The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-02-28
NO SILKS LIKE Jul OWN.
AMERICAN SILK MANUFACTURERS
BEAT THE World.
American women Recognise the Fnct ana
Prefer tho Homemade Yabric-Oniy the
Most Expensive Grade. Imported In Con-
sidersbte Quantites-Msyor stronE's views.

tF~ S"nhtfshts-NThyof sto"s-
Among the fabrics and materials used In wo-
mems apparel silk in its various forms is by far
tho largest item OF cost. In money value.
though not In bulk. silk largely exceeds wool.
cotton, or linen. It is, for this reason, an In
tcrcsting and gratifying fact that about rs per
cent. Of the silks worn by American women are
OF American manufacture. In this branch Of In
dustry the question OF supremacy appears to
have been firmly and finally settled. Unlike
the men, who. in demanding that their clothes
be made OF imported woollens, bctray their
ignorance OF the high quality Of the cloths pro-
duced at home. tho well-dress,d women Of the
United States have accepted American silk on
its merits and are wearing II In preference to
the imported fabrics. not because the silk is
American. but because IL is cheaper and better
than imported goods that sell at the same price.
A the silk counters OF the large dry goods stores
you seldom hear n woman ask: rs this Ameri-
can or foreign silk 7" Women are, as n rule. cx-
cellent judges OF style. pattern. finish, and
quality. and It is happily true that In all these
particulars. as well as in price, the silk goods OF
American manufacture are ablo to hold the
home market against foreign competition.
The dress silks that arc imported arc mainly
those OF the moro expensive grades, in the pro-
duction OF which hand labor Is employed ex-
tensively. By reason OF tho proportion OF cost
represented by labor. always much better paid
in America than In Europe. there IL no induce
ment TO manufacture such goods in this country.
Velvets for costumes and cloakings are also Inn
ported extensively. The labor engaged in the
manufacture OF pure silk velvets In Europe hrs
become specialized and highly skilled by long
training In this branch Of work, and while some
excellent velvet Ia made in America, the prod
uct does not average so high in quality ~ that
which comes from France and Germany.
| t.. 49,. ,l.a. -. .s.l.. - I'LL fr Ir... ,-.t..t-
ais, ranging from 90 cents to 81 80 per yard. there
Ia virtually no foreign competition. Nowhere are
these fabrics produced SO cheaply and In such
excellent quality AS In America. The only i'm
ported element entering into their manufacture
is the raw silk yarn that comes from Japan and
Italy. 30 that labor remains the principal item
OF cost In production. silk culture has not
proved successful in America, though II is not
improbable that In some parts Of California the
silkworn may be propagated proftably. Sixty
i've years ago a member OF the Cheney family Of
silk pioneers Instituted a series OF experiments
In New Jersey with n view to starting from the
mulberry leaves and the silkworm as the basis
Of production, but owing TO unfavorable condi.
tons OF climate the attempt was not directly
successful. though IL laid the foundation for tho
establishment In later years OF the silk industry
upon its present firm basis.
The manager OF a Brooine street house which
markets the output OF two large manufacturing
plants In Connecticut was pleased TO learn that
The SUNS Investigation OF American manufac-
lures had reached the silk trade. and chcerfully
gave throoQuarters OF an hour out OF n busy az.
ternoon 10 what he called an object lesson in
silks. This consisted In showing many pieces Of
various styles and grades out OF a stock on
which. 1t was said. an insurance OF S75O.OO0 was
constantly carried. The exhibition was inter
esting as an illustration, OF the perfection TO
which the art OF silk making has been brought
In this country.
American women, :" said the manager. now
silks are ali Right. There is no longer any preia.
dig against the domestic article. In ribbons
And H%. ysiSS' sd for tho Sst trimming ,ss S,f "a h pIs,. npd n Srss' fs
are imported are a few extremely fancy ribbons.
most Of our special machinery and processes, arc
In advance Of those employed in tho silk
tnS GS'''t those I abroad. o and dy there 4. nn no
limit to the variety OF American oolors.
more than 200 distinct shades OF color. The
r p,4ssst pso1 sss Of @Pr,5, nass ' bI ;S whi Gh. Sss tr;.
ahead Of anything IN france OF or Germany. There
are factories over thoro where you can sec the
printing done by the slow process OF hand
stamping. The American roller machines, now
IN general use in this country. do the work much
better and twenty times as rapidly"
stufs In dress silks were shown. A brocadod
piece in green and changcable colors. which, r-
I IAllH IL E-.OO n VI tOulu nOt DO mhtfnr1 IN
quality by imported silk at less than So a ward.
4 brilliant Thing In rainbow effects, for evening
wear. retaila for 40 so. or Al a ward leas than lie
corresponding grade OF Imported silk. A white
brocade OF aatfn feures on a Qrosurain base AT
S2 a yari. and some black damasks with grounds
Of sstin or grosgrain, also at 81, were among
the splendid sturs. woven in American looms
nne enough for apy woman's wear AZ a hall. re-
~oeDtion, opera. or In her own drawing room.
IN the Cheaper grades OF summer silks there
were printed fouiard twiIls at IS cents 10 III q
yard; grenadines. 81 TO 81. as, 10 be worn over
| ClAQR6able ailk 6kirts. printed warn 6uralD In
slvery effects ON a chsnseaS Sic Foundation, SI.25
to Si.bO; die ANTIQUES Tor evening. $3.50: mir
ror velour. III Sd: srmur. ROYALS IN green. niue.
silver gray, olive, and black changeabies, solid
blacks. check aIetas. NTH very Fetching edects
In raised drurer. changoable tAnetas Tor petit
coat Innings, ali very new and fnc, and ranging
from rs conts TO III. so a yard at retail, Theso
are the goods sold 10 American women who arc
connoisseurs In style. %ouality. and price. In
iinos such A these N ia agreed by arents lob
bors. and retailers alike. America leads the
world and there 10 no foreixn competition OF any
conssouencc.
Many OF the designs for printed and woven
sills orisinaie in this city. and In their creation
ojvo nrottahia .n,lnyrn.n, 10 . ,sr .iJar \. NJ