The Lake County times. [volume] (Hammond, Ind.) 1906-1933, 1922-10-14
CLARE REEFS
ADDRESSES
ROTARIANS

Clare Rses addressed the Rota-
rians the other day upon the dry
goods business as follows:
When James Watt learned the
secret of steam power from the tea
kettle and b-jdled steam. the great
industries OF railroads. steamships.
and other great steam industries
began.
When Benjamin Franklin stuck
the key on the string OF his kite
and brought from the clouds his
dustries were born.
When Adam plucked from the tree
the fig leaf. the industry of cloth
ing the human race was started, OF
which today there is none grea Ter.
None greater in number of people
employed-none greater in printers
ink used for introducing new styles
and new methods-none greater. l
am pleased TO say today. In regard
to social and civic standing.
The bu n has advanced
through the difficult stages OF wear
ing the skins of animals to the
mothers. Father would grow the
wool. cotton or fax. the proper
treatment was usually given by
mother and made into rude clothing
of that day.
Trading at this period was be-
tween families Of a neighborhood.
where one family became more
adept In manufacturing certain ar
ticles As our communities became
more populated and the trading OF
merchandise grew. some found they
could progress faster by devoting
their entire time to one line OF
business.
This was not only true OF the
fabric industry. but OF shoes. gro
ceries, hardware. and all other ar
ticles used by man
When a line of merchandise was
collected in one place, II was des-
ignated as a store or shop. Dry
goods was the name given stores
selling fabrics. as the range OF fab
rices was very limited at this time
and ready-to-wear garments Tor
men and women unknown. The dry
goods store sold over the same
counter calico and home-spun for
the women. Jeans and drill for the
men.
About 1s4s the great dry goods
merchant A. T. Stewart saw the
future in ieady-to-wear garments
and by adding this line called his
store a Department Store.
The manufacture of fabrics has
become so perfected that the suit
YOU have on may have wool grown
I'm Australia and our western states,
cotton from Egypt and our SOUTH
silk from italy or Japan-all com
bined TO give the proper texture and
weaving qualities.
The selling of materials for men
cIothine is seldom found today In
dry goods stores. as Almost all sales
arc of the "ready-to-wear" and are
purchased at clothing or department
stores. except when an individual
wants some particular fabric or
styIe OF suIt-then he calls on his
tailor
The thrifty housewife continues
20 buy her fabrics and proceeds 70
make her clothes at home.
About the year 1900 when cheap
labor was docking IN from Europe
to our large cities an dthe sweat
shops" were in their prime. many
predicted the day of selling mate
malls by the yard was past ana
quite a few dry goods stores ais
continued the better materials In
silk and wool, but today with the
elimination of the sweat shops
the high wages of workers in the
factories of the ready-to- wear, the
piece goods have come back to Its
own with the sales over the counter
the biggest known in history.
All materials are formed by the
warn and woof-or as is commonly
known. warp and filing. The warp
is the thread running lengthwise
and is the strongest. In materials
where construction IS of different
quality the one wanted to stand out
will be used in the filling. as cotton
and wool mixed, cotton and silk.
cotton and linen. AS cotton Is tHe
cheapest, It is used for the warp and
one OF the others for the filing.
This is SO perfect that 1t Will take
an expert to distinguish the substi-
tute. In carding the yarns. camou-
fage Is used in mixing the cotton
with more expensive materials SO
that no one can detect but an ex-
pert with the use OF acids. The
many weaves and patterns are
formed by the manipulation of the
warp and wool. The softness and
hardness of a cloth is determined
by the quality of material used plus
the different process of finish.
Mr.. Rees then presented samples
of many kinds of cloth. showing the
great difference in various cloth all
having the same base. the difference
being due TO the improved finishes