Wheeling times and advertiser. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1839-1849, 1845-08-06

Tor want oil water TO run them. when n steam
mill In the same period mightearn. and know
has earned; sufficient to pay more than the
whole cost oil iucl for one wear. MANY otbsr
advantages might be named, which 90 d;rertls
to enhance the cost Ola water mill. and n,nony
them the following in particular. In the couno
Try when YOU erect a cotton mill, YOU must al
so purchase "a large quantity of land, cut streets.
construct dams, canals, fumes, and
erect a village. This diverts a large propor-
non oil the capital from the proper object M
view; IN other words, ii renders twice the a.
mount oil capital necessary To conduct tire same
amount of business. I'm large establishments
especially, this is desirable to bc avoided; and
IN dull times, or when the owners find il ne
cessary TO stop their mills, they lose double
what they otherwise would, were they manu-
featuring by steam power.
In seaports this difficulty does not exist
Inc company find streets already tut out. and
buildings already erected for their operations,
and persons ready tn erect more if necessary.
consequently some so 900 dollars less becomes
necessary 10 commence operations
In regard to the cost of steam as a motive
power, compared with that of water. il needs
no lapored argument to prove that steam is as
cheap II not cheaper than water. To state the
case as simply and directly rs possible. we will
suppose water power in Portsmouth for sale
at Jour dollars per spindle, the same sum that
Is charged III Lowell. A mill of ten thousand
splholes would require an outlay for water
power oil say 10000 dollars: the additional cost
ia building erected on the bank of a river
toSether with raceways, fumes, wheel-pits,
&c. &c. 10000 dollars: making an outlav ot
9o~,OOO dollars. The interest OF this is 1900
dollars annually. Add TO this the cost ofheat-
ing the water mill, which would be al least
iOOo dollars, and we have the sum ofl 300 dol
iars; WIN which To purchase fuel for a Steam
Mill OF corresponding size.
One and a half tons of Anthracite coal Is all
that would be required per day to generate
steam sufficient to operate a mill of ten thou
sand spndles. Allowing the mill to be i'm
operation olU days In a year, there would be
consumed 465 tons of coal, which can be ,n,r-
chased and delivered on the wharf along side
oil the mill, at Sl,75 per ton-making the snm
oil 220o dollars; add to this the cost of enaineer
and freman-say 3 dollars: per day-S930: and
we have S3l3S as the entire cost of operating
the steam mill, while the interest on the out
iay lor water power, together with the expense
OF heatlnsls $1,000; showing a balance i'm lavo,
oil steam oi SllS2 per annum: and this Toe
supPolsing the water mill and the steam mill tc
be side by side.
have made no mention in this co,pnar;,o,
oil me cost OF engine; or water wheels: | bay,
sS' 'he cost oil one against that of the other
Inc cost oil water wheels and shafting sufficient
10 operate a cotton factory, will cost as much
IL not more, than a steam engine and shaftine
suitable ior operating the same. There are adj.
'ai'aSes, however. III favor of steam for cot.
ton manufacturing which have not been ma.
med Steam Is indispensably necessary iy
manufacturing the finer, and better o~ualitie,
Oh cotton cloths. When it is understood tina
tie motive power, whether ii be steam or wat.
err costs less than three mills per ward. il will
readily be perceived, that if from the use ot
steam there is a decided Improvement in the
character and appearance of the article manu-
iac'ufed over that produced by water power,
you reap an advantage in some cases quadru-
PIE the entire cost of power. Or i'm other words
cotton cloths OF No. 40 yarns, manufactured nv
steam, are now selling at from one TO two cts,
per yard more than those of a similar number.
manufactured from equal, If not superior cot
ION by water power. 1t is true, that mills
9'i'eh Dy water power, may, and many of them
40, proht by the use of steam, both i'm respect
OF warming the mills ind maintaining a humid
atmosphere. But such an arrangement, to be
able successfully to compete with a mill driven
ny steam must be kept up through the wear;
WHICH ADDS The cost OF steam TO that of water
power; and OF course, such am arrangement
could not long compete with a mill driven by
steam power.