New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1902-04-20

COTTON MANUFACTURERS
NEW-ENGLAND ASSOCIATION
OF MEN INTERESTED IN
WORK OF THE MILLS.
ORIGIN AND GROWTH OF THE ORGAN
IZATION-SOME OF THE PRINCIPAL
MEN IDENTIFIED WITH 1T.


The New-England Cotton Manufacturers 1Assu-
c,.+,o, Mill hold its seventy-second meeting IN
Chiprnan Hall in the fremont Temple, In Boston
ON Aprfl @ and "a and such unusual Importance
is given 10 that meeting that something relative
to .he career and usefulness Of the organization
may be of interest at this time.
II fs one of the oldest of the technical associa-
lions IN the United States having been organized
on April 90 1865 by Jones S. Davis now DEAD. at
that time manager of a cotton mill at Holyoke'
and Colonel Samuel Weber. who occupied SIM
3ar postion in the mill at Chicopee and who is
now living at advanced age in CharlestoWn' N
H Although he retired from the cotton business
as an active manufacturer many years ago. he
still keeps IN active touch with affairs as a con-
eultant in the management of cotton mills. ana
ont o. respect for his brilliant and varied career
the association few years ago by unanimous
vote elected him honorary member OF the or
ganization
Like many other organizations. this association
WAS hased llpon a predecessor OF smaller scope
the Hampden County Cotton Spinners Assocla-
tinn which consisted in 1856 Of the managers OF
The mills in Central Massachusetts, to the north
OF Springfield. They met socially once a mon'l'
and at this dinner their affairs. problems uLais
.nd successes were the subjects OF discussion ne
tuportunity of other manufacturers OUTSIDE tie
territorial limit fixed upon by this organization
was so strenuous that the New-England cotton
Manufacturers Association was orsaIlzeo on
ApriI % 1865 by fortv-four men, who asseinplea
st Boston, six of whom are still members OF IL
II is believed to be the only association an tie
world solely devoted to the technicalines OF COZ
.on manufacture other organizations OF Similar
,,+la are devoted mainly TO the trade and COM
txnercial elements of the business 1t was incor-
rr,orated on December l. 1894. by special charter
which states purpose 10 be that OF encouraging
scjentifc investigation and experiment as 10 the
methods Of manufacturing cotton, collecting ana
s,nnarttng information relating TO this industry,
,,roroo-ing social intercourse among its members
and establishing and maintaining a library OF
works on textiles in the city of Boston
From the small beginning Of less than half a
hundred at its original meeting the organization
has reached a membership Of nearly seven hundred
which has gone far beyond the territorial limits OF
sts early DAYS and includes in its membership the
principal cotton manufacturers throughout the
United States. crossing the boundaries TO the
1oor,inion Of Canada. with member IN China
and several in England. Among the contributions
10 the transactions at these meetings there have
been papers from numerous English manufact-
urers, France. Germany, switzerland ana Hossla
and three from Japan
Its membership consists, first, Of active members
who are those employed in cotton manufacturing
sn an executive position, and. second. of associate
members whose business connection is in some OF
the tributary relations TO cotton manufacturing as
IN the sale Of cotton cotton goods on a large
scale or mill building or manufacture Of textile
machinery.
II has held meetings twice year since its Or
xanization. at which papers have been presented
,non subjects covering the whole range of cotton
manufacturing problems and the engineering ques-
lions pertaining thereto As an example or the
position of the in keeping TO the fore
front the live issues in cotton manufacturing, II
may he stated that at its meetings were presented
the first papers electrical illumination ana the
transmission Of power in mills by electricity
The records of these meetings are contained IN
Two volumes Of about four hundred ana hfty
pages issued each year, and it is the policy of the
organization that these transactions should be as
fully and completely illustrated as may be neces-
sary in order give every facility to the full
treatment of the subject
1t has been customary in the last ten years to
hold one meeting at Boston in the spring but the
fall meeting has been held at the Crawford House.
White Mountains; Providence Montreal Philadel-
phia Washington. Atlanta, Profile House, White
Mountains and last fall at Niagara Falls.
The papers read at the meetings of the associa-
ZION have had a wider range than would be ex-
pected from the membership Of an organization
of Its kind and specialists the various depart
uents especially from Europe. have given the
saeneft of their experience at these meetings. AT
fhe Par-American meeting held at Buffalo last
wear a unique paper was contributed by young
Japanese who had begun the study of the English
language only two years before and while he was
ecauainted with the japanese methods of cotton
,,nanufacture and with the construction OF the
English language. Vet his method Of thought IN
creating OF the subject truly Oriental as TO
give piquancy his production.
which. from the intensity of local interest, may
have escaped due notice from historians at large.
have been presented various meetings of the
association and the records form a unique ency-
rloneda upon all matters pertaining TO the subject
Tn the last wear the records, comprising seventy
ms volurnes were indexed by thorough card
catalogue system with references, nine thou
sand in number order afford greater facilities
for those who desire to consult them.
The former office of the association. in Boston.
was burned out in February 1880, destroying all
Of the early copies of the transactions OF the as
eociaticn, which were on file. These have never
been reprinted. SO that complete set is exceed
sngly rare
organization TO which reference has been made,
the association has given consideration to matters
of public interest A few months after holding
meeting in Philadelphia in 1897. it gave 20 the
Philadelphia Textile School. in commemoration Of
that affair bronze bust OF George Draper, by
Cyrus Cobb, mounted upon a polished granite
pedestal, which placed in the rotunda of the
Philadelphia Textile School.
George Draper was a remarkable character,
whose vigor OF thought and action is still living
force in the methods followed IN the cotton manu-
featuring industries. AS the founder Of the Home
Market Club. he did much develop public sent
tective tariff and his three sons, the senior being
General William F. Draper late ambassador 10
Italy are all of force and emfnence The in
scription on the base indicates the steps of his
notable