Baxter Springs news. [volume] (Baxter Springs, Kan.) 1882-1919, 1890-11-08
SPIDERS, WEB CLOTH.
A Fabric OF spiders' Web Which VIII
Wear Eternally.
Washington Post,

| A FaDric OF bpiocrs We"
| Wear Eternally.
Washington Post.
The fact that the senate was engag-
ed In the discussion of the wool sched-
ule in the tariff bill brought a number
of WOODEN manufacturers TO Washing
ton in order to look after their inter-
ests. A Post reporter asked one OF
these gentlemen regarding new meth
DDS employed by the textile manufac,
turers. and he stated that there had
recently been brought forward by a
German chemist method for render
ing fabrics proof against the ravages
of decay for an indefinite period,
which was attracting considerable at.
tention. With this process 1t is said
that, no matter how delicate the text
ure or color of the fabric may be, It's
long life is assured.
This gentleman stated that the in
ventor took his ideas from the fact that
he learned that the wonderful state Of
nreseryaticn exhibited by the head
bands of Egyptian mummles was que
10 their having been impregnated with
kind of resin. Acting upon this IN
formation the chemist made expert
ments with the substance extracted
from birch bark, and he found that
the green tar left over after the OH
used in tanning had been extracted
from the white bark of the birch tree
Yields a substance neither acid nor al,
kaloid. This in salu'ion with alcohol
forms liquid with the power OF re-
sisiing, after once becoming dry, even
the action of alcohol itself, and II Is
claimed possesses theproper'y OF max
ing textile fabrics apparently imper,-
ishable. as far as decay is concerned.
And a great point claimed for II Is
that it readily Gnites with the most
delicate as well as brilliant colors.
Perhaps the most novel idea in the
textile line is that OF an Englishmah
named Stillbers, who, it is said, has
actually made cloth Of spiders web
which has been employed tor PURPOSES
of surgery. A gentleman travelling
throughout the country, who recently
stopped in Washington, stated that
this man Stillbcrs has gone quite en-
tensively into his spider web cloth
making.
The spiders are obtained from trop-
ical countries, mostly fiom Africa and
South America, and are very large.
A peculiar feature of the business is
that the spiders spin the best web
when they are intoxicated. 10 ac-
complish this a liquid composed OF
chloroform, ether and fusel oil is al
lowed slowly to evaporate in the room
where the spiders are housed, and they
are thus kept constantly in a mild
state of intoxication. The tempera-
ture of the atmosphere is maintained
at 60 degrees Fahrenheit. These little
creatures, which are usually so hearth
" despised, are placed in octagonal
cases. and are fed daily on smaller in
sects of various kinds. In one room
there are some 5000 Of these cases
The spiders lay their eggs, and about
the latter spin cocoons. These cocoons
are gathered, and are prepared for
weav ng by some such chemical and
mechanical processes as are undergone
by the cocoon of the silk worm. The
process of the weaving itself is close
ly guarded secret. Each cocoon is said
,----T to yield D to 100 yards OF
TIKI rRrp thread. The texture OF the
QUEEN woven material resembles
SOAP: somewhat ordinary silk and
after it is bleached it becomes brilliant
and smooth.