The herald., 1895-06-16
A New Process by Which
Silk Is Produced
From Wood
EXTENSIVELY USED ABROAD
The New Material Costs Less Than
Natural Silk and Is Said to
Be Almost as
s Beautiful

A process has been discovered by which
a material closely resem bling silk may
be manufactured from wood. Even now
women are walking about the streets OF
European cities in the most elaborate
gowns of silk in the manufacture OF
which the worm had no part. In fact,
the silkworm has lost its occupation.
the palm for this valuable discovery in
chemical science must go to Switzerland,
for q native of Zurich, DR.. Lehner by
| name, is the inventor of the process.
| Some years ago he began to make OBJ
servations on the habits and physical
characteristics of the silkworm and be-
came deeply interested in the subject.
He discovered the chemical action which
took place in the worm in producing its
cocoon, and at odd times sought to coun-
terfeit the work of nature. So convinced
did be become of the feasibility of his
ideas that he soon abandoned all other
work and devoted his time to this single
study, in which he has achieved a signal
triumph.
In the process of manufac turing the
new fabric the principal lngre dients used
are sprucewood pulp, cotton or iute
waste. ETC.. combined with large guam
tity OF alcohol The use of the substan-
tlal or solid materials mentioned creates
market for what was hitherto OF no use
whatever, being burned in factory fur
naces to get it out of the way. Spruce
sawdust now has market value, for th S,
as well as the other materials, are
digssted by chemical process In which
alcohol plays an important part. The
| material thus digested is so much like
the cocoons spun by the slkworm that
, when the two are paced side by side in
finished state it takes an expert to de-
| termlne which is which.
| The artificial material at one state is
| in liquid state, and of density about
| equal to the ordinary syrup OF comm cree.
When in this state machine of DR.. Leh-
ner's invention, which may be called an
| artificial slkworm. comes into play.
| This NJ achine. which is very simple in
construction. requiring so lutte attention
| that 1t can be kept at work with about as
| much labor as is devoted to twenty
four hour clock. performs exactly the
| same mechanical work that a silkworm
| does. II draws from the liquid contin-
nous. unbroken thread of even diameter
| and unlimited length. AS this thread is
| spun another portion of the machine
| takes it up and twists it into any desired
| thickness of yarn with perfect regularity.
Thus the fabric can be made OF any de-
! sired weight or thickness, so that it will
1 be seusonable at all times. This artificial
| silk has been spun in Bradford, England,
and worked up into large variety OF fab
| RIGS. In the dyeing, weaving and finishing
OF these no special treatment has been
! found necessary. II has been dyed il all
| imaginable shades and colors, and owing
| to the peculiar qualities of the material,
| it takes dye more readily and gives a
more brilliant effect than the natural ar-
| ticle. In texture it is the equal of the
1 VI II -, Ill 1-r La., s,
and slken to the touch. 1t is expected
| that it will be used largely in combina-
] ton with natural silk and cotton for ,rC-
1 ducing brocaded effects. These latter
| have been so expensive lately as to be
| out of reach of all but the latest purses.
The new invention will greatly reduce
| the cost.
| 1t would seem that this new process
| would give an immense impetus to ths
manufacture of textile fabrics all over
the world, and it probably will. but DR..
| Lehner also differs from the average in
ventor in that he com bines financial cum
ming with his remarkable genius. so that
every yard OF this new material made
will put so many pennies into his
| pocket. ~
Patents on the process have been OBJ
tanned in most OF the European coun'
tries, and ain application for one in the
United States is now on file AT Washing
ton. as well as in the patent office OF thu
! Canadian government. A company with
q capital stock of 81, 800. 900 is about tt
be formed in Montreal to manufacture
the material. There has already been
formed IN England a company having a
| capital stock of $540. 900. the inventor re
| ceiving 100000 in cash and $lS0,000 il
| full-paid shares, the remaining $500. Uo'
being used as q working capital.
1t was originally intended to manufac
ture the article in England, but when th
demonstrating plant was established a
Bradford it was. found that there was q
prohi oitive tariff on alcohol used fol
man iacturing purposes. For that reaso
the plant was located at Glattburg, nea
Zurich, Germany. where there is no to.
i on alcohol used in manufacturing. Ercn
this place the raw material is sent t.
England for manufacture.