YORKSHIRE WOOL LETTER.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1576, 21 October 1912, Page 3

YORKSHIRE WOOL LETTER.

IHK UOOU.HX THADK AND I'l'K hNFi.UKNoi-; irrii.N rut; worn, i NuusritY.

(From Our Special C'orrespomlenl.) Bradford, St>pli<ml>pr li. lili'J. Has tho i-eudcr ever omsi.l.-ivil tlw peat woollen industry which forms an important part of I lie textile I lade of llii.s and olher cuiinlrirs? Tin- iiwi-iiri' iv;»ler in Iho type known us "the limn in (ho street' never makes imy distiiieli.'ii be>vwn the (wo eln-M's nl fnlirie.-; prodiired by the mills of the \\'e<l Hiding of Yorkshire, the Coiilinent, mid Aiiiericii. I refer to (he woollen and wor.-led Irnibs. two disliiief liranrhcs of one ureal industry. II may need 11 liltle leeliuieiil know-li-dgo lo (Miiililo niiynip In coiiiprehend Ilii- real incaninK of Ilie.-e (wo lonii.-. If tit It kinds of fabrics are nindc from wool, il being simply the methods of iiiiinipulnlnig dm raw material which ililVeri'iiliiilcs woollens from worslyds. AI Ihe same, lime, oven Ihe ordinnry man uiiglil h> know the dilTerence, for il is very I'nsy In understuiul. By woolleiw we menu cloths which Imvo Ik'imi made on what is known as Ihe carded principle, while worsted fabrics nve those which have liren produced from combed wool. H is not easy lo sny which is Ihe most iuiportaul: branch of tho le.itile industry, bill wo shall be. well reimiil if we orcupy somo Lime (o-dny looking at the former. Ixing before the combing machine was known, cloths produced by hand ivern made in the cottage homes of Old Hngliind, and iho early beginnings of the woollen trade would certainly form a most; intcreslim; chapter if its history were written. Kvvn Eo recently as thirty years ago a large portion ol the weaving was douo "upstnirs" in tho homes of the people of Iho West Hiding. , AN OLD TRADK. It was the writer's privilege a few months ago lo look through n mil! book which hears Iho (Into 1800 to lSl.'i. What, a record it is of the early doings of lh« woollen trade. The price of wool nt Hint time, was from "s. to ss. per Ib., a.nd Australian wool was unknown, although Iho first parcel of merino wool grown in the Commonwealth was brought to Knglnnd in barrels by a West Riding man, all about 1809. The old woollen mill whero it was first consumed—Vnrk Hill, Rawdon, near Leeds—is still standing, nnd it is .significant that tho immediate district still retaijis its name as being nn important centre of ihe woollen industry to-day. How times have changed since the first 'parcel of tine wool was worked up into plain black cloth, a length of which -was presented to George 111. When Samuel Jlarsdeii brought that first consignment, from Australia, ho little dreamt that ho was layin? the foundation of tho colossal trade, which is being done to-day in woollen materials. In the old days the carding anil stubbing was dono on very roughly constructed machinery, nnd in tho absence, of steam power n horse was used to work tho carding engines. Tho old stubbing billy and hand jenny were used at that time, and there aro individuals living to-day whose memory goes back CO to 70 years, who were then employed in hand spinning on the jenny. Of course, tho machinery to-day has changed entirely; all the operations are conducted in the mills, and material is being worked up to-day which in iho olden days would have been regarded as so much waste only fit for tho rubbish heap; in fact, some of tho by-products of the trade which aro now being consumed either in one way or another were allowed to rot on Iho dunghill, and were used for manuring tho land. As already said, woollen is the name given to cloths in which the raw materials have been carded and then spun upon a mule, the process being entirely different to that employed in the production of worsted fabrics. TEADE HEALTHY AND SOUND. The .woollen trade to-day is a very important adjunct of the wool-growing industry, and very largo weights of tho raw material are dealt w|th; weekly in tho production of this class'of fabrics. It is hard to say which section of tho trado consumes most wool, although probably in tho ■■'aggrejrafe the worsted and hosiery trades shift larger weights than tho woollen industry; It is possible to adulterate woollen materials by using a considerable amount of shoddy, mungo and cotton, whereas worsted yarns must bo made from pure wool. But even in tho production of woollen goods, very large quantities of both merino and crossbred wool are consumed, and I am glad to say that tho trade to-day is on the whole busy. If one takes a motor ride throughout the woollen areas of the West Riding, we find that a good many mills bto working overtime, and that generally they must be described as being well employed. Certain districts in the West Biding are known for the production of particular classes of woollen goods. For instance, in Yeadon and ' Gulseley, mills produce woollen materials which are largely used in the production of ladies' costumes and mantles, nnd it is surprising what a variety of cheap fabrics are being made. j This is also the district whero a large I quantity of the tweeds used in the production of caps arc made. If wo go across the River Aire to the. other side of the valley we find that in Apperley Bridge, Greengatcs, Calvorley, Farslcy, Stnnningloy, and Pudsey the mills aro almost entirely employed in the production of men's wear woollens, and cloths 54 inches wide can be bought anywhere from 2s. to ss. per yard. The woollen goods made them consist of fancy tweeds, riding cloths, rainproof overcoatings, and substantial fabrics fitted for everyday wear. It is rather noteworthy that several woollen manufacturers whom the writer could name have this Inst few years begun to use considerable weights of worsted yarns, in conjunction with woollen yarns, a very .happy combination indeed, particularly in the production of rainproofs. Leeds produces big weights of cheap woollens, and also some very good cloths, but a big quantity of cotton warps are used in conjunction with woollen wefts in the production of serges, vicunas, nioltons, and tho like. Around Bcwsbury, Batley, Morley, and Ossett thcro is also a big Sold of production, woollens being the principal output of scores of mills. Here, too, the products ore very similar to those mado in Leeds, though this last two years a somewhat better class articio is being made in Dewsburv nnd Batley, where more Australian wool is being consumed weekly. Iluddcrsfield is renowned the world over for producing some very cheap lines of fancy tweeds, the C'olmi Valley especially, making fabrics which sell at from 2s. 3d. per yard upwards, broad width good*. The South of Scotland still retains its' name for the famous Scotch tweed?, while the AVest of England also produces the tip-top fabrios-wiih which its name, has always been associated. H> are glad to think that Ihe woollen industry in all the places named manifests signs of robustness, and all tho grumbling one hears is that tho price of raw manufacturing articles is high. A very significant fact is that the employees encased in the. woollen industry of Great Britain are better off to-day than ever in the.ir history. Wares have risen this last few years, and there is another movement on foot in the heavy woollen district to securo an advance of Is. to Iβ. Gd. per cut among the woollen weavers. Wages aro paid by the piece, i.e., a scale has been fixed for paying tho weaver so much per number of picks per inch, (he rate varying a little in the different districts, according to tho speed of the looms, nnd the class of goods produced. What wo aro most concerned about to-day is the statement that mills everywhere* present a very busy appearance. The home trade has ben the main-stay of the industry this year, and although many adverse factors have had lo be fought against, chiefly strikes and an exceedingly wet. summer, mills hnve continued to run full time, and the prospect for the winter remains good. Some are prophesying a reduced consumption in ince. of the calamity which has befallen Uritish agriculture, hut manufacturers »re not in any wise concerned, their strong conviction being that they will have sullicieiit orders to keep their plants running full time. Considerable assistance has been recently forthcoming from overseas market s, and so long as mills can be kepi running, the raw material will be shifted. The -worst feature is Ihe increased cost of production, miisl mills Iwing confronted with having lo pay from i<. to 2s. fid. per ton more for coal in the future, while all other mill supplies S iii:li as leather, soap, beltings, oil, etc., have advanced 10 per cent.

MKKINOS VEKV SOUNR The wcnlf ho> bccii pioductivn o[ i\ lit-

niid things arc cerliiiuly nn lln> linriU'iiiug -I'll, iv i- ii.iu- ,„. dnul.l (hut III" i-oiind standing ill' Ilir raw imileriiil lins impressed itself very i'nri'il)l,v upon Hie minds <if tin' majority. Mini liipimikcrs i'iiii M'l' 111 l lIU'IIIIS lII' uhlllillillK supplies 1)11 II cheaper linsis. 'I'll" measure ill coiisiinip(ion appears lo )>:■ such Hull all Iho wool in .sight will In' wanled, and nllhiiiigh Iho niilwn.v sin <ions in Bradford and dislricl are nil' pai'ki'il oiil Willi I lie raw muVrinl, il. finisisN largely of New /.calami v.nas. liri'iN, iiiul Knglis.li. So I'm 1 as ini'riiiiiM urn cimeenicd. llu>'» having Klwtft i'iiii wll very liiindil.v indeed. II is possible lo gel rid of almost anv i|iinnlilv of eiiinbiiii! wool ill lißiiirs vi|iinl lo Hit. l«->i. prices paid ill Ilii' Inst scries t.i London mil's, ;iii(l .Miiiii'liiiH'H cvi'ii ii Irnctimial advniii'i,. Siiini' spinners s:iv Ilii'v din yet lin.v spol, hils ill' Ill's ill: -'Td., lull, makers of ii standard article will ikil ncecpi less Hum |d. lo M. iniiri'. This fni:l nlniiit shows distinctly which way Hie wind H blowing, and it is Milne salislncl.ion lo be nlilo lo record that everything prcsl'iils- a very encouraging ji]ipi-nrniirv. Spinner* lire doing ii fair iuiioiiiil of ui'W business, lint the nmjorily arc mi w<'ll siliialcd Unit. I hoy urn not ill. nil lie™ Jo .-ell. Ihe bulk of spinners Imviii',' their whnln oiitp\il kiilil In the end of the year. N"n nl tempi; has liccn inliilo lo niilicipiil/i I Ik- future l>y selling forward, although many spinners iiro prepared lo Imy lor next ,lanuniy delivery if they can iniliieo any lopnialier lo acecpl a low enough price. As fur as orni rnu see, (licro is little prnspeci of importers lioliic, keen to .soil on forward iimmiil, as I heir experience for two yours has been anything but a profitable one. There is no cluing in crossbred?, which aro very firm indeed.