Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1901-05-22
SOME STARTLING SOUTH
ERN C0TT0 MILL FIGURES,
From the Scientific American. I

IhtAio Al ViC OOuGucIu OGbtcb nave
increased from 10000 to 100000
spindles working in 485 mills in
seventy years invites criticism from
those who are unfamiliar with the
development of the industry in this
section of the United States. Yet,
according to the most accurate cal
culations, mills containing the num-
ber referred to were either in opera
tion or practically completed at the
beginning of the new century. 1t
should not be imagined that they are
located in all parts of the South, for
Florida has no mills whatever, but a
half dozen are in the State of Texas,
extensive as is its area, and Ken
lucky and Virginia have but a few,
scattered here and there.
The principal activity in construc-
tion of cotton mills has been con-
fined to the South Atlantic and
Gulf States, beginning in the North
in North Carolina and ending OF the
Mississippi River, although begin
ming has been made in Arkansas, as
we'll as Oklahoma and Indian Terri
tories. An idea of the rapidity of
construction can he gained when it
is stated that the number of mills
built in the South during 1900 was
about 100, compared with rs during
the previous year. In 1895 accord
ing to the best estimates, the number
of mills was 1876, representing 2,4OO,.
600 spindles. In 1897 the number
had increased to 800, representing
about 3,500,000 spindles. Here is
shown a gain in five years alone of
over 100 per cent. During the
present year the number of plants
projected is estimated to be some
what less than in 1900, but the ten
dency in the South has been to
increase the number of spindles and
looms installed in single mill, so
that the total amount of machinery
would practically be more than that
erected during 1900.
The figures showing the cost Of
mill construction, ETC., are significant.
Those which follow are based upon
actual estimates made of plants
which have been constructed. The
sum of $4,000 will build and equip
a plant ready for operation contain
ing from 5000 to $500 spindles, ac-
cording to the size of the yarn it is
to produce. The sum of 100000
is sufficient for mill ranging from
1000 to G,000 spindles, while sl75,-
600 will complete a $4,000 spindle
plant. This price includes brick
and stone building, with heavy
framework, containing fire pro.
lection, electric lights, steam
heating, water supply, also
tenements for the necessary number
of operatives and warehouses for
storing cotton. The $4,000 plant
will consume between SO and 60
bales of cotton a week, working on
No. yarn, or from IS to 80, work
ing on finer product, No. 80, for
example. In calculating these fig
ures, an estimate of Is per cent is
allowed for waste of material by
soiling, the amount taken out in
going through the various processes,
and the shrinkage. To operate such
mill with 5000 spindlcs, 40 opera
tives are required for spinning alone.
The labor is calculated to represent
Is per cent of the total cost of the
product when coarse goods are
made, the raw material 65 per cent,
and the depreciation of the plant
and other expenses the balance.
The organization OF company ope-
rating mill of 10000 spindles and
32O looms generally consists of a
president, who is also the treasurer,
a secretary and superintendent.
These three form the executive
heads OF the various departments,
the secretary acting as bookkeeper.
No large salaries are paid, that Of
the president sometimes being as
low as $4,000, while the superintend-
cnt receives from $1,000 to $4,000,
and the secretary $1,000 to
$1,000. The salaries, of course,
increase in proportion to the size of
the mill the president of plant of
from $4,000 to 100000 spindlcs may
receive from $4,000 to $4,000
annually, the secretary, $4,000, and
the superintendent, who may have
an assistant, $4,000. The cost for
power, of course, varies, but upon
averages secured from a number of
mills in various portions of the
South, operated under different con-
ditions, steam costs per horse power