Albuquerque weekly citizen. (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1891-19??, 1903-03-14
WOOLEN MILLS.
FEW INTERESTh 4 FACTS.

The first piece of cloth ever pro.
duced In New Mexico was turned on
the looms at the Rio Grande Wooden
Mills yesterday.
| The wool from which the cloth was
made was bought from Merced Mon.
toya. OF Montecello. N. NJ, and went
through all the various PROGRESSES at
the Rio G-ande mills until II is now a
finished product.
A Citizen reporter called at the
mills. which have just begun opera.
tons and was shown through the spa.
oious building by Secretary II. y.
| Ray. who pointed out and explained
all the different steps though which
the wool must go until II is a finished
cloth product ready for the market.
Johney II. Bearrup Is president and
treasurer of the new Industry. which
means the beginning Of new era of
progress and commercial development
for Albuquerque. J. G. Fergcr is vice
president and superintendent. and H.
B. Ray is the accommodating secre.
tary.
The Rio Grandc Wooden Mills com
pany. besides being extensive dealers
In WOO. and pelts, are manufacturers
| of fancy cassameres, dress goods. blan.
kets and clothing. A department will
be devoted to the manufacture OF leath.
er clothing. Angora and sheep skin
rugs, capes. moccasins, etc. Already
they are working on large orders for
leather clothing.
The office building stands south of
The mills facing toward the Mountain
road. 1t is roomy and The white walls
and newness renders Il cheerful and
welcoming.
Between the Office and mills are sew.
erai long deep watts made from cement.
In these are placed the hides as they
are bought. The vats contain a brine
or lye that loosens the sool, and soft.
ems the hides, after which they are
ready for the large tanning watts. eight
in number. The skins are thrown in
these watts after the wool Is removed
and are then ready for the tanning
process. Next to the tanning watts are
row OF watts for dying the wool. Along
the north side OF the building are two
securing machines, of the latest mod.
ern improvement. The wool is run into
the machine just as II is received from
the ranches. After II goes through sew.
eral machine tubs OF boiling water Ii
comes out free from dirt. grease or
odor. As soon as the wool has left the
securing machines, clean and white. II
is placed In the drying machine. which
Is an automatic self feeder. The wool
Is fed on a wide wire apron running
through the dryer. heated by steam.
II requires about eight minutes for the
wool to pass from one end to the other
where II comes out dry and clean.
ready for the carding machine. The
second floor Is covered with complicat-
ed machinery. beginning with the card.
ing of the wool. taking In the spinning
OF the yarn and the weaving OF the
cloth. The most interesting machines
In this room are the machines which
take the loose wool and card Is ready
two sets, each set comprising three
different machines, each one making
the roll of wool smaller and more com.
pact. Il finally comes out ready for
the spinning mulls. There are four of
these spinning muls, each containing
464 spindles, which draw the loose
rolls OF wool harder ana tighter, until
the wool being wound on the spindle
Is strong. kinky, bristling yarn,
whose little filaments hold the wool
strands In a vice like grip as the spin
ming progresses. The evolution from
the raw wool TO the looms Is most in
teresting. At the east end OF the room
are ten large looms, which have not
yet been put in active operation. How.
ever, they will be weaving cloth In az
least two weeks. It requires some
time to spin enough yard to keep the
looms running ali the time. A number
OF cloth weavers are expected from
the east In a short time. and as soon as
they arrive the looms will be put In op.
GRAFTON. To try the looms one piece OF
cloth was woven yesterday, and II Is
viewed with great pride by the firm, as
II has a historical bearlng--the first
cloth produced In the territory, from
material grown in New Mexico. II will
be only short time until the weaving
OF fancy casslmeres. dress goods. blan.
kets and clothing will be carried on
day after day. The people of New
Mexico will have an opportunity to see
the wonderful production OF cloth and
clothing right at home.
On the top floor dozen or more
wool sorters divide the wool into diff.
ferent grades. whicE 80 10 making the |
various grades OF cloth. From their
hands Il passes to the duster, which
knocks out about twenty-five pounds
to the hundred OF dirt. From this ma
chine II drops to the first floor, where