Newspapers / The Concord Daily Tribune … / Oct. 10, 1923, edition 1 / Page 20
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PAGE TWENTY Wiscassett Spinning Mills Comprise Acres and Acres Most Modem Machinery Bale of Cotton Little Knows What Its Fate Will Be, With Dozens of Mechanical Processes to t Make It Into Yarn UTMOST CARE TO KEEP MILL IN PERFECT SHAPE Huge Plant Is a Model of Cleanliness Where Everything Is Kept in Its Place.—ldeal Working Conditions To make a tour through the Wiscassett spinning mills, even when under the guid ance of Superintendent Dinning. who knows every nut and bolt on every ma chine in the building, is a confusing ex perience to the stranger in a textile mill. Thousands of square feet of floor space crowded with whirling machinery bewil der the observer. On such an immense scale are operations carried out. that it is difficult to grasp what.’is being done. The cotton is taken from storage and enters what is called the opening room. where 180 bales are mixed into one pile, to insure as nearly ns possible a uniform grade of cotton. There is a difference in color and general appearance between almost all bales. It is to insure a good general average that so much trouble is taken at the beginning. A machine call ed a bale breaker delivers the cotton to a vertical opener from where it goes through a fan to the C. O. B. machine, during which process the cotton isfur ther cleaned by being shaken and air forced through it to take dirt and sand out. From this machine it goes into a bin where 100 to 200 bales are mixed to gether. this process further contributing to a good general average grade. From this bin the cotton is taken on conveyers to the pickers, machines which form what is called the lap. A regulating de vice on the conveyers insures the cotton being fed in a steady stream, just enough for the pickers to handle. 'When the cot ton emerges from the first set of pickers, which consists of a series of rollers, it is known as a lap, and in appearance re sembles a wide loose roll. Four of thf>se rolls from the first set of pickers which •re called "breakers", are fed to a sec ond set of pickers known as "intermedi ates,” and are merged into one lap or roll. After the intermediate pickers they go through a final set of pickers, at the end of which they must weigh with in half a pound of a certain .standard. The object of the picker machines is to further clean the wool, eliminate short cotton, and build up a uniform grade in the lap or roll. Then the lairs go to the carding machines, which are large cylin ders with millions of teeth. These ma chines take out more dust, the wool com ing out in the form of a loose rope, the c • bKhMH •WKfflfi^M^^^^»^^S^3pßßKaWßSv i !V«V‘* Wr^‘ v *>-:$ FINE SCHOOL FOR HILL CHILDREN IT ‘ mSSETT VILLAGE Instruction Given Through Eighth Grade in 14-Room Brick Schoolhouse. Educational facilities in the Wiscas sett Mill village are regarded as highly important by J. F. Cannon and his as sistants. A few years ago a frame build ing was used as a schoolhouse. but with the growth of the mill this became inade quate to accommodate the students, and a modern brick fireproof\l4-rbom school- 1 house was built. The mill provided all of the money for construetiou and equip ment, although the school is part of the • county school system. Sixteen teachers are employed, all being engaged by the mill management. Children attending this school have the benefit of eight and one-hulf months tuition in place of the usual six months, as is the general rule in rural schools. .The mill contributes largely to the support of the school in the way of paying part of the teachers' Salaries and bears the entire expense of operating the school during the extra two and a half months while school is chased for tlnvyear. With an average en attendance is about 500. THE CONCORD DAILY TRIBUNE—FAIR AND INDUSTRIAL EDITION I cotton being 120 times finer than when it entered the machine. From there is goes to what fs called a sliver lapping machine, which makes a lap or roll con siderably narrower than the lap or roll made by the first set of pickers. Six of the laps which emerge from the sliver lapping machine go through another lap ping machine which attenuates them, and they are now known as ribbon laps or rolls. Six ribbou laps go into another comber, which takes out all the short stock by means of millions of needles acting like a fine comb, and the wool again emerges in the form of a loose j l-ope. Six of these ropes go through what is called a drawing frame, which helps j in the object of ail of the former pro ! cesses of evening the texture and tensile | strength of the lap. The uext step is to i tile slubber, where the cotton begins to : take the appearance of yarn known in I the mill as roving. From this machine I the cotton is wound onto bobbins. The j yarn from two bobbins is merged iuto j one. on an intermediate slubber, whence it goes to another machine and is made still finer. Next two bobbins go j to the jack frame, the yarn getting finer i each time it goes through one of these machines. It is cow ready to go to the spinners which make is into thread. From the jack frame the yarn on two bobbins are merged into one in the spra ining frame, which also winds and gives tension to the yarn, which by now is in the thread stage." The thread is wound on bobbins, and as they get full they are sent onto the spoolers, anil are replaced witll empty bobbins. In tile spoolers the thread is wound on spools. Cotton thread is shipped in a variety of ways. ?>s bob bins: skeins, ball warps : Cones and tubes, according to the orders of the customers of the mills. From the various machines which put the thread up in the form specified, the thread goes to the shipping floor, and is packed in wooden cases or rolled in packing cloth, according to the way in which it has been wound for shipment. In—the 1\ iscassett .Mill, where there are large resources and ample storage facilities, as a rule a large stock of yarn ready for shipment is on hand at all times waiting the most favorable times to i make sales. "THE WISCASSETT CHI RCH” tains for the benefit of the public and the-mill employees) O. I>. Ritchie-is the school superintendent. oeiwlUmlng HODLRII STREETS BON In Albemarle city, the Wiscassett Mills finds a civic body to deal with which believes in co-operation. Recog nizing the importance of the mills in the business life of the city, every effort is made to meet the milling interests at least half way, in connection with all public _ affairs. An example of this is found in the street paving program being undertaken by the city, where street im provements are being made which will greatly -facilitate traffic between the mills and the business section. “THE WIBCASSETT MILL. OFFICE” ... 4*l, * ""****"* - ' 1 xflfefcAaHiiaMWfc-.- - -A-r- » JKk Hi-. . . -1 ■ ... «>' "T.l!2i ~1 1. 1 1 l "If- V I ~ „' TIT!.'-"", 1. A .... SOME TYPICAL HOMES IN THE WISCASSETT MILL VILLAGE uHj Ep 'SB v - ~- . -- -- ' • Jfcri&z •MB ts - ’*- ffijlj w .V it' ■ J A- VKnHraß .vMWigwaP BAMEM OF THE WISCASSETT 111 ARE WELL TRIED Mill Provides Instruments, Instructor and the Music Started as a medium o{ entertainment, the Wiscassett Band was organized some years ago, the mill management provid ing the instruments, music and the in structor. S. J. Ludwig is the bandmaster and instructor, devoting his whole time to this work between the Wiscassett FINE RECREATION GROUNDS FEATURE WISCASSETT LIFE All Kinds of Outdoor Sports Are Pleasantly Pro vided For The social centre of Wiscassett Mill village, and to a large extent of the city of Albemarle, is the public recreation grounds provided and maintained by the Wiscassett Mills manegement. Located on level high ground overlooking the mill, it is surrounded by handsome homes, built by the mill for the executive and clerical staff of the mill. Surrounded by shade trees and care fully tended bushed and flower beds, a large roofed pavilion with open sides forms a fine community centre, and is used for dances, roller, skating, and pub lic meetings and concerts. The Wisegfc sett band gives a weekly concert in the pavilion during the summer months, which is largely attended. Every imagin able kind of swing and device for chil dren's enjoyment i$ found in the recrea tion park, which also has tennis courts, basketball courts and other means of healthy outdoor enjoyment. The park is in use by night as well as by day, be ing brightly lighted with electric lights. MILL SECRETARY 1 SCHOOL BOM Fine Spirit of Co-operation Between City and Mill Interests. -JU An example of the fine spirit of co-op eration existing between the citizens of Albemarle and IVlscassett Mills is fonnd in the election to . the board of edneation of Mr, Boger, secretary of the mills. He was at one time a school teacher, before entering the textHe business, and has al\ ways taken a keen interest in edneation' matters. UU ■J* 11 Band and the band of the adjoining Efird 'mill. The Wiscassett hand has 50 piecea when at fuU strength, and sometimes Bl'^Mvi'i^i .l p |§mßP| “THE WI9CASSEST T MILL. SCHOOL” i> WISCASSETT MILLS GOES TO GREAT LENGTHS TO PROVIDE GOOD LIVING CONDITIONS (Concluded from page Seventeen) giving advice, which costs nothing. It includes services of a very practical kind, which costs real money. Thus the com pany buys fuel, using its large resources and its buying organization to secure the lowest possible prices and retails to the mill employes at exactly the cost to the comiwny. Thus cases have b*?n known where the city dealer, payjog $lO to sl2 n ton for coal, was compelled to sell to the consumer at an advance in onjer to make a profit, while the mill employes were buying in their coal at coR through the mill for SB. The mill maintains at uj> todate board ing house for the single man, where they are comfortably, boarded mid lodged at IT nominal weekly charge. 1 “A COUPLE OF HAPPY AT WISCASSeJt** « . , ' 1 • \ .>• \ *• • •■;. * mQmW» ’is>**wittStßiUSw ..•^^HHBBH [WKF ' ip : : »M«6H ;■ .jEEßagfe, . -jm. "iirhljßft- ■ ——— r —■———-—= - n Wiscassett Hosiery Mill Is I Attracting Attention With 1 Its Ftill Fashioned Hose ~ Recent Installation of the Latest Type of Machinery Has ! Already Been Mastered by the I Organization ■ ■ . , I 1 ALREADY EXPERTS ON FULL FASHIONED 1 Although the New Machinery Has Been in Use Only Six Months Staff Is Turning Aut High . Grade Hosiery The hosiery department of the Wis cassett Mills l#s come in for a good deal of attention in the textile trade recently by reason of an installation of new machinery made six months ago by the leading firm of German spinning machinery manufacturers. The pew ma chinery is said to be the most modern of its kind, and is used in the production of ’full fashioned hose. While up until now the mill has confined itself to the manufacture of dyeing cotton and lisle hose, it is the intension of the manage ment to gradually work into production of silk hose as well. Some very compli mentary letters have been received by the mill from large New York jobbers, j one of whieh stated that a recent sam ple of full fashioned cotton and lisle hose, which came to the attention of the firm, was regarded as the best of the kind they hud ever seen.’ This is looked upon' as impressive, in view of the fact that it is'generally recognized that oper ators of the new German machinery take hbouf two years to-learn the details of* manufacturing. Mr. Gaddy, the super intendent, started with an organization, which while thoroughly accustomed to making hose with the ordinary knitting machines, known as eireulnr hose, was entirely unfamiliar with the full fash ioned process of manufacture. Within six mouths, ilistened of the expected two yens, tile Wiscassett hosiery mfflrSs turning out hose which .will compare with anything in the country of similar quality,'according to Superintendent Gad dy. Process of Manufacture. Explaining the process of manufacture, the superintendent first sliowed how knitted hose were made. The knitting machine makes the ribbed part of the hose, from where it goes to the footer, which knits on tiie foot and heel, com- I ploiing the hose with the exception of an opening at the toe. In making full fashioned hose the process is entirely dif ferent, and a much greater labor expense is ijivplved, equal in labor alone to about Many fine vegetable and flower gar dens were to be seen to the front, • aide and rear of numerous mill homes, the employee having plenty of space on which'to raise a geod garden. In addi tion some of the mill village residents keep pigs, others keep cow*, the com pany providing the necessary barns. . KNITTING MACHINES MOST MODERN TYPE The Knitting Department of the Wis cassett Mills Co., is the moist up-to-date hosiery mill in the South. The present equipment consists of 460 knitting ma chines, 125 ribbers, 85 looperq, and .four teen sewing machines. Complete with dyeing, finishing and paper box /plant. The heating and ventilating is controll ed from a central statron which furnish es warm fresh air in winter and cool 'resh air in summer. . ... five times th'e complete production value v— of the knitted hose. “In this process the one machine makes the leg, from the hem at, the top down to the heel tabs, leaving the foot to be put on by a footer. The hose comes out flat, unlike the knitted hose which is knitted i n circular form. In the footer the full fashioned hose is transferred to ,a row of needles on a frame by hand, extreme precision being required by the' operator Ho get the needles in exactly the right places. This , is called the transfer bar, and the oper ator through long training tmUSfers the hose almost ns rapidly as it comes from itlie machine. The transfer bars then go !to the footer, which knits on the foot, - leaving an opening* for the toe. The hose then goes to the looper, which- clos es the heel and toe, then to the senmer, which seams the back. Dyeing Department. In the dyeing department the hose goes into a dyeing vat for one to two hours, then into a washing vat for about an hour; then through the dryer, after which it is singed in a gas flame, and then into the softening machine where the natural oils are restored and the hose becomes soft. Then it is put on forms and dried and'put in an hydraulic press. The next step is Inspection for the purpose of rejecting imperfect hose and for pairing. After that it is stamped’with the trade mark, a gold transfer placed o n the toe, after which it is ticketed and boxed. In the Wiscassett Mills the company makes all its own boxes, a large room being filled with special machinery for this pur pose. Certain atmospheric conditions are nec essary in a hosiery mill, the doors npd windows being kept closed at all times, j An air conditioning plant insures an ev en femperature at all times, there being a complete change of air throughout the whole building every ten minutes, so that the temperature in the mill is practically the same every day in .the year. kmiceis MAINTAINED FREE FOR WISCASSETT PEOPLE Attractive Day Nursfery at Disposal of the Mill Families One of the most attractive buildings * in Wiscassett Mill village is the nurses* home and day nursery, built and main-> tained by the mill management for the benefit of the employees. Two full time nursps are employed who visit the Homes of the employees and give instruction in personal hygiene, care of children and act as nurses and advisers in cases of sickness and disease. As a result of the * careful policy of nutting inspection, the death rate in the Wiscaspett Mill village'? is unusually low, and there is a gratify ing freedom from epidemic diseases. Kui.*‘h,“"i£'."“JSSnSi ■ - ■■ •—! "■ ■ m * •
The Concord Daily Tribune (Concord, N.C.)
Standardized title groups preceding, succeeding, and alternate titles together.
Oct. 10, 1923, edition 1
20
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