Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1870-01-20
Visit to a Chinese Silk Factory.

n
mercial writes from Canton:
II directed my guide to take me into the
silk-weaving streets. We soon entered
them. at once dismounted to make
careful observation of their modus operdndi
for the production Of this renowned fabric
of Oriental looms. All around me was silk,
silk, nothing but silk. In small, dark
houses, little better than novels, were seen
people, chiefly women. dyeing this delicate
textile. Outside, in little filthy yards and
pig-stycs, over the ground where the family
swine were wallowing, were placed bamboo
poles, whereon were hanging skeins OF col
ored siR1, Just from the dye, and glowing
with the most vivid bues as they hung for
drying in the sunshine over the loathsome
pools below. visited several of their
weaving shops. They were quite similar in
their fixtures and arrangements.
"f spent some time in examining one of
the largest. 1t was, perhaps, one hundred
feet long and about sixteen ieet wide. The
walls were of coarse clay blocks. sun-dried,
unpiercei by a single aperture for air or
light. save at the front, which was entirely
open the whole breadth of the building.
The floor was simply of trodden clay. un-
even and untidy, An aisle ran down the
centre, Just wide enough for one person to
pass; on either side of this were ranged the
nearest looms, and standing as close to-
gether as they could be placed.
1.-TWO or three persons were employed on
the work of each loom. The looms are
plain, communicating affairs, almost of the
same kind, as to appearance and mode of
manipulation, as were those upon which our
grandmothers in Ohio used to weave the
linsey- woolsey for US Western boys. when
even the preacher was almost stranger to
broadcloth. Squatting myself down by
one of these friendly looking acquaintances
of nv boyhood, / leisurely watched the
delicate and diligent msnipulations of the
weaver and his assistants as their shuttles
few to aud fro in the may mystery of fig
ures and flowers that came gradually out
larger and palmer upon the glowing sur
face of the gorgeous fabric which those
skillful workmen we're there creating under
my eye. So complex We're the movements
of the men on these simple-looking iHa.
chimes, and so marvelously beautiful were
the products resulting therefrom. that
gazed with unbo1nded amazement upon
this work of silk-weaving as it progressed
before me.
The weather being warm and the shop
crowded, the workmen were almost naked
y
not loom ceased its clicking, clackine
noise, not man LETT his employment tC
gaze, but detected them giving furtivt
slances and exchanging mutual smiles
among themselves at the curious stranger
who had thus unceremoniously s1uattet
himself down in their midst. by ont
of these humble-looking looms. on {
dirt floor, within homely clay walls, where
nevertheless, are produced these magnih
: cent fabrics which for ages, and through
|. out the world, have been the pride o
wealth, the envy of beauty, and the admi
ration and desire o. royalty. Far down
, and nearly to the extreme limit of thi
, long room, was pain board counter, ex
tending quite across the room. BeAind
stood the proprietor of the factory,
smooth faced, richly-clad Chinaman.-
, Directly over him the building was unroof
J ed, thereby affording spacious skylight
! except this, window there was none. Thrc
D this skylight, and down upon the counte
: below, the sunshine fell upon the finishes
, work of this dingy, dirty, squalid-lookin
3 Workshop. The proprietor was busy meas
: uring off and packing up the products
7 his looms. ..-a
s.And, as the sunlight streamed full upo
the gorgeous colors Of those magni6cen
, silks, satins and brooches, which the pre-
> prietor was tossing about in billowy rad
T ance, it seemed to my eyes, as stood ia
e up in the feeble light of the centre of th
e room, es though he were tossing and toyin
: with rainbows. From places 30 humbls
8 and surroundings SO squalid as this, com
D these royal fabrics which are to decorat
, palaces and to adorn the persons of prince
r and monarchs of the earth"
SUCCESSFUL SURGICAL OPERATION. AT th
battle of the Wilderness, May, 1864, job
! B. Smith, Fourth Maine Infantry, was b
: by Mimic ball directly over the bridge
: the nose. It went tearing through tn
Z bones of the face, smashed the bony cas-
= of the left ear ct the base Of the brain. an