American watchman and Delaware advertiser. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1822-1828, 1827-11-20
COTTON MANUFACTURES.


COTTON MANUFACTURES.
Providence. II. l. Oct. 1l.-Looking back to tn
ncipient state Of our infant manufactures. we can
not but be Impressed With absolute astonshmen
at the rapid strides they have made towards RI
fiction. IN l-s- the only spinning machine in III
+ whole extent Of our country. was one spnnn
Jenny. With IS spindles, worked by hand: at tn
present time. only forty wears having elapsed, nil
lions Of capital are employed in spinning AM
weaving, every sloping stream IS converted into
mill seat, and by the industry Ut cur own hands
with the aid OF labor saving machinery, We manu-
faCture not only what is necessary tor our owl
consumption bit also for expectation. We ar,
indebted for the following facts connected with tn,
early history Of Cotton Spinning in this State, t
Mr.. Witlium .1nthonp, OF Coventry; they canno
be Enlnterestln- to our readers.-ln l.a6. DAME
.lnthpng, .indreu Urrter, and Leris Peek, all 0
this town, formed copafthcrshp for the manutac
ture Of what was then emphatitaliy called home
spun cloth. They commenced spinning by hand
and manufactured inne from linen warp with cot
ton filling. About that time machinery was in
ported from England hl Major Orr, Of Bridge
water, Mass and this company sent Mr.. An
thony to Bridgewater for the purpose Of obtaining
draft Of the machinery, if practicable. The
machinery was not 10 operation. nor was that the
intention Of Major Orr he kept It merely for the
purpose OF being inspected by tie curious, and
others willing % hazard the experiment Of cstab
lshing mandatory. From a draft Of the ma
chincfy, jenny was constructed. The s,indles
E2S in nambcr and brass work were made BY Dan.
~ jackson, OF this town, an ingenious copper.
smith. Thi. Jenny. probably the first ever put 10
motion IN the United States, Was placed III Tie
chambers Of the mar kct house III Providence. and
there worked by hand.
Joshua Linaiey. Of this town. about that period
built carding machine from Major Orl's pattern
II was something similar to those used ut the pre-
sent ia, for cartin. Of wool, the cotton being ia
ken Oft the machine 10 rolls and roped by hand.-
The company caused to be built from Major Orr.
pattern spinning frame, somewhat similar to our
water frame, but very imperfect 1t consisted Of
eight heads q eur splndlcs each, aud vas carried
bv crank turned BY hand The first head was
made ~ jOfih HaRg. very Ingenious clock ma
Ser VI Pembroke. Mdss.) and the other seven
wlh TIE brass work and splndes, by our towns
nan HaHiei Jackson The lad vino then turned
tie wheel. ias ever since devoted hi, attention to
We manufacturing Of cotton and il affords Us plea
slfte a. t5s tune 60 number him among the wealthy
and mot respectable purtun OF our community.
IN l7ss, l..,eph Alexander and James Mcker-
fls from Scotland came to this tow and under
standing the use Of tile as shuttle. they undertook
- weave coraerog. A loom was built agreeable to
The direction of Mr.. Alexander, and placed in the
chambers Of tie market house. /. used the hy
SHUTTLE which was probably the first ever ntrodu.
eed into this country The corderov was woye
with linen warp and cotton filling, but the manu-.
iactufe OF that description Of cloth was abandon
ed ~ consequence OF no person being found who
could cut the cor'ieroy and raise The pile which
formed tie ribs and gave it the finish.
The spinning frame after being used some time
at Providence vas sent 10 Pautuche ct and there at
tached TO wheel and propelled by water power.
hls machine was very imperfect; all the carding
and ropug was done by hand 1t was used short
time and then sold TO Moses Bromn, Esq.
Manufacturing WAS in this infant aud imperfect
state when Samuel Slater, Esq. arrived from
England. lie manufactures and could both
bulid and use machinery. The old machinery
was all thrown aside and that built under the d.
fecton ct Mr.. Slater substituted IN its place.
But few had then sufficient faith in the eyperi.
mcnt 70 hazard their capital in 50 doubtful an en-
terPrlse. a. the manufacturing of cotton. The,
manufacturers at that period had every thing tot
contend against. BY the policy Of England the
eXpotdttun Of machinery was prohibited. Our ar
tzans like our manufacturers, were III their infan
cv: our IRON, steel, and brass workers were few.
and they OF course entirely unacuuanted with any
KIND q ma rorh. Tor we find that the head of the
llfst spinning frame was made by a cloeh maker
There also existed prejudice against manufacture
ing both at hume and abroad Every argument
which ingenuity could devise. was urged against
Tue measure. It was represented as demoral,zins
70 soeiety, as repusnant 10 republican, principles.
as rainou' @ those engaged in It. and to ne very
liberties Of the country. We were then CONNER.
clal people. and tie commercial part of our com
munlty viewed with no little jealousy the establish
meht q manufactures England, and English
men ~ tins country opposed IT. knowing that our!
real advantages were great that it once estab-
shed, we would become powerful and successful
rival. Bnt argument, and "Reminiscences, ana
opposition Of every Kind proved una,alliag. The
enterprise Of a fey individuals uye,came every
obstacle atd within fotfy years from the estab