The record-union., 1896-11-22
OUR AMERICAN SILK.
A Capital of $50, 600. 900 Represented
i'm Its Manufacture.

There are 800 silk manufactures in
the United States, capitalized at 500.
coo 900, and giving employment TO
more than 10000 persons, includ-
ing 10000 women and girls. says
the Toledo BLADE" The first es-
tablishment of the silk business as
permanence was effected in the city OF
Paterson, n. j., which has since come
to be known as the American Lyons.
Paterson, however, has not monopolized
the silk business of New Jersey, for
other cities of the Cranberry State
have had part of it, particularly New
ark and Jersey City. New Jersey has
remained at the head of this line of
manufactures. with a product of S30,-
100000 in the year of the last Federal
census. New York and Pennsylvania
foiiowing with a product of S1o,oo0,-
900 each. and Connecticut coming
fourth with product of $10.000.00
The statistics just at hand for the
year 1895 show on the part of Pennsyl
vania a marked increase In this man
ufacture since the national census Of
1890. While the number of establish
ments has not been increased their out
| most notable increase being in the pro-
duction OF ribbons, which was more
than doubled, the output in 1893 being
35,O0O,0OO yards. The number of
spindles increased during the five years
30 per cent. In 1895 the number of
employees was 1885, an increase of
4,4S5 over the number in 1890. The
wages paid in 1895 We're $4,0S2. .292, as
compared with 50, 72J.2S5 in 1890 At
| this rate of increase it cannot be long
| before Pennsylvania viii exceed New
| Jersey in the amount of the annual
| product Of silk. Eastern Pennsylva-
nia in which majority of the silk fac
ories are situated, has many geograph-
| ical advantages. Unlike Western Penn
| sylvania, except in the anthracite re-
| gion, it does not produce coal, oil or
| iron ore. Much of the land is rocky,
| some of it sterile, and it is not held at
| high prices. Wood and building mate
rials are cheap, and there is water
power in plenty. The railroad connec-
| tions of Eastern Pennsylvania are ex-
cellent, the anthracite coal lines pass
| ing through much territory which is not
| productive in agriculture or otherwise.
| Recently the extreme northeastern
section of Pennsylvania has been util-
| lied for the construction of silk fac
| tories. This can be done with advan-
tage now, because the eligible towns of
| New Jersey are somewhat overcrowded
on the failing silk market, and the cost
Of eligible land has increased abnormal
| ly in cities adjacent to New York.
| Along with this increase Of land value
has been the corresponding increase in
| rents The largest market for Ameri-
can silks is in the cities of the East. and
one of the first of these is the city of
Philadelphia. AS Pennsylvania takes
| much of the product of American silk
| factories, there seems nothing unnatu-
raj in Pennsylvania's supplying some of
| the demand but it will be a surprise to
many persons to know that the Key
stone State is now nearly at the head
| Of the States of the country in the man
ufacture of silk. The value of raw silk
| imported into the United States-from
| France, Italy and China chiefy-last
| year was SO, 100000. The value of silk
| goods imported was S31 100000.
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