The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1903-09-27
Fries Rose by Magic and
PrOSpered.
COTTON MILL is
ITS RAISON D'ETRE
Company Owns Every Foot
of the Land.
NO SALOON NOW.
NOR EVER WILL BE
The Dam Which Furnishes Power Was
Built Of Rock Tunneled from the
Mountain Side and the Mill Of
Timber Which Was Cut
from the Same
Place.

FRIES. GRAYsON CO., VAL, Sept.
2s.-This town Of two thousand people Is
beyond doubt the most remarkable in Vir- b
ginia. Three years ago the site Of the
place was little more than wilderness.
with only one or two residences and an
old grlst mill on the spot where are now
one Of the largest cotton mills In the
South, and the homes of eight hundred
operatives and their families. It is town
whose growth has astonished the coun-
try at large. and whose future bids fair
to surpass its past in all save the rapid
ity OF development. 1t is a model town
in many respects, being laid out after the
plan of Pullman, Illinois, and it is tho Il
intention of the men who are Mt the head
municipality. no matter how rapid or
great Its growth.
Five years ago the site Of Fries was
owned by, j. P. Carico. who resided here.
He seems to have been engaged in several
lines of business, among them horsedeai-s,
ing, which he carried on rather extern
sively. About three and half years
ago his partner, Mr.. R. M. Cardwell who
is at present the general store-keeper
OF the cotton mill company. went to
Winston Salem, n. c.. with q lot OF
horses for sale, and while there learned
that Colonel II. II. Fries, wealthy citi-H
zen OF that place, was looking for a site
for large cotton mill. 1t occurred to
him that Carico owned the spot desired
for the MILL and he went to see w.
Ruftin, who is treasurer Of the cotton
mill company He assured him that
twenty-seven feet fall of water could be
secured here, and an option was taken on
the property. Agents aid Colonel Fries
himself came on to Investigate. and the
result was that the old mill and eight
hundred acres Of land besides were pur-
chased. But the purchase was not made
until a thorough investigation of all sites
along the New River from East Radford
to Fries, distance of sixty-odd miles.
had been made. The mills came very
near being located at the former place,
but the fact that the stream had been
declared navigable waterway by act OF
Congress, which would prevent Its being
damned without the consent of the Sec
rotary of War, and the further ana per-
haps more significant fact that the prop
erty owners along the water front wanted
damages amounting to $4,000 because.
of the backwater from the proposed dam,
East Radford lost one great chance.
Finally the option on the Carico place
was closed and the work OF erecting the
Washington company's mills and tho
tenemcnts for the operatives was begun.
That was about three years ago. Tho
work of construction was very heavy.
Everything used except tho lumber and
stone had to be brought In over the Grip
pie Creek extension of the Norfolk and
Western, which extends from Pulaski
to Fries Saw-mills were put into opera
ton cutting lumber for the buildings.
hundreds Of men were set to work quar-
rying the rock from the side OF the
mountain on the opposite side OF the
river for the foundations for the mill
and the great dam, which Is now and will
perhaps always be the great feature OF
the town, Slowly and surely the noun
tainside was stripped of Its trees. the
buildings went IN and the dam rose
across the river. This dam is six hun
dred feet In length, including the head
gates; is thlrty-seven feet In height; thirty
feet thick at the base. and ten feet at
the top. The cost Of construction was
slos,ooO. The minimum horsepower OF
the water that flows over It is 10000. A
slight increase In the height OF the dam
would add immensely to the power de-
veloped.
THE MILL.
The mill Is an enormous four-story
structure Of brick and stohe. Forty
thousand spindles are already humming
beneath its roof, The number will be
Increased to 50,0oN before the end OF this
present year. 1t is likely that additions
will continue to be made to the mill until
It's capacity will be doubled. heard this
limited to-day by one OF the management.
though there are no definite plans yet
made with this end In view,
Half of the eight hundred operatives
IN the mills are women and girls. Three
fourths of the operatives come from the
surrounding country and from North
Carolina The rest arc from New Eng
land. The skilled labor was brought
from the North or from the Carolina nils
In the first Instance. hut now, though
the mill has been IN operation only slncs
last spring. some of the most skilled OF
the operatives are to be found among
those who are from this section.
The iowa itself Is scarcely less interest
ing than the mill. 1t Is beautifully laid
out along the side of the mountain. with
we'll graded streets and neat sidewalks.
The houses arc generally OF two stories.
with four or five rooms; some of these
stories. They are OF frame structure.
The substantial character OF all the tene-
ments and the eve displayed to the COM
fort Of the tenants are noticeable on
every hand.
All the houses are the property OF tho
company, Tba residences are rented at