The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1849-06-26

lis Naval Dry Doek at Pemsaeola- Travsl at the
!Co1Ifb Re- &.r


als Naval Dry Doek at Pemsaeola- T}avsl at the
South, &'c. &c.
was very agreeably surprised this evening by
meeting our old friends, John s. Gilbert, James F.
Secor, and their party, who are on their return
10 New York from Pensacola. They will leave
here tomorrow in the Northerner. Messrs. Gil
bert and Secor, as you are aware, have the con-
tract to build an immense floating dock after Mr.
Gilber's plan, for the United States government,
. at the navy yard in Pensacola. They left New
York in November last taking out some seventy
ship carpenters with them. All are now on their
return, having completed the work laid out tor this
season, consisting OF the great platform and heavy
work. They return again IN October, To go on
with the superstructure, and the dock will be ready
for service IN about two years When this work
will be finished, Pensacola will be one of the
most important naval stations in the United States
There Is now no dock south OF Norfolk, and our
vessels Of war have 10 come to the North TO be re-
paired VI Examined.
MIR. Gilbert has given me very interesting de-
scrption of his trip from Pensacola 10 Mont
gonery, Alabama. Il would seem that there has
always been great deal of Inconvenience In pass
ing ffom Pensacola 10 the North in tact, there is
n way Of coming North, unless by first proceeding
south TO Mobile or New Orleans, which is not only
very announcement, but very dangerous In the sick
ly At time, the lnh ibltants endeavOred
to Ubtul IA means 10 Construct railroad from Pensa-
cola to Montgomery. Alabama, which was surveyed,
neser red, and found To be LOO miles; but the people
>nt,al ION hao not sufficient means and 1t could
n0l be complshed. To go from Pensacola 10
Montgomery, by way OF the Alabama river and
Mobile is geo miles. To cut this off, and shorten
the distance, MIR hilbert purchased u large U. S.
wagon, harnessed to it half dozen Of their work
ing mules, and crossed on the surveyed track,
passing over lG0 miles. Between B-lleve and
Greenvllle IN Alabama, In the midst OF forest, at
least six miles from any habitation, they were
taken by thunder storm, accompanied by gale
of wind. |; just after dark, and lasted an
hour. AS soon as the storm commenced, and trees
began 10 fall, the party hurried to open space,
whrre the falling trees could reach and crush
the wagon and team. NJ Gilbert describes The
trees all sides OF them, the binding lightniny
and The terrific peals of thunder. was spectacle
not often Witnessed IN more northern lattudes.
After the hurricane had spent It's force, they lit
pine torches, and endeavored 10 proceed on their
road, having yet five miles more to proceed through
the forest. This they found was impossible; the
road was perfect barricade but by removing trees
from the road and cutting down trees on the road
they last reached the open country and found shell
YER IN farm house, Just In lime TO escape another
2Orm, which came rom exactly the opposite d.
yectiOn and during the night, while at the farm
house, they could hear the sound Of falling timber
rs plainly as if there had been hrlngof AZ FOUNDERS.
The Noriherher carries North quite large num-
Der of passengers.
great railroad conven ion, which was to have been
held at Memphis, IN Tennessee, on the 4th OF July
next has been postponed on account Of the cholera
IN The southwest, TO The middle OF October.
COMMISSIONER.
GRANrrEvILE, EDaEFrELp DIsTRIcT,l
South Carolina, June ~, 1o49 !
Cotton Nanufacturss at the Sonth-Ihs 1o'on Of
Grawiteriie, s. C.-Ertewt of the Business, &c.,
&c., &c.
left Charleston yesterday morning, and came
up by the to Augusta, returning TO this ma
nufacturlng town this morning am surprised,
and really cannot credit the evidence ofmy senses,
At finding such village in this spot. One can
very readily imagine himself in one of these manu-
featuring villages in New England, which have
sprung up within the last 20 years. This place is
about u mile from the South Carolina railroad,
I65 miles from Charleston, and about miles from
4 beautiful little town called Aiken, where great
many people from Charleston resort N the summer
season. Leaving Aiken, you descend long In
Cned plane, and afew miles further on Is Granite
VILE
sion to speak Of cotton factory, said that |
would endeavor TO VISIT this place, where the great
experiment Of manufacturing town has been
made, and successfully, too. think. 1t had bren
a subject for some years that had been mooted In
the South great deal OF investigation had been
made. and D. large number OF statistics had been
ob,alnrd from Northern and New England manu-
facturers, to show and to convince the people OF
the South 'h cotton manufactures could be erect
ed in the Sou'h, and that they would successfully
compete with the New England manufactures.
The origin of these inquiries, no doubt, was the
desire Of many of the Southern statesmen TO
SEE the South entirely independent OF the
North. and particularly go far as regarded coarse
cotton fabrics, the raw materials Of which Is
the main productions Of the South. The result
was, that such articles aud statistics appearing IN
pamphlets and southern papers, called the attention
OF capitalists and enierprlsug men to the subject
urdu man OrIpSh
IN the Somh But, by far the greatest OF all, and
which tests the matter fairly and fully is the ma
nutactoTy in the town from whence date my
letter, aud ] perhaps shall meet your views more
fully by continuing my letter to simple detail of
the pro gress Ut this mandatory and town (Which
sprung up ogetheD, ITS present position and pros,
manufactures in South Carolina. 1t was COM
npnced about three years ago, and this town
isiee tract OF woods 10000 or $4,000 acres land
wus bought by a company tor about 81 per acre,
or total Sl2 t00--the capital OF the company,
which is called the Granteville Manufacturing
COMPANY, which WAS all invested. Canal brings
the water about mile, and cost 81, 900. The fac
tory buildings cost 100000 machinery, $l2 600.
They spen, %, 900 in erecting saw.mll IN ,chine
shop a.. Ov0 in dwelling houses, and the remain
der OF The capital water-wheels, shaiting, laying
sut streets, &c, &c.
The nanutactory commenced work last July,
and has now been in operation nearly year. At
frst the shirtings aud sheetngs cost ~ cents
yard and were r0ld for o. but gradually, from week
we, H. this coet has beeh reducing, until. as you
will perceive by the statement send you, which
~ for the last week. thu sheeilngs COST about and
10 gents, and ,h,s cost will be essened about
hslf /. cent a ward, within a few weeks, when all
he sp,nd-s 5000 and looms (300) are in opera
non in addition 81 the sheetings manufactured,
here will be torty looms used for drilling, which
viii produce about 5000 yards week, and sells
for s CENTS 1t is a very easy matter to perceive
Mat This will pay large profit eventually hand
semr dividend will be paid to stockholders on the
Let OF January next, as they now begin to count
their protto from the lst Of June, unless some ac-
e,d,ni occurs to prevent IT, The principal ma
sAini and engineer, in this establishment, Is Mr..
J. Petsch, a native Of this State. Permission
for addtlonsl capitsl has been applied for to the
Leg,-atur; >6OV 900 wanted, and the probability
u that the l. gisatue will grant the request, and,
meanwhile eO, 900, in I20 shares, will be issued in
ap,cipat,on Of such an amendment Of the charter.
The ,tjr CT OF the erection Of this manutactory in