Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1849-06-06
From the Columbia Telegraph.
THE VAUCLUSE FACTORY.

our friend of the Banner of the causes
which produced the losses in this es,ab-
lishment, which he so strongly relies on
to prove the fu,iity CT our attempting 10
rival the Northern nianufacturers-as
well as 10 warn those just embarkine'in
the business, we give below Mr.. VIM
Greeg's clear and concise statement OF
the facts connected with the establish
ment, and The management of The Fau.
cluse Factory.
That gentleman, himself a, one time
lis par, owner and sole manager. speaks
as one entitled TO credence, and has no
interests to subserve, having been en-
tirely disconnected with il for some years
past. Its present proprietor is said to
have conducted it in very different
manner from his predecessors, making
it very profitable, and daily increasing
those profits as his experience Of the .bu-
siness increases. Mr.. Gregg's state.
ment Extracted from his essays on Do
mesric Industry, published in lS45) is
to the following efect-from it every one
can see why the Vaucluse Factory was
failure in The first instance. The
"facts" alone will account for the "fg>
ures" which its books displayed. We
hope no one will fail to read this inslruc-
tive narrative:
will now proceed to give history
of the Vaucluse Manufacturing Compa>
ny, and Of its manufacturing establish
ment, erected in the year 1888. This
company was no doubt stimulated 10
action by the disposition that pervaded
this State about that time, for manufac-
turing, bringing into existence the Marl-
boro, Dr. Kalb, Saluda, and two or three
smaller mills, and i; is truly unfortunate
for this State, that such mistakes should
have been made.
Gen. McDufiie, and our worthy fel-
lowe izen, the Hon. Mitchell King,
were two of the principal stockholders
in the Vaucluse Company. Que would
suppose. that such men, engaging in a
hew enterprise, would have given The
subject some sort of investigation. The
position that lhrse gentlemen occnpy in
the State, as to fortune and other things,
is proof of their ability and emiuen.
success in such enterprises as have en-
gagged their attention; but unfortunately
for them, in this instance, they only
looked across the waters at the promised
land-t,cy fitted out their bark for the
voyage, but wen, to sleep at the helm.
This company obtained "A charter
fom the Legislature, and organized
themselves by clecling President ard
five Directors. They wrote to PM:er.
son; n. j., for machinery, suited to the
manufacture Of cotton and wool-fine
and coarse clo,h-assorted yarns, &C.,
thus, as will be perceived, splitting on
the same rock Which wrecked the Salu>
da Company. They committed the
same error, of not looking beyond the
supply of the immediate neighborhood,
and SO complicated their machinery as
to render i, impossible for it 10 produce
profit, except by The incest and most
skilful management. The present pro-
prie,ors of this establishment have sold
the woollen machinery and are remodel.
ing the balance, hut it will have 10 re.
: ceive many additions in new machinery
before it will be capable with the best
management oflurning out the quantity,
per hand, that the Massachusetts mills do.
The strangest par, Of the story re.
mains yet to be told. Asiabove stated,
this Company elected a President and
five Directors 10 manage their affairs.
This Board ordered the machinery 10
be made and sent out-appoin,ed an
agent TO superintend the erection Of a
suitable building, for it, and houses for
the operatives, Will the fact be credi
ted, that this Board of Directors never
Lad a meeting after its first organization,
not even to receive the building from
the contractors hands ? The Factory
ran thus neglected ny those appointed
to look after its affairs, for two years
and six months, and is it surprising That,
instead Of making money, they should
have incurred debt of $4,000? For>
tunaley for the company, an individual
undertook TO purchase some ofthe shares
and after possessing himself Of "A number
sufficient 10 excite some interest, he
looked into matters and found the mill
in charge of an ignorant Enelishman,
who received SIS per day. He knew
nothing Of The business, and as was af-
forwards proved, had never before had
charge even of a single department in a
mill. He was, in fact, onlya common
operative. with neither truth nor homes
,y in him. This gentleman Immediately
determined TO apprize the company of
their real condition. 1t was with the
greatest dihiculty-that sufficient number
of the stockholders could be brough,
together, TO form quorum, in orser that
measures of relief might be taken; and