The Lexington dispatch. [volume] (Lexington, South Carolina) 1870-1917, 1894-04-25
A GLORIOUS ENTERPRISE.
Columbia Register.


a noteworthy and distinct epoch in the
history of the city of Columbia and in
the future of our people.
Owing TO the fact that the water
would for the first time be turned upon
the wheels, and in accordance with tins
announcement, many citizens gathered
at the power house of the Columbia
Duck Mill to witness this Important and
interesting ceremony, and interest re-
manned nnabated nntii the supreme
circumstance had transpired. The oere
rnony was an impressive one. There
were few, if any, persons present wiz"
did not feel a thrill Of eXu!tatlon as the
venerable Aretas Blood, the president OF
the company, stepped to the water gate
and opened the wheel portals TO the
awaiting element, eager to show ITS
potentiaiity TO those who had wrought
through the wonders of art 10 cad II
from IFS useless course of waste INTO
channels of usefulness ana henehcence
simultaneously with the contact OF mo
tive power and machinery the great elec
tric generator moved, at first majestic
ally, and then with the spin of a bus!
mammoth on lis way 10 make industry
and thrift, and life, for present ana III
ture generations. What an inspiring
sight What Il superb mission! Alah
and nature, and art, combining and com
bined TO play their parts in fhe soclai
and material economy of industry. Il
ramify through a thousand veins the
complex relations of the forces engaged.
TO each, and TO the whole
And now the subtle finid is gathered
hy the great revolving wheel, and agaln
the octogeaarian president, who does
not fear to use his means in promotion
of enterprise, steps to the switchboard,
and sends the marvellous force with the
rapdity Of lightning itset to the motoH
in the mill building two hundred 1ee1
away. Again n sensation as OF the
movement within of an uplifting spirit
possesses and actuates the spectators.
Again a mystery is shown-again l.
man behe,d in the application OF arr
and here is the manifestation of re-
sponse-the motors take into and
through their winding veins the life
producing fluid and the whole system
moves without jar.
Here is q superb plant. The ieopl'
walk through it and see what is there
Here is the power house equipped witt
the latest and best machinery IN the
world. There are four water wheei>
of the St&lwen & Bierce Co.'S manu-
facture developing in the aggregate tw"
thousand horse power. These are at
tached TO two electric general tors, aGgrt
eating two thousand horse power. an'
they supply the current for the motor
in the mill In addition 10 the fom
main water wheels is one OF two nan
dred horse power to be used for cleNal
-iae- water to the mill bHil,iihg ami tol
supplying electric lights in the mill and
ut the factory village across the liver.
The construction department OF The
Stiilwell & Bierce Co. is presided ovel
by A c. Rice, who was present u
witness the splendid performance oi
his work.
Cross the canal, over the handsome
iron bridge erected by the company, and
pass by the five compartments of The
cotton warehouse, in which are alread!
stored hundreds of bales Of cotton
awaiting introduction to the slaShe1
room which will come in dle time.
Here is the first floor of the great mill.
with its machine shop and paraphernaiia
for heating, moistening and ventilating.
as the requirements of the atmosphere
NAV demand from time 10 time
Now, ascend from floor 10 floor and
behold slasherS and pickerS, and "mni@S,
and SpinnerS and looms, and hundred
other kinds of machines and contriGtn:es
for converting the raw INTO the finished
material, and for the comfort and CON
yenience of the 1900 operatives soon TO
be installed in their respective places.
Here are the aerophOrS for purifying
the atmosphere; here are the fire eXtin.
guishers which IN case of fire will set
themselves 10 work without the attcn-
ton of man; here are the registers 10
;rnpart warmth and here il the cooling
apparatus for use III the heat of summer.
Overhead are lines of Shattln% ana al
their ends are the motors. They are 50
arranged that one shaft may be run, or
nh of them, at the will of the operator.
Here is Il shaft in full motion through
the action of Il motor which has 1lSI
received it's current. Now the current
is switched off. but so sicely is the shaft.
ing and machinery adjusted that for five
minutes after the current is withdrawn
the machinery continues TO revolEe by It's
own momentum.
Conveniently arranged for freight end
passenger traffic are elevators compuni-
eating with the upper and lower floors;
here is something new, Selt-opening and
closing floor doors; as the elevator ;p-
proaches floor doors are automatically
opened through which it passes, and as
it disappears the doors close again.
leaving no evidence of the presence Of
an elevator. Upon inquiry it is found
that under the laws generally i'll New
England this provision of safety is com
pulsory. With its use has come immu.
nifty from fatal falls through elevator
openings.
The company's Offices are all located
on the second floor of the building and
are handsomely finished in native woods.
They are spacious and provided with all
comforts imaginary.
And now having looked through the
entire plant march down out of the
building 10 the sweet musical and merry
ringing of the Sweet-toned factory bell
which has just been mounted at the top
Of the structure whence it can send forth
with vantage its enticing calls to work
and give its glad goodbye and good
speed To the weary toiler at the close of
d3V