Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1876-08-03
The WOODEN Industry of the
United States.

few years, the wooden industry of the
United States has maintained a steady
advance, and the increase in the de-
nland for domestic wooden cloths has
been great The development Of this
manufacture has been going on Steadl-
ly during Il period of ten years, but It
is only within the last five or SIX years
that it has attained its present pertec-
ton in the fabrication of wooden caSSl-
neres. In 1870 the number OF sets of
cards engaged in the production of
wooden fabrics was 4,139, divided
among the different States as follows:
Arkansas. 7 sets; California, 20; Con-
necticut, 421; Delaware, IA; Georgia,
13: Illinois, 81; Indiana, 121; Iowa,
70; Kentucky, &c. Maine, 1854; Massa-
chusetts, LIB; Michigan, 30; Missis-
sippi, 4 (; Minnesota, ); Missouri, 81;
New Hampshire, 155; New Jersey, 81;
New York, 395; Ohio, 1888; Pennsyl-
yania, $50; Rhode Island, 1914; Ten
neSSee, "a; Texas, 4; Vermont, 90;
Virginia, 81; West Virginia, p, Wis
consin, 45. At that time it was esti-
mated that twenty-five per cent. Of this
number were idle. It's stated that there
are now about 1000 sets in this cOun-
try, the same proportions being idle as
III 1870. An estimate of the quantity
of cloth manufactured III the United
States may be gained from the state
ment of the treasurer of one of the
largest mills, that it's manufactures
amounted III value to 81, 900, 600 a year.
Each mill is rated according to the
number Of sets it runs. A set consists
Of three cards, tie first and second
breaker, and the finisher. Several of
these mills, manufacturers Of eXpe-
rlence assert, make caSSimeres equal in
quality, faStneSs of color, and fineness
OF finish, TO any imported goods of
medium price. 1T is also stated that
although a heavy duty is levied on
wool, American casSimeres can be sold
from twenty to twenty-five per cent.
cheaper than the foreign goods. The
agents of wooden mills believe that if
the duty was taken off wool, American
caSsimeres would be exported to for
eign countries which are supplied now
from the European markets. During
the last four OF five years the impOrta-
ton of fancy casSimeres has been re-
duced more than one-half The i'm
pOrtance of foreign cloth is at present
chiefly confined to novelties in black
diagonal WOrSted goods and fine black
cloths of high price. Another class of
cloths, including chinchillas, plain
black and ESquimauX beavers, which
some years ago was almost exclusively
imported, is now manufactured in this
country, of equally as good quality, it
is claimed, as the foreign fabrics The
difference in price has almost excluded
this class OF cloths of foreign manu-
facture from the American market.
1t is only in the manufacture of fine
black cloths that the American manu-
factmers acknowledge the superiority
of the foreign market. They attribute
their inability to compete successfully
in this branch of industry to various
causes. Some assert that the diff
ticulty is in the water, which
chemical test might explain. Others
state that in order to make black
cloths equal to the foreign goods
1T is necessary that the operatives
should work together in the same mills
for a long time, until by habit each
would become as necessary to the 9TH
er as the different pieces of mechanism
III an intricate machine. In European
cloth manufactures the WOrkmen sell
dom change employers, while in this
country operatives are changing about
continually. While this repeated
changing is not detrimental to the
of coarSer fabrics, manufacture
ers say it is very much so with regard
to finer goods. There are, however,
SIGdU GUAM Oh DldCh CIOUllS ana
dOeskins made in this country, but
only Of tinenesS suited to the ready
made clothing trade. Merchant tail
ors use the imported black cloths and
doeskins exclusively in their custom
trade. Some years ago the demand
for foreign goods for ready-made cloth
ing was in excess of the domestic
goods, but at present that branch of
trade is almost exclusively confined to
hOme-manufactured articles. The stvle.
durability and appearance is equal to
that of the foreign cloth, and the cost
much less. The manufacturers think
that the hard times, which have had
the effect of inducing people to buy
cheaper goods, has had the effect of
completely dispelling the prejudice
against American cloths, and that the
recent stagnation in business will be
recompenSed by the increased produc-
ton and general use of American
gOods.-N. Y. Tribune.