New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-10-28

snowy Ottoman silks now worn are, from the necesses
OF their make. the least durable corded goods ever
offered In market. Examination OF sample under me
microscope will convince the most trivial observer OF It's
poor structure heavy cord which too often uneven
chappe silk Is bound down with delicate hossy threads.
This filling liable with but slight strain to break It's fIail
binding. GrOs dc Londre is not an Ottoman SILK but
gros-gran, very fine cord alternating In the "eaNo
the purchaser OF silk refuses to be attracted by tho
cheap machinemade goods In market which range rom
81 20 ~ yard In price, and buys handmade SATIN or
soft gr0sgrain at from 50 so TO 80 Of Trustworthy
unwise to invest more than SO a yard in any silk.
which Is intended for seryceabe wear, plain SIX
oyer this price too often owes its increased value 10 lhe
chemist rather than the weaver.
THE OBSTACLES TO HOME MANUFACTURE.
silk manufacture must eventually turn the question
Of power and hand labor The immense saving Of time
and the increased beauty OF the fabric In
the manufacture of wool and cotton by the
application Of steam 10 the loom finds no parallel
in silk Improvements are painfully slow. All goods
GoO0 threads to twenty inches cannot be woven by
steam We indebted to the silk steam loom only
for mass Of Inferior snowy goods. The
same loom OF America may yet compete with
the hands and brains OF Europe, but new inventor
must arise who will discover a process less dis
asrous to the silk yarn and one which will with
equal beauty and the broeades satins
and vclyets sent from the cottages OF European
peasants. American manufacturers compelled by
the high price OF labor TO resort to machines. The
most unlettered silk weaver no sooner sets foot IN
pert in brocadcs, from So 10 81 for what he
was paid francs Tor in Lyons; or II an in
feror weaver from 81 50 TO 81 for what he formerly
was paid francs. As fine goods can be MANUFACTURED
to-day in Hoboken or Paterson at ST. Etcnnc or Lyons.
but the manufacturers labor under the monopoly of the
silk weayers and forced To machines. II costs 20
cents yard in New-YOrk for labor to
make fringe which merchants can import frOin France,
duty paid for one franc. The duty Of so per
cent on silk completely OVerbaanccd by the Increase
OF over 200 per cent In the price Of Labor.
The silk weavers trade must be carefully acquired ana
q rule American boys are unwilling 10 90 through
the dIudQcry aDDrenttcgShtD There Is eluNaenJ
for the systematic instruction IN trade which IL gwen
by a European apprenticeship. The sons Of the largest
velvet and silk cultured graduates OF UNI
yersies In France and Germany set To work In then
fathers factories with the lowest apprentices and Kept aG
work till they have thoroughly mastered their trade:
The business once established is thus retained
for many generations in the same family.
boy In France pays often from i00 10 $500 for tuition
in silk weaving besides giving his entire time for two
years 10 his employer. He IL not made an
errand-boy hut Is put at nj his work.
Young men in this country who ntutoret
in the alphabet Of manufacture. tind Themselves
despite their excellent public school education out
stripped in business by foreigners who though they may
have knowledge OF classics aud higher mathematics,
thoroughly taught in the rudlmeuts Of manufacture.