The San Francisco call., 1910-03-20

signs are hand painted by skilled artists
and designers. on paper ruled so that
there is a square for every crossing OF
the threads of warp and woof. Then
every square that is painted in (show-
fng a raised thread in the fabric) must
be punched out in the cardboard to per-
nit the passing Of the needle control
ling the warp thread. that the design
may be carried out.
OF course. as many colors as desired
can be introduced into the warp. and
by the use of tier of shuttles, each
carrying a different color. a consider
able variety can be woven into the
filing.
The woven fabric Is next placed on
a frame and every square inch care
fully examined for the removal or
knots, dirt, stains and other imperfec-
tfons. Finally it is taken to the finish
ing department, where the treatment
depends somewhat upon the nature OF '
the goods and TO a large extent upon
the preferences or fnventiveness Of the
managers of the establishment. In some
cases the goods are singed for the re-
mOval of any rough nap. The fabric is
then sprinkled and SpOnged with a
preparation of wax and gelatine (the
exact nature and composition of which
constitutes a jealously guarded trade
secret in many factOries). The final
gloss is impaired by calendering. in
which the fabric is run between a series
of superimpOsed steel rolls. ironing it
out smoothly and giving it the charac-
teristic glossy finish.
From this brief sketch of the long
and devious journey of a silk thread
from the spinnaret of the silkworm to
condition fitting it for the adornment
of butterfly of fashion. the reason
why this is the most costly OF textiles
is plain.
If the United States has failed In the
production of raw silk, it has achieved
a notable success in all branches of
silk manufacture, excepting in the
weaving of certain fabrics in which
hand labor is largely necessary. This
success is due largely to American in
genuity in bringing silk throwing and
weaving machinery to it's highest per-
fection- Mechanical power is applied
to every process Of manufacture to a
greater extent than in any other part
of the world.
The beginning OF silk manufacturing
in America dates from 1910. when the
first silk mill on the western hemi-
sphere was set up at Mansfield. Conn.
In 1915 silk trimming factory was
established at Philadelphia. a ribbon
factory in Baltimore in 1929, a dress
trimming factory in Boston in 1894. and
sewing SILK factories in Florence and
Dedham, Mass, in 1885. In 1879 the
hrst power loom was introduced into
america and small manufacturing
plants were multiplied until by 1860
new York had A little establishments
Pennsylvania So, Connecticut % Mas
sachuSettS 20 and New Jersey g. en-
pioyfng a total of 1852 persons Yet
the relatively small Importance Of these
Is SHOWN by the fact that IN 1860 the
United states manufactured only 1s per
cent or the silk goods consumed in the
country.
From 1850 the industry enioved
steady growth, but that this was SLOW
az Hrst is shown by the fact thar in
1870 only 2S per cent of the silk s,oodz
consumed was made in America. Bv
tSeV tne percentage had grown to IS.
by 1880 to 50. and by 1898 to s.. In 1SSS
the importations of raw siItc ~ ba
manufactured in American mills were
only 512,449 pounds. The rext ,,e.~
they amounted TO 1855 pounds. in
1879 to 1,S93,311 pounds; in 1854 10
o,329646 pounds; in 1899 to 969I145
pounds. and in 1909 to the astonisbine,
total of 23.9S3.750 pounds. valuea as
SIS,SSO,569- In 1889 the frnportations q.
spun silk were only 6326 pounds n,
voiced at sS1.9S4; and by 1909 these hse,
grown TO 2.232.S54 pounds. invoiced a.
s3,4S0,6iS and paying duties of s1.2lI
512
These figures tell an inspiring story
r.
importatiOns of raw silks amounted TO
two-fifths OF the worlds total eroD.
andSas raw silk market New Yor;s
now ranks second only to Shanghai
Every style of silk goods known in tha
world, excepting a few fancy sDecfaI-
ties requiring mainly or exclusively
hand labor for their execution. Is now
made in the United States Arerica,
silk mills represent an investment OF
more than 800. 000. 600 of Capital ana
give employment to more than 75 OO0
persons The benefits to capital ana
labor. as represented by manufacturers
of machinery. transportation interests
jobbers. retail dealers. dress makers
milliners and scores of cognate inter
cts can not in any way be estimated.
Strange. is it not. that human intel
liSence and ingenuity have been ahIa
20 develop the secretion OF an ur1v
srAwling caterpillar into an article of
such vast Importance to international
trade. to the worlds of finance. indus
try. transportation and merchandisin~
and to devotees OF fashion and an
lovers of the beautiful