Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1875-10-08
INDUSTRIES or WILMINGTON


We propose to give q series of al IT,
c,es on the business and manufacture
ing interests of our city, and the first
to which we call public a, teutiop is
THE WILMINGTON COTTON MILLS.
It has long been a moot. d question
whether manufactures can be run by
steam so economically AS to afford q
profit to the stock holders. This point
is now in the &C. of being decided by
the above named corporation. We had
the pleasure of All Interview with Mr.
d. Ell. Dyer, the G., neral Manager If
the Mills, who kindly conducted US
through the establishment. and ex-
planned the operation of the ma
chirery.
Beginning with the engine ID. Nc
Rae" which with a power of one hun
dred and fifty horses was calmly
and steadily propelliug the whole es-
tablishmert, with scarcely a jar or
vibration of any kind, self governing.
With the apparent intelligence of a
reasoning being, We passed through
the heater-room, the loom floor, the
folding, IN assuring. packing. stamping,
'elevating. and all the other processes
of the manufac. ure. until We came to
the flushed goods ready to be printed
into Merrimack, Carriers, Spraguts,
or any other favorite brands for the
ladies and gentlemen for it has be-
come fact, tDat the consumption OF
prints for gentlemen's wear has so
enormously increased that the sale OF
bleached goods has been very limited
during the past six months, and they
have touched lower point than at any
time since the war.
The finished goods of the Whining
ton Cotton Mills are smooth, strong,
and perfect i'll every respect, and will
make the very best shlrting prints.
We watched the consumption of fuel
under the Six mammoth tubular boil
ers, (three of which are enough to run
the machinery, and become satIsf, j
that, SO far Us fuel was concerned, the
expense was trifiing. Erected under
the superintend+nce of Mr.. Dyer. who
was also the constructing engineer of
the Wretnmoe Mills, FtInt Mills. Me-
chuuics Mills, Osborn Mills and Eaga-
more Mills of Fall River, Massachu-
setts-all working by steam power, 1T
has been furnished with the best of
spihdIes, looms, and machinery of
every kind. We were struck with the
simplicity of the looms especially,
they were so different from the great
numbering, clumsy looms formerly IN
use and throughout the mills we
could but note the care which had been
exercised to dispense with all super
fluous machinery and bring all down
to tue comprehension of the common
mind. For instance, we saw a boy
thirteen years old running six looms,
and although he had had but a few
We eks' experience he managed them as
successfully as the older operatives.
Aud, speaking of operatives. we were
reli BILE women, girls. or boys could
obtain permanent situations if they
were willing TO attend to the duties
and to engage not to leave as soon as
they obtained u smuttering of the
business. We could hardly believe
that, in these pleasant, well ventilated,
airy rooms, with every convenience for
comfort, with good, fair pay according
to services rendered, yet there were
vacancies in the mill. But it is even
SO, aud good girls, women and boys,
can obtain situations,-if they are Of
proper character, and apply at once.
The precautions against fire seem to
be perfect. In the superiutendeuts
ROOM are pipes leading 10 every part
of the building, SO arranged that sit
ting at his desk he can turn the water
Oh iii any rom and flood it almost in
stautly. The building is thoroughly
fitted with ga fixtures, 80 as TO run in
dark weather. or by night ii necessary.
| When these mills Were building. an
eye was had to future enlargement,
and by this forecast the company Gan
at any time double the capacity of the
mills, at much less expense than at
tended the construction of the present
building, the saving III figures being
estimated at from $15, 900 to 800, 600.
What is the use to enlarge, if opera
tives cannot be had? We hope the
time is near at hand when those who
are out of work, or doing no regular
! work, will offer themselves in such
numbers that the company will find it
necessary to enlarge the mills. The
great idea in the minds of the pro-
prietors of these mills has been to
| furnish steady labor at their own doors
to those who have had no profitable
channel of labor open to them hereto
fore. The grounds around the mills are
being improved, residences for the
officers built, and soon cottages to
rent to operatives will be erected in
the most comfortable style.
It was not for the purpose of de-
scrIbing machinery, numbering spin
lies, looms, etc. that we visited the
mill, but to see if it was about to add
permanently to the wealth of North
Carolina. We did not have access to
the books-and in fact, the company
has SO lately gone into operation that
no fair Judgment can be made of it's
succ 4ss, but we saw that the managers
seemed very we'll satisfied with the
results 80 far, and there was a pleas
ant smile on each face. reminding us
of California gold miner when he
has stuck pocket" The orders for
goods are i'll excess of production,
| nricns sntisfuctnr1 md aunrzthinu