The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1882-10-04
The mississippi Mills.


WessOn the location Of this magnificent
enterprise, is marvel Of growth and de-
velopment. A few years ago, it was pine
forest. The keen eye of that far seeing,
public spirited citizen, John N. Wesso,
in prospecting for seat for the erection OF
manufacturing establishment, selected it
as suitable one for bis projected enterprise.
Il was admirably adapted for the purpose.
After contending against the hardships in
cident to the early beginning of such an un-
dertaking soon after the war, when capital
was scarce and confidence destroyed, its
foundations were at last securely laid, and
it bounded into the zenith of prosperity,
full-orbed, and with success, we will ven
ture to say, without an example in the his
tory of such enterprises in the world. We
have no means of estimating the capital
employed in the enterprise. 1t may be
estimated when we say that the building
and materials are insured for more than
100000. 1t employs nearly 900 persons,
and it would be reasonable to estimate that
thrice that number derive their support
directly from it, to say nothing of those who
are benefited by the extensive purchases of
materials employed in conducting the in
dustry. The machinery and appliances are
all of the latest and most improved. They
use $500 bales Ofcotton per year. Two sets
Of hands are worked--one by day and one
by night. During the night the mills are
lighted with the electric light. The pluck,
vim and brains of Col Oliver, and his CO.
managers of the mills are pushing them ahead
ofall Southern enterprises, and are competing
with the Northern manufactures which
have been built up by government subsidies.
1t manufactures, among which we may note
Doeskins, Cassimeres, Jeans. both colored
and white, ranging in price from 20c., up ;
Linseys, Tweeds, Cottonades, Plaids, Checks,
Cheviots, Hickory shirtings, sheeting,
Shifting, Osnaburgs, Drilling, Ticking.
Rope, Warp Yarns, Knitting Cotton, col
Ored and white, Sewing Thread, Towels,
Grain and Cotton Sack, Penitentiary Duck
and Jeans, ETC., are now being sold in half
the States of the Union, from the Atlantic
to the Pacifc-including New York, Penn
sylyania, nearly all the Northwestern
States, Missouri and California. The Or
ders for goods far exceed the capacity of the
mills to furnish them. By right of suprem-
acy in the quality of its products, these
mills on several Of its staple products, took
the premium at the Worlds Fair, the Gen.
tennial, and Atlanta.
The success ofthe enterprise demonstrates
what we have repeatedly stated that the su-
perior advantages of the South for the man
ufacture of cotton and wooden goods of any
description will ere long enable her to
leave New England far in the rear. The
South is the home of the raw material, and
the cost of subsisting labor being less in the
South than in the North, she has decidedly
the advantage over the latter section. 1t is
contrary to the laws of trade for the raw
material to be transported hundreds and
thousands of miles away and manufactured
as cheaply as where it is produced, other
facilities being equal.
In addition to the mills, Wesson has a
iourishing trade and anumber off elegant and
prosperous stores, furnishing every class
of supplies for the country around--lawyers
and doctors--churches and schools-and last
but not least to the wayfarer, an excellent
hotel, the Richardson House. Its popula-
ton is about $500. It has upwards of three
hundred voters, nearly all Caucasian, and
it is needless to add, that they are solid for
the Democratic Conservative nominee for
Congress in the 7th District.