Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1856-07-16
FACTORIES NEAR AIKEN.

village of Granitevile, monument of the
energy, judgment, and practical enterprise.
of Mr.. VIM. Gregg.
The visitor passes through piney woods
and over sandy hills in reaching the village
and while on the chalk ridge overlooking
the valley of Big Horse Creek, an enter.
prisng fourishing little population would be
the last object his vision would expect to
encounter. But the first glance at the val
ley discovers the large reservoir spreading
out like beautiful lake beneath. A little
farther down the valley the huge rough fea.
tured factory building, all OF granite, pre-.
sents itself.
We had heard great deal Of this factory,
had read its last report, and of course our
expectations were highly raised. Notwith.
standing all this we were most agreeably
surprised. Everything surpassed our expec.
tatons. The cottages are all built after the
Swiss style, tastily ornamented and painted.
The village is regularly laid out on the east.
ern slope of the hill. The population must
be between eight or nine hundred. AS an
evidence of the morals of the people, we
think it worthy of mention that there are
three churches. One of them, the Baptist,
we saw; and if the others equal it in neat
ness and respcctabilty of appearance, they
are most creditable to the citizens of Granite.
vie Its style Of architecture is Gothic.
On the canal is little house with a floating
platform, on which the imposing ceremony
of baptism by immersion is performed. Nor
were we less struck with the academy. 1t
really seems magical that this people, but
short time since the most poverty-stricken in
the State, having had no opportunities Of
education, totally ignorant Of wlqt was
passing around them, should, in the space Of
few years, been so elevated, morally and
socially. Certainly the people Of this State
have been pursuing suicidal policy in dis
couraging all efiurts for introducing iacto-
res. There is in this State as impoverished,
and as ignorant a white population as can
be found in any other in the Union. The
GraniteviIle factory is the first missionary in
the work of ameliorating their condition; we
hope its example may be followed by others,
.unl this entire class be provided with the
means of employment We have the water
power, the raw material, aud the labor to
make us as independent aud powerful in
manufactures as in agriculture.
Everything about the factory is neatly
covered aii bsaalal te1 MIls and
on each side are we'll trimmed hedges of ce.'
dar, or box. plant.
The operatives all appear to be happy
and centented. Some Of them had time
while attending their looms 10 even read.
We ven,ured to overlook the shoulder OF
little girl who was keeping all of her spools
going and reading at the same time. She
had before her questions on Watts hymns
and was probably preparing her sabbath
school lesson.
The noise of the machinery was distract
ing. A person can scarcely hear himself
talking. One knows not the progress of
our age until he has seen one Of these lac.
tories in operation. To see Ten thousand
wheels in busy operation all obedient to
some great motive power whose immediate
connection you are not able to perceive, is
miraculous 1t really looks as though "thc
spirit of the living creature was in the
wheels" This has truly been characterized
as the age of machinery.
The number Of persons employed in the
factory is about three hundred. We made
inquiries of several of them and without any
exception received polite and respectful an.
swers. Some of them it is said even own
stock in the establishment We were told
al, tt,o Iho1l of bp;l
another factory Of the same size. This
having proved so profitable. The stock is
held by merchants of Charleston principal.
". This is said to be the case in Massa-
chusetts, the most Aourisbng manufacturing
State in the Union. The State subscribed
literally to railroad enterprises, and a large
and prosperous trade thus concentrated in
Boston. The merchants of that city accu-
mulated capital, which was invested in fac.
tories throughout the State. A large manu-.
fac.uring population sprung up. This again
created demand for agricultural produce.
So that the lands of Vermont, non.manu.
featuring State, though naturally richer, are
not half so valuable as those Of Massachu-
setts.
Abou, four miles above Graniteville is the
Vaucuse factory owned by Gen. Jones.
This is not now in operation. As the Gen.
eral has not been able to procure fit super
intendant. His appointment as superinten
daut of the New State House requiring bis
presence in Columbia.
There is also paper mill near Aiken,
we do not know whether it is doing much
There are also two poteres and it is aston
ishing how cheap earthen Jars and jugs sell
tlere.-Winnsboro Register.
DUTcn.-The other day two Dutchmen
were overheard discussing knotty ques.
tion. Said Hans:
"Yacob, vat de Yankees mean, when he
say about der mommemter, and de zeerow"
"Vat," said Jacob, "you not verstan dats"
"No, vat he mean :"
"Vy," said Jacob, "it mean twenty
hintches below can't get no colder~
"Yaw."
"BLEss my soul, Sambo, how black you
are; how in the name of wonder did you
get so mournful 2" said gentleman stopping
at one of our hotels to one Of its walters,
as he met him on the straits.
Sambo grinned.
"Why, look a.here, massa, de reason am
dis--de day dis child was born, dere was
an eclipse"
Ebony received q quarter for his satisfac.