The evening times., 1900-09-18
THE KNIT GOODS MARKET
Possibilities for Commercial EXpan-
sion in Latin America.
In Some of the Countries to the
south. American Manufacturers
md Builders of Machinery Might
Develop Trade-COnsular Reports
Received at the State Department.

At the instance of the editor of PhiIa-
delphia trade journal who referred to the
interest aroused by the consular reports
on the manufacture of knit goods in Eu
rope, and stated that there was desire
among American manufacturers to learn
the condition of the industry in Latin
America, a State Department instruction
was sent TO consular officers requesting
this information. The answers follow:
Consul General Barlow writes from Mex
leo City:
The chief companies engaged in the
manufacture Of knit goods in this city are
the Phoenix (Chanaut & Coz and the iron
Palace UeFy & Martini. They make ho-
siery and underwear exclusively of cotton
cannot state the number of knitting ma
chimes in use. but am advised that they
come from Pennsylvania.
Makers are not willing to quote the
value of the output beyond saying that the
retail price charged for goods is as fol-
lows:
Underwear, per suit, S1-1S; socks, per
dozen pair, Il cents to $2.13; stockings, per
pair. lis cents to II cents"
ETenchmen. SpaniardS, Mexicans, and
few Americans are engaged in the man
ufacture of these goods The only way Of
eniarging the trade that I can suggest
would be for some active agent who un-
derstands the language to come and see
the situation and deal with the different
makers"
A NJ RaphaIl, consular agent at Aguas
Calientes says:
'Marcianu Munez is the chief manufact-
uFer here: he makes cotton hosiery, all
eoiors. of cheap quality. He has ten knit
ting machines in use, of the Branson.
Philadelphia, make; two machines for un-
derHear (not used at present for want OF
Inaterlalt were made by the Chemnitz
Strickmaschinen Fabrik- The value of the
output is from $11S TO S1S9.
Hosiery of all kinds is sold here-Eng-
lish. German. and French Cheap goods
find the best market. The best way TO
sell knitting machines is to establish
agencies. as the sewing machines compa-
nies have DONE
The consular agent at GuadaIajara. Mr
Light. says:
The principal manufacturers here are
". II Beaumont. William Gaxiola, Henry
Meyer, Carlota Rivas. Herrera & Gavin. c.
L. Alatories. and Fabrica de Francia. The
production consists of cotton hosiery.
Three hundred and fifty Branson ma
chimes. from Philadelphia, are used: eight
cen CreeIman Canadian knitting ma
chimes. ten Standard knitters, and three
German knitteTs for drawers There are
also three German knitters for under
shirts, not in use The value of the pro-
duction is about $50, 900 Mexican currency
per annum -
Corsul Johnston writes from UtiIIa Hon
duras. that. so far as he can learn there
IS no industry of the kind mentioned in
his district
Consul Donaldson. reof Managua. Mica
| ragua, reports that there are no knit goods
manufactured and machinery Of that
kind used in Nicaragua
Consul jenkins writes from San Saiv>-
dor: salvador has no manufacture OF
hosiery of any description. depending e1:-
! tlTeIy on importation for its needs which
| are limited to the weII-to-do classes
'SalvacoPs population i mainly en-
p!oyed IN agricultural pursuits Many en-
ploy no footwear of any descr iption: others
use sorI of a sandal without stockings.
1t cannot be said that Salvador offers any
| inducement for the establishment of
knitting industry
The following has been received from
Consul Mayer at Buenos Ayres:
''AlI kinds of hosiery and knit goods are
manufactured il, Buenos Ayres- There are
zoo knitting machines employed twenty of
which are of United States manufacture
of the material used comes from Italy
No statistics abouc this industry are pub
iished aid manufacturers refuse TO give
any information whatever. Our machines
being superior TO those made In Germany,
/ suggest that exporters send someone
here or appoint 81 agent to look after their
interests. in which r"-e one or more sample
machines should be sent for inspection and
exhibit IN this way liberal orders may
be secured. The capital invested by the
different manufacturers of hosiery in this
city exceeds $4.tO0. 000 gold.
Consul Furniss writes from Bahia
Brazil:
There is no knitting industry what
ever in this district. I cannot find that
| there are any knitting machines here
except the one or two at the cotton
factories used to knit cords for the
looms.
AT present, all knit goods are i'm
ported from England, France and Ger
many: the better grades Of woolen COM
ing from England and the better grades
of cotton from France, while only the
cheaper varieties come from Germany.
The reason our manufacturers do not
have any Of the trade is because they do
not Try for it, or. trying, they refuse
TO give the credits which are necessary
10 do business in this market"
Consul Greene writes from Antofaeas-
Ia, Chile:
There are no companies and few in
dividuals here employed in this indus
try.
The value of knitted goods imported
in 1898 was about $3.50 in United States
gold, nearly ali coming from GERMANY
and none from the United States. job
bers get their principal supply from
Valparaiso, and the value is not known
here
Consul Rufin reports from Asuncion,
Paraguay:
There is really no knitting industry
here All of the knitted work is made by
hand and called yandu-ti or lace This
is made in almost every house. and chill
dren are taught in the schools how to
manufacture it. In one town, called
Stagua, lace making is the exclusive oc-
cupation of the female population. There
is, however, nc factory of lace Knit un-
derskirts are widely used in summer
up to the present time, the United
States has given no attention to this
trade; no articles of our manufa cture
have been seen the market l am of
the opinion that the knitting industry
could not flourish here, and the trade is
too small to command attention.
The following has been received from
Consul Swain, of Montevideo:
THE knitting industry does not appear
of commercial moment at the present time
in either cotton or wooden lines. While
Uruguay is a great wool producer. it has
no weolen mills or yarn making establish
ments of Importance Some knitting has
been done with imported yarn but solely