The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1878-07-03
MISSISSIPPI MILLS

MISSISSIPPI MILLS.
In 1S47, Col. j. NJ. Wesson, of Georgia,
organized "A company for manufacturing
cotton and wooden good, corn-meal and
sippi, and commenced operations in 1913.
This enterprise was emnently successful.
1t commenced with a capital of $4,000, and
within few years increased the same to
5000 1t was destroyed by the Federal
army @f4. Col. WcSSon, encouraged by
previous success, located. after the war in IA
vast pine forest, in Copiah county.
and named the place - Wesson. "
and entered at once upon the erection of
suitable factory buildings, which he soon
furnished with machinery and put into
operation. These mills were DESTROYED by
fire, and were then rebuilt by Mr.. f. Rich
ardson, the present owner, There are now
in operation, nine thousand spindes for
cotton and wooden goods six sets of wooden
machinery; one hundred looms for manu-
featuring wooden fabrics, including a great
variety of doe-skins, cassimeres jeans, lind
seys and tWceds, ranging in price from %
cents 10 81 per yard, There are 234 looms
for manufacturing cotton goods, including
brown sheeting and shirtings,' osnaburgs
and drilling, bedticking, hickory stripes,
plaids. ginghams cOttOnades aud checks,
aud cotton wraps; both sewing threads and
kitting yarns are also manufactured to "A
very large extent. Five hundred persons
are employed and appear to be healthy and
happy. QHite large town is growing up
around the mills. There is a demand for all
the goods they can make, and they are I'M
able to keep up with orders for several
styles. Large sales are made in the West
tern States and in New York, and what is
better, it has large local and home patron
age; thus demonstrating that cotton can be
more economically manufactured in the i'm
mediate vicinity of its production than else
where.
Th4 confidence begOt by these successes.
has organized and is organizing itself into
various enterprises in the State, for manu-
featuring almost every article of domestic
use. Forest jim Der; the productions of the
fields. gardens and orchards; steam and
water; the cotton gin, Touring mills; the
spindles, looms. and machinery; labor. skill
enterprise and capital, are being rapidly
brought into convenient proximity to each
Other, and. at the same time, near to great
natural and artificial highways of trade,
travel and commerce; practically racOoni-
Zing the superior agricultural, horticultural
pastoral and manufacturing advantages of
Mississippi. Cotton, sugar, molasses. Indian
corn, wheat. rye. oats, peas. vegetables,
grapes, berries, rice, oranges, bananas,
peaches, pears, ounces, apples cherries.
plnms and other fruits; wool, beef, hides,
pork. sweet and Irish potatoes clover, tim
othy, herds, orchard, bermuda, and other
grasses, grow in luXuriant abundance. Her
lands as has been shown, are fertile ald
well watered and tim bered, with a vast
forests of great commercial value. These
lands are varied by hills, valleys, plains.
swamps and prairies. Tie alluvial lands of
Mississippi and YazoO bottoms, are surpas-
singIy rich and, when protected by levees
from overflow of water, and reclaim ed by
drainage, and subjected to enlightened ag-
rcculture, will produce not less than two
millions OF bales of cotton annually, and
three million bushels OF corn; worth at
present prices, $l20.O00000.
The climate of Mississippi is that happy
nlodium where the OFOducts al rho North
and South meet, grow and mature in har-
mony with the necessities, and many of the
luxuries of life. No country is more regu-
larly irrigated by rain-1alls, or better sup
piled with aqueous vapor than Mississippi.
The moisture and humidity so necessary to
the life and growth of vegetation, are borne
from the warm bosom of the Gulf stream,
and from her various rivers, and diffused
throughout her borders; her lands are so
varied in their physical formation. location,
and production, as to suit all classes and
conditions o; society. These lands are now
cheap; ranging from government price, to
from 81 to $50 per acre value being regula-
ted by improvements, location, quality and
quantity. The labor of the State is suffi-
Gent for all agricultural purposes, and by
reason of its long experience. and thorough
Identification with the climate and soil, it is
the best in the world.
There is also, large class of its popula-
ton suited to the labor of the factories.
During the late civil war, Mississippi was
devastated and scourged by contending ar
mics, and Paralyzed by military dominance /;
as, also. by the consequent corruption and
IawIessness that followed the close of the
war. But the people, with high resolve, ir-
respective of party, race or color, rose in
the majesty of their power TO suppress law
Iessness, and rescue their State from the
vortex of ruin, and restore it to the prerog-
latiyes of government law and order. She
Ii now redeemed, and all radiant with the
glory of the Observation-Disclosures by ex-
ertion, more virtROus by her Affections,
wiser by experience" and more national in
sentiment; and, having reorganized her
political institutions, In accordance with the
amended Constitution of the United States,
and In harmony with that new phase OF
civilization which marks this as the
| beginning Of q new epoch in her history,
! and self-denial Of her people, partially re-