The weekly Union times. [volume] (Union C.H., South Carolina) 1871-1894, 1881-04-08
STEAM COTTON MILLS.
TIER ADVANTAGES AS COMPARED WITH
WATER MILLS.


ital stock Of the Charleston Manufacturing
Company will be held to-day, for the pur-
pose of organizing the company The Char
lesion mills will be run by steam power, aud
this is good time. therefore, to reproduce
the report Of n committee of citizens Of
YOrkville, on that subject 1t is proposed
to build mill ut Yorkville, and operate it
by steam power, aud the practicability of
using steam, under favorable conditions, has
been carefully Investigated. Atthc request
OF those interested in the Yorkvillc mill,
Mr.. Joseph +. Wallace, the temporary Pres
Isident Of the organization. and Mr. a. w.
Ipgold, recently visited the steam woollen
and oessen -asiilssof AIossrss b & II. tFriesS
at Salem, N. c., for the purpose of7Abtuin>
ing information from parties who Aaie been,
engaged ia operating factory nachiuaFy with
steam power From the written report of
these gentlemen, submitted to the stock
holders, the Enquirer makes tie following
extract a-.. ~ "a y
"The Salem Woollcn Mills, as they are;
faniliarly known, have been inaeperation
ever since the year 1910, duringsthc whole
of which period they have bcensdriven bS
steam power only, not being situated ON q
water course. The experience aud practk
cal know Wedge, therefore, Of the proprietors,
as between st,am and water, has becn con-
fined exclusively tp the former az the motive
power. and they could not institute that
comparison which they said migbt beane-
cessary, in view ofrconficting opinions a.
to the relative merits of either, for fair
elucidation Of the subject. But as pracS
tical man, thoroughly convcrsant with the
requirements Of the power used in driving
machinery iorthe manufacture of fabrics,
Mr.. Henry K. Fries had no reservation m ~
declaring his preference, unquallticdly aud
unreservcdly, in favor of steam over water;
and as evidence of his preference, he said il
such thing could be as the substituting of
water for steam power at their mills, with
out subjecting them to a cent Of expense iu
making such u change he would not be will
ling to do so. This, he sail, if not an ar.
gument in favor Of steam. wasacertainly the
strongest language hc could employ to en-
force his position. "a
STEAM IN NEW ENGLAND.
Another point he urged, which to him
was an argument more f0rcible than any.
theory, is tho fact that numbers of New
England factories, as fayorably located on
water as any, orc. discarding water power,
LsnRstituting therefor steam, though mt
changing the location Of the mills A New
England manufactures, he thinks, would not
substitute steam for water power if hc did
not perceive economic advantages in max
| ing such change. He also pointed to their
present enterprise as further evidence of his
faith in steam. With their past experience
of forty years with steam, were it attended
with disadvantages, they would not have in.
vested the necessary capital in the erection
OF their new building in which they are new
placing 64SO spindles, 180 looms, and the
necessary preparatory and finishing mach
merry, all to be driven exclusively by steam
Arguments in favor of water over steam.
perhaps at one time applicable, are iuappli.
cable now, owing to the high degree of
perfection attained in the construction of
engines, combining the greatest amount of
power with almost absolute safety, ut an ex.
pense much below the cost Of steam few
years ago when the steam engine was ,u,
paratlvely in crude s'ate and objections to
it were plausible.
REASONS FOR PREFERRING STEAM
"He, however, preferred to give us the
benefit OF the opinion Of a capable employ
ee in his establishment, Mr.. f. c. Romin.
ger, who has had forty years experience in
the business, eight years of which time were
with cotton factories on Haw River, driven
Of course, by water power alone, and the re.
naming portion of the period, or thirty.two
years, with steam power exclusively Mr..
komlnger was decided in his preference for
steam. First, he said, as to location. If
water be tho motive power used, OF course
you must locate your factory on the site Of
the power, which, in the majority Of cases,
Is In some inaccessible region, cut off from
all ready means for rapid, prompt and cheap
transportation facilities, so important in the
prosecution ofany enterprise 10 which cap.
| ital is embarked with the view Of u,akinx
satisfactory returns. AS regards location,
| when steam power is used, he said that need
be determined only by never. failing sup.
ply OF water for the engine. Be sure YOU
have that, and you may locate where you
will.
RELATIVE COST.
"As to the relative cost as between n
properly constructed dam and race for water
power, and steam-engine, he expressed the
opinion that dam and race, taking out Of
consideration the question of location, would
cost more than the most expensive engine,
while the results Of the water power cannot,
under any circumstances, be SO satisfactory
as il steam were employed. This lie ac-
counted for by showing that the supply Of
water in the pond, or reservoir, is too varia-
bic to admit of running with uniform speed
"a great desideratum in the manufacture
of goods Of uniform quality. If the sup.
ply Of water, said he, could always he main.
tanned at a uniform quantity, then there
would be no difficulty but this would be
impossible. The force varies through the
/ d,u No thn ,ratar Ao.u. e. IL y a.