelphia, and other places, large
sums were employed as capital for practical
operations in the business. The Rhode Island
Silk Company, at Providence, used capital
of 800, 600, and established large cocoonery.
Industrial Fairs were filled with prize speci-
mems of silk weaving, in gimps, ''sewings," "
and broad fabrics Yet, in 1886 in the height
of the excitement, we imported over 800, ,OO0,-
600 worth of silks. The excitement increased
during 81 and '3S. The Hl0PuS mU5ticduLts
tree assumed a value in the market scarcely
inferior TO that OF gold in 90. Those who
achieved anything i'll manufacture did it by
costly experience and good luck. During this
time impOrtations did not cease, and no pro-
lection was provided, except ON sewing-silk,
which immediately, in consequence, became
desideratum. And the fact that American
manufacturers to-day have the experience and
facility to make as good sewing-silk as could
be imported, and so greatly to rely upon that
branch OF manufacture, is due to its other
logical fact, that protective duty of % per
cent. was imposed on sewing-silks. In 1912
duty was imposed on all silks, but it was too
late; the nlOrUS multjcdltJus failed: a violent
reaction ensued; the shipwreck was complete.
But many lessons We're learned. Manufac-
turers began to use imported silk for want of
home-cultivated, and the trade assumed its
natural, normal condition.
More Recent Operations.
Since lS40we have been learning to manu-
lacture. 1t has been proved, however, that
Americans can raise as good raw silk as other
countries The cocooneries of California are
only experimenting, but they promise sure
success. Mr.. Cowdin reports that some of
the hnest cocoons at the Paris Exposition
were from the Santa Clara Valley. The rains
winch, IN Europe, during the feeding season,
destroy the worms, do not occur in California
at that time. The worm is Matched about tbe
middle of May, reaches maturity about the
hrst OF July, and before the first of Aroust
mas formed It's cocoon ready for market or
reel. From the first of MAY till the first Of
October, in California, the sky is clear. the
AIR dry, the temperature equable. A Chi
naman recently, in reply to the question
what he thought of California as a
sllk-growing State, said he believed it
to be the best in the world. because
the blunderers at the ecocooneries had not Leen
able to kill half the worms. AS a question of
labor, California, with her thousands of China
men, can compete with the world She has
recently exported from the Santa Barbara
colony 100 pounds of eggs, valued at S1O. OOO
in gold. The raw silk which we import Cfree
OF duty comes from China and Japan, though
it first goes to England, whence we purchase
it at prices fixed by the market there, after
the best has been chosen. The Pacific Rail.
way will remedy that It costs from $50 70
$3.50 per pound. Some of the Japanese
silk is cleaner and finer than the Chinese,
Cevennes silk is dearer than either. and !;
used in weaving ''silk-mixed" cassimeres.
Considerable quantities of partly-manufac.
tured silk are received by the importers
through the Custom House under the guise of
raw silk, and so free of duty, the officers ignor-