The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1903-08-12
THE COTTON MILL.
Machinery Changed to Make Finer
Cloth.

The Abbeville Cotton Mil is making the
necessary changes In the machinery to pro-
drce a lighter cloth, and the samples OF the
new cloth on exhibition at the uptown once
is as fine as can Ue made by any mill.
The product OF this mi hes been often com
plimenLed for it's excellence. II LOOK tne goIo
premium at the charleston Exposition, ana
dealers everywhere acknowledge It's merit.
The change III the weight OF the goods IL
due To the wisdom OF President Harris, who
recognized the fact that the demands Tor the
heavy goods was too low 10 make pront on
IL, and that on the light goods there was a
satisfactory margin for the right side OF the
ledger.
duct OF this mill was the equal Of the best on
earth, and wan superior 10 the goods man.
u ufactured at a majority or the mills. super
intendept Thomson has done his part well,
both 81 10 qdali y and cost OF the goods. NO
man could have done better. But he was
making the same goods that was made by
nearly all the new mills in the South. rms
fact together with the interruption OF the
shipments 10 China, glutted the markets
until the heavy goods could be bought below
the cost OF production.
the policy, which prevailed at this mill In
the past, Of holding the manufactured goods
for speculation has not resulted advantag
eously 10 the mill stock holders.
But President Harris has determined upon
q wiser policy, and Will make the goods for
which there is demand, and on which there
is q living profit, and will sell them as he
makes them, thus diminishing the specializing
feature.
To make the necessary change In the mach
inery to produce the lighter goods Will cost
considerable money, out wnen the total
amount in vested ~ considered IT Is only
small per cent on the COST of the mill. In
making this change now he Is only doing
what would have resulted for good, II done
years ago. If, then, the experience OF the
past Is worth anything, there is no good rea.
son why the mill sbould not prosper In the
future. There Is Always q profitable demand
for goods of some sort. When the good re-
suits OF one thing is realized, II may be that
other changes at some future Time would oe
profitable.
The cost Of the reeds and the harnesses TO
make the change Is as nothing, when com
dared TO the good results. Those which are
thrown aside for time can be taken care OF,
and when they may be needed, they Will be
on hand for use.
Toe fact is, that every mill should have the
necessary machinery to change its product
with the demands of the market.
Having adopted the proper method for
answering the demand of trade, there can be
NO reason why the mill should not prosper,
and It will prosper.
ture OF light goods is the removal, In a large
measure, OF the speculation feature in cotton.
As the neened cotton Is reduced, the cost OF
the work OF the mill is more nearly reduced
to q certainty. The cost OF nothing which
goes into the manufacture OF cloth, varies SO
much as cotton, and 1t IL the largest expend
ture The cost of labor Is almost the same
from year to year, and can be counted on
with reasonable degree OF certainty.
Where the cost of labor Is the chief expense,
the problem can be easily reduced.