It was not until about the year 1860 that elastic web weaving was introduced into this country, although for a number of years previous England and Germany, and also France in a small way, had found here a market for their product, particularly in cords, braids and shoe goring, which at that particular time was fast growing in popularity. About 1860, a few looms which had been used, were brought over from England and located at Easthampton, Mass., and the manufacture of shoe goring commenced. The rubber thread required was for some time imported from England. The business grew rapidly, and factories were established in a number of cities, more particularly at Boston, Lowell and Brockton, Mass., Bridgeport, Conn., and Camden, N. J. An unfortunate labor dispute took place about the year 1890, which developed into a long-drawn out strike, ultimately precipitating friction between the shoe trade and the goring web manufacturers, which finally ended in a positive boycott of this product from which the trade has never recovered. Most of the looms which were up to this time devoted to shoe goring have been remodeled and are now used in the making of other types of elastic fabrics. In passing, it may be interesting to note that some of the looms originally brought from England 60 years ago are still in operation and doing excellent work along other lines. ATTEMPTS TO USE WIDE LOOMS Attempts have been made from time to time to weave elastics on wide looms, the cloth being divided at intervals by open spaces in the warps at the front reed, at either side of which spaces binding threads were woven in. These narrow strips were spaced in the front reed according to the different widths which might be required, and could easily be changed to meet the varying requirements by redrawing a few threads, inasmuch as the whole weave was uniform throughout the full width of the cloth. Between these spaces, but at a point away from the weaving line, were arranged stationary knives by which the cloth was cut into the requisite widths while it was being woven, and as it gradually passed by the knife edges. These knives were so arranged that they could be adjusted to new positions when it became necessary to change the widths of the individual strips. While this method was more economical than weaving individual webs in gang looms, the labor cost being much less, the narrow webs produced having the cut selvages lacked the finished appearance which the individually woven webs had. And sometimes the binding threads would give way, so that the fabrics were not well received by the trade, and ultimately the demand for them died out.