Bristol news. [volume] (Bristol, Va. & Tenn.) 1867-189?, 1871-05-05
SOUTHERN MANUFACTURERS.

!
SOUTHERN MANUFACTURERS.
From a Prize Essay by Hon. E.
Steadman, of Georgia, on the practica-
bility and profitableness, of manufac-
turing the Cotton crop of the South
within our own limits, we make the
following important acts-After
commenting upon the great natural
advantages which the South possesses
he says:
We will now proceed to present un-
der one view the practicability and
| profitdbleness of the manufacturing
enterprise TO the people of the Cotton
States. The work can be done either
by individuals or by firms. Where
large mills cannot be built, small ones
may. And l will just here assert. by
the way, that there is not n county in
the Cotton States that cannot build
and operate small factory by its own
labor as successfully as any Northern
factory-not only so, but declare lar
ger dividend on the capital invested.
| will specifically show what may be
done.
As trial, | would recommend a
small factory of twelve hundred spin
dies and forty looms. Such a mill is
within the reach of any planting com
munity, and such an establishment
could be run by either water or steam.
1t would give profitable employment
to all the neighbOrhOOd unfit for field
service. The product of such facto-
ry, in A sheetings-a Standard article
used by all sections of this and other
countries, and in demand at all seasons
of the year, and never getting out of
fashion-will command advances, if
not sold. as readily as the raw mate
rial
The cost Of cotton mill and factory
village, complete, of the latest and
most improved machinery for manu-
featuring fourquaTter standard Sheet
ings-consIsting of twelve hundred
spindles and forty looms, with all the
findings complete, except water wheel
or steam engine, the machinery put up
and made ready tor operation, and
guaranteed to produce two thousand
yards per day--will be twenty-five
thousand dollars. The cost OF site,
factory buildings, water-Wheel, ware
house, and tenement h0us es for opera
tiVes, ten thousand dollars. To carry
on the business, a cash capital would
be necessary, 10 purchase cotton, pay
labor and purchase supplies, say five
thousand dollars, making a total of
forty thousand dollars. Should the
proprietor or company wish to add
merchandising to the busineSs-if the
location was in the country it would
be desirable-that would require an
additional capital for stOrehouSe and
stock Of goods, which would pay on
its own merits, and serve as Il convent
ence, like any other mercantile estab-
lishment in the country or town.
TO OneratC such AN establishment by
water, and turn Off twelve thousand
yards of fourquarter standard sheeting
per we9k weighing 2.S5 yards to the
pOund-allowiUg ~ per cent. waste
net-w0ulI require $500 lbs. of cotton,
which, at u cost of 10 cents per h.,
would De S720.
TO run such a cotton mill would re-
quire also fifty employees at an eX-
pense of $500, and incidental expenses
amounting to SllZ.50 total weekly ex-
penses Sl232.50, which substracte1
from the gloss receipts and we have a
balance of profits amounting to S267.-
80, which multiplied 10y so, shows an
annual profit of $l3, ,375, or over thirty
three and one-third per cent. on the
capital of SO, ,G0O.
There are individuals i'm Georgia
and many in the South, who grow cot
ton enough to supply an establishments
of the above capacity. And such a
planter and manufacturer could keep
his cotton on the road until wanted for
use in the factory. This would render
necessary warehouse room for seed in
stead of bale cotton but the disad
vantage would be more than counter
balanced by the fact that the lint
keeps better and is increased in weight
and value by extracting. the oil from
the seed.
By adopting this system, the South
ern manufacturer and planter cOmbin-
ed would have the advantage over his
Northern competitor in his factory
the saving of the entire cost of gin
ming and packing the amount of cot
ton used, which any planter caE esti-
mate. For the factory that uses bale
cotton has to use what we term an
"opener' or ''willOwer'' to break up
or loosen the cotton. by which the cot
ton is thrown back i'm about the same
state a before baling, in order to pre-
pare it for the iapper or speeder The
| Southern manufacturer and planter
can substitute the gin for the opener
| in the factory using bale cotton, TO be
propelled by the same power and tend
ed by the same hand required by the
opener.
This it not theory, but a statement
! of what l have done for nine months
in year, and would have done for
| twe.ve months mad not the seed cotton
| given out. | have picked cotton in
| the morning, ginned, carded and spun
| il the same day, and the next day
shipped it to New York. So that IA
| factory on a plantation can begin to
! gin and use cotton as soon rs a planter
| can get it out and continue until his
entire crep is picked out. BY taking
| the cotton direct from the field to the
| factory, which is no mere troublesome
or expensive than taking ii 10 the gin
| house, and which 1 am now doing
| daily, the care and expense Of packing
! is saved.
Where one man has not the ability
| TO build such a cotton mill. then it
should be done by forming partner
ship OF company Of planters and 9TH
| ers in every county and ne.ghbOrhOod
| in the cotton region.
| 1t does not follow that planters
| should conline themselves to estaOlish-
ments of the proposed size ana des-
| criptiOn of goods mauuiactured-that
] being suggested as the smallest that
would be desirable-but larger ones,
up to thirty thousand splndles and one
| thousand looms. would be preferred.
"a factory Of such size could be run on
! print goods just as well a. Oh dOmes-
| ties, except that the lighter goods do
/ not require machinery OF so heavy a
pattern. The process of operation is
! Just the same rs in max ing domestics,
and the goods selling next to domes-
tics at al seasons.