The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1870-01-29
Visit TO il Chinese Silk Factory.


mercim thus describes a Chinese silk fac
tory:
II directed my guide to take me into the
silk weaving streets. We soon entered
them. | at once dsmounted to make
careful observation Of their m0dus Operandi
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 hevels were seen
people, chiefly women. dyeing this delicate
textile. Outside. in little filthy yards and
pig-styes, over the ground where the fami-
ly swine were walowing, were placed bam
boo poles, whereon were hanging skeins of
colored silk just from the dye, and glowing
with the most vivid hues 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. spent
some time in examining one of the largest.
1t was, perhaps 100 feet long and about
1G feet wide. The walls were of coarse clay
blocks, sundried, unpierced 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, uneven 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 stand
ing as close together us they could he
placed.
Two or three persons were employed on
the work Of eacl. loom. The looms are
plain. comm Oh looking affairs, almost pre-
ciscly of the same kind, as to appearance
and mode of manipulation. as were those
upon which our grandmothers i'll Ohio used
to to weave the linseywoolSey for the wear
of Western boys, when even the preacher
was almost stranger to broadcoth.-
SIuatting myself down by one of these
friendly looking acquaintance of my boy
hood, | leisurely watched the delicate and
diligent manipulations of the weaver and
his assistants As their shuttles flew to and
fro in the may mystery of figures and
flowers that camo gradually ont larger and
palmer upon the growing surface of the
gorgeous fabric which those sliillful work
men were there creating under my eye
so complex were the movements of the
men of these simple looking machines, and
so maryelously beautiful were the products
resulting therefrom, that | sazed with I'M
bounded amazement upon this work of
silk weaving as it progressed before me.
Z lo hoip npI bo Sl,nn
crowded the workmen were almost naked.
Nv visit interested them manifestly, yet
not a loom ceased its clicking, clacking
noise not Il man left his employment to
gaze: but | detected them giving furtive
glances and exchanging mutual smiles
/ among themselves at the curious stranger
who had thus uncer9meniously squattcd
himself down in their midst, by one Of
/ these humble looking looms, ON a common
/ dirt floor, within homely clad walls, where,
nevertheless, are produced those beautiful
! fabrics which for ages and throughout the
world have been the pride of wealth, the
| envy of beauty and the admiration and de-
! sire of royalty. Far down and nearly to
! the extreme limit of this long room was
plain board counter, extending quite across
the room. Beyond it stood the proprietor
of the factory, a smoothfaced, richly clad
| Chinaman. Directly over him the building
was unroofcd, thereby aflording a spacious
skylight: except this window there was
none. Through this skylight, and down
/ upon the counter below, the sunshine fell
/ upon the finished work of this dingy, dirty,
/ squalid looking workshop. The proprietor
! was busy measuring off and packing up the
! products of his looms. And as the sun
/ light streamed full upon the gorgeous colors
of those silks, satins, and brocades which
the proprietor was tossing about in billowy
radiance, it seemed to my eyes, as | stood
| far up in the feeble light of the centre of
the room as though he were tossing and
| toying with rainbows From places So
! humble and surroundings so squalid as this
come those royal fabrics which are to dec
crate palaces and TO adorn the persons of
/ princes and monarchs of the earth.