Valley Girl Views: The Dakin Knitting Mill, Milton PA

Dakin Silk Factory, 424 Arch Street In Milton

First Prize Float in the Armistice Day Parade in Milton, November 11, 1922, was a float by the Dakin Silk Factory.
Located on the corner of Second and Arch Streets, the building was a bicycle shop owned by Edward Ritter, and later becoming the Sassaman Foundry and machine shop, and then eventually was converted into the Dakin Knitting Mill, which made silk stockings.

John Dakin patented a ladies lisle stocking called Queen Anne's Lace, made from a smooth, tightly twisted cotton thread that was fine, hard and extra strong.

Edward E. Ritter was first the proprietor of a bicycle shop on north Front Street. The steel frames for his cars were made at 519 Lincoln Street by blacksmith Abraham Bowman, who later owned the Nash dealership on north Front Street, just above Fifth Street. Unsuccessful at making autos, Ritter sold Jackson automobiles, made in Jackson, MI from 1903 - 1932."- Homer Folk, Milton Pennsylvania, the 19th Century Town on Limestone Run

"The John E. Dakin Hosiery Mill was established in 1919. The founder, John E. Dakin, who was widely known for his mechanical skill and inventive genius, was the first manufacturer in the hosiery industry to produce chiffon hosiery successfully for it was his skill which perfected the machines so that they became delicate and accurate enough to knit the very fine, weak fibres used to make the chiffon type hosiery. Mr. Dakin pioneered the domestic manufacture of many high grade imported styles such as French lace clocks in ladies' sheer chiffon hose, and men's English Derby rib half hose. He also invented and perfected the "Beauti-chain" run guard, a method to prevent runs from going below the welt of the stockings. In 1930 Mr. Dakin invented a method of joining a regular knitted fabric welt and foot to a lace stocking, thus making possible a new and world-wide field for this type of high quality hosiery. Under the guidance of Mr. Dakin, his mill for the production of lace hosiery grew into one of the leading industrial establishments of Milton, for the intricate machines which he set up in his factory gave employment to many citizens of Milton. Under the present system of operation, the Dakin Hosiery Mill does not make the lace leg of the "Queen's Lace" stockings, this type of lace being manufactured on large imported Jacquard lace machines, of which there are only a few in this country. However, the lace legs are brought to the Dakin factory where skilled operators knit the tops and feet and unite them to the legs. Even so, there are more than fourteen separate operations involved in the Dakin plant before the stockings are ready to be dyed, and after that more operations, such as inspection, pairing and boxing must be completed before distribution begins. The ma-chines now in operation are almost human in the rapid but delicate motions by which they weave the cobweb-like fibres into the finished stocking, nevertheless, many experienced operators continually watch every detail of their operation, making adjustments and constantly inspecting the output to make certain that Dakin quality is maintained. When operating at capacity, the Dakin mill produces approximately one thousand dozen finished hose each week, a schedule which requires a staff of some one hundred and fifty employees divided into two shifts. Upon the death of John E. Dakin, in 1933, the mill was incorporated, and Walter L. Bolens became the president, with Mrs. John E. Dakin, the founder's wife, treasurer and Mrs. Walter L. Bolens, daughter of Mr. Dakin, secretary. When a few years later Mr. Bolens passed away, Mrs. Dakin became president and Mrs. Bolens, secretary and treasurer. In their duties which include management of production as well as the corporate office, Mrs. Dakin and Mrs. Bolens are assisted by Elsie Housner, who supervises much of the business office work and is also a member of the corporation's board of directors. " Biographical and Genealogical Sketches from Central Pennsylvania by Frederick Godcharles