Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1870-01-12
SECRETS OF TIE SILK. TRADE.

Paterson the Lyons of America-The
Raw sfik-Secrets for the Ladies'
How to Buy SILK Dress.
A lively lady writer in the Philadelphia
Press sends from Paterson the following in
side view Of the silk business:
For many reasons the finger of DESTINY
points to Paterson, N. j., as the future
America Paterson will be TO the United
States what Lyons is to France. Within a
few months manufactures established else
where have been removed to this place.
Most Of the manufacturers of Paterson
have spent years of apprenticeship in Eu-
rope To this are added Yankee ingenuity
and determination to eclipse the world.
1t is enough to bring the blush to every
American woman's cheek to think that
these citizen brothers of ours must be
obliged to smuggle their daintiest goods in
to market under foreign brand because
women refuse to believe in the prophetwho
is born in their own neighborhood The
time has been when domestic sewing silk
had to wear lying Italian brand; but this
nonsensical whim of women has been
swept away, and there is nothing but Amer
lean sewing silk, wearing genuine label
now to be found In the market. It is true,
duty imposed upon the foreign articles
had something to do with the change of
opinion, but the time will come when Amer
ican ribbons and broad silks will stand de-
family on their honest reputation; and vet
it is sad to think how many silly women
must blossom and fade away before that
certain transition takes place. Over four
millions of capital are invested in the silk
business in Paterson. Nineteen large sep
arate establishments moy be found within
its limits.
Raw sILK-WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE.
About the same quantities of Italian,
japanese, and Chinese silk, in O raw state.
are imported into this country. The skeins
OF silk, when first taken from the bale, look
like masses of tangled spiders web Can
1t be possible that human fingers can bring
regularity out of this confusion? The Sc
cret is in nutshell. Each fairy thread
possesses the strength of the same size of
spun steel. Mayor Ryle says, ''The silk
has vitality; it is alive" For some unex-
planned reason. silk in Japan and China is
sometimes kept fer years before it comes
into market. Ia the meantime it has lost
great portion of its vitality, and in like
ratio deteriorated in value
The silk which comes from the South of
France and North of Italy, and known in
the market as 'Ital1an silk" is the most
of the globe.
The cocoons of California are Of Just as
much promise, but California rs yet, owing
to the infancy Of the enterprise, has not
even been able to supply other parts of the
world with seed. Owing to climate, or
other advantages, California is enabled to
develop a healthy worm.
HOW THE QUALITY OF sKEINs IS DECIDED.
H. { I
the bale are not found to be of uniform
quality. The raw" thread is composed
of the strands or web drawn from different
numbers of coceons, varying from four to
twelve. The difference is decided by
scales so delicate that feather disturbs its
equilibrium.
The outer shell of the cocoon proper, or
the first production OF the worm, is the best
silk. The last spinning of the worm is a
finer, weaker, darker thread. It seems to
partake of the nature of q vegetable sedi-
ment. Sometimes 1t is stained with the
body of the chrysalis. This kind of silk
has lost large proportion of that which
the manufacturers call vitality. These diff
f ences in the skeins are detected by the
eye, and also by the sense of touch.
After silk has been assorted it is put into
boilers of soapy water, and boiled for q
certain length OF time, in order to remove
the gum. This gum is the saliva or secre-
tians of the worm. BY this process the
manufacturers lose twenty-five per cent.
Bnt this is usually returned, with more or
less interest, by dyeing.
NO CHEAP SILK.
visit to the silk mills has disclosed the
awful fact that there is no such thing as
cheap silk, any more than there is cheap
gold. It is true we find sham silks and
dollar jewelry in the market, and both bear
exactly the same relation to the originlL.
An ounce of pure silk is worth its weight
in silver all over the civilized globe.
Without consulting the opinion of the
silk manufacturer, 1t is the belief of the
writer that the Chinese and Japanese bar
barians send to outsiders only their refuse
silks. If we had our choice in their mar
kets as we have in France and Italy (yet
We are somewhat restricted there, for they
are jealous Of our progressl, We should
find their raw silks" quite as good as
Italian. China ana Japan treat the world
with tea such as they never taste them
selves. To our sorrow we have learned
their adulteration of this beverage. We
know that tea is sent us after having been
already 'steeped." BY what means shall
we decipher the secrets OF the silken
skeins?
1t is very natural for woman to want a
heavy, elegant silk dress for as moderate a
sum as 1t can possibly be procured. How
can 1t be cheap when silk, Just as the worm
leaves it, is worth sixteen dolIarsS per
pound? The desired reSut t is brought
about in just exactly the way that Erie
stock" was enhanced in value. The pur-
chaser pays for the price for the ''dye
stuffs. To such perfection abroad have
the dyers brought this art they are now en-
abled to make silk weigh five times as
much as it did before the process of dye
ing. For instance, one ounce of silk pre-
pared for the loom, when returned from
the dye-house weighs five ounces.
HOW TO CHOOSE BLACK SILK
When woman is about to choose black
silk. it is we'll to pull out thread OF the
s.tram." or filling, She must try the
strength of the thread. Ifit breaks easily
the examination has not gone far enough
it is wisdom to look farther, We viii sup,
pose the thread has been tried and indi-
Gates some back bone, then it IS necessary
if the woman is right brave, and dare &c
such q thing with a handsome pair oi
clerks eyes bearing down upon her like
privateer upon a poor little merchantmen,
to seize the silk by the corner and rub II
just as the washerwoman would do when
she Intends to remove a stain If this aw-
Iui ordeal can be performed to perfection
remember, some muscle must be brought
.1to play silk Is honest and legitimate
y WIN come out triumphant. If it is heavy
80 mt'n uS@' 4. II held up to the light slight
ETarH4E