The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1851-05-22

minable, even by rail, on account of those pine
barens Of the sea board the stranger comes rather
unexpectedly in the very heart of South Carolina,
upon this place, one Of the hAndsomest towns, Of
six thousand inhabitants, in the United States. Il
Is situated the line between the alluvial coun
tty Of the seaboard, and the primitive region for
here the granite in immense boulders crops out, or
rather sticks out, OF the hill des along the rivers
as if these vast masses by aqueous action had
been displaced originally from their primitive posi-
ton, and rounded by the attrition Of sand and
water. In this region, too, are the sand hills,
thrown up, perhaps, ages upon ages ago by the
waves Of the sea, and eft with the dry land by the
changes Of the ocean bed from the shifting Of the
earth axs from time to time or probably by
that sort OF Submarine or subtcrranean volcanic
ton which, lifting up The earth into chains Of hills
and mountains, or sinking it below the level,
has left the whole surf ace OF the globe marked
with the successive periods Of its operations Here
ers. The sand hills, OF white sand, covered natu-
rally with piney woods;lic between thealuvial and
the upper country, and are inhabited by class OF
"poor white folks" Of whom much has been writ
ten heretofore, and OF whom propose to say
thing, after visit to these wretched tllers Of their
wretched soil.
rili within few years past, Columbia was
quiet, unassurning, modest country town; but the
locomotive has got into it, and it is now
Busy in the cotton trade
And sugar lne.v
and is somewhat ludierously ambitious; for, not
only does it conspire to become the capital of little
republic by ITSELF in the event of separate secession,
but, upon basis of six thousand people, white and
black It is attempting Cor the editors arel the ex
Cuba for the conquest Of the island, with an invad
ing force Of Eve hundred men, headed by Lopez,
WAS about as rational as this edi toria folly; but,
run a locomotive into a country town, and its ex.
pectations expand at into the most Quixotical
dimensions Tho beauty Of this rural metropolis
is, however, unimpsired by railroads. IL is
charming place; although perfect stranger with
in its borders, il has been, il IS and will remain
connected ree0llactionz with tha haaufi.
full associations.
On the Saluia river, three miles from Columbia,
are the us &c the Saluda Cotton Manufacturing
Company. We are indebted to Mr.. Carlisle, Of tho
mill is owned by AlesaTs. Fish, Gibbs s. Co, &c this
place, and i under the superintendenes Of Jacob
Graves. late Of Lowel, Massachusetts Secession
no secession The South presents ap inviting sed
for the Yankees. Southern factories ere already
telling upon those Of New England; AMI a South.
ern factories 90 on Increasing, and llling up tas
domestic dem and for cotton goods, the uaaufsc-
turers Of the North viii cortinac to lose ground,
until they viii be driven to transfer their
chinery and capital, in many cases, to the Southern
states The advantages with the cotton manu.ac-
turer South, are
The raw material on the spot.
Cheaper subsistence to operatives.
Water power uninterrupted by frost.
The factory in question t;loo,o capitaD en-
They are all slaves and large proportion of !hom
spindles. and l20 looms The fabrics manufactured
arc heavy brown shirting and Southern stripe,
coarse kind Of colorcd goods for house servants.
The superintendent is decidedly Of the opinion that
slave labor is cheaper for cotton manufacture
than free white labor. The average cost per an
mum, Of those employed in this MILL he says, does
not exceed SO. slaves not sufficiently strong to
work in the cotton fields, can attend TO the looms
and spindleS In the cotton mills and most Of the
girls in this establishment would not be suited for
plantation work We dislike the idea Of drawing a
paunr avis hatu he l.lE cf fae F.f- Vic
tuous daughters OF the North, and that OF the
blacks Of the South, In the cotton mills. Ii Is
pleasant to put them upon the same footing, even
in the cotton mills, though mill may be in Mas
sachusetts, exclusively occupied by the amiable,
industrious, intelligent, and educated daughters OF
the old Bay state, and the other may be In South
Carolina, worked by negro slaves. We regret it;
have that sort Of respect for the sex Of our own
race, which makes il painful to bring them 10 the
same level with the coored races, though both may
be employed in the same service. At the best, the
work IN cotton mill Is consumptiye Of lungs as
well rs cotton. We have been through the mills Of
Lowell, and other places in the North The general
appearance Of the female operatives is neat and
cleanly but their prevailing complexion is
healthy pallor Not many die at the mills. because
they young, and when they fall siok they, ii
possible, return home. But the life Of operative
in a cotton Il III is consumptive business al best.
Mr.. Graves i Of the opinion that the blacks can
better endure this labor Of the cotton mills than the
whites. The slaves in this factory, male and fc-
male, appeared o. be cheerful, well fed, and
healthy. The mill has been worked by slave opc-
rstives (requirng only one white overseer,) for two
years past, and the result VIC arc informed, i in
favor Of slave OPeTatiScs'-
Average cost Of slave operative per annum SO %
" white operative, At Least. ii5 90
Difference. OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES 90
Or over thirty per cent saved in the cost Of labor
alone. We are inclined to suppose, however. that
NJ. Graves has pared down his estimates too close
", for We cannot imagine how even negro can
subsist upon dollar week for her food and half
dollar "a fraction lcss) for her clothing Taking
IL, however, for granted that the superintendent
understands his business, here VIC have saving Of
over thirty Per cont in favor OF slave labor, over
white labor, in the cotton mills.
A pound Of cotton costs here. 80 = ten cents Dc.
liyered Mt the mills transportation brings The cost
up 70 between twelve and thirteen cents III Lowell
Here NJ haze a difference, at tso cents n pound.
Of eight dollars On bale cf cotton Of four hundred
pounds. II the saving, then, effected by slave ls-
Dor, and by exemption from charges Of distant
transport alton, we can yery readily credit Mr.
Graves FOR his declaration, that, while the Lowell
mills ar sinking money FOR want Of high protect
ing tsri4, this South Carolina uilll, vita ii. says
operatives, Is making money.
We believe there are only ono or tNo other mills
% TIE South, alabama, we uudersiaud) ia which
slave operatives arc employed 20 the exclusion Of
the whitos. At Georgetown and Alexandra, DC,
81 Richmond, ~ PetefsburEh, and thence south
ward 70 the mile Of Georgia, Whit0 girls arc no.
only preferred, but have been generally ceusJesej
- Re The only persons qualified 70 stt9u5 % she
spindlCs and lo0ms. Experiments msd0 heretofore
With l.svs labor reported 10 have failed but II
this salt da mil Is an example 20 the contrary, Il
viii c1cc. not only al increased value upon slave
property but il viii rapidly load 10 lho supcrssdng
II cotton mills fDr the eCtt0us IN tho NORTH
aud The establishment e such Mills al over ID
south, T. supply IL thrce Dioas 81 slaves. ocy
. single ite o. 10 tho bill 81 home consumption.
We shaa hav, 81 great deal moro - submit
~ reference 70 cotton thc cotton culture, thf .ott)n
from ttaUrtHtfCn aud from consult