Bulletin of the National Association of Wool Manufacturers

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The first number of the above publication is received and contains much interesting and valuable information. It is distributed gratuitously among the members of the Association from the commencement of the year in which they are admitted. Whether it is to be obtained by outsiders upon the payment of a subscription price, or otherwise, does not appear, so far as we can see, from the number before us. Among other interesting statistics we find it stated that the number of sets of machinery or eeries of cards—a set forming the unit for calculation in woolen machinery—employed in the United States, reported to the National Association of Wool Manufacturers, on the 25th of October, 1885, was 4,100. The estimated number in the United States, as all were not reported at that time, was 5,000. From a carefully prepared table we find that Massachusetts consumes more wool in her ; factories than any other four States in the Union, her weekly consumption being 857,496 pounds of scoured wool. Of this aggregate 560,896 pounds are domestic wool and the balance is of foreign production. Connecticut stands next to Massachusetts in her consumption of wool, using weekly 2 3,880 pounds of scoured wool. New York uses 230,510 pounds, and New Hampshire, 217,110 pounds. The total amount used weekly in the United States is, according to the table, 2,253,-545 pounds. It will thus be seen that Massachusetts manufactures more than one-third of all the wool consumed in the woolen mills of this country. The smallest consumption of any given in this table, is that of Minnesota, which is only 1,200 pounds per week. Some of the States and Territories i consuming little wool are not, however, reported; but they j will not vary the statement to any noticeable extent. In j New York there are 124 mills that have not been heard from. In Massachusetts 74 have not reported. In all the States there are 624 mills not reported, against 917 which have forwarded their statements. From this it will be seen that the large aggregate weekly consumption, as above stated, falls much below the reality. It is fair to suppose, however, that many of those not heard from are small establishments ; but, granting that, the weekly consumption will not fall far below 3,000,000 pounds. The value of the wool manufacture as given in the report of the United States Commissioner of Revenue, is $121,868, 250-33. The effect of the establishment of mills in California and Oregon has been greatlybeneficialtothewool growers of those States ; previous to their erection theywere at the mercy of speculating monopolists from the Atlantic States. This is another illustration of the value of home markets. Returns of woolen machinery constructed by the principal manufacturers of cards and jacks in the country show that two thousand and eighty-six sets have been made since January 1865. These facts show that the wool industry of the United States is already not only a large and important, but a vigorously growing one. The Bulletin contains much otfier matter of interest to which we cannot at present allude. Communications should be addressed to John L. Hayes, Editor, and Secretary of the Association, 75 Sumner street, Boston, Mass.

Scientific American Magazine Vol 20 Issue 9This article was published with the title “Bulletin of the National Association of Wool Manufacturers” in Scientific American Magazine Vol. 20 No. 9 (), p. 138
doi:10.1038/scientificamerican02271869-138

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