The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1897-08-04
HOME ENTERPRISE.
The Building OF q Political COTTON
Mill on II Theoretical Basis at
Bn-nwelI.

and Courier we learn that the citiIenS OF
Barnwell are talking about building cotton
mill in Barnwell on the subscription install
ment plan, with a rule that no man shall own
more than limited number OF shares, and
that no man shall be allowed 10 cast more
Than a certain number of votes at any meet
ing OF stock holders. The cash capital on
which the work may commence is TO be so,
UW.
paper containing the particulars, but we be-
ileve the above To be the salient points OF the
enterprise which is now in embryo.
III the brethren would allow US to make a
suggestion, We would suggest that il might be
well TO let this enterprise eXpend itself In
talk, or else let the ideas and plans be en-
panded.
We are not quite certain whether cotton
mill on the coast is desirable or not. We are
not informed as to the amount OF labor TO be
had on the level lands that skirt tie sea. II
there be a scarcity OF labor in that section, II
would be folly TO build the BarDwell mill on
either a practical or political basis.
In the hearts Of the people who live on the
high and rolling sections of the hill lands
there is u deep.seated prejudice or dislike for
the low country. Although the low country
may be just as healthy as the Blue Ridge
no effort TO induce the up-country people 10
90 down there in great numbers has yet sue
Nearly every body talks Of bringing the cot
ton mills to the cotton fields, but the right
way TO do Is TO bring the mills - the labor.
Where the labor Is plentiful, there the mills
should be bnlt.
In the up country there Is an abundance Of
good labor in every county for one or more
mills.
Abbevile county has just put up what
Northern mill men aud strolling tramp mill
hands are pleased TO call small mill" but
you may be sure that IL IS mighty Dig tnlnS
Ior TO build.
Abbeville being in the belt where labor
abounds, and against which there Is no preju-
dice, the cottages Of the Cotton Mill at AbDe.
willie are crowded with operatives of the best
kind-men women and children-wEo come
here because this Is a desirable place TO live.
The applicants for places by our own people
are not few, and as soon as the people find
out how much better II Is for their families 10
be employed in the cotton mill than IT Is for
them 10 employed on the farms, or TO be toll
ers on rent ted fields many other OF our neigh
bors will join the great army OF mill opera
tives.
But it will be found that Barnwell has no
such advantage of labor from the up-country.
The up-country labor Will not 20 10 the low
lands.
The first question, then. to decide is, wheth-
er there is plenty OF labor in Barnwel and
the contiguous territory. That question set
tied IN the affirmative, then 1t may be well 10
look TO the business OF building the cotton
mill.
The idea Of building a mill in the country
on the instalment plan is impracticable and
The idea OF limiting the subscriptions and
the number of votes Of any stock holder, must
he abandoned. If the mill is TO succeed, The
projectors will be only TOO gled 10 get big sub
scrIptions and will most readily see tue JUS
tlce OF the stock holder voting according TO The
amount OF his STOCK.
The Idea OF commencing to work with S2O,-
900 Of subscriptions, with which 10 build
twenty thousand dollar house, Will not do.
Northern capitalists will not take stock in any
such mill-unless IT be TO get rid OF out-oi-date
machinery. And the political restrictions
with the proposition to build mill with
S2O,0O0 which must, at the lowest figures, cost
d quarter Of Million reminds this editor OF
Il public meeting which was once held at At
oevIlle. The most enthusiastic speeches were
delivered-the time for action had cOme-the
time tor talking had passed-the mill must
and should be built-every other town had
mill, and we must have one, too. The mill
just bad TO come. After the orators had fired
Off their eioQuence, the man with his ready
made preamble, including whereaSes without
number, arose from his appointed place in
the audience, and with all seriousness intro
duced resolution that 1t was the sense OF
this meeting that Sl5 ,OJ0 be raised immediate
ly by subscription, with which to build
first class cotton mill The recital OF this act
ual occurrence is not to discount ybOQy's
enthusiasm In Barnwel, or TO ridicule any
body patriotism in AODeyille. but TO show
that public spirit may sometimes get away
with our rea IlZation OF the magnitude OF
proposed undertaking.
TIE smallest mill which may expect bona
tde subscriptions from Northern men IL
ten-thonsand spindle mill. Owing TO the
sharp competition OF the larger mills,
smaller mill than ten thousand spindles, 1t Is
thought, cannot pay under ordinary manage.
ment. And no mill, however large, with old
machinery, need expect 10 pay much dlvid-
end to its stock holders
If our Barnwell friends expect to have a
successful mill, and expect to receive North
ern help, they should regard the house as of
the very greatest Importance. Before any
considerable amount OF Northern money was
put into the Abbevile mil, Representatives
Of the capitalists came TO inspect our mill
house. Northern people attach the greatest
importance 10 the house They seldom put
money into poor, rickety house, and they
do not often help to build mills which are OF
less than ten thousand spindles capacity.
1t is, therefore easier 10 build good mill OF
ten thousand spindleS than IL is 10 build an
inferior house with five thousand spindes.
Our contemporary. the Charleston News
and Courier, has al different times spoken OF
the cost per spindle, IN some OF the mills, and
that paper and some OF It's correspondents
have placed the cost in some instances we
believe, as low as SIS per spindle.
We do not doubt the perfect good faith OF
the editorials in the News and Courier, which
are sustained by the testimony Of reputable
correspondents, but from our limited expert
ence and imperfect knowledge in the art Of
building cotton mills, we would suggest to
our Barnwell friends that they cannot build
firstclass mill for less than Sd or so per
spindle-coarse cloth. For weaving fine cloth
the cost must be from sig to Sd per spindle.
The reduced cost per spindle Tor fine goods
is accounted for in this way II requires only
about one-third of the cards, pickerS and
speeders for fine cloth that Is required for
coarse cloth.
The house room that is required for these
extra machines would hold additional spin
dies and thus reduce their average cost.
In a mill of ten thousand spindes-cOarse
cloth--are needed forty-twO OF the latest and
best cards. with capacity Of 10 lbs. per day,
each of which costs about $500. Sixteen cards
would answer for ten thousand Spindles--hne
cloth. If old style cards. with capacity OF
20 pounds day Is put In, they could he had
Tor about $40.
If even the best of the out -of-date looms are
in "a N ahOlt
II the recently perfected machinery-the
Draper loom-is put in, they can be had Tor
about $50 each.
or course, the prices quoted above may
the width of the clotu II may be desired to
weave. A 3G-inch loom would certainly cost
less than a 10 or S0.inch loom.
A mill house that would attract Northern
capital would necessarily cost Si5,OOO OF So.
Con.
Every cotton mill should be on the main
line OF a railroad or on q side track of the
same. The expense of hauling heavy ma
chinery by wagon or dray would greatly in
crease the cost of n mill.
While IL may be possible that An old mill
may be bought for u ttiAe. and new machin-
cry put in it at greatly reduced cost per spin
die. yet nobody need expect TO build a new
mill and stock it with tirstclass machinery
for coarse cloth at a less cost than S2j TO $3.50
per spindle-ten thousand splndles.
If the Barnwell Cotton Mill Company un.
dertakeS to build their mill on the lines
built, but IT will be a special wonder II IT does
not change ha nds before ii Is finished, when
the original stock holders will be left in the
lurch. and n new company may put up a
good mill at small cost per spindle.
The building OF a cotton mill, like the build
ing Of q railroad, is q hazardous business
when undertaken unadvisedly and without
sufficient capital to complete the work. The
Abbevile Cotton Mill Company made q VEN
ture, which might have been an expensive
one for the Company If it had not been for