Designs of this character the weaver of ancient times found no difficulty in creating, but any large ornate or floral patterns with which he was familiar were obtained either by print ing, or the skill of the embroiderer, or when considered desirable, a combination of both added to the woven material after it had passed from his hands, and which as a result cannot be classed with those fabrics which, produced en tirely on the loom, are valuable on account of the elaborate nature of the designs with which they are embellished, as much as by the costli ness of the materials employed in their con struction.
It will thus be seen that a loom which could only be used in the production of a compara tively restricted variety of designs was sure to be superseded sooner or later by one of a more highly developed type which would allow the decorative instinct of the early textile artist greater opportunity to express the ideas suggest ing themselves to him.
In due time a loom capable of accomplishing these results was invented, probably in China, where, like so many other relics of the long for gotten past, it may be seen in operation at the present day, although long since consigned to the rubbish heap in all progressive countries.
From China the draw loom, as it came to be called, found its way to other parts of the globe. But it remained for the weavers of the ancient city of Damascus, the capital of Syria, to de velop the possibilities of the new loom to the utmost extent, with the result that in time they established a large manufacturing and export trade in the beautiful silken fabric which soon became widely known as taking its name from that of the city to which for cen turies it brought wealth and renown, and in the manufacture of which the Damascene excelled all competitors.
Stated as briefly as possible, it may be said that the draw loom tie-up was a cola pound arrangement, one part of the harness be ing controlled by a lad known as the draw-boy, the other part controlled by shafts for the pur pose of subdividing the warp, so as to form the fine ground weave peculiar to damask fabrics. Just as the weaver was about to throw the shut tle across the lathe, the warp, of which there may have been five, six, seven or more ends to each mail, according to the quality of damask desired, was raised en masse by the draw-boy in accordance with the requirements of a previ ously painted pattern, all the remaining warp being left down. The shuttle would thus have passed under the warp raised and over the warp left down without interlacing or forming cloth, had it not been for the supplementary arrange ment of harness shafts, through which the entire warp was drawn, for the purpose of enabling every end to be used separately.
For each pick one of these shafts would be raised and one depressed, the others remaining undisturbed, the shaft which had been raised lifting every eighth end from among the mass of warp left down, the shaft which had been depressed carrying down with it every eighth end from the mass of warp raised, while the shafts which remained in a neutral position were so constructed as to permit the lifting of one portion of the warp and the sinking of the remainder as called for by the design, without interfering with the shed or passage of the shut tle. By this means the pattern was formed and
the warp and filling were interwoven so as to produce an eighth shaft satin or any similar weave required.
During the wars of the Crusades the draw loom, along with many other things oriental, found its way into various European countries, thereby aiding greatly the development of weav ing as applied to silk damask, brocade, velvet and other fabrics; the great artists of the Mid dle Ages not considering it beneath their dig nity to supply the necessary designs for these rich textiles. For centuries, however; the draw loom remained practically the same as when first introduced, but in the year 1604 a French man named Simblot devised a method by means of which the draw-boy was enabled to raise the warp while standing at the side of the loom, instead of the top, as had been the custom pre viously.
In England also, during the 17th and 18th centuries, patents were taken out for several devices intended to render the services of the draw-boy unnecessary; these, however, soon passed from public view, but the draw-boy re mained, toiling away at his monotonous task for many a day after the mortal remains of Jacquard had crumbled to dust.
In the United States the manufacture of the finer grades of silk and cotton damask and upholstery fabrics in general is of comparatively recent origin, the vast majority of looms de voted to this industry being located in Phila delphia, with lesser numbers scattered through out New York State, New Jersey, Connecticut and Virginia.
Thirty-five years ago the business was in its infancy, but "mighty oaks from little acorns grow,' and to-day the manufacture of uphol stery goods is one of the most important indus tries of the country, which, with allied trade, such as yarn-spinning, dyeing and the maim facture of textile machinery, provides the means of livelihood for tens of thousands of opera tives, and at the same time is a standing mon ument to the business enterprise of the Ameri can manufacturer. Nor have we by any means reached the limits of our development in this direction; the remarkable inventive ingenuity of the American artisan, which in many other lines of business has practically placed him beyond the reach of competition, will not be likely to fail him when applied to the weaving industry.