The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1879-04-19
THE LANE MILL.
I'VE COTTON FACTORY TN A FLOUll-
lsHINu CONDITION.
Tue Amount Of Cloth Production Sur.
passes that VI Any Mill In

ar all the local manufactures of New Or
leans the Lane Cotton Mills IL probably that
which deserves most the attention Of the pub
lid who should naturally feel DIN interest III Its
prosperity. Inaugurated as cotton yarn
and rope factory about the year 1867 by our
IN terpriHing fellow-citiEen, Mr.. J.. N. Lane, the
mills o few years ago passed into the hands
Of one Oh our largest cotton firms, Messrs.
Lehman, Abraham u Co They had already
begun the metamorphosis which ls now mafl-
ifest. There were then only q few looms IN
operation, and IL might have been said 81 the
mills that they we're merely experimental.
Time and intelligence and enterprise have
wrought admirable changes III the institu-
tion, which now runs no fewer than sixty
looms, Oh fast rs they can DO worked, and
there are besides eight more looms In posi-
ton which will soon be In working order,
making total OF
stxTY4EIGHT LOOMS,
all Of the latest and most improved patterns,
giving work TO laige number Of people and
affording support to numerous families The
| mills were visited yesterday by DEMOCRAT
| representative whc was shown through the
grounds and buildings by Nj. g. Boatright
the superintendent, clever and courteous
gentleman the efficiency OF whose manage
ment ID evidenced by the excellent manner In
which the works are conducted and the
admirable order all the buildings, grounds
and appurtenanees ere kept IN.
Each department is under the control OF
/ foreman, whose wages are 90 day. and under
whom some eighty-tve operatives are placed.
Forty seven of these operatives are females,
the great majority being spinsters and only
very few below the age Of sixteen, few boys
are included In the total.
i THE WAGES
n IL the operatives vaty from twenty cents to
il All N day Of eleven hours, reckoned as follows
From n quarter to a. IN. to Ia N. and from
i half past Ia to quarter past p. N. The
4 lowest figures, Of course, are the wages OF the
children. The general air Of contentment on
tia rp,1ntauance Of all was d pleasurable
sight. for unlike. as In the Northern manufae-
tories. tie restraints In this institution are
limited to ordinary good behavior and atten-
ton to work.
attends to four looms, which arc so disposed
as to be easily cared for. This Is on Tie ground
floor. III the spinning department we found
twenty-one spinning frames, running
27OO sPINDLEs;
in the earding room thirty-aix cards, eight Of
which are Of the latest patterns, and are pro-
M vided with patent. self-acting strippers, o
great labor and titne-saving Improvement.
One man attends to fourteen cards. In the
same department are the reels, three In num-
! Der, and of D capacity OF 800 pounds duly
each. The spfeaders, three IN number, ore
also OF an entirely new pattern, and are ex-
uuiste pieces Of machinery.
The apping department is situated In on
aisle 81 the main suildiDg. and contains all
, the machinery necessary for Its purpoes. aid
, In capable of supplying twice as many looms
ID there are now III operation. Among the
new machinery introduced into this depart
; ment is q Damrlnkle opener. which is great
Improvement IN the old style and, Mr.. Boat
right says, facilitates the WORKINGS q the IN
, the last visited and found to be complete and
all the machinery also Of the latest patterns,
and here and there improved, besides, by
J Mr.. Boatright himself, who is mechanic and
engineer by profession.
| Three years ago, when the present super
intendent took charge OF the mills, fts capa-
!, cityof production was only 1900 pounds q
day, whilst now 1t Is fully $500, each loom
, Osnaburgs dav and The total capacity when
the new looms are LII operation Will 30 about
FOUR THOUSAND YARDS DAILY.
Osnaburgs alone are manufactured, fol
, which there iB b constant and full de-
mand AT about eight cents per yard. there
| being besides no competition In this
] line of goods from the North, where
, only finer and lighter fabrics are made
! Nothing is lost in the institution except the
actual dross Of the tapping room, for In con.
, nectjon with the mills there Is machinery fol
the manufacture OF cotton
Tw1NE AND or BATTING.
which are made from the sweepings, the pro
: duction in batting. alone amounting to 10y
pounds day. III justice to the superintend
0 emit we should not forget to say that he has
] increased the velocity OF the looms from 13t
picks q minute to las, which makes O very
material difference In the daily production.
:, The large mass OF machinery has for Its
motive power a magnificent steam engine d
14O horse power, supplied by three immense
: boilers which also provides for the security
3 of the operatives against fire. The fire ex.
tinguishng apparatus u complete ana TINS I,la
9 ing, and 10 supplemented with rubber hoss
easy of access, buckets constantly filled witt
! water and three portable Babcock extinguisn
ers. Large water tanks, besides, are PLACED
O under the roof and are constantly kept fut
Of water. The machinery alone Mr.. Boat
b right estimates must have cost between $50.
Q 900 and $4,000, and is as complete and per
feet, In his opinion, as anyin the country, ant
In point OF production OF cloth alone
! THE MILLS sURPAss
any In the South In point Of ventilation ant
comfort to the operatives 1t could not be i'm
proved upon. All the hands are natives ant
to the manor born, and live In the immediate
;. neighborhood, mostly all having families an
living with them.
During our conversation with Mr.. Boat
/ right we we're Induced te ask him whethe
!, the epidemic last year had any effect upo
I the operatives of the mill. None at all, h
! answered. and during the entire summer tn
institution was In full blast, only two or thre
Of the operatives falling sick, about the usua
| proportion,) and not a single death occurrin,
among them, whilst all around the neighboi
hood the fever did considerable havoc. 1t /
. true, says Mr.. Boatright, that he took
y EVERY PROBATION
necessary to AVOID disaster. He had pre-
viously put the grounds In thorough order
0 established perfect drains, etc, and when tn
epidemic declared itself he freely used Goa
tar and lime mo carbolic acid) around tn
buildings.
The Lane Cotton Mills, which are pride
:. our city, are easy OF access, being situated o