Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1903-07-04
ADULTERATED SILKS.
USE OF METALLIC CHEMICALS BY
ENGLISH MANUFACTURERS.
Maxine Poor Fabrics Fer the Cheap
Trade--stuH That viii Not Wear
The Demand For Such Material,
However, Deereasing--The Cause
OF Their Popularity.

OF Their Popularity.
There are signs not TO be ignored |
that the excessive adulteration of silk
by means Of metallic chemical weight.
ing. to which attention has lately been
directed. has gone to such a serious
extent as to defeat its own ends, and
TO cause ladies to ignore the cheap and
attractively appearing wares to an un.
expected extent. The leading organ
OF the drapery trade pointedly sug
gested recently that the public is dis
covering the weakness engendered by
the presence of large proportion of
metal in the low.priced but SNOWY silk
cloths, and cites the direct demand on
the part of customer for a guarantee
that the silk she was purchasing con.
tained no such dressing. Inquiries
made in the city quite confirm the
fact that silk in It's cheaper grades is
now being Looked on with much sus.
picion. In one instance the question
was addressed to the head of a firm
doing what Is known as a high.class
WUOlSsdlG III
His reply was emphatic that for
cheap silk petticoats the demand was
perceptibly fallins of Cheapness. It
would seem. has been the first consid.
GRAFTON in catering for this particular
market. until buyers have discovered
that their wonderful sale bargains"
at 12s. lid. warranted to rustic" is.
indeed. a costly outlay. After It had
been worn two or three times 1t mad
"cut" or slit in all directions. and was.
therefore. quite useless. 1t must be
patent to any intelligent person that
real silk at such price was an i'm.
possibility. but the brilliant aniline
coloring. the crisp little frills, and
the suggestion of luxury were for q
time irresistible. Even in Its higher
degrees 1t is less in request, for ex.
travagance has its limits. and finest
batiste with endless lace and embroid.
cry is being preferred.
It would seem that the average
buyer does not care to spend more
than a guinea on an underskirt. While
II Is impossible to give reliable silk
at that price. there Is no difficulty
whatever In turning out really
charming and well.fnished moirette
within that figure. Manufacturers
have been devoting extraordinary
pains to the perfecting Of this fabric,
which, in its higher qualities. is silk.
faced. 1t will take the brightest as
well as the softest Of colorings; It can
be plain or "watered' on surface.
striped with satin or brocaded. New.
er than these effects. however. are
those chine.printed, and some with a
ground Of duck's.egg blue. or old pink
with flowers in blurred. indistinct
ehadings are admirable. No less trou.
Bile is expended on making them up in
the great factories Of Finsbury, Isling.
ton and elsewhere. The best models,
either on Partisan or American lines
are secured. and tucks. frills. piping
and finest accordion killing are free
~ used to turn out what are elaborate
and attractive wares. and hardly less
dainty and fascinating than silk itself
The situation Is similar with regard
to blouses. Two or three years age
the glace silk skirt was regular and
recognized institution in the shops
but here again the insensate compe
tition OF mere cheapness came in, ant
salts Of tin were more and more sub
stituted for the silken strands, A sat
isfactory substitute was found In tn,
fns thin japanese washing silks
which came in the rough, raw STATE
from the far east to be finished ant
dyed at Macclesfeld, Bradford ant
other centers. and one need only stud!
any Diapers window to see how wide
~ these are used for slips" blouse
and dresses. But today, as may b
Learned in the city, the rivalry Of fin
delaines Is going to be intensely kee
during the coming months. The colo
ing and printing Of these far surpas
anything shown before, and prett
lace and trimmings are being used I
conjunction with them for blouse
with lavish profusion. Linen. too. la
er on will be In high favor.
Those experienced in meeting pop,
lar tastes are Of opinion that the n
action against such grossly adultera
ed silks has already begun. and the
point further to the success that
attending on the present novelties
trimmings and laces as a proof tn,
ladies are realizing that smartne.
and good effect are obtainable in OF
er ways than exclusively with sill
From the point Of view Of the En-
lish manufacturer this Is entirely a
vantageous, for the cheap silks who
faiiings are being found out can
from Italy and Germany, those fro
France being Of higher quality an
cost. and thus not entering so exte,
sivtly into the competitive showines
London Telegraph.