Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1881-03-17

'S1.
etiquette and place men on terms Of intimacy
as mutual hunt for meal in country vii
lage in upper South Carolina. A small house
was pointed out to US, about quarter of a
mile down the railroad track, which was dis
tinguished by having two chimneys, one at
each end, in coDtradistinction to the other
houses of the place, which had one chimney
in the middle. This was the "Hotel." In
fact, Westminster has become famous 80 rap
idly that there has not been time to erect a
more commodious building for the reception
of guests. Before we had gone ten steps, l
found chat my companions were Mr.. Holmes
Hardin, of Chester, the president of the Ches-
ter and Lenoir Railroad Mr.. Osman Barber,
representative in the Legislature from Ches.
ter and Mr.. F. H. Barber, Of Rock Hill. l
was informed by them that they had come to
examine the Machine" with view to estab.
fishing factories in their localities. Upon ar.
ritS'ing at the hotel, I met another pilgrim.
He had arrived the night before. and was
from Bremond, Texas. He introduced him.
self as Mr.. T. R. Hayes, of the firm of White
& Hayes, proprietors of large cotton gins in
Central Texas. He had come, he said, to
make personal examination Of the Clement
Attachment, in the interest of several capi.
talists, who would, upon his verdict determine
whether they would establish several factories
near Bremond. MI. Hayes gave an amusing
account of his chase after the Attachment.
He first went to Memphis, where he was in
formed that one of the machines was in ope-
ration. He arrived there just in time to see
the remains of the factory being carried offto
Alabama. He then went to Corinth, Miss,
and found the machine. but, as bad luck would
have it, it was not in operation. He then
heard of the Westminster Mill, and he came
down with half formed conviction that be
would see this one rise up and fly away as
soon as he got near. Mr.. Hayes said to me,
with an anxious look, "Well, l think have
cornered it at last, but I will not be sure until
get my hand on it." I mention these facts
to show the great interest which has recently
sprung up among people all over the Southern
States concerning this little machine, and the
surprising difficulty experienced by those de-
string to examine it in getting the opportuni-
ty to do so.
About 9 o'clock the party started for the
mill. After long ride through a country
which was so wild and desolate looking that
one of the party wanted to know if it wasn't
unsettled government land, we arrived at q
modestlooking frame building, at the foot Of
hill, and were told that this was the mill.
The rumbling of the spindles soon reassured
the party, especially the Texan, who appeared
very anxious that the mill was actually in op.
Grafton. The Striblings, the part owners of
this mill, and the agents for the machine, very
soon came forward, and, with marked patience
and courtesy, spent several hours in describing
to the visitors every part of the machinery
and in answering the innumerable questions
which were asked. The operation and me-
chanism have been already so fully described
in the Ne,os and Courier that I will not at
tempt repetition Of it. Everything worked
in the most satisfactory manner, and the visit
ors had the best possible opportunity Of ex.
amining the work from the moment the seed
was placed upon the feeding table until it
came out silver from the cards and rollers.
The Westminster mill consists of the follow.
ing machinery One Clement Attachment,
one 36 inch Wellman top fiat card, one -four
delivery Danforth drawing frame, one twelve
bobbin Danforth speeder, two Danforth spin.
ming frames, 1872 spindles each J.; two reels, one
bunch press, one bale press, and one of the
champion Cotton Cleaners" This completes
the list of the machinery of the mill, which
has capacity of consumption of 10000
pounds of seed cotton per annum. A portion
of this machinery, being second hand, cost
$2,50O, instead of $500 if it had been new.
The cost of erecting buildings, applying mo-
tive power, furnishing, &C., was 81, 200, ma
king the capital invested S3.700. Operations
were commenced on the 1st of April, 1878.
The operatives consisted of seven young girls
of the neighborhood, who had never seen a
cotton factory, and one skilled operator, who
trained them and attended to the cards. By
the first of November, the crop of 1877,
amounting to $4,000 pounds of seed cotton,
had been manufactured. They then estima-
ted the crop which they had just made at &c.,
900 pounds, and as this would only run the
machine seven months, they proceeded to. pur.
chase from the proceeds Of their sales $1,000
pounds more to make enough to run twelve
months. For this amount of cotton they paid
an average of q cents per pound, or 80 of
the market value Of lint cotton. No Difficult
ty was experienced in securing the cotton,
and Mr.. Stribling said that if he had the wa
teripower he would not hesitate to increase
the capacity of the factory four or FIVE fold.
As farmers, the gentlemen who now compose
the Westminster Manufacturing Company
owned three gins, with presses, powers, &c.
They have found, they say, that they can haul
the seed cotton to the mill, distance of ten
miles, over very hilly country, and effect
small saving over ginning at home. The use
of the Clement Attachment, therefore, they
claim has wrought for them, as farmers, sa-
wing of $2,250, the amount invested in these
gins. The consumption of seed cotton is 800
pounds per day, and the production is 100
pounds of yarn per day. This yarn they are
now selling at % cents per pound. The cot.
ton, therefore, per day, at three cents pound,
which is more than they paid for it, would cost
SIS. Operative and contingent expenses are
placed at $3.50 per day, which would make
the total cost of producing 100 pounds OF
yarns $3.50. The value of this amount of
yarn in the market, at % cents per pound,
would be $36.8O, or over 40 per cent. net profit.
The estimated profit is one cent net on every
pound of seed cotton manufactured. Mr..
Stribling is of the opinion that mill of
a capacity of 100000 to 100000 pounds per
annum would pay ] cents per pound. The
net profit for the past twelve months had been,
Mr.. Stribling informed me, 81, 300 on capi:
tai of $500 invested Having obtained