Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1896-05-29

left for some hours in a revolving cyin-
der containing alcohol and ether After
this, it is passed through filter, which
ii leaves looking very much like thick
gum. and is next put in cylinders, from
which it is forced by pneumatic pressure
into pipes passing into the spinning de-
partment Here, the machinery looks
Ike that employed In Lancashire spin
ming sheds. except that one OF the pipes
referred to runs along each set Of
machines These pipes are supplied with
small taps, fixed close together, and each
tap has a gas tube, about the size Of n
gas burner. at the extreme point of
which is an aperture. so minute that
the filaments passing through, no fewer
than ten of them would be required 10
make up the thickness of a human hair.
These glass tubes are known as glass
silkworms" and some 1900 OF them are
in use in the factory.
The effect Of the pneumatic pressure in
the cylinders, referred to above, IS 10
force the liquid matter not only along the
iron tubes, but also, when the small taps
are turned on, through each of the glass
silkworms. 1t appears there as a scarcely
perceptible globu!e. This a girl touches
with her thumb, to which 1t adheres, and
she draws out an almost invisible fila
ment, which she passes through the
guides and onto the bobbin. Then, one
by one. she takes eight ten, or twelve
other such fllaments. according 10 the
thickness Of the thread to be- made. and
passes them through the same guides,
and onto the same bobbin. This done
she presses them together with her thumb
and forfinger, at a certain point between
the glass silkworms and the guides. Not
onItr 10 h. aaI Inf ~ q "A I'd
the filaments will continue to meet and
adhere at that point, however long the
machinery may be kept running. In this
way, the whole frame viii soon BE- set at
work. the threads not breaking until the
bObbin is full. when they break auto
matically, while they are all Of a uniform
thickness. The remaining processes are
the same as In the case of ordinary silk,
except In two respects. In the first place,
the artificial silk has 10 be denitriiied, so
as 10 render il non-nfammable after the
chemical processes IL has undergone; and.
IN the next place, the hanks are placed
on two revolving rollers, which stretch
and also iron" them, producing that
high degree Of lustre which IL one OF the
chief characteristics OF the artificial silk
The new product IS said to take dye
much more readily than the natural SILK,
and certainly the colors and the extreme
richness OF some specimens that nave
been on view IN London seemed to leave
nothing to be desired In this respect. The
chief difference in appearance between
the natural and the artificial silk Is In the
greater lustre Of the latter, though II will
be found also that, IL single thread OF
each is taken. the artificial will break
differently from the natural. and has only
about 50 per cent. OF its strength.
The success already secured by the new
process In France Is such that the intro
duction OF the industry into Lancashire Is
expected to produce something like revolu-
ton in the conditions OF trade there. not
only by bringing into existence new oc-
cupation, but also by finding more work
for a good deal OF the weaving machinery
that is now only partially employed;
while the weaving of silk" or what only
experts will be able to distinguish from
silk, will be rendered possible In the case
Of vast number OF people to whom the
product OF the silkworm is more or less
luxury.