Savannah courier. (Savannah, Tenn.) 1885-1979, 1894-09-13
SILK IN THE UNITED STATES.
Importance 40 a Manufacturing Interest
Attempts to Produce Raw SILK.


Attempts to Produce Raw SILK.
One of the largest among the varied
manufacturing interests in the United
States is the silk interest. The value
of the silk, silk ribbon, and silk velvet
product of the United States was in ex-
cess of SOC, 1000, 600 in 1892. The number
Of looms returned by the census of 1890
was $500, and the number of weavers
and Wrappers employed was $4,000. The
present congress, though 1t has reduced
the average rate of duty imposed on
foreign-made silk goods has sought to
offset this probable impediment to silk
manufacture by providing for five OK
perimcntal stations, under the control
of the department of agriculture for
the cultivation of raw silk.
Since 1888 the average annual inn
portation of raw silk, some from France,
some from China, some from Italy and
some from Japan, has been in excess OF
100000 pounds, divided during the
last two years as follows: Fifty per
cent. Japanese, twenty-five per cent.
European and twenty-five per cent. Chi
| neSe.
The use of silk for all purposes is
largest, in proportion to the population,
| in England, which, however, produces
less than fifty per cent. of the manu-
featured silk used. This percentage is
almost exactly reversed in France,
which produces twice as much silk as
is required, the other half being ex-
ported. Italy and Switzerland produce
considerably more manufactured silk
than is required for the local market,
the margin for export being about ten
per cent. in Italy and more than 300 per
cent in Switzerland.
Germany and Belgium have been ad.
vancing rapidly of late years in silk
manufacture, but their ratio of increase
is insignificant when compared with
the strides which the industry has been
taking in the United States, in which,
between the years 1880 and 1890, the
percentage of growth in capital in
vested was 166 per cent. The val
of the importation of raw silk
during the fiscal year ending June
80, 1892. was $25, 900, 900 and during the
same period ending June 80, 1898, it
was $40, ,SS6,OO0. The importations of
silk goods during the year first named
amounted to $31 100000 and last year
to nearly $780, 100000, showing greater
rate of increase than did the importa-
tions of raw silk.
OF late years the opinion has grown
to be general among many persons
that the soil and climate of southern
California so nearly approXimates those
of Italy and southern France, that all
the agricultural products of those two
countries can be duplicated upon the
Pacific. In respect to fruit this claim
has been pretty thoroughly estab'
lished, and there has been vast in
crease in the exports as well as in the
quality of California wine.
But whether the Golden state will
become serious rival of Italy in the
product of raw silk is a question which
can hardly students of such matters
think, be answered at this time. The
Mid-Winter fair has served to again
call attention to the exceptional nat
ural advantages of California, but il
respect TO the manufacture of silk
easily obtainab BILE from China at a much
less cost than freight charges imposed
upon eastern factories, California has
shown little growth, the silk product
of the state for 1890 being S266, 900
against s25, 900, 900 in New Jersey, $17,
900, 900 in New York, S11,00O,000 il
Pennsylvania, and SS,O0O,OOO in Con
necticut These four states are at tn.
head of the column of silk manufac
.turcrs, New Jersey being at the top
N. Y. Sun.