The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1900-01-03
COTTON MILLS.

History and Wonderful Growth of
the Industry. One Little Factory
AZ KatesviiIp the Parent of Enter
prises Representing Four MILLION
| Dollars.
Manufacturers Record.
In An interview with representative ofthe
Manufacturers Record, Col. James l.. Orr'
| president Of the Piedmont mills, OF PIEDMONT.
Is c., regarding the textile Industry In the
| Piedmont region OF the South. said:
| "The real beginning ui cotton manuiaclnr
ing iu the Piedm n, section OF the C9roiinhs
daips back to 1920, when William Bates, Il
| native of Mass ,chu-tt!s, and who learned b III
trade In the Arkwright mills. near Proyi-
| i-pce. came TO upper South Carolina al tne
instance of the Testers. and hnaily ouilt
| L..ter's factory upon the site OF what Is now
Pelham. The machinery for this mill was
bought in Phllad~lpI1a. second hand, shipped
| l., Charleston by waller and hauled from tnere
| uy wagans over BOG miles.
Mr. Bntta WAS thoroughly practical mar,
and his influence and haDdiwork was felt 10
All the small mills, about haifdozen 10
| number that durniDg the next twenty years
| were bnilt and had n more or less successiui
"xistence, such as Batesville. which Ia named
for him, Bivingsvifle, Fiugerville, Testers,
and mill at Greensboro and a few others.
"The progress OF these mills from lS40 was
slow, and at the breaking out OF the civil war
the Confederate government took charge OF
] all cotton mills and detailed officials 70 run
khem, taking large part Of their product ior
N"The real beginning OF cotton manufactnr.
iLx as we have itnQw commenced with tne
| Piedmont mills. projected and successfully
"afrled out by he latr Col r. +. Hsm,neI,, Tnts ,t
vas begun in 1873. &nd began, .the-lnahd hdfac.
| iurAs Of goods 10 the spring of 1875; 10 q very
Ss9} S,on was mis lGoWTS these
pioneeN mills soon demonstrated to very
IskepticaS world thxyt cotton goods could Of
manufactured In the South az cneap. II noa 'Sa
che per, Shau In any other section OF the
| Uuited St%tes. The Piedmont mills nave
grown fromSa small plant of 5000 splnd.eHs Ht 10
Dearly 81 900 ApinJles; from capital OF S90OO,.
900 10 $4,000, sNnH;l Is far below the value OF
'os1 aqas Psspss ss;sst s of the stock is 1885, eu.
investment exclusively. Piedmont uses 81, ,5CO @
tales OF cotton jsEn4slly, producing Ss.0oo.ooo
ss1'o 10 oh q ns Sse g Pa' ssn
"Followin& the SIGNAL success OF these
pioneer mi Ms others we're soon erecteo. ana u .
| 4 few years. South Carolina assumea tne , iea, !,
al states; and nss
In num3ur ofspindles, and sec9nd 70 none u
tn,gh nj &ndard ofequipment, diyldenas' anu
high cxass otprodnc,s. .,,,.- o,o
"W&ile IL was IN all proPha,oi1Isy h,o c.k m tbis
sect ION over three quarters OF q ceptury asu
II i'll certain that II henhsd been thorousnly
}i,.xbrmed guf-the varying advantages o. ING
sos sIi,sdpo 10, 'hs 6sye etS.sE sec
/ I4ion with Climatic, geographical and physical
l4conditiOns and surroundings more loeai tnan
u this Piedmont sectiou. -. - a.,
80 successful have oeen tns Sstths istshss x -
N cotton manufacture here, fattQs9 So HS
csption :, in fact, With any hfnEiatk enilE1'
tnanssements, there have been Nno sfSs
|: EThe mills begun tED osss "a ftseI 2aera sg! y
10 many instanes3 aa5 Rssssss - e sEs)
Y ttEinany ins59
tl6p{e faS Ike Hs ,5 e.
z 81 fdheif n3} M q y! RI
ldsfidSaEthS lA&E e.
T .ai fiySnsWS y ~ M
81 az he S$fSS4 Il
81 iind sfbS2 3tf 6i[ eS3 -
y e&ceJ saesS - )
~ M Edtto3s there IsI& (8
at abeffnan Ifit pfod1tz &s "a
y lSouth ,Grralipa. iStyl ing d sol nshi nlMl
m,,a,iu4 Tsod Il
Far lSfSSf. the tative type, sqo
9ljGIs lnjIs s3sSne' Rids O., !quict leafn,S c.
,.tmanaged; q itty frugal !s
g ,,beapest.S 3 - M NSsS&gy
81 In, dssicn and 8rchStecture Of mills, to-
Z most effectiVe ithES the skill Of fifty years 9
the best engl lneettpgs sof America has eVo
In niachneryf lRsi Re mooetn, ,ns ana' ,sai al
:. makers on This turn OUT iroLn IL lug, T.
> Sx,rkst,epss hers Are thpfe Draper looms ~
a SijaS NIL d. .of South Carolina Than all Ne'
y yfEngls1d mills combined.
. "WIthin,an area of lOOimlles OF tnese Pr en
D neer mills are fnfthe neighbornooo or 10y
400 spindies. representing an outlay OF nearl.
q $40 OtO, 600 Ten per cent. dividends, and man
e mills making more. represents annually ne
profit OF $a,000.00. And this has oeen aone \
q thirty years.
Z "The profit IN cotton manulacturlng auIln y
e, his period has been satisfactory, Varying, !
J. course, as the conditions nave ;peen motsso ~ :
II iess satisfactory. These mills nave pee
70 th roueb sas hard times as have everSDee
ID unown in the history of manufacturlpG1 a
,he JJn,fpd States They have dem0hstrats
D shs,s ability tosIive through unfasorsbl
condItiuns and make money AS tnyes
lie ments they. are as we'll tried as any businei
tf.uooi m IN nth thGfSTOftd. They nave zee
,e epan ~ IN northern and soul
s Sions with the mills, Grad ualIy II has dosss
is Tss dend.pasers tno none oettefsn
n their stocks are helngss0ggak naa LOT anG fef
n a,and IN IN many nora eass ssnssali Jea rs y !,
II ldcIs oSSSlaS nsSt ~. $500 ep1c -.