Rensselaer Republican, Volume 20, Number 13, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 1 December 1887 — Paterson’s Silk Industry. [ARTICLE]

Paterson’s Silk Industry.

Merchant World. An enormous length of silk ribbon is manufactured in Passaic county,- N. J., yearly. In the city of Paterson“"aloffie during the past month the siik manufacturers have u s ed up 805,625 ribbon labels, and as it is only an average month that would make 3 667,500 labels in a year, Each label is wound on a block containing ten yards of ribbon, which would inake 36 6.75,0(X) yards a year made in Paterson alone. This is 110,02i,000 feet,and in 110,025,000 feet there are a little less than 22,731 miles. This would reach from Washington to Java and back. It is two and a half times the distance to Canton, China; three times the distance io the Cape of Good Hope, and seven times across the ocean from New York to England, ~~Patersbn~man-" ulacluresThree quarters of all the ribj bon made in this country. About one- , tenth as much more is imported. As a j considerable quantity is exported it i would be impossible to estimate how much is consumed in America; but a careful calculafion would perhaps maker it about 30,000 miles a year, or considerably more.than enough to put-a silken belt around, the eart h. The output in broad silk iu yaiYis is abqut one-tenth that of the ribbons in this' country, And the product in silk handkerchiefs about one-tenth more. The value runs up into the millions annually. Directly and indirectly the silk manufacture in Ameri a -gives employment to about 65,000 people. < -