The Rhode-Island Republican. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1809-1841, 1828-03-27
From the National lntelligencer.

Machneryfo spinn ing cotton WIS put in
10 operation at Pawtucket, in Rhode Island,
in 1890, by Mr.. Samuel Slater. This was
but twenty years after its invention by Sir
Richard Arkwright. For seventeen years the
progress Of the business was extremely slow,
for, up TO January, 1907, there were but 4OOO
splndles in operation.
Almy, Brown & Slaters Mill at
Pawtucket 1000 spindles
Wilkinson, Greene & Co. at do. 1000
Pawiucket Man'g Co do. 400
Coventry do do at Coventry, 500 500
Union Mill, Cranston, 700
Smithfeld Man'g Co. at Smith
field, sOO-4OOO
In October, 1915, with a view TO the Ia
riff, of 1876 'an accurate statement of the num-
Der Of Cotton Spindles ia operation within
thirty miles of Providence, was made, and
they were found to amount to l30 900 and the
quantity Of Cotton consumed to $4,000 balos.
In 1920, the number Of spindes in the whole
country was estimated at 2G5 CAB. This ap-
pears by tho returns made 10 the Secretary of
State. In l-2D, there were in Rhode Island
G3 .472. In January, lS26, an accurate ac.
count ON tbs books Of the different mills,
makes the number IN operation l63, $40. The
number in operation within thirty miles oS
Providence, is 3l7, ,5i2. The quantity Of cot
ton consumed in one year by the samo num-
Der ofspindles, is lS,l7l 500 pounds, or SGT
ba 10, 325 pounds to the bale. Thirty seven
thousand bales were imported into Providence,
and the residue into Norwich, Bristol, War.
rem, Troy and Taunton. The whole number
Of spindIes in the country, have no certain
means of fascertainlng. From my own know
ledge Of the nurnbar and extent of the estab
Iishments in New Hampshire, Massachusetts
and Connecticut and from information derlv.
ed from various sources, in relation TO other
states, it is my opinion that the district with
in thirty miles OF Providence contains one
quarter Of the spindles in the country. THIS
would make the whole number ,27O, los, and
the quantity Of cotton consumed 12,6o2, 900
pounds, equal to 227 10 bales. There are
various opinions however, on this subject.
Some think that the district referred 10
does not contain more than orfe fifth, and 9TH
ere that il contains one third OF the machinery
of tho country. The latter is the safest, and
woald mako the consumption of iS27, l7O, ,334
bales or "a 5l4, 500 pounds, and the number
of spindles $50 Gee Should the increase Of
machinery for tho ensuing twelve years, cor
respond with the increase from le2O TO lo2o,
1t would be sufficient 10 consume aLt the cot
ton nolo grown in the country.
A thousand spindles require, on an average
IL persons teitkin the factory, all the machin'
cry in the country requires bva 59,O3l per-
| sons, principally women and children. Two
hundred and twenty thousand within the mills,
are sufficient TO spin and weave ,OOO,OOO bales
Of cotton annually-more than rs at present
grown. o
The average wages for 1000 spindles, is
$1,000, equal to S5,7l2OOO Tor the S52UOo
spindles now in operation.
The number Of persons indirectly employ
ed cannot be accurately asccrtained. Ii much
exceeds, however, those employed within the
mills.
The imports into The town Of Providence,
during I-27. NAV give YOU some light on that
point t,-36. .d0i bales of cotton so 1863 bbl, of
flour; 475, ,704 bushels of corn from the South.
ern and Middle States and 326 vessels of
lumber, from Maine, are among the larger ar
ticles.
II will REQUIRE II 900 tons OF coal TO warm
the mills and shops now employed in the man.
ufacture of cotton The increased safety OF
that kind of fuel recommends 1t so strongly,
that it IL rapidly taking the place of wood.
II is not generally known that the mater
ials composing the dies for printing, consist OF
more than twenty different kinds. The prin-
cipal are indigo, madden, sumac, sugar, lead,
ashes, vitriols, &c. 1t is confidently stated,
by very intelligent Manufacturer, that the
freight on msddcr alone much exceeds the
freig ght upon English calicoes II is undenia-
BILE that the freight paid on all tho materials
for bleaching and dying, is more than double
tho freight upon English calcoes.
Many Of the materials are grown or manu-
factured in this country, by the aid OF pro-
tectinp duty and the prizes have become
much more reduced than on articles for which
we depend on foreign nations. Oil vitriol,
four years since, was seven cents. IL is now
four. A similar reduction has taken place up
on blue vitriol alum and most chemicals.
Perhaps it may be useful to state, that, by
the present law, a square yard ofcslieo, worth
perhaps so per cent, more than before 1t was
bleached and printed, pays less duty than in
the brown state.
Every square yard is estimated at 50 cents,
81 ant ,unnaaad that