The clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1883-1888, 1885-10-07
The Mississippi Mills and the Town
of Wesson.
From the wesson Times. !

manufacturing and commercial town q
! about 1000 inhabitants, situated on tn
Illinois Central Railroad about IA
miles north of New Orleans, La. Befor
1850 the place where now stands tn
beautiful town of Wesson, was nothin,
but an open pine forest. roamed by th'
wild deer and turkey, unknown ant
unnoticed save by the hunter aud few
humble farmers who lived near tbs
place. The land at that time could mo-
have been rated at more than $1.25 pc
acre, and even at that hundreds of acres
| lay waste for want of purchasers. Be
tween 1860 and 1865, JAS G.. Drans
located steam saw mill near the spoi
where now stands the beautiful structures
of the Mississippi Mills. nIr. Drane
| being a son-in-law of Col. J. NJ. Wessoni
then President and Manager of the Mis-
sIssippi Manufacturing Co., located al
Bankston, Choctaw county, Miss, doubt
less led Col. Wesson to make the IN
spection and adoption as he did, for the
new location for the Mississippi Manu-
featuring Company, which moved here
| in 1865, and commenced operation,under
direction of Col. Wesson, the founder
and builder of Wesson, and from whom
~ bdASo llS HdHlt- DJ luC ECoeA @NAANA
energy of Col. Wesson, they soon sue
ceeded in building up nice factory and
town, where they carried on business
until 1871. But owing to financial mis-
fortunes received during the war, and
the severe trials of reconstruction
through which we were passing. the
business failed to pay the stockholders:
80 ia 1871 the property OF the MISSISSIPPI
Manufacturing Company, was sold, the
cotton and wooden mills together with
all their property interest in Wesson, to
John T. Hardie & Co, of New Orleans.
Capt. VIM. Oliver, being a member of
the firm of John T. Hardie & Co, came
to Wesson and took charge of the entire
businesgs A new corporation was organ
lied ano chartered as the Mississippi
Mills, with John L. Hardie as President
and VIM. Oliver as Secretary and Treas
urer. Capt. Oliver had sole charge of
the enterprise, giving it his united
energies and undivided attention, and
though novice in manufacturing made
it a success; and the factory was in
very prosperous condition when destryed
by fire in 1873. This discouraged some
of the stockholders, and they were unwill-
ing to put the necessary capital in new
mill, only wishing to build cotton mill
in place of the cotton and woolen mill
destroyed by fire.
Capt. Oliver, by this time having
learned the business, and by his far
sightedness had undoubted confidence
in the enterprise, and having every faith
in the ultimate result that would be
attained, succeeded in enlisting Col.
Ed. Richardson, one of the largest cot
ton dealers and financial men in the
South, and who has world wide repu-
tation for his energy and success in all
great enterprises that he undertakes.
Col. Richardson bought out the dissatis-
fed stockholders, thereby becoming
owner of the majority of stock, and
entered heartily into the enterprise with
Capt. Oliver. The capital of the old
corporation had been $250,000. 1t was
increased to 1914 900, and at the reor-
ganization Col. Richardson was elected
President and Capt. Oliver Secretary
and Treasurer again, which positions
they continue to hold at the present
time, with great credit to themselves
and benefit to the business OF the COM
pany. What is now known as Mill No.
was built at once, containing seven
sets of wooden machinery and about
1000 cotton spindles. Thus with in
creased facilities and more ample means,
Capt. Oliver moved on, adding new
glsry to his already great reputation as
a business and manufacturing man.
Encouraged by success and wishing to
increase business, two years later it was
determined to build another factory, to
be known as Mill Nos 2, and increase
the number of cotton spindles to 9O0O
In 1888 the machinery of the Mills was
reorganized and re-arranged, thereby
gaining room, without additional build
ing, for six additional sets of woolen
machinery and $500 cotton spindles,
thus giving the Mississippi Mills at
present l3 sets of woolen machinery and
IL 500 spindles. This machinery re-
quires 500 looms to convert its products
into cloth, besides number of machines
for making rope, twine, etc.; 230 looms
are for weaving wooden goods and the
balance cotton. Many colored goods
are made; the dyeing department Is
very extensive; and here is one of the
great secrets of success. Only the best
materials are used, and great pains are
taken in all the work, which gives the
EOOuS SuCH nuo OAHApAb anu Ai"hN''
them so universally popular throughout
the world. Mill No. is three-story
brick building 347x50 feet, with two
story extension 100x30. Mill No. 2,
main building, is of brick, four stories
high, 2l2x50 feet, and lapper-room three
stories, 90x40 feet, tower eight stories
high, from which magnificent view is
obtained of Wesson and the surrounding
country, making ones imagination go
out something as Byron's did from the
mountain when above the clouds. All
the buildings are covered with slate
except the tower which is covered with
copper plates. ~. !.
The motive power of the Mississippi
Mills is the best that money can afford.
Mill No. is driven by Harris -Corless
engine of 200-horse power, and Mill NO.
> by one of $50 horse power. These
magnificent engines are supplied with
steam by two sets of four boilers each,
of 800 horse power. In 1888 water works
were built, bringing water l ! miles from
a pure, clear and beautiful creek to the
mills. A splendid pump at the source,
worked by steam, forces the sparkling
water through 6-inch iron piping into an
immense tank and reservoir, overcoming
a difference in altitude of ITO feet.
From the reservoir the water IS forced
into the tanks on the top of the tower,
1870 feet high. From these tanks pipes
are run throughout all the buildings,
and every eight feet on the pipes IS a
fire Mug: in case of fire as soon as the