Smyrna times., 1883-08-15

peach is so strangely given to, and
working out results good or bad as the
scale may happen to turn. In this case
il was an impetus in the manufacture
and. an overstOcked market. There
are now in the peach growing districts
of the Peninsula eleven or twelve baS-
ket manufactures, which have in the
past several months been turning out
immense quantities. With Il limited
demand because of the large quantities
necessarily carried over from last year,
the buyers rule the market and the |
makers are selling below what should !
be an adequate price for their invest |
ment and risks. They are selling from
one to two cents below the regular
price in advance of the season. and for
about half of that obtained near the
close of the picking season last year,
while the competition in manufacture
has made the cost in making One-third
more.
THEIR MANUFACTURE.
For some years after the peach came
to be a prominent farm crop, the mar
keting was done in splint baskets.
Stave baskets were introduced because
of their greater economy. The first Of
them manufactured in this section was
by Richard Mitchell, a prominent
mechanic in our town, who established
his mill first on Market street, but
shortly afterwards removed to Clayton,
about the year 1868. Shortly after
establishing himself at Clayton, his
son-in-law, Adams MahOod became in
terested with him in the business. He
afterwards moved his machinery to
Smyrna taking John Weddell in part
nership, and in the midst of a busy
season i'll 1870 and on a Sunday morn
ing September 11th) the establishment
was swept out of existence by devas-
tating fire. In the same building five
to eight years before Josiah ID. Evans
had done thriving business in manu-
featuring crates which were made
necessary by the inadequate supply of
splint baskets, selling from 90 to % cts.
each. The first stave cutter, cut only
one stave at Il time, man pushing the
block to the knife. These were sawed
the proper lengths afterwards. The
hoops were of elm, tough and strong
and the baskets put together with rs
, nails, the maker getting at first 10 cts,
but afterwards getting down to cts. PEI
basket, though they had to get out
their own hoop stuff which consumed
from one to two hours a day. Stavt
, baskets sold at that time from 20 to q
= cents each. About the year 1871 Wor
: den & Evans commenced the manu-
facture of baskets at their large mil
' near the depot and was the first to ust
G the rotary stave cutter and impression
e roller. The greater speed of this ma
f chine as well as improvements in Othe
t machinery, facilitated the manufacture
q and reduced the price, the maker
e getting 3 cents per basket. This pric
K was reduced until it was 2 and finall,
/ cent, when the Messrs. WOrden let
: the establishment four years ago. TIL
= last wear of the mill before it was burn
q the price got down to 3 of cent a baS
9 ket last year it advanced to l cen
q and this year under Il competitive dc
n mand for labor it went up to | cents
f., basket-every thing furnished to tn
70 makers hands. There is benefit to tn
community in the manufacture, but q
the present prices of baskets Is to cts
g it can readily be seen that the boys al
j, getting away with the best undivide
N profits"
THE EFFECT ON BOYS.
N There is a question arising here
of regard to boy labor that the bask'
1s factory is not responsible for and v
=, allude to 1t in this connection only,
"a an incident growing out of it. Ho
much are the boys benefited? A
who know anything of these industri
establishments know that they are II
schools of virtue, but they were esta
~ lished for business, and as workshO
M have nothing to do with the training
ief boys. Aside from this, and from sOT
going to work at too early an age, t
es- possible and most probable evil (exceI
ns- ing those who are obliged to work
IN maintain families) is that they hecor
cb the possessors of we'll filed pocke
which money too often is spent in CT
rly tracing habits that may grow in
he vices.
me One of our citizens said to one
'ur these we'll made active boys fl
'edd ud weeks since, "yOu are at u good a
he he now, why don't you learn trade
tn 81 don't want to learn trade" "
the the reply, " l can do a good deal bet
making baskets" And so he can dr
ave ing the basket season, but he failed
VI, on' recognize the fact that IN a very +
'T' years he will he man with onl!
,sst boys trade and no skill otherwise
yond that of day laborer, while
cen boy who sacrifices now will have dt
re- BILE the advantages as a skilled labo
tier when a man. Our old men see a V
'he difference in the youth now and thi
sot- and forty years ago when every wO
shop was full of young apprentiC
by The most of the boys in due course
Viii time took active places as business n
eld, which they could not have done if IL
had had the opportunity of full pocl
''"E of spending money in the summer ii
ting and no trade to rely on as men.
ker, refer to this feature Of our boys tn
ear, because it has been named to us d
T. recatingly by two or three of
A. thoughtful citizens.
1