Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1881-08-18
Am,pufao,urer a should study tho wants


country surroundipg his mill, and prepare
tito nake suoh goods as uro 10 general use
by thoM, and sell oil suoh goods as thcro
is,a demand for direct from tho mill to tho
retailers, aud save transportation and oxo
penses in selling them through selling
agents in tho large commercial ccntrcs; in
that way boil, manufacturers aud consuu,.
ers aro benefited, aud tho retailer saves
jotbers' profits aud transportation to his
plaoo of business. His surplus, Which
must bo sent into market for sale, should
be of that grade aud character Of goods as
he is prepared to make aud that will pny
t,im tho best profit.
HOW TO CONSTRUCT a MILL.
Tho engineering. planning and properly
constructing mill to accomplish what is
OF tnauufacturer's business, and upon that,
ccss or failure than Upon anything else.
different water powers, and still tho samo
general principle must be followed 10 each,
they must DO adapted to tho power and tho
surroundings; with reference to tho striotest
economy in the process Of manufacture and
to transportation; with reference to tho
kinds aud styles Of goods to bo made; with
reference to tho accommodation aud con-
troll of the operatives, 30 that the operation
of the mill may bo uninterrupted by higH
or low water; with plenty of ventilation and
light, aud with duo regard to all proper
sanitary measures to protect tho health of
tho people.
Tho first thing to be douc is to determine
definitely tho kinds and quantity of goods
to bc made, then to employ some expert
onced and successful mill engineer for
consultation and to mako plan for the
machinery with tho best system of making
tho goods, placing On tho plum each ma.
chino in its place, and also plan Of the
building to take in and accommodate it.
There is no such thing as erecting build
ing and then buying tho machinery to 60
into it; it will not fit, and oan never be
arranged satisfactorily, as every manufao..
turer can testify to his sorrow who ever at.
tempted it, Having decided upon the
kinds and quantity of goods to be made,
with the rlau of tho machinery and build.
ing, the plan should bo strictly followed
until tho Dil is finished and started. In
constructing tho building, dam aud mill
wrigbts work, the substantial character of
tho work should be kept constantly in view,
nothing reasonable should be left undonc
that will contribute to that end Nothing
is SO bad economy as to build cheap mill
by leaving of essentials. ] do not speak
of ornameDtation-that ia altogether mat
ter of taste--but to the permanent and
substantial character of the work. Then
buy the best machinery that is mad, aud
that which is especially suited for making
tho kinds Of goods intended to bo made; the
best machinery is none too good; then you
will be in condition to compete success
fully with tho best mills 10 tho country in
the quality aud quantity of the goods aud
their cost; otherwise you will be at disad.
vantage as long as the mill and machinery
lasts.
TIE COST OF a MILL.
Another great difficulty is that most
manufacturers underestimate tho cost Of
mill, and find themselves without money
enough to finish it by which they may al
ways afterwards bo financially embarrassed |
and their SUCCESS greatly hazardcd. do !
not know of nor do l believe that any first
class mill at tho South of 10000 to 20, 1000 |
spnd!es to mako shooting from No. II
yarns has been completed and started, in
oil its details, with tho cost of the site and
power, with aulicicnt number of COM
Portable tenements for tho operatives, with
store and warehouses, dams, bridges and
all necessary buildings and fixtures that are
absolutely essential to tho operations for
less than thirty dollars per spindle Most
of them have cost more. Mills suited to
mako finer goods of course cost less per
spindle, and yarn mill properly built with
first class machinery and fixtures, with
twisters for doubling and twisting tho yarn,
costs little less than cloth mill, aud o
manufacturer ought never to commence
building unless he is sure he will have
money enough to at least pay for tho prop
crty. Something over for commercial
capital will bo very much to his advantage,
for it requires large sum Of money to
operate largo mill, and if he does not
have it of his own he must depend upon
borrowing, which cannot always be done
when needed to advantage.
FIFTEEN TO TWENTY PER CENT. NET PROFIT.
But after all the main object in building
mill by those who put their money into
it is the prospective profit upon tho invest
ments. There may be tho laudablo desire
to give empoymeutto to the people and bene
fit the community. Tho latter is always
incidental and secondary, if at oil. Thc
profit upon tho capital invested in tho mill
property at tho South is not enormously
large as many suppose it to bc, perhaps it |
is best that it is not so but in we'll located, |
we'll built and we'll managed mills tho
profits are reasonable, and are perhaps az