The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1880-09-30
The ImperiaI Chinese Silk Factory.

The next point to visit was the Impe-
rial Silk Factory. \ long range of yell
low-tiled buildings, situated at the base
of the hills, was pointed out to us as the
factory. Reaching the outer gate our
pass to the Superintendent was handed
in and we were ushered into q reception
hall of the usual Chinese type, except
that in the alcove, hung with yellow
silk embroidered with dragons, there
were two beautiful red lacquered tab
lets. The inscriptions showed that these
had been placed in position by the En-
peror Tung Che as a mark of imperial
appreciation at the efforts displayed by
the factory in providing fabrics on the
occasion of his marriage. Going into
the apartments used for weighing the
silk thread, the weaving rooms, the
packing rooms and the office of the
waters, everything was seemingly con-
Quoted with great system. The machin-
eryusedfor the weaving of the dainty silk
and satin cloths is composed of wooden
frames, strings and ties made of bam-
boo, the weaver, sitting at his loom in
a hole dug in the ground, working his
pattern with the utmost eXactitude with
his rude appliances. The self-same de-
signs, the identical five-clawed dragon,
the imperial crest, has been used for
thousands of years. COlors which are
now the rage among our society bellies,
brocaded patterns which are daily eX-
hibited as something new, are here OLD
fashioned. Mazarin blue, old gold, car
dinal and host of colored fabrics, both
silk and satin, were in course of pro-
duction by the work-peOple for the use
of the Expresses. StuffS that for odd
ness and beauty of design would set
some of our ladies wild with a de-
sire to obtain them, were here piled in
profusion. The silk used is of the finest
quality. The utmost care is used in the
weaving of the goods, as the officials in
charge are personally held liable for the
quality and exactnesS of the orders issued
bv the Board of the Household at
Picking. The usual amount of dirt and
filth is exhibited in the buildings con-
tanning the looms. The wages of the
skilled weavers amount to three hundred
to five hundred cash per diem, or
twenty-five to forty-five cents. The
women employed reeling the silk on to
the bobbins get about fifteen cents, and
the children that attend the weavers at
the looms are paid at the rate of fifty to
sixty cash. As a rule those employed
in the factory have been there for years,
and generally consist of members of
one household. We gazed in admira-
ton upon the piles of gorgeous fabrics
in the packing rooms, and it really
seemed strange, looking at the dirty
surroundings, the rude appliances, the
small pay and unskilled warkmen,
Judging bv foreign standard, that such
beautiful productions could come forth
from the looms. The superintendent
showed us piece of claret-colored satin
cloth, heavily sown and interviewer with
gold thread in various designs. This
cloth was for the use of the young En-
peror, who was to wear it as a garment
when he first paid his obeisance to the
spirits of his ancestors in public. Upon
the breast was dragon; the eyes were
two rubies, kept in their position by a
network of gold thread; the scales OF
the animal were made of thin silver and
gold plaques; the whole was a magnifi-
cent specimen of the Chinese art of en-
broidery. The cost of this single arti-
Gle was 5000 taels $4,000. Speculation
in this particular branch of the service
was of course rife, the officials in charge
generally contriving to leave their office
a great deal better off than when they
entered. The silk garments of theiI
own families all find their way from the
establishment. = Cor. San Francisco
Chronicle