mills and thought that in everything we were on an equality with them, except in the matter of sizing. The practice there was to send their warps to a sizing mill, and at the door was posted a table showing precisely the per cent. of sizing on the warp, from 12 per cent. to 150; and the prices of the different sorts were varied with the number of times which the warp went through the process. If it went through once, the price was so much; and if it went through twice, it was another price; and if it went through three times, it was still another. He brought home samples of yarn sized from 12 per cent., which was the lowest on the warp, to 150 per cent. on the warp,-which samples I have with me at Biddeford. And that was the process of sizing their yarn at the time. I have in my possession yarn that has 150 per cent. of size put upon it.

Mr. GARSED. With reference to sizing gray goods, I am not aware that it is done to any great extent. It would seem to destroy their elasticity, even when they practice the same as they do in sizing or dressing gingham. It may be done, but I have never seen it. I am glad that my brother Haines has explained the practice in the manner that he has done. It is a common practice where they require in colored goods a great amount of size in the warp, to make the goods, and size it twice, and sometimes three times over. Now, it may be that they size it the first time 37 per cent., hang it up in the dry-house and dry it by hot-air, bring it back, resize it and dry it again, and bring it back and resize it again after that. They seem to be able to leave any amount of size in it, leaving the cloth as elastic as if not sized.

Mr. JOHNSTON. The question was asked a few minutes ago, What is the amount of print-cloths in use other than printed? I happen to have a table with me, prepared according to the best statistics which were obtainable up to July, 1875. The amount of print-cloths was 14,900,000 pieces, of which according to accurate statistics there were 14,400,000 printed, leaving 500,000 pieces used as plain goods.

In regard to this matter of stuffing goods, I have no doubt that after hearing the statements made here, very many will hold up their hands with holy horror at the deception thus practised. Some one writes in regard to it: "It is a very wicked process, but we have been doing the best we could to

accomplish the same result, and cannot succeed as they do. We sent over and got some of the stuff they use, but it sank to the bottom of the vats and stayed there, and we could not get it on the goods."

A Resolution tendering the thanks of the Association to Mr. Atkinson for his address, and requesting a copy for publication, being introduced, a discussion arose as to the propriety of such action, upon the ground that publication with the proceedings of the meeting might be considered as an indorsement by the Association of the opinions contained in the address upon political topics, whereas very many of the members held wholly opposite views from those expressed, as to the tariff and other subjects. After a frank and cordial interchange of views upon this question, as it appeared that the Association had uniformly published the papers presented at its meetings, and it had been always understood that for any theories or opinions advanced, the speaker alone, and not the Association, was responsible, the Resolution was finally adopted.

Mr. DRAPER. I have a matter to offer, as follows:-"Voted, That the Board of Government be hereby authorized to lay such assessment upon the members of the Association for the year ensuing as they shall deem proper, not exceeding ten dollars each, as limited by the by-laws."

The foregoing vote was adopted.

The PRESIDENT. In regard to the matter which we acted upon just preceding the last vote, there is one thing to which the Chair would call attention; and that is, the generous offer made by one of our members-Mr. Wood. I think the Association would hardly be willing that one member should bear the whole expense of printing this lecture. I think it is an expense legitimately belonging to the Association, and that we should all feel better if it were equally divided among us. The offer is a generous one, and the members will so regard it; still, it is hardly just to Mr. Wood to allow him to carry it

out.

Mr. CUMNOCK. It occurs to me, from the number of samples on the tables, that there must have been some expenses incurred by the lecturer for the purpose of the illustration of his address. If there have been, I move that the Board of Government remunerate Mr. Atkinson for any such expenses.

A MEMBER.

Would it not be practicable for the Association to retain these samples in its own archives?

Mr. ATKINSON. The expense attending the preparation for the lecture has been very trifling.

Mr. WOOD. Whatever samples I have, I shall be very happy to divide with the Association. They can take one-half of each piece, and I the other.

Mr. ATKINSON. I should be happy to place the complete assortment of samples that I have with the Association.

The PRESIDENT. On the call for the meeting, you will notice that the subject of the use of screens in cotton carding has also been suggested, and statements may be expected from one or more members in relation to that matter. A gentleman has been invited to bring here, to-day, a screen which is, perhaps, somewhat new, and gentlemen may examine it as they have opportunity. The time has so far advanced that we cannot of course be expected to devote much to the presentation of its merits. Yet if there is an individual present who is prepared to give us a five minutes' talk in regard to the merits of that screen, which you see here at the left of the platform, we should be very glad indeed to hear him.

Mr. KILBURN. That screen was sent by Mr. Capron, of Providence, at my suggestion. I have had twenty-one screens of his make in use under cards for a year past, and although I have not decided to adopt the screens under all my cards, yet I have reached this conclusion; viz., that of all that I have yet tried, this is the best. It leaves the least imperfections in the work. And I find the result of my trials to be this: that the work passes through the card without knits or injury. What is taken from twenty-one cards amounts to twenty-one pounds in a week. Where it is not used, we take out a pound per card daily. I am now using, in a small room, forty-two cards, -twenty-one with it, and twenty-one without it. In those without it, I carry the flyings back to the picker, and work them in. I have several times had samples of roving carried into the office, and attempted to select those yarns that were made with screens and those made without. I have been unable to detect the one from the other. I don't know that Mr. Capron has any representative here to-day, and therefore I have spoken.

J. T. Cheatham, P. T. Jackson, P. T. Jackson, Jr., Charles McCreery, and William G. Perry, on their own request, were granted leave to withdraw from the Association.

Mr. WEBBER. Before the meeting adjourns, I would state that I have been requested by the American Society of Civil Engineers, to prepare for the Centennial Memorial volume which they propose to publish this year, the article on the cotton manufactures of the United States, and I would thank any member of the Association present who can furnish me with any data as to the origin of the cotton manufacture in his particular locality, or the date thereof, or the date of the origin of any particular patent of value, to send them to me at Manchester, N. H. I may have many of them, but it is such information as I would like to get. If any member has any information regarding the starting of the cotton manufacture in his locality, I should be very thankful for it.

A MEMBER. Are we to have anything more about "screens"? The CHAIRMAN. The man who invented this screen which is exhibited before you, is not present, and there is no representative here to speak for it, so far as I am aware. Is there any gentleman present who desires to say anything in regard to that or any screen used with cotton cards?

Mr. LEIGH. I have a screen like that on fourteen cards. I card 90 pounds per day, and make eight ounces of waste; mine are roller cards. Without screens, probably the waste would be six or seven times as much. This is what is called, in England, the "Tin V Screen." It is not a new thing; it has been in use there for the last fifteen years. This is a little wider than usual in the V part; the spaces are also wider apart. Those that I have are a little narrower, and the spaces are more equal. They throw out a great deal of dirt, and the carding is smoother than without the screen. If properly set, they help the carding

very much indeed.

I have

Mr. KILBURN. I think the majority of the cotton manufacturers in this country have some knowledge of screens. had some experience with them, and have used a screen made by punching holes through sheets of zinc; with those screens the work was frequently badly knitted, and I have discontinued screens from under my cards on that account. I find no such effect from screens of this character. The dirt passes out from

between those slats just as it would from under the beater of a picker.

The PRESIDENT. I think myself it is a matter worthy of the consideration of the members of the Association. The construction of this screen being so different from what has generally been used in this country, the effect may be very different. It is one of those things that we may have been prejudiced against, as screens have been used. It is not perhaps wise to ignore all screens, and turn our backs upon this without giving it a per

sonal examination.

Mr. JENNINGS, of Fall River. I want to say one thing in regard to drawing. Quite a number of mills in Fall River have abandoned one-half of their drawing. We have taken our first drawing out, boxing it up; and we are producing more in our carding-room, with much better work than we have ever had before, and our cloth looks more even than it did by the former process. As I was citing this fact to Mr. Atkinson, I decided to bring it up, as it grew out of the discussion that he broached. Mr. WOOD. I would like to ask Mr. Atkinson, through the chairman, what papers he sent his essay to.

Mr. ATKINSON. The "Journal," the "Advertiser," the "Post," Boston, and the "New York Herald." Whether they will print any part of it, or the whole, will be for them to say; but I wished that, if any report was made of it, it should be an accurate report; and that is a care that I have always taken upon myself when I have made any similar address.

I am requested by the gentleman who represents the "Journal" here, to say that the report will appear in the "Boston Journal" to-morrow morning, and I desire him to take cognizance of the fact that it is presented by me, and that the Association has no responsibility in regard to it.

On motion of Mr. Cumnock, the Association adjourned.