The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1867-04-27
Cooal affairs.

LORD fACTOR1ES.-N took drive with
a friend, a few days ago, out to Lord Fac.
tories, the property of the late Daniel Lord,
which is located on the Big Elk, four miles
north of Elkton, and is one of the finest
properties in the State. We were shown
through the principal mills by the present
manager, Mr.. Baldwin, who afforded US
every facility in his power, for viewing the
mills and shops. The late Daniel Lord, in
1915, purchased the property now familarly
known as Lords Factories, blu. by the pro-
drietor was termed Elk Mills, and whiclris
the site ofthe old Elk Forge, formerly owned
by the Hayes family. The estate contained
about l 900 acres of land, some of it as fine
land for farming purposes as the county can
boast. At present, about half Of the
land Is in heavy timber and the other half
under cultivation.
The principal mill is most substantantial
stone structure, five stories high, and 100
feet long by 60 wide. This is the spinning
mill. Here the cotton is taken from the
bale and put through all the different pro.
cesses of manufacture till it is converted in.
to yarn ready for the looms. The carding,
spinning, reelng, &C., are on a very extern.
sive scale, the best modern improved ma.
chnery for these purposes being employed.
There is a very fine saw mill driven by the
same water power that operates the cotton
mills. The weave mill is situated about
half or three. quarters of a mile below the
first-named, and has capacity for one hun.
bred and forty looms. There are about
eighty looms in the building, at present not
all in operation. The weave mill is low
building, the looms being placed on the
ground floor, The looms used in this factory
are known as the jacquard Loom, used for
weaving diaper or tabecloth The jacquard
Loom is one of the most complicated and
wonderfully ingenious pieces of machinery,
which we are wholly incompetent to describe,
and which few of our readers would compre-
bend even by the aid of the most elaborate
description.
The machinery of these factories is driven
by water power, but the mills are heated by
steam, which is also used for warming the
dyeing, sizing, bleaching and drying houses.
For each of the processes of dying, bleach.
ing and sizing, large hoped tanks, con.
structed Of oak plank, are used to contain
the liquors. The material receives the siz.
ing while in the thread which is passed
through tke liquor in large, loose skeins.-
After passing through the sizing liquor some
half dozen times, the yarn is taken to the
drying house, after which it is ready for
weaving.
Near this latter mill, spring is enclosed
by ccmented wall, about seven feet in
depth aud fifteen by thirty feet in width
This basin of crystal water supplies the dye.
ing and bleaching houses.
These buildings are all of stone, taken
from quarries in the adjacent hllsides.
The race banks are planted with the pow.
der or basket willow, which were just burst.
ing into tender foliage, cnlivening the land
scape with the gadening freshness of spring.
A third mill is situated on the creek about
a mile above the first, or main building, but
is at present not IN operation.
There are forty tenement houses on the
property, built principally of stone, which are
commodious and comfortable dwellings,
used by the operatives in the factories.
1t is ardently to be hoped that this fine
estate will, ereong, be put in proper condi-
ton and the mills worked to their fall Capa.
city. 4 healthier location cannot be found,
or liner water power capable of driving
any amount of machinery that might be de.
sired.
Mr.. Baldwin. present manager of the
property. and one Of the heirs of Daniel
Lord, Is from Yankee land, and we hope he
will use his influence toward developing this
fine manufacturing property and if neces.
sary induce others from the land of enter
prise to emigrate here, and on the fertile
fields Of Cecil, and under the mild skies of
Maryland, establish cotton manufacturing
firm that will be credit and profit to our
county, Where,the hum of the spindle and
sound Of the hammer are heard there arise
the school-house and church, aud there are
found the centres of civilization and learn.
ing, side by side with industry, thrift and
comfort.
---4 81 D.