Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1859-06-30

A4VWhhhi hAonst uuuo eot Ao1os
DEAR LEADER:-Last night VIC had quite an
item in fire in the City Build ngs, which com.
prise the Police Court and wstchhouse, Marshal's
office, four armories, several stores, &c A new
cast steel central alarm BELL weighing 1880 lbs
aud costing $3.50, had just arrived from Sheffield,
Eng, and been hung in he,fry on the building.
This was supported by heavy and well framed
timbers, but as the Gre, which commenced in the
attic At one end spread and burned through the
roof as far II progressed, it was thought impos.
sible to save the bell from falling. Had it broken
through its framework, il must have gone through
all four floors, as the roof was burned as TO Of
fer but little impediment. An immense crowd
gathered, all eyes directed to the blazing belfry
but by the noble and courageous conduct of the
hremen, who took just such positions as the fire
called for, regardless whether it was in fame aud
smoke, or in the clear air, the timhers and bell
were kept wet, and the bell stood through il all
until after the roof was extiuguished, and rang out
some Of its most joyous peas in tones of triumph
The loss falls heavily ON the military companies,
whose armores were burnt out The loss is about
$4,000 to the city. A steam fire engine has been
ordered, and was promised before this time,
To astranger, the Cotton, Woeep, and Carpet
mills are the principal objects of interest, as they
ore the principal business o fthe city. There are
nine cotton mills, the Merrimack Hamilton, Ap.
pleton, Lowell, Suffolk, Fremont, Lawrence
Boot, and Massachusetts,; one wooden, the Mid
dIesex, and the Lowell Bleachery 10 these mills
and the machine shop, there are s,962 females and
4,364 males employed. The number Of hands in
the several mills ranges from $50 females, and
$50 males, to 400 Of the former and 100 OF the
latter. From March lst, to October 9lst these
hands commence work at 6.30 A. NJ, and atop at
69OP. NJ, with their quarters ofqn hour at noon
for dinner. During the balance of the year they
begin and leave off at o'clock On Saturday
nights they get OF atan earlier hour, O'Clock being
the hour this month. Each morning at half past
four, all the factory bells ring out as an awakener;
an hour later they ring again, and at G 20 they
ring in" for work. The yard gates are opened
at the first stroke of the bells for entering or esv.
ing, aud then for few minutes the whole city in
the vicinity Of the mills s alive with the operatives
ABOUT O'CLOCK IN the evening, after the girls have
had time for supper and to Xix up" they appear
on tue streets iOr tue post oihoe and promenade.
The sidewalks then exhibit samples of the cOuu
try life all over New England, although the most
Of the girls are Irish. The average wages of the
females per week is $500, the average pay of the
males per day is so cents. These are reakoned
clear Of board, which they get principally Ia the
boarding hppssa belonging TO the corporation s.
The prices are not always uniform in the differ
ent mills. In some, the spinning girls get a sta
ted price per set and they are paid for just the
amount they earn. Some of them who ars indus.
trious thus get more than others. in others, how.
ever, this stimulus to industry and exertiOn Is
cut on for the prices for each operator are guided
each week SO as to keep her ut about same
price.
! A fa,y mora a o-,ro, ,,,or, ., -. t. . 80.
The capital Stock Of these mills amounts to Sl3,-
100000. In speaking of the above have used the
term mills" when | should have said inanulactur-
ing companies, as Fhere are in all 81 mills, be-
sides prlntworks, dye works, &c, ln these mills
d there are 399,U64 spindleS, aud l2,23i looms 49,
The number of yards made per week Is about
25,OOO carpets, ~ GOA woolens and 25OOOOO of
cottpns Enough 10 cottons alone per week. to
stretch from Boston nearly or quite - St. Louis, II
l have any correct idea Of that distance To make
this, 605 $40 lbs. Of cotton are consumed aud II 80
600 lbs OF wool. One can hardly imagine such al.
most endless quantities Of cloths The mills aie
all warmed by stt am, aud 6l,6l7 gallons Of oil
aud 10000 gallons OF lard, l659O 600 lbs Of starch
and / ,245 barrels Of -four are used annually
The several manufacturing companies have
established hospital for the comfort OF their
employees when sick, which is under ex.
perienced superinteudence. Besides two saving
institutions, there Is Five Cent Saving Bank
which went into operation five years age IN
which the amount Of deposits have nearly reached
/ Eve millions, chiefly from the operatives
Besides the above, there is q considerable
amount of print manufacturing aud mechanical en-.
terprise on the Concord River, which unltes with
the Merrimae at this point The population Of
the city Il about a50Q0
So much for the statistical portion of nv letter
The city Of Lowell. like Cleveland is ablndantly
supplied and beauihed by shade trees Not a,
abundant as in our Forest City, but sufficiently :,
as to make il cne Of the pleas4ntest cities in Van
keedOm. The streets are generally paved, aud al
except the principal business Streets are lined will
shade trees Of the spreading elm aud the heautif
maple. The city Is divided into two parts by th,
Concord rivers the business, factories, &c, are up
on the north side, while there are many beautifi
avenues and residences upon the south side OF
Belvdere. Below the junction ofthe Concord will
the MerTimac, the river hows through high preoip
\ itous banks, along which there are very pieasan
drives and promenadea, Opposite the city an,
along the east bank Of the Menimao, extend th
township and villages of Dracut, which contain
many hne residences and building lots
The mills are supplied with water by means of
canal which branches of from the Merrimao littl
Z above the city, Atthis point there Is grand dan
| (nOt grandame) thrown across the river into ia
canal which for some distance below carried alon
: the bank, Aspendld work ofmasorry New England
+ gFanite) separating II from the river j. O. Ave,
J the world renowned Cherry Pectora man. has hi
E residence upon the buh here, II is a large ston
house, with nothing very striking about H. save
general air of roOminess and solid comfort
4 VIII give LoheA tue crodlt OF having the fines
County Jail that have seen any where Itstand
on an elevated site, at one corner Of large an
handsome Park, the "SOuth Common" and a
first strikes one by lis similarity OF appearance !
an old baronial castle or 10 some Of the time wor
out almost indestructbe colleges ofOxiord. IL
built OF granite, unheWn, except at the iointe
edges. The main building looks IN form aud shap
= much like the Cleveland Stone Church, but larger
Two towers rise from the front corners each abou
7 htty feet from the body Of the building. Fror
!, this main structure extend two large and substau
r tal wings, one Of which Is occupied as a dwellin
e by the Jaer aud family, while the other Is devote
70 the use Of the female prisoners, The Jail wa
.. built in 1856 and cost Sl75O 600 Ia the mai
building are the cells for the male prisoners d
{, whom there ere now about thirty in duranoe vile
y There are, believe, twelve females now confined
: The jail will accommodate (probably they do NO
appreciate the "accOmmodaton'D sevonty-tW
convlcts. inside, the building is oil stone or ro
The hOors, slarcases, pillars, aud OF course door
ls are al Of iron The partitions are Of stone | wen
! only into the main building Here there are fou
q ters Of cells each OF which ID about ten feet b
80 seven or eight, All are Whitewashed-haVe iro
bedsteads which are turned up against the wall dur
ing the day-haVe iron wash stands and are as com
Portable as Jail quarters can be expected 10 prove
Apertures are 80 arranged ia the walls that th
"A doors Of all the cells be soou from the outsid
= corridors. Altogether II Is grant aud appropr
b ate structure an ornament and q credit TO the cit
"A aud the county. From the towers ane bird s ey
view Of the city can be obtained.