DYED WOOL BALES.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVI, Issue 2223, 22 June 1908, Page 1

DYED WOOL BALES.

IS THEIR USE PRACTICABLE?

SOME INTERESTING EXPERIMENTS [From C)uh Sveciai. Cimuuohi'onoknt.] BRADFORD, May 8, 1908. The question of vegetable matter in wool lias lately received a good deal of attention, but not one whit more than the subject deserves. Not until foreign matter ceases to trouble our manufacturers can the question ho regarded as solved. One of Bradford’s best firms of spinners and dress goods manufacturers determined some months ago to ascertain for themselves whether it is possible to market the colonial clip in dyed jute bales. From the very start, the principal of this firm, Mr. J. H. Robinson, who, bv tho way, is**n very active member of tho Bradford Chamber of Commerce, has strongly held the opinion that tho only solution of the present difficulty is to bale the wool in dyed tares. It will bo remembered that this gentleman ventilated his views at the Bradford conference last year, when tho whole trado met together, but at that time, what seemed to be serious objections to the use of dyed tares were raised, and tho whole thing was considered impracticable. Mr. Robinson is not the man to take a thing lying down because any party opposes his opinions, and at the time lie determined at his own expense to embark on an experiment, and to settle, once and for all, the possibility and practicability of using dyed jute tares in order to cure the evil through which his firm and others are at present wriousl.v suffering. Mr; Robinson has always maintained that the present pa'-k is too near the color of greasy wool, and it makes it difficult to detect the presence of the jute when mixed with the wool, .and later, when the wool has gone through the different manufacturing processes, .it cannot lie seen until it is dyed in the cloth. This question of dyed tares is not by any means new. li' tiie wool was baled, say, in black nibble tare, and any jute strand got into tiie wool, in an instant the sorter could see it, and if he failed to remove it it would at once bo seen when it got through the scouring bowls, and any neglect there would come home to the topmaker, that important person then being tho guilty party. As things are at present-, it h impossible to trace home the source ol mischief. The topma'kor who sorts well his wool receives no credit for it. while tho present method simply puts a premium upon carelessness, and supports the slovenly topmaker who does not half sort bis wool. The objection that was raised at the time to the use of dyed tares was that if any jute fibre got into the tops tliev would “bleed,” and if so, that would be serious. In thatvca.se, pieces intended for light shades would be completely spoiled for dying purpose.-;, and Roubaix manufactures especially would kick against them very’seriously. Plausible its the statement on tiie surface seems to be. Mr. Robinson felt at the time that this was more or less bluff, and that in actual working it would prove itself as such. Enable to procure a bale of wool in a black or dyed tare, Air. Robinson took tho ordinary jute wool hale that had come from Australia, and dyed one each 'of black and blue. We then took lfiOlbs. of colonial cross-bred wool of about 50’s quality, and divided the lot into three parcels of 5()lb. each. Unravelling the black dyed tare, he cut thirty pieces of jute about the length of a mail’s forefinger, and distributed these all through one lot of 501 b. Then lie did tho same with the blue dyed , tare, distributing again thirty pieces through the second lot. He then took thirty pieces of jute from an ordinary undyed tare, and distributed these through tho ' third 501 b. sample. Having done’this lie cent the first two sample lots to Messrs. Isaac Holden and Sons, Limited, with instructions to scour and comb the wools just as they were, without removing one single bit of juto string. Of course they ,wero kept seperate, the third parcel being sent to another comber in order that no mistake could lie made. 1 have in my possession now a good sized sample of the combed tops, and the dyed fibres call bo seen distinctly in the two tops, while the ordinary jute fibres are .completely lost to all human appearance. The manufacturer then took these tops, and on his frames he spun every ounce into yarn except a nice hand sample. Finally, these very yarns were Woven into three separate pieces of ordinary dress serge, a fabric which sells the year round. The next move was to cut off a good dress length (about eight yards) from each of the three pieces, and these were sent to the Bradford Dyers’ Association, Limited, to be dyed black. I was called in last week to inspect tlieso dyed pieces, and was the first man outside their own office to see them. And what a revelation there was! Not. a particle of jute fibre could be discerned in the two lengths of dress goods which contained the black and blue, but the length containing the ordinary undyed jute fibre contained scores of particles which had refused to be dyed at all. There were hours of work for a burlcr to remove the numerous jute fibres in that third dress length, while in the other two there was not a single moment’s work. Now I can hear somebody say. but this is not conclusive evidence of dyed jute hales solving the present difficulties, for' the trouble would be great where light shades are wanted. Let the reader exercise patience. Mr. Robinson consulted the chairman and manager of the Dyers’ Association as to what light- shade could be dyed that would reveal the presence of any black or blue jute fibres that happened to be in dress goods before the dyeing operation began. The request was made to send in 1 good dozen of the most delicate shades, and this was done. I taw the samples, and the most delicate in the whole bunch, was selected. This was a light; blue or lavender, a color which would reveal any deficiency- in the fabrics at once, and especially any foreign substance such as jute. Another eight yards length was cut off the piece that had in it the black jute fibres, and it was sent to dye- that delicate light blue shade. The order was given that the dress material was not to bo doctored, burl-dyed, or anything done to destroy, the jute fibres in the piece, but ill-it the length was to ho treated us if it was a perfect piece. This was done, and before mv own eyes the whole dress length was laid out. I was never so taken aback in my life. It was only after very minute scrutiny that a few small particles of black jute fibre could be found, while not i single one bad “run” or “bled,” as was said would be the case if black wool hags were used, and if any'accidentally got into dress goods where light shades were wanted. It was therefore very evident that it would not be necessary to burl-dye the piece on account of the black

vegetable fibres in this light blue shade. Then again to satisfy the manager of the -Bradford Dyois’ Association, another length Had been “.sieved, that -is the dress length had been laken and dealt with in the same manner as white cashmeres are dealt with before being sent out for sale, and hero again the results were eminently satisfactory. Mr. Robinson is quite willing to give to any -interested party a length of this dress material in which there lias been blended either I lie black or tho blue fibres, to lie dyed any shade they like, and ho is confident. that they will obtain the same satisfactory results as himself. There is another very Important point which should not be overlooked. The present jute fibre that gets -into the wool goes through the scouring howl, combing machine, and spinning friimo, and is never seen again until the piece itself -is actually dyed. Now, if wool bales aro dyed black or blue and any passed through the different processes of manufacture, they would lie instantly seen in the top, and be picked out ill the sliver before it went any further. And supposo tho black juto fibres wero allowed to remain until the yarns were spun and the piece woven. Before-that fabric went to dye and finish every one of these defects could .lie more easily burled out, thus saving valuable time and expense, whereas at present this has to be done after tho dyeing operation, when it is more difficult and liioro costly. It should ulso be borne in mind that S’s per cent, of the wool fabrics made -are dyed into dark shades, and on! these not a single minute need be in burling at all, whereas at present every piece when dyed, no matter wli-.it shade, reveals at once the drab jute fibres which appear in every piece with- the prominence that cannot be let go without being -itemoved. The experiment. Mr. -Robinson maintains, more than proves that the only solution to the present d-iffi-eult problem is by the use of lived black Or blue tares or all wool bags, and he questions very much if the new jute bales recently selected by tlie’ committee in London -will solve the problem. The above gives the entire trade some very interesting and practical d-ita, and before long steps will be taken to -bring the above facts to the full notice of the responsible heads of the present committee handling this important -matter.