Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1866-06-13
Bath Paper Mills.

HeretotofH. we have spoken ef various
manufacturing enterprises located in this city
and urged upon our people the great impor
tance of extending them that measure of en-
couragement and substantial support whic!
they are entitled to at the hands of our citi
zens. This is evidently the true and only
policy by which the Southern people should
be actuated: All commodities that can bt
produced or manufactured at home should
take precedence of any imported article
Manufacturing enterprises, properly conduc.
ted, have always proved remunarative and
beneficial to the particular localities where in
operation. 1t is, therefore, to the advantage
>as well, as the manifest duty Of Southern
communities to devote more attention in the
future to those branches of industry which
have enriched New England and given that
section its present powerful Influence in the
direction and government OF political affairs
These considerations are applicable alike
to every department Of manufacture. In
this connection, we will speak Of the Bath
Paper Mills, with the hope that orr sea-board
and inland contemporaries will prove by act
the policy in regard to which unanimity pre-
walls, and that is the great necessity Of sup
porting home products of every description,
particularly when the articles in question
compete, both as regards quality and price,
with the Northern manufactured goods.
These mills, located on the South Carolina
railroad, about seven miles frcn Augusta,
were established in 1850, and continued in
successful operation until 1868, al which pc
riod they were completely destroyed by fire.
Owing to the prevalence Of the war, and the
great difficulty in procuring proper machine
ry the mills were not rebuilt until January,
1865, at which time they we're put into par
tial operation, and continued thus working
until July, when operations were entirely
stopped until August. This was in some
measure owing to the want Of transportation.
and other disadvantages.
In September, 1865, VIM. Craig, Esq, was
elected President Of the Bath Mills Company,
since which time it has been in operation, al.
though not working up to its full capacity.
AS we paid visit to these mills yesterday,
1t may not be uninteresting to our readers to
say few words Of the 1'odus orerandi.
The first department is the rag room, where
stands for FIVE or six operatives are erected.
Here the stock is assorted and picked, afte,
which it is carried to tn, preparing room,
where there is machinery for cutting, dusting,
and what is termed" deviling' tho rags; that
is, Clearing rucru sE1I 10 pIeces,' and "play.
ing the devil in general" After going through
this process, the stock is conducted into rota-
ry boilers, WHICH is called the bleaching pro-
cess, where it is boiled for eighteen hours.
with decoction Of lime and ds-ash, which
destroys the colors, oil and Girt. The stock
is then allowed to lay over for twenty-four
hours, when it is carried to the washing en-.
gines, where it is cleaned and bleached. aud
then emptied into watts or drains. In these
vats the stock, which is now called half.
stuff" is permitted to remain from three tc
four days. This process concluded, the
"half-stnff" is put into beater- engines, where
it is worked for about six hougs, being then
converted into pulp. This pulp is now emp
tied into large stuff chest, or reservoir, from
which it is conducted on the paper machine,
which. after passing over the wire, through
the first and second presses; where the water
is pressed out, passes on 10 the cylinder dryers.
and from there through the csla,fders 10 the
reels, which is the last process Of paper max
ing. After this, the paper is cut into any
size sheets desired, folded, counted and put
into reams. So much for the process.
The machinery of the mills consists of one
Faudraner machine, sixty-eigbt inches eigh,
washer and beater engines of $500 capacity;
two rotary boilers, one Of 1000 pounds ca.
pacity and the other CT 5000; stationary
engine of forty horse power, and boiler for
drying and heating purposes.
.entire machinery is driven by water
power, of which there is an abundant supply,
as the mills are situated on Horse Creek.
The mills are lighted by gas manufactured
on the premises. ..sr
The capacity of tie mills is 5000 poElas
of paper pee day, consisting Of book, news
and wrapper.
Thus 1t will be seen that the mills are now
in good working order, being amply prepared
10 supply the press with an article of paper
such as the Constit@ionaliSt is at present
using, which is equal in quality to Northern
paper and lower il. price.
Within the past yenr many Improvements
have been made in tie machihery, aud others
are being made which, when completed, will
make the Bath Mills the first in the country
Mr.. W. W. Pollard, the superintendent is
practical, intelligent and Industrious, and de-
votes his whole time (beipg constantly on the
to the operations of the Mills.
The President of the Bath Mills Company
is Col. Wm. Craig, gentleman esteemed for
his private worth as man, ard thorough
business quali6 cations as citizen. When
elected, in August last, the affairs of the
company were in very unfortunate condi
ton; but, owing to his untiring industry and
proper management, order was soon brought
out of chaos, and the prospect of the COM
pany has steadily improved. Its present
healthy condition is attributable solely to the
fact that Col. Craig has devoted himself ex-
clusively to the work of building up the
Mills; and in this he has been eminently
successful. As the brave commander of the
gallant goth Georgia, Col. Craig did some
hard fighting and followed the fortunes of
tFg. cause through all its changes up to the
final surrender, since which time he has been
engaged in the important matter of recon
the Bath Mills: If The Radicals
were only half as successful in re. constructing
the Union as he has been in the matter Of
these Mills, the condition of the whole ,coun-
try would be very much improved, and the
value of its paper enhanced.
The facts presented and considerations in
troduced will, we trust, have their weight
with newspaper men throughout South Caro-.
lima, Georgia and adjoining States. The
Bath Mills Company, and their worthy Presi-
dent are commended to the substantial mt
Of the Southern press.-Constitu-
tionalist.
REcoNsrRucrIoN.-Ac cotton factory in Ma
con, Ga, is turning out 10000 yards of sheet.
ing per month. 1t is also said that other fac
tories will go up,this season. When Georgians
and Virginians become selfish enough to make