The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1866-11-14
THE WEST POINT MILLS.

Point Mills. Situated in the wostern part Of the
city, away out the point Of peninsula, between
two large mill ponds, their appearance is pictur-
esque in the extreme. We have often seen pic
ture of the Neck it was in the olden time some
where about the year 1900. The old Cannonsboro
saw mill, as it then stood, occupied prominent
place in the pictnre. and Was then the furthest
building west. Since another mill was erected o
little west Of it, and now the West Point Mills
stand at least quarter Of milo further west
and almost directly the channel Of Ashley River
These last belong to the West Point Mill Compa-
ny; consist Of double rice mill, cotton ginning
establishment and cooper shop. Tho whole is
under the management Of Dlr. WM. LEBBY, who is
also large shareholder in the company.
The rice mill, owing, wo have been told, to the
fact that several planters and factors members
of the company, has had moro to do this season
than the other rice mills Of the city. 1t is large
and lofty brick building, containing two entire sets
OF machinery. Tho two engines that drive the
machinery are OF English make, imported twenty
Ave years ago, and Of ono hundred horse power
each. On the wharf is an elevator, which is used
to unload the vessels, and which saves the vast
amount Of labor that was formerly required to ac-
complish that object by means of baskets. There
is scarcely Charlostonian who cannot recolloct
tho swarms Of old women, with rice baskets on
their heads running from tho vessel 20 the mill
and back again like 30 many ants. This is entiro-
" done away with ut the Wost Point Mills by the
elevator to which VIC have alluded. 1t consists of
a serios Of buckets on a chain, which passes round
two pulleys thus forming circle Of buckets con-
tnually filing and emptyng. The chain of buck
cts is enclosed in frame, 80 arranged as to rise
and fall with the motion of the vessel i'll the water.
Tho buckets empty the rico into long covered
trough, which onclosos n screw that carries the
rice into tho mill. Before the this MILL during
the winter season, as vol as three or four other
large rice mills in the city, used to bc worked night
and day; but now the other mills almost entirely
idle, and this one is not supplied with rice enough
to employ it constantly even during tho day.
There are immense store rooms attached to The
mill that wore once always filled with rice, but arc
now nearly useless, the rico being shipped as fast
as it is cleaned --sS~
Tho ginning business Is beleve. q new
element in tho industry of Charleston the planters
before the abolition Of slavery, having generally
ginned their own cotton During tho war most Of
tho gins were destroyed, and very few men had
capital sufficient to replace thom. The West Point
Mills ginning establishment is superintendent by
MIR. BAYNARD On experienced cotton planter,
under whose slsllful management it has proved a
great SUCCESS. It runs, by means Of q 16-horse
power steam ongino, four MCCARTHY gins and q
cotton whrper. Tho cotton ginned here is all
Sea Island, and first passes through tho whippor
to take out the trash, and then through the gins
to get rid of tho sccd and all remaining specks or
particles of dirt orc then carefully picked ont by
hand hefore the cotton is packed Machinery is
not used for packing the cotton, but there are
largo oos in tho floor Of tho upper story through
which the bags aro lot down, and they arc filled
ttrifl
their feet. Even with this disadvantage, the
to six bags daily, oach bag containing from 500 to
3GO pounds One woman is employed to each gin,
one to the whipper, five OF six to pick out the
spocks and four or five men pack.
Tho labor employed is entirely that of negroes
Before the abolition of slavery the company owned
about ninety hands, whom they employed, fed
clothed and furnished with lodging. Tho cottages
which they built for their accommodation are still
thoro, and are occupied by tho present mill hands
who now number about forty. All these wcro the
slaves Of the company, and have been retained by
Mr.. LEDDY on account OF their good conduct. AL
the idlers thieves and rogues have boon dis
charged, the company having no longer any object
to gain by retaining them. Tho advantages o.
their position are 30 groat, having nice houses tc
live in and means Of making comfortable liv
ing, that to be discharged is considered grea
calamity, and they bog earnestly to be takon bacl
again. This is sometimes done, but after tho gu
prrintendcnt is satisfied that an offender will moi
reform he dismisses him finally. Tho negroes o.
present at the mills arc clean and comfortably
clad, and probably about as vol Off for the nocos
sares and comforts Of life as any set of operatives
in the world.
In going to tho West Point Mills it is necessar.
to pass tho old Cannonsboro Mill before allud
cd to. This is situated on tho neck Of tho penin
suln, and is now O lumber mill belonging to W. J
BENNETT, Esq. 1t has not been at work for fey
days past, in consequence OF the mill dam being
out Of repair; but tho necessary work on the dan
will now soon be finished, and the mill will be SO
running again. From the bridge across the flood
| gate Of tho mill pond you got view Of somo o
the handsomest residences on the Neck, including
the man lion Of JOHN s. RYAN, Esq; tho dweln,
Of Epw'D SEEMING, Esq; tho old Rutledge Man
sion; the house Of ANDREW srMoNDs, Esq. tho rosi
donce of b. j. WHALEY Esq, and Gov BENNETT
house. The top of the elegant residence Of the pro
prietor of tho mill, MIR. W. J. BENNETT, can
seen above the roofs Of tho lower houses that in
terveno betweon it and tho mill 1t is situated O
Montague street, and is an ornament to that POI
ton Of the city. All this portion Of Charleston
comparatively new, but the immediate noighbo,
: hood north of the mills contains many handsom
houses, and is ono Of the most desirable locahtie
in all Charleston for private residence.
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