78 FOURTH ANNUAL REPORT OF 



manufacture of sewing silk of different grades, and though the first silk was 

 made in 1866, they realized the very next year the sum of $25,000, and at 

 present their business has so increased that they employ about 150 female 

 operators in their factories. 



Half a dozen years ago, wuthin a radius of fifty miles of New York, 

 there were not 50 looms running on broad silks and serges, where now^ 

 there are nearer 500. In and around Boston there are nearly as many ; 

 and Philadelphia boasts of about 30. Last fall I visited Paterson, N. J., 

 and spent some time in the surrounding country for the purpose of inquir- 

 ing into this new industry. From Mr. Thos. N. Dale, of the Dale Manufac- 

 turing Co., I learned that in Paterson alone there are some 30 establish- 

 ments raanufiicturing silk, employing about six hundred persons, and 

 making nearly all kinds of goods. Of ribbon factories, the largest in the 

 United States are there, two of them employing from three to four hundred 

 hands, though the leading specialty is silk dress goods, chiefly blacks. A 

 large business is also done in jiongee silks, or handkerchiefs, w^hich are sold 

 plain to New York merchants, by whom they are sent to various print 

 works on Staten Island for a finish. 



The establishment of the Dale Manufacturing Company, which is the 

 largest, produces braids, cords, dress trimmings, etc., in great variety. This 

 concern, like others, does a heavy business in manuflicturing trams and 

 organzines (warp and filling) for silk establishments throughout the country. 

 Another factory employs numerous hands exclusively on ladies' trimmings, 

 gimps and fringes. Several others are making sewing silk, hat bands, etc. 



Mr. Dale uses the best European machinery, and has a seri-meter and 

 dynamometer for testing the strength and elasticity of the thread, and scales 

 for weighing it, all from Berthand & Cie of Lyons, France. He employs 

 350 hands, earning on an average from $5 to $6 a week. He uses nearl}' a 

 bale (100 lbs.) of raw silk each day, for which he pays from $9 to ^12 per 

 pound. 



§5,000,000 of capital are invested in the business in Connecticut, the 

 establishment of Chenej' Bros., at Hartford, being the largest in that State. 



All these facts serve to show^ that there is at present an unlimited 

 demand for reeled silk right at home, and I believe that reeling etitablish- 

 ments will be built wherever sufficient cocoons are raised to warrant them. 



The production of the raw material is beginning anew under far more 

 favorable auspices than ever before, and not only in California, Arizona 

 and New Mexico, which for this jmrpose are favored by heaven ; but right 

 here, in this portion of the Mississippi Valley, I believe the day will soon 

 come when silk-raising will be carried on profitably. Any community hy 

 cooperation might add to its annual product by this industry, without in the 

 least affecting its other industrial pursuits. Individuals have successful!}" 

 raised the worms, and Mr. J. F. Wielandy informs me that his uncle, Mr. 

 Pagan, of Highland, Illinois, raised them successfully for four consecutive 

 years. He had some of the silk on exhibition before the Board of Trade 

 of St. Louis; and specimens were sent to Switzerland, and pronounced, by 



