The Placer herald., 1865-10-07
NUMBER 6.

ciay abundant in the wool from the South.
ern coast; that from the Northern part Of
the State is much cleaner in every respect
The best Northern wool brought to our mar
ket in any considerable quantity is worth %
cents per pound; the same quality from San
Luis Obspo, full of burrs, is sold for sixteen
cents. A little washed wool is brought from
Russian River Valley, but our wooden facto,
ries have to wash and clean all their wool.
Most of the best wool OF the State is pur-
chased here and the poorer qualities are exi
ported.
The manufacture of wooden goods in Cali.
fornia was commenced by the Pioneer Wool,
en- Factory, established at Black Point, in
1858, by the mercantile firm of Heyneman,
Pick & Co. AT first the business was not
prof able. 1t was necessary 10 import all
the machinery and the competent laborels
with it; and when u piece of machinery was
broken or a laborer went away, there WAS
often much difficulty and delay in making
good the loss. Before the enterprise had re,
paid the owners, in October, 1861, the mill
was burned down, but they then saw sue.
cess in full view before them, and in eight
months the mill was again at work, with
new buildings and new machinery from the
East, under the propretorship Of joint
stock company. About the time that the
mill was burned the Mission Woolen Mill
was started.
The Pioneer Mill has 81 looms at work
now, consumes annually 100000 pounds Of
of wool, employs 22O laborers, pays out
800 900 yearly in wages, uses a capital of
$4,000 and runs SO sewing machines
About one fourth of the wool purchased ia
used in making blankets, the importation OF
which has now entirely ceased, the home
production having taken possession Of the
market. Ihs time is probably not very far
distant when we shall begin to export
Nearly half Of the production of the mill is
flame, which is gradually crowding the i'm.
ported article out of the market. Our do.
nestle tlannels are made of better quality
of wool than is usually put in such goods 10
the East, and purchasers, for that reason, pre-.
fer the homemade article. About one. third
Of the wool consumed at this mill is made
INTO tweeds and cassimeres, which are mostly
made up into clothing in San Francisco. -
Broadcoth is not made here in quantity, be.
cause OF the scarcity of pure merino wool;
no carpets, partly because the market is not
large enough to make much of any one pat.
tern. The carpet business requires large
market, so that large quantities of one pat
tern can be sold; but that cannot be done in
California at present.
| The Pioneer and Mission Mills together
consume about 100000 pounds of wool,
employ about $50 laborers and 100000
of capital, and out 5000, 900 in wages annu,
ally.
The results Of the establishment of these
woolen factories are that we get our woolens
cheaper than we would otherwise, our far.
mers get higher price for their wool, and Y
large number of persons and considerable
quantity ofcapital finds profitable employ
ment in our midst. The public will, no
doubt, agree with the committee appointed
at the exhibition, that the Pioneer, in this
branch of industry, deserved the highest
gold medal awarded by the Mechanics In,
stitute.