The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1899-11-19

IeiXer. lie Salu WAS wanted IheFe ~
talk to the people, and he ventured to
fix the day and the compensation for
loss of time and waste of tongue. ! had
never heard of Pelzer nor could | find
ii on my antiquated map But did find
il on one of later date, and supposed it
was some small village that had Il cot
ton mill and dam on the Saluda and
some tenement houses. Nevertheless, l
accepted the call. for the offer was lib
eral The next mail brought a similar
invitation from Piedmont, another mill
town. only six miles from Pclzcr.
So / journeyed from Atlanta to Green
Vile, and there changed ears for my
destination. which was only twenty
miles away. Ii was night when | reach
ed the place. My good friend, Mr.. Pad
gett. who is the Democratic postmaster
took me To his house. | had not seen
the town, for ii was quite dark. What
is the prospect for an AUDIENCE" | in
qIired VERY good" he said. Il think
You will have several hundred people ont
10 hear YOU" why how large is your
town? What is Your population?"
About 1000" he said. | was amazed.
A town twice as large as Gainesville
and | never heard Of it and it is not on
my map. He explained by saying that
it was only twelve years old, and had
four large cotton mills that employed
over 1000 operatives, and consumed
nearly 100000 bales of cotton. and the
company owned some 5000 acres of land.
and all the houses and stores and
churches and several miles of the river.
did You advertise me pretty wellF'
asked. "0h. yese' he said. I'VE church
folks told it TO everybody we met, both
in the town and in the country, and
they all said they were coming" Pub
lish it in the papers:'' said /. ''No, no.
We have no papers here, and no print
ing office. We didn't even have a post
er or hand bill. but We talked ii a good
deal" Wei. | listened and wondered
and my confidence was shaken. After
a bountiful supper and a little mixing up
with the children, we went to the large
church where ] was to hold forth, and
found it already pretty well filled. In
a brief time / stood before more than
500 people, and was inspired to make
my best effort, for | had am orderly and
attentive congregation, and we all fell
in love with one another. / never have
had more gratifying lecture occasion.
Next morning was spent in viewing the
city and the mills and the library. The
merchants carried immense stocks in
large stores. and there We're many nice
residences for the managers and heads
of the various departments, but they
were all built and are owned and leased
by the mill company. This company
owns and controls every foot of land and
everything that is on it. Captain
Smythe, of Charleston, is the king, tie
car. a big-hearted brainy man, and
everybody respects and loves him. He
is q son Of that celebrated Presbyterian
minister of Charleston who during his
ministerial life, was a notable man in
religious circles. | remember that he
was one of my fathers friends "Who
is your mayor?" said /. 1--WE have none;
no mayor nor aldermen, no municipal
corporation no marshal nor police. Cap
tain Smythe runs the town. Everybody
who comes here for employment is in
yestigated carefully. His antecedents
must be good or he can't stay. We have
no lawyers nor editors; don't need any.
We allow them TO come in and look
around did you know that ! was a
Iawyer?' said l. "Oh, yes; but we
learned that you had quit the practice
and reformed. and so we invited you"
Il don't see any negroes about here,
said l. mo, we don't want them.
There are few, but they live outside.
Some of them cook and wash for MS, but
Captain Smythe don't want us to mix
with them or depend upon them He
wants everybody to depend upon them
selves as much as possible And so
you have ruled out lawyers, editors and
negroes:" YES, said he, "and there
are no saloons or blind tigers or cigar
cites" How about doctors?" | asked.
"Oh, of course, we have doctors; yes,
we have two doctors and one dentist
and four preachers, all select, and one
photographer. The company has a good
public library and pays a man to keep it. >
/ visited mill No. 4, an up-to-date mill
in all respects. 1t is operated by cleo
tricity that is generated two miles dis
tant at some falls of the Saluda river.
This mill amazed me. No coal and no
steam. 1t is 1913 feet wide and 52S feet
long and is four stories high. In one
great room ] saw 10000 spindles turn
ing. In two others there were 1,400
looms. 1T requires 100 operatives to
attend to this mill, and it takes $4,000
bales of cotton for a years supply. Just
think Of it. The superintendent Mr..
Guy, had the elevator to stop about half
way up between floors so that | might
have good view Of the machinery and
the busy boys and girls in this spinning
ROOM This room he called his children's
room; not the children's room, but my
children's room, he said. Scores of lit
tie chaps not more than ten years old
who looked their love for him. They
were the brightest and healthiest chill
dren / ever saw in a mill, and earn from
% cents to 60 cents a day. Many of the
grown girls earn from 60 cents to S1.25
a day, and the average pay Of them all
is 62 cents. This is good wages, for
their work is easy and healthy. The
rooms are never too hot or too cold; for
the temperature is kept uniform by fans
and heaters in the basement No grease
or fatty matter is used on the machinery
nothing but pure mineral oil. These
children are required to leave the mill
at certain periods and go to their pub
lie schools, which are supported by the
company. / visited the school and found
300 of the pupils gathered in the large
room to receive me and listen to n brief
IT, - d n Ja,,