Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1894-07-24
SILK IN THE UNITED STATES.
Importance as "a Manufacturing Interest
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 pro-
duct of the United States was in excess
Of 800, 900 coo In 1892. The number Of looms
returned by the census of 1880 was 225G9,
and the number Of weavers and Wrappers
employed was 5000. The present Con-
gress, though it has reduced the average
rate of duty imposed on foreign-made
silk goods. has sought to offset this Iro-
bable impediment to silk manufacture by
providing for five experimental stations,
under the control OF the Department Of
Agriculture for the cultivation of raw
silk.
Since 1855 the average annual importa-
ton Of raw silk, some from France, some
from China, some from Italy, and some
from Japan has been in excess Of $780,
600 pounds divided during the last two
years as follows: Fifty per cent. Ja-
panese % per cent. European, and . per
cent. Chinese.
The use Of silk for all purposes is
| largest, in proportion TO the population,
| in England, which. however, produces less
than 80 per cent. of the manufactured silk
used. This percentage is almost exactly
reversed in France, which produces twice
| as much silk as is required. the other half
being exported. Italy and Switzerland
produce considerably more manufactured
| silk than is required for the local mar
| ket, the margin for export being about
| 10 per cent. in Italy and more than 900
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 this industry has been
| taking in the United States. in which be-
! tween the years 1850 and 1880. the per-
| centage OF growth in capital invested was
! l66 per cent. The reduction of the SILK
duties on manufactured silk Will, 1t Is
| declared by those in the trade, operate
| against a continuance OF this increase,
| II they do not entirely offset 1t.
| The value of the Importation or raw
| silk during the fiscal year, ending June
| 30. 1892. was 81, 10000. and during the same
| period ending June 30, 1888, II was $3.50
| OO0 The importation OF SILK goods during
| the year first named amounted 10 $l,OOO,'
| 900 and last year to nearly S9,vO.Wo
! showing a greater rate of Increase than
| did the importations OF raw SILK.
OF late years the opinion mas grown 70
! be general among many persons that the
nearly approxin- ates those OF ltaiy ana
| Southern France that all the agricultural
| products of these two countries can De
| duplicated upon the Pacific. In respect 10
| fruit this claim has been pretty thorough
| ly established. and there has been vast
| increase In the exports as well as In the
| quality of California wine.
| But whether the Golden State Will De-
| come a serious rival of Italy in the pro-
| duct of raw silk is question which can
| hardly, students Of such matters think
| be answered at this time. The Mid-Win'
| ter Fair mas served to again call atten-
| ton to the exceptional natural advantages
| of California. but in respect to the manu-
| facture of silk. easily obtainable from
| China at a much less cost than freight
| charges imposed upon eastern factories
| California mas shown little growth. the
| silk product Of the State for 1890 being
$3.50 against 100000 In New Jersey
| sl7.OO0OOO in New York. 81 10000 in Penn
| syivania, and 100000 in Connecticut
| These four States are at the head OF the
| column of silk manufacturers, New Jer-
sey being at the top.