USA > Alabama > Memorial record of Alabama. A concise account of the state's political, military, professional and industrial progress, together with the personal memoirs of many of its people. Volume I > Part 34
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machinery for hoisting coal ever used in Alabama. The principal stock- holders of the company, at that time and a little later on, were Col. John S. Storrs, of Montevallo; Judge Cooper and Gen. C. Robinson of Lown- des; Dr. Miller of Wilcox; Alexander White of Talladega; John R. Keenan of Selma; ex-Gov. T. H. Watts, George M. Figh, Benjamin B. Davis, and Dr. I. T. Tichener of Montgomery. It is worthy of remark that these gentlemen, the pioneers in coal mining, by machinery, in Ala- bama, were for the most part, citizens of the Black or Cotton belt of the state. An analysis of coal from "B" seam of the Briarfield mines in Bibb county by J. L. Beeson gave the following results :
Moisture
2.265
Volatile matter
57.130 37.407
Fixed carbon.
Coke 40.603
Ash
3.198
100.000
Sulphur in coal
1.158
Sulphur left in coke.
.487
Per cent. of sulphur in coke.
1.198
The following corporations were engaged in mining coal in the Cahaba. field in 1890: The Cahawba Coal Mining company; Cahawba Nos. 1 to 10, Blocton; the DeBardeleben Coal & Iron company, Henry Ellen mines, Henry Ellen; South Birmingham Coal & Iron company, South Birming -. ham No. 1, Zenida; Eureka Coal & Coke company, Helena No. 1, Helena; Montevallo Coal & Transportation company, Montevallo, Aldrich; the DeBardeleben Coal & Iron company, Slope No. 4 at Johns, and Slope No. 5 at Adger. The approximate output of the mines of the Cahawba. coal field, in the year 1889, was 875,000 tons, worth at the mines about $1,000,000. Since then the output has considerably increased, and, as the demand widens daily and the facilities of transportation are continually increasing, it is difficult to fix a limit to the future output of the several coal fields herein described. Alabama coal now finds its way not only to neighboring states and Texas, but to Mexico and Cuba, and will soon compete successfully with English coal in the markets of Central and South America. As has been seen, prior to 1870, no attempt had been made to use Alabama coal for smelting purposes; indeed it was consid- ered doubtful whether it could be successfully coked. In the year 1880. the industry had grown, however, to quite respectable proportions. In that year there were four establishments in the state for manufacturing coke, employing sixty-four hands, paying in wages $38,500; using 67,376 tons of coal valued at $75,314, and other material valued at $1,304; making 42,035 tons of coke valued at $148,026. Since that time Alabama's pro- duction of coke has kept pace with the rapidly increasing output of her furnaces. In 1890 she had 2,475 ovens, using 711,915 tons of coal and producing 508,511 tons of coke. In the last decade she came easily to
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the second rank among the coke producing states, Pennslyvania alone being in advance of Alabama in this respect.
A few words on the methods adopted for mining the coal seams of Alabama will conclude the subject of "Mines and Mining." Where the rate of dip is less than ten degrees, the cars and system used along the Monongahela and at Pittsburgh, Pa., have been employed, and where the angle of dip is from twenty-five to sixty degrees the methods generally used in the anthracite mines in Pennsylvania have been adopted. Mr. Squire considers these the best methods extant, but says they do not work well in seams having a rate of dip between ten and . twenty-five degrees. In seams having a rate of dip from forty to sixty degrees the custom has been to work them "on the run" as heretofore described. Where the rate of dip is from thirty to forty degrees, the miners are compelled to plank, more or less, the sides of the chute to make the coal slide down without assistance In seams from twenty-five to thirty degrees the sides of the chute have to be partly planked, and, in addition, the bottom has to be covered with sheet iron. Where the rate of dip is from ten to twenty-five degrees an additional expense is incurred, by the methods named, in getting the coal to the gangway ready for hoisting. Both man and mule power have been used to bring up the loaded cars from the "room breast" to daylight. Where the seams are thin, small light cars are often used, and man power employed to move them. In mining seams of from seventeen to twenty-five degrees rate of dip, what Mr. Squire calls the "Anthracite method" is generally practiced. The bottom and lower sides of the "chute" are plankeď, or the bottom is planked and covered with sheet iron. Even with these aids, Mr. Squire says the coal will not run of its own accord, but requires to be pushed down the length of the chute by the miner or the assistant trammer, which becomes a costly method of moving the coal from the "room breast" to daylight.
In concluding this review of "Mines and Mining" in Alabama the writer desires again to express his obligations for valuuable information to Joseph Squire, M. E., whose excellent treatise he has very freely used; to Eugene A. Smith, Ph. D., professor of geology of the university of Alabama; to Robert P. Porter and his assistants for advance sheets of the census of 1890, and to those gentlemen, engaged in mining, who have kindly responded to his inquiries on this most interesting and important. subject.
MANUFACTURES.
In the early history of the state the subject of manufactures attracted little attention, excited no general interest, indeed, was deemed unwor- thy of notice by the leaders of public opinion. Agriculture and the learned professions were regarded as the only occupations deserving consideration, and of these the lordly planter, with his retinue of slaves, was the true aristocrat, the admiration and envy of all who could not
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measure landed possessions and servants with him. Mechanics were tolerated; scarcely encouraged, only so far as necessary for carrying on the ordinary operations of life. Blacksmiths, carpenters, brick masons and other wood, stone and iron workers were found in all the towns and villages, but almost every article for use and wear-furniture, house furnishing goods, clothing, indeed nearly every article for use or ornament came from without the state, generally from the northern states . or Europe. As lately as 1850, there were only 1,022 manufacturing establishment in the entire state, and these were on a limited scale, some of them earning only $500 per annum. The most important of these were twelve cotton factories, employing only 1,736 hands and producing annually 3,081,000 yards of woven goods and 790,000 pounds of yarn, all valued at $382,200; fourteen were furnaces, forges, etc., producing cast- ings, pig and wrought iron to the value of $280,376; and 149 were tan- neries with an aggregate capital of $200,570, and producing leather valued at $335,911.
COTTON AND PAPER MILLS.
In the spring of 1849, the writer visited nearly all the factories then in operation in Alabama. He found a paper mill of small capacity, manu- facturing a low grade of paper, at Tuscaloosa (the first mill of the kind in the state and then the only one), but that enterpirse did not survive the war. Near the same town he visited a cotton mill, known as the Clement's mill, of small capacity, but run more economically, it is believed, than a cot- ton mill was ever run before or since. Nearly all the work was performed by negro women and children, slaves of the owner, who did good service under the skillful direction of the manager. The product was princi- pally, if not exclusively, cotton yarns.
The pioneer in manufacturing in Alabama was Mr. Daniel Pratt, who founded the town of Prattville and made it the center of varied and profit- able manufacturing industries. Mr. Pratt was a man of high character, large attainments, shrewd, practical, far sighted, public spirited and energetic, and seemed specially endowed with those qualities required to perform the work of a pioneer successfully. He believed in Alabama, had faith in her future and considered a diversity of industries necessary to the development and prosperity of the state. Success crowned his efforts. He lived to see the little town he founded a veritable "hive of industry," the product of his factories in demand, north and south, to accumulate a handsome fortune, which was well earned and well deserved, and at his death he left to his successors the manufactories which he had built up and which, animated by his spirit and profiting by his ex- ample, they have managed with skill and judgment, not only maintaining the established reputation, but enlarging the capacity and augmenting the annual earnings of the several factories under their control. The Prattville cotton mill was built in 1846 and has been continuously and
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MEMORIAL RECORD OF ALABAMA.
successfully operated ever since. This mill has now 140 looms and 5,700 spindles, and runs on brown goods and rope.
About the same time that the above mentioned mills were started, a cotton mill was built in Mobile county, on Dog river, a few miles below the city of Mobile, and operated for several years. The late Garland Goode, at that time a cotton merchant and a prominent man of affairs, was the leading spirit in this enterprise, and the success it achieved was largely due to his energy and business ability. It made yarns and osna- burgs, and during the war was worked to its full capacity. The machin- ery, however, was old style, and in the trying times which followed the war the factory was abandoned or probably destroyed by fire, and no attempt was made to re-establish it.
A paper mill was started somewhere in the fifties on the Spring Hill road, three or four miles from Mobile, but it was of small capacity and attempted only the inferior lines of manufacture.
In 1867 a company was organized in Mobile called the Chickasabogue Manufacturing company, with extensive charter privileges, and started with a capital of $100,000, subsequently increased to $125,000. Its chief purpose was to build a first class paper mill, but it was authorized to conduct several other branches of manufacturing business. It selected Beaver Meadow, Mobile county, as the location of its mills, that point affording water supply both for the washing engines and power for run- ning the Fourdrinier paper machine. The paper mill was built and fitted out in the best manner. The president of the company, Mr. W. G. Clark, was sent east with carte blanche to order the best machinery for the pur- pose designed, and no expense was spared in securing the best outfit at the time attainable. The mill had three washing and beating machines of 400 pounds capacity, one beater of same capacity, and one washing engine carrying 650 pounds. The power for the rotary boiler, washing and beating engines, pulp machine, etc., was furnished by a battery of four large boilers arranged in pairs, so as to be used by twos or all to- gether, which furnished steam to a superb steam-engine of 125 horse- power. The paper machine was a seventy-two inch Fourdrinier, of the best make, with all the improvements then known, and the capacity of the mill was 4,000 pounds per day (of twenty-four hours) print paper, about 5,000 pounds of heavy wrapping paper and 6,000 pounds of blotting paper. The entire plant cost, first and last, fully $150,000. The company commenced operations in 1868 and found an outlet for the product of the mill, at paying prices, in Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana and Texas. At one time, the management, finding a disposition on the part of the rag dealers in New Orleans, from whence their chief supply was obtained, to combine for the purpose of raising prices, arranged for direct importa- tion, and large quantities of rags were received from abroad, put up in Genoa, Smyrna, Constantinople and other eastern cities. The product of this mill was varied and of good quality. The principal run was on print-
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ing paper, but the finer qualities of stock were made into a fair quality of book paper and the soft rags into blotting paper, which was of excel- lent quality and met with a ready sale in the home markets and also in New York, where the surplus was shipped. A good article of cotton sampling and also of Manilla paper was manufactured from the better quality of rope and bagging stock, and the poorer qualities into ordinary wrapping paper, which was in good demand and met a ready sale. The original company, about the year 1872, sold its plant and franchise to a new organization, called the Gulf City Paper company, which continued work at the mill for about four years. Meanwhile the prices of the man- ufactured article had continuously receded, while the cost of material had advanced-until it became evident that the mill could not be operated ex- cept at a positive loss, unless prices of the one could be increased or of the other materially diminished. The discovery of the adaptability of wood for the manufacture of paper pulp, and the great cheapness with which it could be had, had a large influence in thus reducing the prices of paper, but the immediate cause in the decline of the markets, natur- ally belonging to this mill, was the continuous and heavy shipments of ' the surplus of northern and western mills, at low rates of freight, to New Orleans, where it was offered at much lower prices than was de- manded for it at the place of manufacture. Freights from Cincinnati and St. Louis to New Orleans were lower than from Beaver Meadow to New Orleans, the latter distance being only about 165 miles. The same was true of freights for materials. The over-production of the northern and western mills, stimulated by the great demand for paper during and im- mediately subsequent to the war, compelled them to either curtail pro- duction or to market their surplus at distant points, at or below the cost of manufacture. They chose the latter course, much to the detriment of this well equipped and well conducted southern enterprise. The result was inevitable. Fortunately the Gulf City Paper com- pany was not in debt, except to its own members, and the decision was reached to stop work temporarily, waiting to resume when an advance in prices would justify it-but that time has not yet come. Instead, prices have been gradually receding ever since-hence this valuable property, with its extensive machinery nearly intact, has been unproductive for more than fifteen years and still remains idle. There is not now (1892) a single paper mill at work in Alabama.
GENERAL PROGRESS.
There was an increase of almost ten per cent. in the manufactories of all sorts, whose earnings were not less than $500 per year, in the decade ending in December, 1859. The census report for 1860 gives the number of establishments at 1,450; amount of capital invested $9,098,181; number of hands employed, males above sixteen years, 6,792; females above
19
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MEMORIAL RECORD OF ALABAMA.
fifteen years, 1,097; total, 7,889; amount paid in wages during the year, 1860, $2,132,940; value of material used, $5,489,963; value of product,. $10,588,566. By the next census year, 1870, the manufacturing establish- ments in the state had grown in number to 2,188; the capital employed to $9,714,032; hands employed, males over sixteen years, 7,196; females over fifteen years, 604; children and youths, 388; amount paid in wages, $2,227,988; cost of material used $7,592,837; value of product, $13,040,644.
The next ten years did not see much change in the outcome of manu- facturing industries in Alabama. The number of establishments in oper- ation in 1880 was 2.070-118 less than in 1870; the capital employed was $9,668,008; the number of hands employed increased to 10,019-of whom 8,368 were males over sixteen years, 842 were females over fifteen, and 909 were children and youths; the total amount paid in wages during the year 1880 was $2,500,504; value of material used. $8,545,520; the value of the product was $13,565,504. Since 1880 there has been a large advance in several of the industries noted above, as will be seen in the more detailed accounts hereinafter given. Besides the iron and coal industries which have already been described, cotton factories, flouring and grist mills, foundry and machine shops, lumber and shingle mills, naval stores and lime works deserve particular mention, and the others may be grouped under the general head of "Minor Industries."
In 1850 there were twelve cotton factories in Alabama, and thirty years later 1880, there were only eighteen establishments manufacturing goods from cotton, but some of these were of good size and well furnished. The capital employed in these mills was $1,386,500; the labor consisted of 444 men, 731 women and girls over fifteen years old, and 467 children; total 1,642; aggregate wages paid, $283,198; cost of material used, $848,511; value of product, $1,352,090. In 1891 the number of cotton mills had grown to thirty-five, at work and organized, having 375 cards, 3,014 looms and 158,310 spindles. Alabama now ranks fifth among the southern states in the number of spindles in use, North Carolina ranking first in the number of mills, and Georgia first in the number of cards, looms and spindles.
LIST OF COTTON FACTORIES.
The following list, alphabetically arranged, gives the names, locations, capacity, etc., of the cotton mills in Alabama.
Anniston Manufacturing company, A. L. Tyler, president; J. B. Good-
win, secretary and treasurer; Thomas Hampson, superintendent.
This
factory was completed in 1881. It makes brown sheetings, shirtings and drillings. It is run by steam-power, has 11,700 (ring) spindles, 104 cards and 320 looms. The capital stock of the company is $250,000. Messrs. Woodward, Baldwin & Co., of New York and Baltimore, and Henry Char- nock of New Orleans, are the selling agents.
The Autaugaville factory, M. M. Smith & Co., proprietors, has 2,200 spindles and sixty-three looms. It runs on sheetings, osnaburgs and
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rope: Water-power is employed. This factory has been offered for sale. Adams Cotton mills, Montgomery-These mills were built in 1883. The capital stock of the company is $75,000. The officers were O. O. Nelson, president; J. B. Sherrard, treasurer; S. O. Nelson. secretary, and G. T. Marsh, superintendent. It has 3,015 (ring) spindles and 96 looms. It makes sheeting, osnaburgs and duck, and is run by steam power. It sells direct to merchants and consumers.
The Alabama Cotton Manufacturing company is located at Florence, has 10,000 spindles. Was not completed in 1891.
Bay Minette Manufacturing company. The mill of this company was completed in 1888 and is located at Bay Minette, Baldwin county ; has 128 looms and 15,000 spindles, steam-power, and is designed to make duck, yarns, etc. Not now in operation.
The Bell Factory mills, located at Bell Factory, Madison county, have 80 looms and 3,216 spindles. Their product is sheetings, plaids, ticking and yarns. Both steam and water-power are used. Idle since 1885.
The Cherokee mills, located in the city of Mobile, have been in suc- cessful operation under the management of Mr. L. F. Irwin over twenty years. They were incorporated in 1886 under the name of the Cherokee Mills company; capital, $25,000; L. F. Irwin, president and manager; and H. W. Bromley, superintendent. Steam power is used. They run 1,000 spindles, and make twine, rope and batting. Messrs. Skinner, White & Co., St. Louis, and George W. Wicks & Co., Louisville, are selling agents for the company.
The Cypress mills, at Florence, have 9 cards, 60 looms and 2,500 spindles, and run on brown domestics and cotton yarns. Commenced work in 1875. Not in operation at present.
The Dallas Manufacturing company, of Huntsville, was incorporated in 1890, with a capital stock of $500,000; since increased to $1,000,000. G. M. Fogg, of Nashville, is president, and T. B. Dallas, of the same city, is treasurer and general manager. It has just been completed (1892), and is one of the finest mills in the south. Its original design was for 700 looms and 25,000 spindles, but with the increased capital the working capacity has doubtless been largely increased.
Embery Sons & Jennings have a mill at Florence, with 30 looms and 25,000 spindles, which makes cotton yarn and jeans. This mill is run by water power. Buckingham & Paulson, and O. M. Harper, New York, are selling agents.
The Eufaula Cotton mills are located at Eufaula, Barbour county. The company was incorporated in 1888, with a capital stock of $100,000. J. W. Tullis is president; N. W. Roberts, secretary and treasurer, and A. G. Martin, manager. They make brown sheetings, shirtings and drills. Steam power is employed. The mills have 86 cards, 180 looms and 5,600 ring) spindles. They sell direct, without intermediary agents.
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MEMORIAL RECORD OF ALABAMA
The Great Falls Manufacturing company is located at Bear Creek, has a small mill and makes rope, twine, etc.
The Fall Manufacturing company's mill, J. P. Pearce, manager, located at Darlington, is run by water power, has 1,400 spindles and 12 cards, and makes yarn and rope.
The Galeton, formerly Huguley, cotton mills, are located near West. Point, Ga., in the Chattahoocheer. The capital stock is $100,000. They are run by water power, have 43 cards, 163 looms and 6,000 spindles. They make cotton duck.
The Huntsville Cotton Mill company was organized in 1881. The cap- ital stock is $140,000. The mill is run by steam power, has 10,048 spindles,. and makes yarn, warps, etc. A. S. Fletcher, president; R. L. Pullet, treasurer.
The Hurricane Creek Manufacturing company's mill is located at Spring Garden, Cherokee county. It has twelve cards and 1,000 spindles and makes single yarns (Nos. 6 to 14) and rope. J. H. Savage is president, W. H. Burnett, secretary and manager. It was organized in 1883. Capital $24,000.
The Matthews Cotton Mill company has one of the largest cotton mills in the state. The factory is located in the thriving city of Selma, has 285 looms and 10,136 (ring) spindles. It runs by steam power and makes sheetings, shirtings, drills, osnaburgs, etc. The capital stock is $200,000. The officers of the company are R. M. Nelson, president and general manager; Robert Coleman, secretary and treasurer, and Jonathan Pickles, superintendent. Its selling agents are Whiting & Collins, New York, J. H. Lone & Co., Boston; Alfred Hart, Kansas City, and Bowling, Freret & Puech, New Orleans.
The Mountain Mills plant, owned and run by W. H. Cherry & Co., is located at the village of that name in Colbert county; has thirty-two cards and 8,600 spindles. It runs on yarns in skeins, warps, etc. Steam power is employed. Joseph H. Coats & Co., Philadelphia, are the selling agents.
The Prattville Cotton mills have already been alluded to as one of the pioneer cotton factories in Alabama. They were founded by Daniel Pratt. and owned and successfully operated by him many years. The existing company (his successors) was incorporated in 1887. Mr. William T. Northington is president, Daniel Pratt, nephew of the pioneer, is treasurer, and John Burns, superintendent. They make shirtings, osna- burgs and cotton rope, have 150 looms and 5,700 spindles. Both steam and water power are employed. Bowling, Freret & Puech are the selling agents in New Orleans. Although the product of these mills has to be taken to Montgomery, a distance of fourteen miles, to be freighted, the company always succeed in earning a good profit.' The earnings in 1891 showed a profit of over twenty-five per cent.
The Piedmont cotton factory commenced operation in 1892. This runs.
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by steam power, has ten cards and 4,600 spindles. The product is cotton yarns. The capital stock is $105,000.
The Rosedale Manufacturing company was incorporated in 1887, with capital stock of $45,000. L. L. Lanier is president, and L. S. Turner is secretary and treasurer. The mill is located at Rock Mills, is run by water power, has seventy-eight looms and 5,000 (ring) spindles, and manufactures duck, osnaburgs, sheetings and yarns. It is near the Georgia line, and the office, freight address and salesroom are in West Point, Ga.
The Tallassee Falls Manufacturing company was incorporated in 1878. The capital stock is $500,000. President, John W. Durr; treasurer, S. Roman; secretary. W. H. Micou; superintendent, A. J. Milstead. The mill has 360 looms, 112 cards and 18,000 spindles, and runs on sheetings, shirtings, osnaburgs, duck, twine and rope. The machinery is driven by water power. Mr. M. Weil is the selling agent, in New York. The postoffice and telegraph address is Montgomery.
The Tuscaloosa Cotton mills were completed in 1979. Mr. J. H. Fitts was president and general manager, and his son, Festus Fitts, was treas- urer of the company for a number of years. The capital stock was $40,000. They worked one hundred and seventy- two looms on checks, plaids, stripes, etc., and the mills earned a handsome profit. Their yarns were all purchased from other mills, principally in North Carolina. The mills were stopped on account of a severe affliction in the family of the president and were idle for two or more years. The company was recently reorganized under favorable auspices, and the mill is now again in opera- tion, but no entreaty or consideration could prevail upon the former president to resume active participation in the management of the com- pany's affairs.
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