The Dalles daily chronicle. [volume] (The Dalles, Or.) 1890-1948, 1896-12-31

tnere are 500 silk manufactures in the
United States, capitalized at $4,000, 900,
and giving employment to more than
60, 900 persons, including $4,000 women
and girls. The first establishment of
the silk business a perInanence was eff
fected in the city of Paterson, n. j.,
which has since come to be known as
the American Lyons, says the Philadel-
phia Times. Paterson, however. has
not monopolized the silk business of
New Jersey, for other cities of the Gran
berry state haye had part of it, par
ticularly Newark and Jersey City. New
Jersey has remained at the head of the
line of manufactures, with a product of
500, 1000, GOO in the year of the last fed
eral census, New York and Pennsyl
vania following with a product of $19,-
900, 900 each, and Connecticut coming
fourth, with product of $40, 100000.
The statistics just at hand for the year
1895 show on the part of Pennsylvania
a marked increase in this manufacture
since the national census of 1890.
While the number of establishments has
not been increased, their output has
been enlarged % per cent, the most
notable increase being in the production
of ribbons, which was more than
doubled, the output i'll 1895 being 3d.
O00, 600 yards. The number of spindles
: increased during the year 50 per cent.
In 1895 the number of employees was
1856, an increase of 44S5 over the
number in 1890 The wages paid in
1896 were 81, ,eS2 ,292, as compared with
$2,725, ,2S5 in 1890. At this rate of in
crease it cannot be long before Pennsyl-
vania viii exceed New Jersey in the
amount of the annual product of silk.
Eastern Pennsylvania, in which a
majority of the silk manufactures are
situated, has many geographical ad-
vantages. Unlike Western Pennsyl-
venia, except in the anthracite region,
it does not produce coal, oil or iron ore.
Much of the land ls rocky, some of 1t
sterile, and it is not held at high prices.
Wood any building materials are cheap,
there is water power in plenty. The
railroad connections of Eastern Pennsyl-
vania are excellent, the anthracite coal
lines passing through much territory
which is not productive IN agriculture or
otherwise. Recently the extreme north
eastern section of Pennsylvania has
been utilized for the construction of silk
factories. This can be done with ad-
vantage now, because the eligible towns
of New Jersey are somewhat overcrowded
on the falling silk market, and the cost
ofeligible land increased abnormalIy in
cities adjacent to New York. Along
with this increase of land has been the
corresponding increase in rents. The
largest market for American silks is in
the cities of the East, and one of the
first OF these is the city of Philadelphia.
AZ Pennsylvania takes much OF the pro-
duct of American silk manufactures
there seems nothing unnatural in Penn
sylvania in supplying most of the de.
mand; but it will be surprise to many
persons to know that the keystone state
is now nearly at the head of the states
of the country in the manufacture oi
silk.
The value of raw silk imported into
the United States-frcm France, Italy
aud China chiehy-last year was $22,
100000. The value of silk goods i'm
ported was $S1 ,eOo, 600.