Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1908-01-30
GREAT LACE INDUSTRY.
Nottingham Produces About $685..
100000 Worth Annually.

| IFO0uCeB ADOuI S%opS
| 100000 Worth Annually.
In a description of the Nottingham
| lace industry, Consul T. w. Mahin esti-
mates the total annual output at about
so, 900 900. says the Boston Transcript
| The United States is the largest In
diyidual buyer, taking a quarter of the
| total Germany. France and the Brit
ish colonies rank next. and every other
| country in the world takes some share
OF this British product. Concerning
! its manufacture the consul writes:
Nottingham is pre-eminent in the
| production of machine lace, for several
| reasons; first, the invention Of the
| stocking frame in this country; sec
| ond, the town was always noted for its
mechanical skill, and proverb runs that
| The little smith of Nottingham can
| do the work no other man can; third,
| the inventors and imDrovers Of lace
| machinery were Nottingham men;
| fourth, the damp climate. Cotton cloth
making was first started in Noting
ham but was moved to Lancashire be-
cause the climate was not damp enough
| here, though right for lacemaking.
The machines now in use in the
Levers, lace curtain, plain net Gall
based OH Heathcoat's invention, with
Levers improvements) and warp lace
Tan adaptation of the knitting ma
chine). A German machine for max
ing embroidered net and lace is used
to a limited extent. and also the Bar
men machine, of mixed German and
French origin, producing n clever imi-
tation of handmade lace. The product
of the machine, being in a crude brown
state. must be bleached and otherwise
treated TO render it fit for the con-
sumer These various processes close
lv followed in development the max
ing of lace Samuel Hall, of Noting
ham patented certain devices during
several years. beginning with 1917,
which are essentially those used to-
day.
About G,000 people are employed in
the lace factories of Nottingham and
immediate vicinity in the bleaching
and finishing processes. distinct from
the factory work. probably 10000 more
are emplOyed-the number being
variable quantity, dependent upon the
state of the trade. The number direct
IL dependent on the lace industry is
estimated at $4,000 and the number in
directly dependent thereon is probably
125 ,000-half the towns population. At
least 600 firms are engaged in the in
dustry in this city, in making, finish
ing or marketing lace. few combine
the three, most of them both finish
and sell. while a comparative few deal
in the finished article only. The num-
Der of firms weaving lace is 135. The
annual output of the largest factory is
worth about $1,000. 900, and of an aver
age factory about $250,0OO.
Many of the lace factories are in the
city limits. but the present tendency
is to place new ones in adjacent VII
lagos. where land and labor are cheap
err. The finishing processes, however,
are confined to the city, on account OF
the better facilities and because trade
is expedited by punching close together
the firms engaged therein. As rule,
lace factories are not occupied by one
firm alone, but are let somewhat like
tenement houses. Thus, there may be
one firm or more on each floor. The
rent covers all tenement expenses ex-
cept lighting and insurance. Wages OF
factory hands range from S4 to $50
week. depending on the skill or
knowledge required.