Connecticut western news., 1875-09-17
Local Industries.

!
 MARBLE QuARRY-INoREAsE OF BUSINESS
 ON THE CONNECTICUT WESTERN ROAD
 FINE REs1DENoEs IN NORFOLK, Fro.
 The Hartford Times of last Monday even- ing publishes the following very interesting correspondence from Norfolk:
 MEssRs. EDITORS I Iproposed yesterday to defer until another day an account of the other manufacturing establishments which have visited in this pleasant town. pAmong the comparatively new industries here is the manufacture of skein and ma chine sewing silks, which was begun about the same time that the Hartford axle com pany commenced operations. The busi- ness is carried on by the Norfolk silk com pany. The works of the corporation are on the banks of the Blackberry river. About fifteen hands, mostly females, are employed, and from 50 to 75 pounds of silk are turned out per week. The compa- ny purchase the raw silk from importers, just as it comes from the cocoons in China. It comes in skeins weighing perhaps an ounce or SO. The flores composing these skeins are exceedingly fine. These skeins first go to the winding machine, where be- ing placed on a reel they are wound off on bobbins The bobbins are then placed on the spinning machines, where five of the fine flores are spun or twisted into single thread. A second spinning process twists the thread in an opposite direction from that in which it was first twisted, and gives 1t greater solidity. On the doublers, the next machines through which the silk pass es, three of these f1ve-fibred threads are twisted into another single thread. The silk is next subjected to process known as stretching. During this operation the silk is wet with water, and any flaw or rough ness in it removed Itis next reeled into small skeins preparatory to submitting it to the dyeing process. Eighty different shades of silk are manufactured. After coming from the dye room It is once more rewound on bobbins, and then again-if it is intend ed to be sold in the stores on spools for hand or machine work. In this last wind ing it is put upon spools containing either 50 or 100 yards. Those intended for ma chine work contain just an ounce of silk. In this last spooling tho operator holds in one of her hands small flat piece of steel, by means of which she guides the thread and causes it to be wound very evenly and closely. This is one of tho most interesting processes in the manufacture of sewing silk. The spools are now put into boxes. The boxes of machine silk contain each one dozen spools; for hand use there may be more. The company also put up portion of their silk into skeins. The fiEest ma chine silk manufactured is worth $12. 50 per dozen spools net at the factory. For the shoe trade or saddlery work 1-2 OF. is put upon spool. The silk is sold by com mission in New York. MT. Charles Moore is president and agent of the establishment.
 THE HOSIERY COMPANIES WORK.
 The Norfolk & New Brunswick hosiery company has one mill here; the other is To- cated at New Brunswick, N. :. Here forty hands are employed; in New Jersey seven hundred. The company produces every thing it uses except the raw wool and cot ton. Here only shirts and drawers are pro duced.' In New Jersey hosiery as well. The production of goods here is from ten to twelve dozen of shirts and drawers per day. All grades of goods are made, from clear cotton to clear wool. The sizes run from 34 to 48. In New Jersey children's wear is produced. Here the so-called cashmere goods, three quarters wool, are the hand somest made. They sell for $7. per pair. Both white and gray goods are produced The yarn is spun in one building; the wea- ving is carried on in another. The princl- pal building is three stories, 60x2s feet in size, and Is built of the Norfolk granite The works are run in part by 30-horse power steam engine, in part by water pow CT. The water power owned by the con- panY has 38-feet fall. The looms used in the weaving-room are very ingenious pieces of machinery, and are the invention of MT. Edward Kilbourn, formerly of Norfolk. Tue securing and wripging of the goods, after they are manufactured, is an interest ing process. Nine or ten dozen of shirts and drawers, after being thoroughly secured in large vats, are thrown into the wringer 8 rapidly revolving metal tank, where by centrifugal motion every particle of moist ure is taken from them. Mir. F. E. Portel is the agent of the company.
 J. K. sHEPARD's TANNERY.
 The tannery of J. K. Shepard is located on small stream in West Norfolk. He ha two mills, in each of which be usually em ploys four or five men and two or thre, boys. The hemlock bark used in tanninl is brought from the surrounding countr, and piled in sheds about the mills unti wanted for use. It is then taken to th hopper, where it is ground, and is thel placed in the teaching tubs. Tho liquo from the tubs is conveyed by pipes to th yats into which the skins to be tanned ar placed Only sheep skins are tanned g these mills. After the skins are taken fror the vats they are stretched on board frame to dry, and when dry arc packed into bale of from 25 to 90 dozen and are then read
 for the market. The skins are mostly use for shoe Things and for book binding. Or
 of MT. Shepard's mills was burned abol
 three years ago, but was rebuilt.
 THE NORTH CANAAN MARBLE QUARRY
 After rlde yesterday morning nearly
 the top of Bald Mountain, returned to Il Norfolk House and took dinner with do
 en other of the guests who were going
 their homes. At 12.30 o'clock all took il
 westward bound train, eight to go to King
 ton, N. Y. Two ladies in the party a
 companied the eight as far as the state lin
 and then returned here. One gentlems
 and myself stopped at the East Canaan st