Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1919-01-25

.THERE is a closer Relationship
existing between the silk and
the wooden situations than ever
before, and the condition of these
lines seems to be somewhat re-
versed. Silks are occupying more
of the position of the fabric of util-
ity formerly held by woolens while
the wooden materials have mounted
to a height not previously attained
by this class of goods. AS a result
silks are making profits for the
manufacturers while the wooler
people encounter all sorts of diff
culties. .
The French manufacturers ot
wooden materials were located in
the northern region that was but
recently reconquered by the Allies
There are not many of the former
wooden mills remaining. One sees
nothing but ruins on every side as
the Huns have removed looms and
machines. entire stocks of raw and
manufactured materials and de-
stroyed the factory plants. Conse-
quently some of the dress goods
manufacturers have established
plants in Lyons and various other
ton, however, is very much smaller
than it was before the war in con-
sequence of the terrible difficulties
they had to encounted. There is
but small quantity of wool pro-
duced in France, and certain
amount is imported from England
but whatever its source the price is
exceedingly high.
prices for wooden dress fabrics are
prohibitive. Some of the ordinary
qualities command four, five and six
times the price they brought before
the war. A good material for a coat
or tailored costume is now worth
twelve dollars a meter.
To minimize this high cost of
wooden tissues, couturiers employ as
small a yardage as they can because
they strive to keep down the high
cost, and it is. one of the reasons
why they are making dresses the
narrowest' and shortest ever seen.
OF course, as the old saying goes,
'it's an i'll wind that blows nobody
good" so is it in the case of wool
versus silk. The high cost and
scarcity of woolens has materially
a splendidly strong position. While
the prices of silks have advanced,
they are still lower than woolens,
and consequently, as a matter OF
economy and utility, silk reigns su-
preme in Paris. while wool is re-
served for certain kinds of cloaks
and coats and for trimmings.
There are some woolen novelties
that may be revived in silks. They
are the long-haired tissues, scraped
Jerseys and the like, which have
been named lion of Nemee," cub"
''orang- outang," "oisella," all of
them names which give the impress
sion of something that is either
hairy or fluffy. These materials have
a very decided vogue and though
they are wool and on this account
may not be of interest to silk people,
they are, however, indications of
the tendency toward fluffy faced
stuffs, and 1 am sure that similar
sorts of materials made of floss silk
would be very successful for the
summer. 1t would not surprise me
to learn that certain French manu-
facturers of silks are about to intro
duce such materials for the new
season.
Among the novel silks much
talked about in the frst-class cou-
ture houses is one called Cache
mire Marocain." a silk cachemire
with a special finish that causes 1t
to look like skin.
New is a special jersey de sole
which recalls to the mind the an
cient coats of arms and is called
"cotte Bayard" 1t is used in sew
eral of the best houses for making
very pretty and effective gilets and
trimmings.
The new silk plushes indicate the
style tendencies of another winter
season. The pile is very thick and
closely initiates the most expensive
furs such as chinchilla, sealskin,
beaver and others. The plushes are
used as a substitute for the real
furs which this season are extrava-
gantly high in price. They compose
entire garments, most of the trim
mings as well, and at distance pass