Bryan daily eagle and pilot. [volume] (Bryan, Tex.) 1909-1918, 1915-01-07

mills made was undertaking to mahu
fac,ure too fine a product, that Is
cloth that was entirely too light for
Texas conditions.
II Is fact that Texas is slightly |
handicapped IN regard TO labor con
dltlons, However, the handicap Is |
not nearly 80 great as some people |
imagine, and It Is no. lnsurmountable
by any means, as has already beer
proven by the mills now running. II
Is on account Of this slight labor han.
dlcap that Texas mills should and
must for the presen. manufacture
something simple and heavy Ike
duck cotton blankets, denims. chey
lots. drilling, etc. II requires less
skilled help on these goods, and O
given number Of hands can turn out
more pounds per day thus reducing
the labor cost per pound. IN manu-
featuring duck the labor cost is ap
proXmately 10 per cent Of the whole
cost and raw material Is 60 per cent,
while In the case Of fine dress goods
the labor cost would be about 30 per
cent and cotton only about ij per
cent Of the whole. II Is plain then
that Texas with her abundance Of raw
material and her scarcity Of skilled
labor should manufacture those lines
that require a maximum Of raw ma.
orlal and a minimum Of skilled labor
Il Is a significant fact that although
several Of the mills now running were
FIRST started on the lighter weight
goods they have in every case
hanged over to the heavier ines.
Some Of these are considerably han.
dicapped because Of the fact tha. the
equipment which was bought for the
light weight goods Is not suitable for
manufacturing heavier goods. Even
though handicapped IN equipment Il
has been found more profitable 10 run
( on the heavier lines Some are com.
PEELED TO operate their preparatory
machinery day and night In order to
! keep their weavers busy during the
day. Even under these poor condi
lions they are able to run and earn
GOOD dividends As O matter Of course
an OF these plants now have expert
~ encod men In charge. There is no
% good reason why they should not, foi
q We are graduating young men from
our textile engineering department
" every year These men after o few
d years OF practical experience are
' thoroughly equipped for this work.
' The new mills tha. have been bull
within the past few years find les
difficulty In getting labor than do
u some Of the earlier ones This is du
% 10 the fact that quite a supply ha
u been imported from the States cas-
70 Of the Mississippi and also a grea
10 many have been trained mp here q
.u home i, Is not nearly so hard TO 10
81 duoe help TO move to Texas now tina
We We have several mills. for they kno'
W. that II they do not like one place the
can try another-the more mills N
ar more chances for finding a satissa.
b tory location.
- The managers OF the mills airead
n established welcome new mills. "a
hey realize that every one added 8
help 90 those already in operation
THIS is not only true in regard to th
help question. but it is also true q
regard 20 supplies OF various kind.
lf Texas had a few more mills
= would be only short time until som
= Of the big mill supply houses woul
/ open branch offices in Texas, so tina
shipments could come In carload lot
As a matter OF course the mills ar
not anxious for any more competitlo
on the particular line Of goods the
are making, but there is no necessit
for this, nor is It wise.
what Is the smallest mill that ca
be operated economically is one
the many inquiries We have been q
ceiying. There Is one mill In III
state operating only $500 spindle
which represents an investment
about $4,000 This mill seems to I
fairly successful. but could be run
much better advantage II il Wei
twice or even four times Its preset
) size. It is generally conceded th
70 for mill to operate economical
there should be as many as 500
spindles. with capitalization
$4,000. This amount of capt.
would erect all buildings, includh
operatives cottages. install all m
q ehinery, pu. the plant in condition {
4 ready operation, and possibly lea
a ten or fifteen thousand for operati
expenses. The mills trying to opera
without sufficient capital have hea
interest charges, they cannot take q
~ vantage of their discounts and of s.
greater importance they are forced
=, sell their output no matter wheth
/ a. 4