New Ulm weekly review. [volume] (New Ulm, Minn.) 1878-1892, 1879-04-09
The Manufacture Of Sewing and Floss
Silk.

confined to so few firms and limited to
such small amounts, that It was hardly
to be classed among the industries Of
the country. Since about 1860 we have
been brought into closer commercial
relations with China and Japan, and
other silk-producing countries of the
world, which has given silk manufac-
turo powerful impetus. American
manufacturers discovered that their
goods could rival those of European
production in quality as well as price,
and consumers found it to their adj
vantage to patronize the home indus
try. Statistics could be given which
would show the immense increase of
American silk stuffs and the CORE
spending decrease of imported silks,
but as the purpose of this article is to
describe the process of manufacturing,
they must be omitted.
The raw silk is imported in bales,
each containing twenty bundles or
"books." These weigh from five to
eight pounds each, and are made up of
q number Of skeins. They are broken
open and the skeins assorted according
to the fineness Of fiber; this is done en-
tirely by touch and very rapidly. Or
binary grades of silk contain three
sizes; the finer qualities only two. The
fiber is exceedingly fine, translucent,
of a white or yellow color, and very
tough.
After the skeins are sorted they are
soaked for three hours in tank of soap
and hot water, to remove the natural
gum and the adulterating substances
which are added to increase the weight.
This adulteration is sometimes equal
to 0ne-fOurth of the entire weight The
silk is dried in a centrifugal drier with
out rinsing, as it is found that the pres
ence of small quantity of soap facili-
tates the handling of the material. 1t
now goes to the Keeling machine. Each
| of these contains thirty spools and reels.
The skeins are placed upon the latter
and rapidly spooied. Each machine
has single attendant who, after long
practice, shows wonderful dexterity in
untangling and tying the delicate fiber.
To casual observer, raw silk ap-
pears to be regular and to possess q
perfectly smooth surface; this is, how
ever, not the case; it is uneven, and
contains many scales and projecting
Jumps, which must be removed before
the silk can be twisted. This impor-
tant process of cleaning consists SIM
ply in running the fiber through pair
of sharp and nicely adjusted semicir-
cular knives. 1t is now ready to be
combined TO form the thread. Three
or more ibers, the number varying
with the size of thread desired, are
reeled together on a spool, which, in
another machine, is rapidly revolved
as the silk is wound off; this process
twists it loosely together. The opera
ton of combining and twisting is re-
peated, and the thread is now made,
though several processes are still nee
essary to finish it. The first of these
is stretching, an operation which elon-
gates and tightens the twist, at the
same time squeezing out the soap
which had been left till this stage.
The stretching machine consists of
pair of large, wooden rolls, placed over
tank of pure water. The silk is wet
and reeled from one to the other.
1t now undergoes the most delicate
operation in the entire process of man
ufacture-that of dyeing. Those who
delight in artistically combining the
soft tints of floss silk into beautiful
embroideries, little think of the won
derful skill and care which is necessary
TO produce those tintA Primary coll
ors must be combined, the most deli
cate shades must be perfectly matched,
and the faultless gradations of color,
which blend so tremendously in the
same skein, must be most carefully
chosen with reference to the general
effect. The beautiful anilines are
largely used, and the skeins of silk,
hung upon long, wooden rods, are sus-
pended in the hotdye. A large amount
Of the liquid is next extracted in the
centrifugal drier, and the remainder in
the drying-room. The dye contained
in the thread makes it stiff and harsh,
and to restore it's natural softness ana
pliability it must be "wrung." A
sturdy operative hangs the skein upon
strong, projecting bar of lignumvi-
te, inserts a similar bar, and twists the
thread, turning it until all parts have
been subjected to the strain.
After picking out the loose bits it is
wound on large spools, and is now
ready for the spooling room. The
spool, already labeled by method
which will be described hereafter, is
placed on a spindle, the thread wound
on few turns, and it is then set in
rapid revolution. As the silk runs on
the spool it passes through guide in
the end of sliding arm, which is
moved regularly back and forth by a
revolving screw; this screw has the
same pitch as the tightly wound thread
upon the spool, due allowance being
made for the difference in speeds, and
the silk is consequently run on with
unfailing accuracy and smoothness.
When filled the spool is stopped and
the thread cut and fastened. The en-
tire operation takes but q few seconds.
The spools are now weighed separately,
and also in lots of one dozen, in order
to correct any inaccuracy in amount.
All that remains is to place them in
neat paper boxes, and they are ready
for shipping.
The larger part of tho spools used
are labeled by stamping directly on
their ends, in one or more colors.
This, beside causing large saving in
expense over the paper label, insures
the preservation of the label. TIE
spools are fed between pair of linked
metal rolls with reversed dies upon
them, which print the design sixty.
fourth of an inch below the surface.
When two colors are used second
pair of rolls become necessary.-Scien-
tifc american.
-
A Printers Blunder.
Napoleon II. is one of the faintest OF
figures in French history. In point Of
fact he never reigned and was never