The Chesterfield advertiser. [volume] (Chesterfield C.H., S.C.) 1884-1978, 1919-07-10
FROM COTTON SEED TO
GARMENT IN THE COUNTY

The Advertiser had the pleasure
a few days ago of seeing a quantity
OF cotton pass through all the stages
Of evolution from the raw plant to a
finished garment, packed, labeled and
ready for the shelves of the retail
merchant; and all this from the plan
ting of the seed to the finished pro-
duct, was done in Chesterfield Coun-
ty.
The Cheraw Knitting Mill Com
pany has very quietly proceeded with
its business of preparing to manu-
facture line of underwear that will
compete with the worlds highest
standards and will meet in contest in
the open market the product of any
OF the famous factories of the East,
West, North or South.
So quietly has this preparation prog
ressed that comparatively few people
in the county know that the neat two
story factory building on Market
Street, Cheraw, through the large win
dows of which may be seen many
strange looking machines, whirling
this way and that, is today fully
equipped to turn out each week over
10000 suits Of the finest underwear.
And these garments are finished
packed and labeled, ready To be ,:,Ecn
from the box and put on. The yarn
is furnished on spools by the Cheraw
Cotton Mills, few blocks away, and
from the tim. tte FIBER is pic&t, on
the plantation until the garment is
neatly folded in the box bearing the
attractive Autographed label, it has
never journeycd beyond tn. i:on lG ~.
les of Chesterfield County.
The factory is in running order,
turning out goods, statesmen are on
the road taking orders and the only
reason that the machines are not being
taxed to their full capacity is that
time is required in procuring the large
number of high class operatives
needed. Agents from Cheraw are now
In the manufacturing ccntcrs Of East
Tennessee, North Carolina and away
off in New England securing the ex-
perts necessary to conduct the cotton
on it's journey through the different
departments of the factory from yarn
to underwear.
After passing through the Offices
on the first floor the visitor is shown
the knitting machines. These ma
chimes, Of which there are many. are
whirring and whirling like tightening,
sucking yarn from dozen spools at
the top and sending out through the
bottom reels Of knitted, silky under
wear bodies. In various sizes these
machines produce the different
weights and textures of material
Mingled with them are the smaller
and seemingly buster mechanical knit
ters that construct the sleeves, wrist
and ankle bands. On this floor are
also washing machines, bleaching ma
chimes, drying Fats and lining
devices.
On the upper floor the hemming is
done, button holes are made, buttons
are put on; IN fact the garment is fin
'shed. The perfection Of the machin-
cry Is marvellous. One machine will
pick up n button and sew it on gar
ment while another part of it cuts and
works the button hole, SO quickly
that the eye can scarcely follow the
operation, the only use of the human
hhgers being to feed the buttons and
guide the instrument in the location
and number OF buttonholcs.
Other queer looking devices sew
with eight needles and loopers at thc
same time, not only knitting IN neck
bands and stitching strong as well as
ornamental borders around the gar
ment, but trimming away the edges
=" the same time.
ohe big outstanding feature is the
iiHhtncsS, the ,clcancSS, convenience