Audubon County Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Audubon Co., Iowa) 1885-1894, 1891-10-15
THOSE BEAUTIFUL SILKS.
An Old nslish Town Where silks Arr
Made by Hand.

Made by Hand.
II is interesting to learn that in this
age OF machinery there are still odd.
corners OF the earth where silk making
is carried on by hand. One of these
is in the town OF Middleton, in Ian
cashirc, England, where "a consider.
able industry is carried on, the goods
produced being chiefly umbrella silk
and small ware goods such as hatterS'
trimming. The Manchester Weekly
Times speaking of the industry, says:
Middleton, though 1t has heen
seat Of the cotton industry for n con-
siderable part OF the century. was un-
til comparatively recently much less a
factory town than some OF its neigh
bors. 1t was. in fact, for pIany years
AN important silk weaving c-u,er, and
the industry has not yet beel entirely
driven out Of the town. But while
formerly the hand loom silk wenvers in
cluded considerable PROPORTION of the
population, thoy are now confined TO
few families The weaving was car
ried on in cottages, many OF which
may still be seen in various parts o.
tho town, with the room specially
built for the looms, and it is not pro|'-
able silk weaving under these copdi-
tions will be carried on for very lolg
period, the arrangements and their il
iluence on the manners and habits of
the people are well worth studying.
The wearerS go TO the Manchester
warehouses for the spun six. and
when their work is finished they bring
back the woven pieces. 1t old times
it was familiar sight to sec men GO
ing backwards or forwards along the
roads 10 Middleton or Failsworth
carrying heavy packs on their backs
but now the railways prevent these
long tramps. The division and dis
irritation of labor in this system had a
very Important effect on the family
life of those concerned, and domestic
relations to au extent scarcely per-
mitted under the factory system. The
members of family worked together
under one roof, and in the same group
of cottages, relatives and friendly
neighbors shared the same occupation.
Parental control was firmer and proba-
ably moro enduring, and there was
certainly greater unity OF sentiment
and more general sympathy between
the different members of the same
family than is common now. For
many years it was possible to notice
tho effects of the two systems, when
the factories were built young people
were soon attracted by the higher
wages and. what was deemed almost
privilege, the greater independence.
The girls who went to the factories
worked shorter hours and generally
claimed their liberty when the mill
closed; new associations were formed
ana the old home attractions were not
| sufficient. In any case the struggle
| between the two industries and the
| two methods would have been an I'M
| equal one and though hand-loom silk
weaving has survived that of cotton.
| the changes in the circumstances OF
the trade have for u long time caused
! Il diminutlon in the number OF those
engaged in it in this district. But,
while the compensating advantages OF
! the factory system should not be over
! looked, and its importance as factor
in the prosperity of the place not for
! gotten. it will be admitted that some
thing has been lost in the gradual alb
sorption Of the older and homelier in
dustry by the mighty mills and the
wonderful machinery worked by steam
! power.