The weekly Oskaloosa herald. [volume] (Oskaloosa, Iowa) 1855-1885, 1872-08-08
HOME MANUFACTURES.
Siebel & Co.'S Wooden Factory, and Crist
Mill, -

coi SOLl6 Weeks we nave ndu IL III Jul
mind.to visit this mandatory, and give
our readers the benefit of what we saw
and learned. The opportune time presen.
ted itself on Tuesday last, and below we
give the result of our visit: 40
BUILDINGS.
The buildings used by this firm for the
prosecution of their extensive business are
three in number,-the store and receiving
department, was formerly known as the
Farmers Exchange" and was kept in
the early days of our city's existence, as a
general merchandise store, by BENZ. Roop
Over its counters his numerous employees
received pay fer their labor Gin trade
That time is past, and the present firm are
always ready with the cash to iquidate all
obligations for services rendered. Yet
there are those that sigh for "the good old
times" The building has been re-roofed,
resided, and repaired generally, present.
ing now very neat appearance. Just east
of this stands "The Factory" building
3Ox110, two stories high, with basement,
|
is divided crosswise in the center by fire
wall of brick, with iron doors, thus giving
chance to save either end of the building
should the other catch fire. Many of our
readers will remember this as the sash and
blind factory of Tracy & Stephenson. I'm
derneath it (now the factory basemenD
was Roop's saw, and sorghum mills
South of this building, and almost adioin-
ing is the grjst mill 6Ox65. ---.-
MoDUs OPERANDI
If the reader.will follow us we will at
tempt to describe the different processes to
which the wool is subjected in its prepar-
alton for its future wearer. First, it is ia
ken into the receiving room afore men
| toned, where it is sorted and classified
From there, if unwashed, it is taken to
the Mushroom and thoroughly cleansed !;
being spread out afterwards in the drying
room, from whence as soon as dry, it is
sent to the picker" This machine as
Its name indicates, picks it into small
bits, and prepares it for the next machine
in order, which is called the "First Break
er." Here after going over and under in
Vulnerable rapidly revolving cylinders,
whose surfaces are covered with carding
cloth, or leather, filled with fine wire teeth
similar to the old fashioned hand card, on
ly more perfect, it comes out in long rolls,
about three-fourths of an inch in diameter.
These rolls are then run through the "Sec-
ond Breaker" where they are subjected to
more thorough carding than before, COM
ing out in rolls as from the former ma
chine. They are then run through the Con
denser," to describe which would consume
too much time and space for the readers
patience; suffice it to say it is perfect
machine, full of intricate wheels, pulleys,
rolls, and other selfadjusting parts. From
this machine the wool comes in strands of
about one fourth of an inch in thickness
Wooden cylinders or spools about two and
half feet long, two inches in diameter, and
having flanges on either end receive the
wool as it comes from the machine. On
these spools the ropes of wool, as it might
be called, are taken upstairs to the "Spin-
ming Jack" where they are spun into warp
or stocking yarn as the need may be-
There are two of these Jacks" together
comprising four hundred and eighty spin
dies. They are certainly wonderful in
their delicacy and power combined. With
two hundred and forty spindles or dob
bins" as the old fashioned name is, they
w q aI Inn n
wooden rope, they draw it out to a pre-de-
termined distance, and continue to stretch
and twist, and twist and stretch it until the
former loose rope becomes firm, strong and
elastic yarn, then as they return for new
supply of material, the already spun wool
is wound upon the spindles, which when
full are sent to the basement where the
looms are. The capacity of either of these
"Jacks" is, on coarse yarn from 100 to $50
pounds per day. Fine, and closer twisted
yarn from so to 60 pounds. Having sent
the warp down stairs, let US follow. Here
we find the looms, five in number, banging
away, and weaving all grades of CLOTH
Though for delicate work, these are not
-
the Dacca muslin, which was so light and
airy that seven thicknesses scarcely sufficed
to cover nakedness, yet to watch them in
their operations and see with what certain
ty they make the necessary change for
different colors, stripping, ETC., one is led to
exclaim eff the Ancents could beat this,
bully for them" In this room is found
the machine for preparing the warp. All
cotton warps are bought ready made as
this is a wooden and not cotton factory,
and satinetts you know, must have cotton
warp, which with good wool filling makes
cloth for substantial wear. Mr.. Siebel.
our chaperon, informed US that during last
month these looms turned out 1900 yards
of cloth and flannels. much of which was
double width. From here we 90 to the
securing, fulling, and finishing room. IF you
are lady with ample skirts you had bet
ter keep them well in hand, for there may
be little slop; you know washing does
make little muses. sometimes. The wash
ing is done by steam, the cloth passing be-
tween two huge wooden rollers, that talk
ing the cloth from the tank below squeeze
1t tighter than would "Jabez's Patent
Waist Condenser" passing it then to the
tank again, only to take ii up and give it
Another squeeze, dear Jabez, do"
In an adjoining room is found the "Ful-
Ter" two great ponderous wooden pestles
that are continually on strike, though
they never stop work until ordered. The
"Shearer" too, is great on close shave,
and the stray fibre that lies above the de-
sired level is soon taken off as the cloth
passes through these revolving knives
The "Napper" unlike our western nappers
(lndians) puts nap on instead of taking
1t off. Its work is to search out all the
loose flbres that may have been left in the
cloth. 1t is also called the 'sTeazle Ma
chine" from the teazle plant, the burrs of
which are used for this purpose. These
burrs are securely placed on a large wood
en- cylinder, so that as it revolves the points
of the burrs sinking into the cloth perform
the part above described The "Dyeing
Room" comes next, but as we had had q
large experience in dying room (army
hospitaD we cho Sc not to remain long
However, we there saw a machine for
grinding chochineal also another, an in
vention of Mr.. Siebel's for grinding-we
have forgotten what, but know it was not
buckwheat. A keg of birthstone standing
near Mr.. 8. assured us it was not used to
raise the ID with, but to bleach yarn
IT. varv /tb;o 10 sooratN Z.