The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1888-05-12
IN A CARPET MILL.
How Brussels and Tapestry Floor-Covers
incs Are Woven and Printed.

How Brussels and Tapestry Floor-Cover.
ings Are Woven and Printed.
If Brussels carpet is to be made the
warn goes to the dye-room; but if it is to
be made into tapestry, then it goes to
the printer. When dyed, of course,
each yarn is of one color throughout.
When printed every yarn is of one color
.or certain length, perhaps half an
inch, then another for perhaps a quar-
ter of an inch and soon. The dye-house
is picturesque place. 1t is filled with
clouds of steam that roll from the cad-
rons, over which half naked men are
STOPPING, lifting stout rods covered
with hanks of yarn in and out of the
boiling dye. When the workman thinks
the yarn has acquired the right color
he submits a skein of it to the chief
dyer. If he passes it the batch of yarn
is steamed in order to ''set' the dive,
and is then washed and dried in
another hot room, and then the yarn is
at last ready for the loom.
A Brussels carpet usually contains
five colors. This is accomplished by
filing five frames" with spools of
yarn, each frame being filled with warn
of one color. The threads are carried
from each spool through the "heddle"
to the loom. Above, the jacquard" a
part of the machine of intricate con-
.struction, determines just which threads
are raised at particular moment so as
to appear in the pattern. Thus Brus-
sells is woven, the pattern growing like
magic as the shuttle flies back and forth,
every part of the complicated machi-
merry ofthe loom moving at its appointed
time and place as if inspired with intel
ligence.
The printing process is even more
wonderful. Imagine huge drum on
which the yarn is wound Beneath it
runs carriage earring kind of brush
loaded with color. The color is changed
as required by boy. The operator
turns the drum to certain point, and
at signal the carriage rolls across
under the drum, painting a narrow
strip of color. The drum moves a notch
and the color brush flies back again.
doubling the width of the strip. The
operator follows the pattern before him.
and he must follow it neatly. If he
makes the strip of color too wide, and
if the color be dark, so that another
can not be printed over it. the whole
drum of yarn is spoiled and the blum
derer is fined one dollar.
When the yarn has all been printed
it is steamed, washed and dried, and
then reeled. Now, it must be "set''
according to the pattern. This is a
process requiring much patience and
exactness, and the nimble fingers of
girls are employed to do it. When
pattern is "set," it is rolled on cylin-
der and then each thread must be fixed
into its proper place in the loom. Then
the weaving begins and the carpet COM
mences to grow, every dot of color
coming exactly where it should to
bring out the pattern clearly and dis
tinctly. The most wonderful thing
dUOuG lie lOOln IS IHG WlEG IHONc-
ment. The machinery pulls out from
woven carpet wire, armed with a
blade at its end. This blade cuts the
wool, and thus makes the pile" Then
the wire is pushed back and again
thrust into the warp, the whole move
ment being accomplished with light
ning-like rapidity.
The carpet must then be carefully
scrutinized by women, who sew up any
broken threads; its surface must be
sheared and brushed by machinery, so
as to make it perfectly even and bright,
and then it is ready for the market
Philadelphia Press.