The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-08-22

fucturc The fact is probably a surprise to
most people, and may well draw attention
to a branch of industry which, within n de-
cadc and /, half, has made astonishing prog
ress.
Repeated attempts to found silk faoto-
ries in the United States had been prose
cutcd with skill aud capital; but these, for
the most part, proved unr.munerative up
to the outbreak of the cNil war and the
high tariff regime which followed. The
necessity of importing the raw material
was n disadvantage, but the relative high
pr &C Of labor seemed to present more
insuperabe obstacle to the success Of the
undei taking. A larger proportion of
hardiwork wac, and still is, indispensable
In twisting and weaving silk than in other
textile industries. Much Of this, undoubt-
eddy, my he done by women, but they
could rarely be hired for less than dollar
day, or ten times the sum paid to silk
throwers in China, and from three to five
times the stipend Of female operatives in
Italy and southern France.
American ingenuity, however, had con-
trved TO measurably neutmlize these
drawbacks by improved mechanical np-
planes. Before 1910 NATHAN RIxFoRD
patented n silk reel of his own invention,
which was II material advance on the PIED
MONT instrument. number of these
reels were soon aftervaid sent TO China,
aud although their introduction was at
tended with some difficulty. the desired
change was nj length Effected, and Shang-
hal and Canton silk. re-reecd hy RIx-
FoRD's process. is now regularly consigned
TO manufacturers in the United states. \
more decisive Improvement on European
apparatus is presented hy the so-call,d
throwing machines built nj Paterson, New
jersey, it being, OF course, understood that
the technical word oomprchends the
various processes Of winding, cleansing,
doubling, twisting, rewindlnc, and Keeling
the raw silk. The adoption Of this and
other ingenious inventions has enabled
American manufacturers. under the
tariff of 1SG5, to Offset tho excessive cost Of
labor, and compete successfully with
| foreign fabrics. Thus their demand for
! raw silk twenty years ago fell short OF II
million Of dollars, whereas this country
at that date paid more than thirty mi lions
for the products Of Chinese and European
! looms. BY $50, however, their consump-
ton Of the crude material had nearly
quiutuplod, while the impoi tation Of
manufactured silks had slrunk 90 less
than tweuty-lour millions. The aggregate
value of the silk fabrics produced III the
! Unlod states during the last year is COM
! puttd mt tweuty-scvon millions of dollars.
OF which fraction was actually exported.
We may add that although our mauufac-
turer- are working under tariff of sixty
I I'D zeal 81.
strong competition ut home, the price OF
certain goods. for example dress silks.
ribbons. and sewing silks, was never -
/ low us now.
The market for the last named product
! is mainly controlled by domestic manUfGc-
lures. Our sewing silks and machine
twists are considered III some respects
superior TO the foreign article and we may
mention that the substitution of spools for
skeins was started in tins country. it
may be, however, that the remarkable
evenness and freedom from kinks secured
by stretching machines-an American in
vention-aro Offset by certain loss Of
I strength and elasticity. The Italian staple
! rarely needs uIliiicial correction Of this
sort, but its high cost substantially pro-
hibiIs its employment in our twist facto-
res. The relative excellence of American
twists aud sewing silks seems to be gcner-
ally acknowledged, since, during the last
four years, they have been exported in i'm
creasing quantities. Ribbons and MILF
merry siiks likewise constitute important
features of tins industry, their combined
annual valuation exceeding seven millions
of dollars. What is more noteworthy, he
to-.
work is required III the production, the
demand for braids ana frinpes Is largely
supplied by native fabrics. Even lros
grams have lately been made with profit,
but il must be sald IN general that for
broad goods and me heavy grades Of dress
silks the outlook of American manufac-
lures is not favorable.
When we consider its beginnings and
impedlments, the present state of our silk
Industry may well appear remarkable. 1t
gives employment TO eighteen thousnnd
| operatives, tWC-thiIds OF whom are WO-
men. 1t represents an invested capital of
eighteen millions OF dollars, OF which n
| fifth is credited 10 New York, somewhat
mole 10 Connoctcul and n third to the
city Of Paterson, j., which in modest
The town was reoomm, nded by its water
facilities, and being already the scat Of
factories, could offer in the wives and chill
dren of its operatives the precise quality
OF labor requisite in silk works at mini
mum rate OF wages. Among other manu-
featuring centres may be named South
Manchester and Mansfield Ia Connecticut,
the latter place being intimately associated
with the history Of American silk culture
SILK culture, indeed, should not be wholly
overlooked, although m the Atlantic States
il has ceased 10 engage much attention.
Yet it long held a much larger place IA the
hopes Of English settlers than the cotton
crop, and JANIS ]. s1udiously ondeayorCd
to supplont tobacco by the mulberry tree.
The growth of the white mulberry and
the breeding of silkworms in Virginia
were encouraged 10y large premiums; and
about tho middle of the seventeenth con
fury member Of the House Of Burct ssos
sad he had seventy thousdI'i mulberry