The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1883-02-15

Tho Sewest Departure In manufacturing
Enterprise.

Enterprise.
COLUMBIA, February !. AT the meet.
ing of the board Of directors Of the peni-
tontiary tonight. Mr. ii. Frank Moul-
ton, Of Laconia. New Hampshire, sub.
mitted Il proposition for the hire Of
convicts, which he explained in person
before the board. Mr.. Moulton proposed
to hire from the board, for the purpose
of operating hoiscry mill, the labor Of
fifty tive convic,s-t thir'y-iivc women,
fifteen boys and five men-the number
10 be increased at later date H. one
hundred in the same proportion. Ho
offered, therefore, the same rates now
paid by Mr.. A. &. Dibett for the hands
employed in his shoe manufactory
cents Il day for women and boys and 50
cents for men. lie proposed to occupy
such part Of the large brick building
erected by the Penitentiary authorities
within the walls Of the institution as 10
not now used by DR.. Dibert, which is
about one half, and IN addition an sd.
Joining building as u dye house.
The proposition was considered by the
board for some time and action was
finally deferred until to morrow. /, is
certain, however, that the offer with pos
sible iminaterial changes will he then
accepted by the board, aud il may, there,
fore be considered as sure that the mill
will be started. There are now suili
cient number of women and boys under
eighteen to fill the requirements of the
first contract.
Mr. Moulton, when the contract is
completed, will order the fine machinery
required for the business, and hopes to
begin work by May /. The capital en-
ploycd at first will be from 10000 to
$50,0O0. The machinery alone will cost
$4,000. He will manufacture of cotton
the finest quality of ladies' and misses
hose and gentemen'o half hose to the
ciluunt ut first Of one hundred aud
twenty-five dozen Il day. If he finds his
enterprise successful and can procure
more hands, lie will hire the labor of all
the women and boys in the institution,
aud Increase his daily outturn of hosiery
to three or four hundred dozen. The
power to be used is the water power
from the existing canal now operating
the Dibert Shoe Factory, and there will
be sufficient OF this for present require
mentI
AT first it is proposed TO buy the yarns
used aud To knit, color and finish the
goods in the mill but, if the enterprise
be successful, which is undoubted, cotton
and wonllen cards will be put in and the
mill will work up the raw material for
itself, making both woolen and cotton
hosiery. 1t is proposed 10 organize n
company for operating the mill, bat the
money is ready and will be furnished by
Mr.. Mouton and one or two associates.
MIR. Moulton will be manager and super.
wise the whole business personally. Some
fifteen ukilled help will be brought from
the North to instruct the operatives, and
| these will be permanent additions to the
| population Of the city.
Mr.. Moulton is q young and energetic
man, and his family are possessed of
abundan, means. He has been part
owner and sole manager of the Clifford
| Hosiery Company, OF Laconia, for fifteen
years, with success. His father is presi-
dent Of the Laconia Bank and chief pro.
| prietor of extensive car shops in that
| town.
Mr.. Moul,on's standing at home ia
shown by the fact that, although he is a
staunch Democrat, he received last fall
tho Republican Us we'll as the Demo.
cratic nomination for the Legislature and
WAS unanimously elected the member
from Laconia. He has spent several
winters in Columbia for his health, and
has been impressed by the superior
advantages of Southern manufactures
and especially with Columbia's fine posi-,
ton. lie will, when the contract il
closed, give UP his Northern home, buy
house here and become an adopted son
of South Carolina.
The letter of"J. G. H." from Colum.
bia, in the Nems and Courier several
weeks ago, in relation to Mr.. Moulton's
prospecting here, was copied in the Bos,
ton Commercial Bullstin, and brough,
inquiry as to the States manufacturing
advantages, and Mr.. Moulton has like
wise had number of offers of water
power from different sections Of South
Carolina in consequence of the publica
ton.
Columbia now has the only inlportan
shoe factory south of Richmond, and vii
soon have the only hosiery mill in lh'
South.