Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1884-11-22
THE SILK INDUSTRY.
Its Present Status in the United $

From time to time we read in American
and European papers alleged statistics
of the silk industry in the United States.
Recently German wool paper had an
article referring to the production of
American silk manufacturers in which the
production for 1884 is estimated as being
worth S60000,000. This amount is in all
probability about S15,000,000 too high for
last year (lSS3) the production amounted
to S44 100000, and since January LIST the
production has been greatly restricted and
will hardly overreach that of 1883. The
consequences of the restriction are severely
felt in all of the large silk producing
points, especially at Paterson, n. j.,
where, it is said, about 5000 silk opera
tives are idle. The predominance of
velvet, velveteens and pushes for ladies'
dresses in place of silk, and the tendency
of fashion toward the English lustrous
goods, as silk warp Henriettas, have, to
large extent, interfered with the produc-
ton of American dress silks. Ribbons,
which in prior years formed large part
of the American silk manufacture, are
only produced in limited quantities, most
of the mills now working only three-quar-
ter time. The importations of silk goods
for the first nine months of 1884 were in
excess Of those of the corresponding period
of last year, owing to heavy imports of
velvet and pushes, and probably the i'm
ports for 1884 will excel the total of last
year.
A Germany trade paper recently said
that the English silk manufacturers could
no longer compete with the ribbon mills
of Paterson, n. J., and the broad goods of
Manchester, Conn. In the same article it
is pretended that the American working
classes prefer costly silk dresses to other
goods, and that the consumption of silks
had reached such dimensions that the pro-
duction of France is not sufficient to supply
the American consumption. True, the
United States consume proportionately
greater amount of silks than any other
country China perhaps excepted). The
amount may be estimated at Sll0,000,000,
including the duty of 80 per cent on the
true value of the imported goods, of which
S65,00G,000 represents the foreign and
S45,000,000 the American production.
From the foregoing statement-that
France is not able to supply the American
market-it might be concluded that the
French silk manufacturers have so many
orders from America that they cannot fill
them; while in reality the French, Ger
man and Swiss manufacturers are loudly
complaining of the almost total absence of
orders from the United States and conse-
quent stagnation of the silk trade. The
American silk manufacturers, with few ex-
ceptions are also complaining of the de-
preston.
The subioined figures are intended to
enable the European trade papers to form
an idea of the expansion of the silk indus
try in the United States There are at
present Al silk manufacturers in this
country, including those engaged in throw
ing and weaving, Of which number 173 are
in New York Getty and State), 100 in New
jersey, 81 in Pennsylvania, 80 in Connec-
ticut, 80 in Massachusetts, 8 in California,
6 in Illinois, ) in Maryland, 4 in Ohio, 2
in Utah, / in Delaware, Louisiana, Maine,
Missouri New Hampshire and Rhode
Island each. The largest weaving estab-
lishmentS are at Manchester, Conn, in New
York city, West Hoboken and Paterson, n.
j. There are l3l mills producing dress
goods, satins, handkerchief and ribbons;
the remainder manufacture sewing silks,
Servings and twist mills are found princi-
pally in the New England States trim
ming manufacturers are mostly located in
New York, Philadelphia, Boston and
other large cities. Although these mills
produce about $40,000,000 worth of goods,
the imports since 1882 have not mate
rally decreased in the volume of
goods, for prices two years ago were from
Is to 20 per cent. higher than at present
Taking the imports for 1882 at Sal 100000
and those of 1888 at S35,100,O00, differ
ence of S6,300,000 is apparent on the in
voice value, but this is fully equalized by
the shrinkage of prices in other words,
we imported for 49,, 100000 about as many
yards, etc, of silk goods as for S41 900, 600
in the previous year. AS stated above, the
imports for 1884 largely exceed those of
1888, and, consequently, the situation of
the American silk industry is not very
brilliant, owing to the excessive use of
velvet.
Why with Az mills in the United
States the raw material is not produced
here is the question asked by the foreign
ers Many attempts have been and are
still being made 10 raise silk, but the pro-
duct is invariably so high in cost that no
manufacturer could entertain the thought
of using American raw silk. The almost
total lack Of experienced hands, the high
cost of labor, and the duty on imported
reeling machinery, swell the cost price,
and if, as the silk cuIturists imagine, 50
should be realized for American silk, such
a price for raw material would put an end
to the industry in this country What in
fuence the free distribution of eggs by the
Government will have remains to be seen.
| Dry Goods Bulletin.