Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1882-08-22
CUR SILK INDUSTRY.

A report just issued by the Silk Associa-
ton OF America, summing up the statistics
OF the hscai year, shows bright prosperity
IN this department Of industrial activity,
whlle comparison with the census figures
OF 1870 reveals rise in the American silk
industry which is as striking as it is graft
| Tying. The value of the goods made in the
American factories in the year ended June
80, 1882, was about S35 000,0 900. In 1870
the value of all products of silk establish.
ments IN the United States was Sl2,-
ooo, O00. These figures show that the in
dustry has trebled in ten years. The en-
iargement OF productive capacity seems to
nave been even greater. Since 1870 the
factories have increased in number from Sc
to 3SS, looms from 500 to 5000. hands
employed from 5000 to 81, 800, and the
amount OF wages paid during the year FROM
| 81. 600, 600 to So 600, 600. Another notice.
able feature Of the business is that several
States which did not appear in the returns
| OF 1917 are how represented as having fac
torres These are Maine, Rhode Island,
California, Illinois, Kansas and Missouri.
But while silk ia manufactured in fifteen
States, the industry ia as vet practically
| confined to New Jersey twhere its greatest
development has taken place), New York,
connecticut, Massachusetts, and Pennsyl-
wanna. Ii the rapid strides of progress we
are making IN this department shall be kept
| up bow long viii it be till the looms of
Ly ons VIII weave no more silk for America?
Inc American elk makers have the sat
lsiactlon Of knowing, too, that they have
acuoied the product of the very best year
they nave had before the panic of 1878,
and this notwithstanding the gain in the
Importation Of foreign silk goods by foreign
sslik-makers since the year 1873 is very
small, and that the importing of many lines
| OF goods is now being rapidly cut down.
and no doubt some of them will disappear
| from the list In the course of the next ten
years, at least.
There has lately baen revival of inter
est IN silk culture in some sections of the
| country. The total product of the raw
article In this country is very SMALL as the
raising of it in the United States has not
reached even the stature Of regular indus
try, and hence it is still in a purely ele-
mentary stage. Hence the materials of
which American silk goods are made are
nearly all imported. These materials are
OF two distinct grades. one of which is
known ss "raw silk" and the other as
"spun silk" II the flament of eocoons
can DC uQWcund IN q continuous thread OF
fiber, 1t is reeled and known as ''raw
silk; but if it cannot be reeled it must be
| spun, and is known as "spun silk" Tho
cheaper varieties of silk dress goods are all
made from this latter material.
Much complaint has been made of late
years in regard to adulterated silks, and
| some of the leading American manuiactur.
ers continue to send out instructions like
the following 'Please compare this silk
with the best French goods by travelling out
few of the threads from each. Test their
comparative smoothness and strength bv
passing through and breaking over the
fingers. In heavily dyed silks the particles
OF dye will make the threads feel rough
aud iumpy TO the touch. Then, by wet
ting the lint from each separately, the
goods weighted by dye will be readily dis.
tinguished by the dye coming out under
pressure. Another simple but effective
test of purity is to burn small quantity
of the threads. Pure silk viii instantly
crisp, leaving only pure charcoal. Heavily
dyed silk will smolder, leaving yellow,
greasy ash"
The superiority of American silk goods
is now acknowledged, and this is due in
part 20 their high standard Of production,
and to the facilities for securing the best
raw silk. Chicago Times.