Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1894-07-10
THE EDWARDS MILL.
A Descr iption of How Cotton Cloth is
Made in Augusta.
The Varied Process From The Raw Mate rial
Till Ready for Shipment.

to get an flea OF the process used in its
manufacture.
In Augusta, on the west bank of the Ken
nebec river is one of the largest cotton
mills in the State, and as finely equipped as
any. 1t is the plant of the Edwards Manu-
featuring Company, and for the benefit of
the Journal readers, who do not know the
means used to make the cloth from the raw
material, Journal reporter visited the
mill the other day and took few notes.
In company with Supt. M. M. Stone he
was taken through the large establishment,
following the cotton from the bale to the
cloth. LISA varied process and no detail
will be attempted in this general w,ite-up.
The object is to conveying faint or gen.
eral Idea Of how it is done.
We first visited the large store rooms,
where 1000 bales of cotton can be stored.
The bales come from various parts of the
South. They are done up in coarse
material, little similar to burlap called
cotton bagging only coarser. Around each
bale are six iron bands about an inch wide.
To start with, 9S, 900 spindles are in these
mills and the power consists Of six Her
cules water wheels and two Collins wheels,
with combined capacity Of 1900
horse power. The large store rooms
mentioned are connected with the picker
rooms. The bales are taken into these
rooms and opened. Here we find seven
Bramwel feeders and nine men are en-
ployed in these picking rooms. These ma
chimes pick the cotton to pieces and it
passes out at one end Of the machine, being
forced by a draft Of air, upon machine
which works like great belt, and carries
the picked cotton to room below, where it
is fed on breaker picker. From this ma
chine it passes to the intermediate picker
and is doubled four into one.
From this goes to the finisher picker and
doubled four into one and made ready for
the breaker cards. 1t might be we'll to say
that the object of changing from one ma
chine to another is done to take the dirt out
Of the cotton, make it finer and prepare it
for carding. Ill.,"
As it comes from the breaker cards it is
doubled 50 into one and formed into lap
for the fnisher cards. These have draught
ofS0, that is one inch of lap makes so inches
of silver. On the finisher cards it is doubled
nine into one. The silver comes from the
cards on an endless belt to machine called
the railway head and from this it is put up
to the drawing frame and doubled two into
one with draught Of "a.
From the drawing frame it is taken to
machine called the slubber, which has a
drsught of four, this being the commence
ment of twisting and is twisted barely
enough to be of sufficient strength
to run off and turn the bobbin on the next
machine. 1t is taken from the slubber in
the form of creel and put up to frame
called the intermediate and drawn two into
one, with draught of five and slight in
crease of twist. ##
II is taken from the intermediate frame
and put into the speeder or fly frame, and
doubled two into one, with draught of six.
1t goes from this to the warp spinning
frame. which has draught of IA and
mules which have draught of $50, which
spins the filling or welt. The warp
yarn is then taken to the spooler,
where it is run upon spools and from there
to a machine called the warper. where it is
run upon beams. These beams are taken
to a machine called the slasher, where it is
thoroughly sized or starched. The beams
from this machine are taken to the web
drawers, where the threads are drawn
through q reed and harness. From here II
goes to the looms and is then woven into
cloth. The cloth is then taken to the
cloth hall, inspected, measured and put
in rolls ready for shipment, 400 yards
in ROLL The product of cloth is about
$4,000, 900 yards annually. The company
employs 100 hands in the manufacture of
this cotton. Connected with these mills is
machine shop, equipped with modern ap-
pisnces for repairing all kinds of machinery
about the mills. Also carpenter and black
smith shops equally well furnished. In these
shops IL men are constantly employed. In
all there are five mills. Four large boilers
supply steam for drying the cotton and
warming the mills.
The protection against fire is one Of the
best in New England. In the main street,
between the two mills, is an eight-inch piI e
laid parallel with the l2-inch city main. 1t
is connected with this pipe by a check and
gate valve. The city water, with the city
pressure, stands in this pipe at all times.
Connected with this eight-inch pipe are
stand pipes in all the mill towers. Attached
to these stand pipes on the various floors
are 5000 feet of two-inch hose. There is also
seven outside hydrants connected with this
eight inch main pipe. If from any caus ;
The city water should be shut off, the COM
pany has five of the largest sized rotary
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