El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1911-12-23
HOSIERY
MADNESS IN
AMERICA
Mania For Glistening Stock
ings Taxes Resources Of
Silk Industry.
UNDERGRADUATES
WITH HUSTLE SOUGHT
lBr FREDERIC J. Haskln.l

cd states dress IN SILK anu Fe4k6L LA4e-4l
do those Of any other country upon
earth and the demand for silk fabric
Of all kinds is increasing every day
During the past year the country has
gone silk hosiery mad" The prodUe-
ton Of this article Of clothing alone
now makes a heavy demand apon the
silk resources Of the world.
Besides hosiery, a large amount Of
silk underwear is demanded even among
Americans of moderate circumstances
while for outside wear there are lew
women now who do not include various
silk frOcks, waists. wraps and other
garments in their WardrObes- Last year
z3,457,223 pounds of raw silk were I'M
ported into this country, valued at 80
SSS, 459. In addition to this amount "
raw silk, enormous quantities Of man
ufactUred silk Of various kinds WerS
also imported
strive to Catch Public Ere.
Silk manufacturers are largely re
spOnsible for this demand because OF
the many novelties in WeaVes and col
oTs which are constantly being devised
10 catch the public eye me demand
fDr cotton and silk mixed goods duHlnS
the past five years has become tremen-
dOus, so that cotton manufacturers IN
New England and other parts OF the
country import great quantities OF raw
silk for this purpose.I New looms Tor
mixtures have been devised and over
10. 600 OF these improved machines haVo
been put in operation.
Japan Bows to SIX Man.
Silk comes principally from China
japan. Burma, Italy and France 4ne
japanese regard the silk trade OF
America as of paramount importance
When the president Of the American
Silk association, an organization Wnlcl
practically controls the silk industry OF
years ago, he was received with almost
royal hOnOrs. He was presented TO Ine
emperor and empress and during his en-
tire stay was entertainments a guest OF
the royal family. Few ambassadors rep
resenting great foreign powers ever
have been accorded such distinctive
hOnors as those given this American
business man by the government OF ia
pan.
are in New York. New Jersey ana PENN
svlvania. although factories are scat
tered over New England and oLnet
eastern states In New York city alone
there are 276 silk manufactures ana IN
Paterson, New Jersey, there are zOS
All raw silk, whatever its ultimate oes-
ffuation in America or from Whatever
country it is received, is shipped to
New York This is chiefly because the
silk shipments which run into millions
annually are financed by the Ereal
banking houses Of New York
Much ATOiBture Sold for SILK.
F-sw commodities viii absorb and re-
tain so much moisture as raw Six.
Moisture increases its weight and IN an
article sold by the pound at "a or 30 per
pound. this is important therefore, I'M
mediately upon being received IN new
York. raw silk is conditioned by being
dried out before weighing after TINS
drying. II percent IS added TO the
weight as an allowance for natural
moisture. Raw silk IS conditioned ana
81 HrrH 11 Of 81 q
tests for elasticity strength ana tenac-
ity. If there are any points OF dlILer-
ence between the buyer and the sel4eI
of silk, thre is an inspection test ap-
proved by the American six ass0cla11
ton. which IS the court OF Appeals OF
the silk business The result Of this
inspection test is always accepted Dy
both parties.
1t IS frequently said that silk was
never so cheap in price as al present
but this must be qualified by the state
ruent that it was never so cheap In quail
ity The demand Tor low priced SILK
has led TO such adUlteratiOn in the
manufacture that II is difficult now 10
If it IS secured the price VIII be little
If any lower than the price of quarter
OF a century ago. This is true, not
Withstanding the increases of produc-
ton and the improved labor saving
machinery. 1t used to be that a good
black silk dress was almost a lifelong
possession. Frequently it was handed
down to the second generator. There
are many women who still admire the
rich appearance Of black silk, but too
often it IS proved that its durability
has been lost.
Last winter rich club woman was
invited to a neighboring city to make
an address upon a department Of public
work in which she was interested I
knowing that a reception would be I
given in her honor, the lady took her I
newest evening gown, beautiful bro 1
Caded pink silk which she I'd only pos I
sessed q few weeks. What was her /
horror when the maid of fer hostess Z
who was assisting her in her toilet /
took the gown out OF the box, where II /
had been carefully packed, to discover ]
q number OF splits running the full D
length Of the skirt practically dividing |
It into ribbons. The fabric WIS so rot
ton that stitches would not hold even /
while they We're being put in The dis I
mayed woman had the modification Of 4
being obliged to appear at a formal 4
junction in her travelling costume al /
though she had expended q large sum I
Of money upon the dress she should 4
have been able to wear
Pure Smk Unreliable.
The fault lies With the Weighing Of /
the silk thread before II is woven. The !
chemical salts used in this weighing
process cut the fiber OF the silk, caus- 4
ing IT TO disintegrate, sometimes very 4
rapidly The articles marked pure silk /
are generally more unreliable than
those containing a certain amount OF I
cotton. for all silk has a percentage Of I
wei glting varying from two or threa
percent in the best grades, to as much /
as 80 percent in the cheaper qualities.
In the fabrics Of cotton and silk COM
bined, the silk contains little Weighing
and the mercerized cotton usually has
good wearing qualities. There is quite
rs much need for legal regulations re-
garding the adulIera ton of clothing Z
materials as for the adulteratfon o.
food.
Fine Special Trains for Silk.
The transportation of silk across the
continent is a very important matter to
The railroad companies. When a shin
from the Orient laden with silk !
ands at san Francisco, Tacoma. Seat.
lie or Vancouver. there is a special train .
waiting it. This train has been re-
served for the transportation of this