The Ketchum keystone. [volume] (Ketchum, Idaho) 1885-1899, 1898-01-29
WOMEN GLAD m WOOD.
New Process By which SILK Can Ne FRO

New Process By which SILK Can Ne Fro
auoeA from Wood. Ssf,
A process has been discovered by
which = material closely resembling
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
it's occupation.
The palm for this valuable discovery
in chemical science must go to Swltzer-
land, for a native of Zurich, DIR. Lehner
by name, il the inventor Of the process,
SAYS the New York World.
Some years ago he began to make
observations 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 pro-
ducinp its cocoon, and at odd times
sought to counterfeit the work OF ma
ture. So convinced did he 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 signal triumph.
In the process of manufacturing the
new fabric the principal ingredients
used are sprucewood pulp, cotton. or
lutte waste, ETC., combined with large
quantity of alcohol. The use OF the
substantial or solid materials men
toned creates market for what was
hitherto of NO use whatever, being
burned in factory furnaces to get it out
of the way.
Spruce sawdust now has a market
value, for this as we'll as the other ma
terials are digested by chemical proc
ess in which alcohol plays an impor-
tant part. The material thus digested
is so much like the cocoon spun by the
silkworm that when the two are placed
side by side in finished state it takes
an expert to determine which is which.
The artificial material at one state is
in a liquid condition and of q density
about equal to the ordinary sirup of com
merce. When in this state machine OF
DIR. Lehner's invention, which may be
called an artificial silkworm, comes in
to play. This machine. which is very
simple in construction, requiring 80 lit
tie attention that it can be kept at work
with about rs much labor as Is devoted
toa twenty-four-hour clock, performs
exactly the same mechanical work that
silkworm does. It draws from the
LIQUID q continuous unbroken thread OF
even diameter and unlimited length
AS this thread is spun another portion
OF the machine takes it up and twists II
into any desired thickness Of yarn with
regularity
Thus the fabric can be made OF any
desired weight or thickness, 80 that II
viii be seasonable at all times.
This artificial silk has been spun il
Bradford, Englsad, and worked up in
to q large variety of fabrics. In the
dyeing, weaving, and finishing o1
these no special treatment has beer
found necessary. It has been dyed in
all Imaginable shades and colors, and
owing to the peculiar qualities of the
| material it takes dye more readily an<
oives q more brilliant effect than tht
natural article. In texture it Is th'
equal of the best of Chinese and Italial
SILKS, being soft and silken to the touch
It is expected that it will be used large
ly in combination with natural silk an
cotton for producing brocaded erect:
These latter have been so expensiv
lately as TO be out OF reach Of all bu
the fattest purses. The new inventlo
will greatly reduce the cost. !.