Image: Joseph Neuman California Flag

Description: The two splendid Banners made by the Pioneer Silk Manufacturer, Neuman, are completed—the one for our State Capitol the other for our National Capitol. Thus California furnishes the first two magnificent American Flags ever made in America of American Silk, reeled from Cocoons raised, and the silk spun, and flags completed by the genius and skill of Californians. The beautiful Flags of California product are believed to be the largest and most beautiful ever made. They will do honor to our State and our Nation, as emblems of our capacity both in products, of manufacture, and in taste. These Flags are also a great credit and honor to the Neuman Brothers, who have persevered against many difficulties until now they have accomplished a most honorable testimony of their ability and skill. The Flags are both 36 feet long by 20 feet wide with their seven crimson and six white stipes, representing the 13 original States, and the glorious Blue head piece with the Thirty-eight golden stars representing the present galaxy of States. These Flags contain each Eighty yards of the richest and heaviest silk. One hundred feet of heavy silk cord are for the Halyards. The silk for embroidering the stars required (2 1/2) pounds each. These entire Flags, every portion of them, even to the coloring, was performed in the Manufactory of Neumau & Brother, commencing with the cocoon as it came from the silk worm. The value, intrinsically, of these two Flags, manufactured thus with extra care, as emblems for our own State and for our National Capitol, is Five Thousand Dollars, and we, as a citizen of California, feel proud, with thousands of others, that California will thus have floating over the Dome of our National Congress such a proud emblem of California, -California Farmer and Journal of Useful Sciences, 10 February 1870 (https://cdnc.ucr.edu/?a=d&d=CF18700210.2.15&srpos=3&e=------187-en--20--1--txt-txIN-Neuman%27s+California+silk+flag------) Arrived. —Mr. Neuman has arrived in town with his California silk flag for the National Capitol. It will be on exhibition at the Court House to-day, whero all can see it without cost. -San Jose Mercury-news, 12 February 1870 (https://cdnc.ucr.edu/?a=d&d=SJMN18700212.2.16&srpos=10&e=------187-en--20--1--txt-txIN-Neuman%27s+California+silk+flag-------) ANOTHER BAD BILL. Eacan of Amador has introduced a bill into the Assembly, and which is in the hands of the Committee on Claims of that House, providing for the payment of $4,500 to Joseph Neuman for taking a flag from California to Washington. We protest against the passage of all such bills and impeach the taste of their introduction. If Neuman wants pay for going to Washington with the flag he made and was paid for, and it is right he should be paid, he can afford to travel on the same amount as any other gentleman, and no one is so extravagant as to need $4,500 for the trip. One thousand dollars is in excess of the value of the services performed. We believe in fostering the silk industry of the coast, but this man Neuman is fast becoming the old man of the mountains about our Legislatures. He has made flags and been paid tor them, has received premiums and medals from the State Agricultural Society for articles, some of which were worth nothing by the cord, and still hangs upon the State for more. The silk interest of the country is not to be advanced by hanging around Legislatures for money, but by active and intelligent labor in the field aud the workshop. This man Neuman calls too frequently upon Hercules, and puts too dainty a shoulder to the wheel. The tariff duties on silk are full seventy per cent of advantage to the American silk-grower as they stand, and euough has been done to show that silkcan be produced here in great perfection, and successfully in every respect. If the evidence is not sufficient to induce capital to embark in the business, the amount the State is likely to pay in premiums as a stimulus to investments will fail of its object. At any rate the constant demand upon the Legislature for money by silk advocates has the effect to circulate the impression that the business must be poor indeed when the State is all the time called on to fesd the few operatives. So far the two houses of the Legislature have been the best cocooneries Neuman has operated in, and from the bill he has just succeeded in introducing it is evident they are regarded as the most profitable of any he ever expects to make the acquaintance of on the coast. -Sacramento Daily Union, 28 February 1872 (https://cdnc.ucr.edu/?a=d&d=SDU18720228.2.15&srpos=1&e=------187-en--20--1--txt-txIN-Neuman%27s+California+silk+flag-------) Neuman's California silk flag, made for the Capitol at Washington, has never been sent on, but is still in the city. -Marysville Daily Appeal, 4 May 1870 (https://cdnc.ucr.edu/?a=d&d=MDA18700504.2.12&srpos=441&e=------187-en--20--441--txt-txIN-Bear+Flag-------) WE are furnished with another instance of Governor Haight's hypocrisy, if not dishonesty. Joseph Neuman, the silk manufacturer, was unable to procure the passage of a bill to pay him for the flag made of California silk, that was presented to Congress. In this dilemma Governor Haight started a subscription list, heading it with his own name for $1,000. The list was passed around among the merchant’s and bankers of San Francisco, and Haight’s liberality was loudly applauded. It now transpires that this subscription of the Governor's was paid out of the Contingent Fund of the State, in the same manner as the bill for the Burnett monument. The Deacons will now proceed to pass the plate around.—Marysville Appeal. -Trinity Journal, 17 June 1871 (https://cdnc.ucr.edu/?a=d&d=TJ18710617.2.7&srpos=4&e=------187-en--20--1--txt-txIN-Neuman%27s+California+silk+flag-------) Most of the expriments in this State in the manufacture of silk have been on a largo scale, hatching as many as twelve ounces of eggs. About 1865 when the silk flag was ordered by (this State) California, John Neuman said it would not be a difficult matter to purchase the silk. He traveled over the State, could not find ten pounds outside of Santa Barbara; I(Higgins) sold him seven hundred pounds from which the flag was made. The mistake to which I refer, one cannot make five hundred dollars per acre from the silk worms in California. Although Mr. Bugbee says $lOOO per acre. It is a mistake. It is impossible. We admit there is some speculation, say $IOO per acre, but to bo managed by cheap labor, or members of ones own family. The history of our Santa Barbara silk worms is this; Mr. Packard, Dr. J. Ord and myself, planted four thousand trees of mulberry. Wo received the eggs from Europe and kept at the industry as long as labor was cheap, We could got hands atone dollar per week. The State of California offered premiums for every one hundred thousand cocoons, I received six hundred dollars premiums. -Morning Press, 25 August 1882

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