The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1877-1885, 1882-05-31
For the Farmer and Mechanic.
Another vIew--Not SO CheerfuI-.
On. Train After tho Charlotte
Blowout.
Concluded from last ,ceeh. J

tonia, passing some iron furnaces and
stills, but before | reached Gastonia |
came upon the cotton mill of j. Harvey
Wilson, Jr., at Island Shoals, a scenic
spot wrapped in at the foot of Spencer
mountain which must be gone around
before rail is reached, but one can get to
the depot In or 8 miles as one chooses,
though the tarthest depot has the best
approach, and so Mr.. W travels that
line He has fine mill and has this year
added to and renewed his machinery. He
runs 1000 spindles, and | forget how
many twisters, say 1000 spindles. Makes
fine goods and ships North like the rest,
because there isn't gump enough in the
State to see that the yarn trade alone is
fortune, and SO it goes to those who know
how to charge commission while they have
breath.
Mr. Wilson'S mill is situated on the
South Fork of Catawba a stream indepen
dent Of the Catawba, and the finest water
power stream in the South; he has water
power more than ample for his needs,
his dams and sluices are sound and good,
and he could run with his present power,
a Turbine wheel, ten thousand spindles in
addition to his present four thousand. He
is son of Hon. j. H. Wilson, the Ajax
of the Charlotte bar. AT this mill it was
supposed that I had spindle oil for sale
and wanted to buytwaste.
At length reached Gastonia and struck
hands with that sterling patriot, George
Washington Chalk, editor and proprietor
of the Gosto,,ia Gazette, weekly paper,
and the only one in the county. We
struck hands and went to dinner. Chalk
l. IL La IL
tainly has the pluck of a square man, and
it takes it, | tell you, to start paper in this
county that is out of debt, and has money
in the treasury, that never subscribed for
or to railroad or any public improve
ment, and that only has Jail and poor
house because the law compels it; they
are anti subscribers, rich farmers, distil-
lers, and manufacturers who take foreign
papers, those who take any, and have
no job work Well lett Chalk in Gas
tonia with promise to meet me in Char
lotte on Goth, but we never drifted through
the mass assembled on Independence
Square, and so l came on to Lowell on
the Air Line Railway, l6 miles South
west from Charlotte; here found Mr..
r. Y. McAden, Prest. of the lst National
Bank Of Charlotte, up to his ears, in new
machinery for his 6, 900 spindle mill com
pleted weeks ago, and now setting up
new modern machinery for warp. This
mill is 400 feet long, story brick, and
has perhaps the best developed water
power in point of mechanism in the State.
He has % feet clear fall, canal 1,200
feet long, his wheel pit solid stone 35 feet
deep. 80 feet across, most OF his canal is
walled with dressed granite, he has new
houses, both of brick and stone for his
factory help; all is new, but somewhat
chaotic as all such work is before starting;
he has spent much labor but has great
water power. Just above McAden on the
same stream (South Fork. Catawba) are
the two factories of which e. ). Llneber
ger is President, viz: the Woodlawn,
frame, built in 1851, runs 2, 700 new Saw
yer spindles, and all other new modern
machinery, besides looms on which are
being made handsome ginghams, tickings,
drilling and cotton duck, and cottonade.
Here [ saw the survey sheet made last
year, when they we're refitting. They
have at this mill over 900 horse power
of water, and use less than 100; they have
a grist mill, saw mill and planer, and
we're making fine goods. Just 1000 feet
down the river stands the Lawrence mill,
under the same management, tlne brick
with iron roof, 5000 new spindles, all other
machinery new; making fine warp. Allthe
product of these mill go North, except
some used and sold at the mill. They
were building some houses, and covering
them with cotton duck, painted. Well,
said | that's notion but when | refec-
ted on how many people had lived in
tents unpainted, | thought it good idea
we'll adapted found on walking down
the river from the Lawrence mill to Nc
Adens that there were other falls survey
ed which gave an aggregate of 10, 600
horse power of water; the Lawrence hav-
ing II feet fall, aud connected with the
Woodlawn by canal 1000 feet long, 4o
feet wide, giving over 5000 horse power.
and less than $50 used and so here with
in mile of Lowell station is over 20, 900
horse power of water, 3 large cotton mills
agregating IA, coo spindles besides looms,
and great power going to waste. An air
of business and push here in the woods,
which one would not dream of unless he
sought it. Leaving lively Lowell, well
named. and we'll pushed, every spindle
trembling with speed, | again left the