Evening star., 1938-02-08

AL Jul ONh IOuIlIly III carly SOlt
circumstances. spinning and weaving
had to start all over again. from the
beginning. and it is interesting to note
that at the start of the goth century
1t had reached leading place in
world industry.
When the first colonists were sent
70 jamestown it was hoped by the
PACKERS" of the expedition that the
Colonies would be splendid place
for the raising of silk, linen and wool,
and thereby bring great wealth to the
sponsors Mulberry trees were planted
and silk worms imported. Expert
tenders and weavers were brought
from their homela nd. As time went on
silk worm raising vas tried in Georgia
and South Carolina, and some little
bit of spinning and weaving was done,
the cloth being sent to royalty at home
to show what the Colonies could pro-
duce. But one disaster after an
other happened to the industry. and
the restless spirit that undertook
pioneering could not settle down to
the tedious work of silkworm tending.
So eventually the industry died out
and all silk was imported for manu-
5acture.
In the early part OF the 18th century
large numbers Of German people set
tied In the valleys of Pennsylvania
Who were skilled in the art OF flax
raising and the carding and spinning
OF wool and linen. New England en-
toyed an influx of Scotch-Irish who
we're disguised with famine. taxes and
warfare in their native Ulster. They
came from a land of expert weavers
and Immediately gave new life to
this much needed industry in the new
country.
!AT THIS time every New England
a cottage had its spinning wheel
and on the great estates in the South
spinning houses were set up and
slaves taught the art Of spinning
There were travelling weavers who
journeyed about the country setting
up their loom wherever there was
thread prepared and purse to pay
fer the weaving. Designs were sub
mitted by the weaver and after the
choice was made by the mistress he
vas commissioned by the master Of
the house to make certain number
Of sheets and towels. as we'll as spec
if1ed amount Of wooden cloth, by the
yard, all according to what the family
could afford. Consequently. we find
the same designs and materials from
Maine to Virginia.
There was q great deal Of the more
elaborate and expensive materials i'm
ported into Virginia from England.
Virginia had q large tobacco crop
which was exchanged each year for
these luxuries and England was very
gracious to the colony that furnished
this important commodity. New Eng
land produced only the things that
Old England produced, so trade with
this colony was not encouraged lest
1t ruin home industry. Heavy taxes
and embargoes were imposed on all
weaving equipment 50 that it was i'm
possible to import 1t to New England.
At the time when England and France
were enjoying the invention Of power
looms the Colonies were still struggling
along with primitive hand looms. As
an improvement over the travelling
weaver" method, hand looms We're set
up in q large room where those with
linen or wool to be woven into cloth
either paid to have it woven or ex-
changed part OF their crop for so many
woven pieces-much the same way
that farmers take their grain to mill
at the present time. In many cases
this plan failed because Of the lack OF
expert weavers or the inadequacy Of
machines.
THE infancy of the textile industry
in this country was a struggling
one, and it was not until few ma
chimes were smuggled into New Eng
land labeled as farm implements, and
several expert Scotch textile workers
were persuaded to come to this coun-
try that progress was made. With
the successful efforts Of several en-
gineers and inventors power looms
began to appear and a few we'll
equipped factories began to turn out