Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1925-09-22
lockwood Supt.
n;sc,,sses Cotton
before Rotary Club

-attnn was the subject discussed
y. ~ Ouinton. superintendent of
r...rwood cotton mill of this
ne - the regular meeting of the
az Co.. club at hte Elmwood hotel
s,rsterday noon. ;;
NJ, ~ one of the Oldest and most
epss asoh,e in the history of the world
f ~ sid that as far back as $50 3. c.
Ply - v.s being made into fabrics
. 9. she Ervptians. He spoke also of
e. Z no bea utiful cloth which has recent
l, s. hsen removed from the tombs of
: .. s kings in Egypt, which was
] arch fine texture ana color that Al
= hardly be matched TO-DAY,
,ndia gained its cotton cultivation
..as, Egypt and from that country it
80 carried to China, where 1t came
!. =" l. Looked on as holy plant. Be-
a - NJ the reverence in which the
. ,.ssrsse held the plant the people of
snsir end other Catholic countries OF
rs-ops were hostile 10 its cultiva-
-. and forta period of about 400
sssss cotton was not raised in those
ratlofis.
-. raised in America but it was
ssessIderably before 1900 for Column
sas when he first landed on the
ssores Of the new continent was pre-
s.rted with skeins of cotton yarn by
ne friendly natives.
IN England, Henry " was largely
rsyponsible for the institution OF cot
ton weaving when. during the first of
M 18th century, he enduced num-
M Of highly skilled Flemish weav-
rs TO come to his country. For
AM time the industry did not pros
~ because of the small demand for
eatton cloth and the source of raw
materials so uncertain. But about
no the Lancashire barber, Richard
alright invented the cotton spin
rjnr frame and huge amounts of raw
f,tton we're shipped to England from
Virginia so that the industry f1ou. :
shed and today England leads the
world In the manufacture of cotton
cloth.
The industry did not gain strong
| i9othold in this country until 1880
when Samuel Slater.Ia young builder
IL spinning frames in Arkrights
/
| settled in Pawtucket, r. |. The sec
rst Of the frames had been closely
| .nsr6ed in England and all that Sla-
-sr knew of them was what he re-
numbered after years of careful
study Of the machine& The young
man built a large mill in Pawtucket
/ which was doing business up to u
short time ago when it was offered
for sale.
Mr.. Quinton deplored the fact that
he mill has been put on the market
ind he laid the. blame to arbitrary
state legislation and southern compe-
tsion. He said that the competition
Il the south was showing an increas-
ng strength, the result OF cheap
& elp. long hours and favorable legis-
4 Atom. The speaker announced him :
1 ssli as strongly in favor Of labor un-
4 hns but he felt that in the north
hey had often resorted to extremes
\ which had had q bad effect on the
4 Industry.
/ Women are not wearing the cotton
A row that they were number OF
4 years ago, he said. silk and rayon
u fasing largely taken its place. An
Il ether thing that has hurt the lndus :
lfy Is that sometime ago woman 5
q dress required seven and a nan
4 lsfdsof cloth while at the present u
3 nkes but two and a half. Compeu-
Il ton of the British in the cotton
elth market is still another serious
I Hublem confronting the American
naHufacturers.
lnclosing Mr.. Quinton said that ms
su0ok towards the future was quite
1timistic and that affairs are now
hking better TINA they have lor
mne time. 1t was his prediction
that business was to pick up in the
Immediate future and he expected
hat the Lockwood would be running
fal time within few weeks.
MI Brown said a few words
tbcul the golf match which Will pc
Erred at the Waterville Country
dub links Wednesday afternoon, pc
tween the Rotary and Kiwanis ciuos,
leans representing both clubs VIII
rfticipate and prizes viii oe
iEsrded.