T S L5(b5 LIBRARY OF CONGRESS. Shelf....ir^...S3 UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. I .^^ iie"vi:e"V7" OF XHH PROGRESS OP COTTON MANUFACTURE IN THE UNITED STATES. A REVIEW THE PROGRESS OF COTTON MANUFACTURE THE UNITED STATES. (PREPARED, BY REQUEST, FOR THE EDITION OF THE " ENCYCLOP.EDIA BRITANNICA" NOW IN PRESS). ALFRED B. ^SH EPPERSON, Author of THE STANDARD TELEGRAPHIC CIPHER CODE FOR THE COTTON TRADE,' "THE ABRIDGED COTTON CIPHER CODE." "COTTON FACTS," ETC., ETC. "'ry^, U-^?^ Printed, not Published. NEW YORK, d883. COPYRIGHT, 1883, BY ALFRED B. SHEPPERSON. 1 3'1'SB5 The great perfection attained in Cotton Manufacture, and its won- derful development within the past century, are due to the inventive skill and untiring energy of Great Britain and the United States. The first machine for spinning cotton by rollers was invented by John Wyatt, of Birmingham, England, and patented in 1738, in the name of his partner, Lewis Paul. This machinery was put in operation in Birmingham in I74i,and in Northampton in 1743; but, through im- perfections in some of its details, it failed to prove profitable, and its use was finally abandoned. To Sir Richard Arkwright has generally been ascribed the credit of having first invented the method of spin- ning by rollers, but an investigation of the matter proves beyond ques- tion that the principles of Arkwright's machines were known and patented over thirty years before he applied for a patent. Arkwright's machinery was far more perfect than that of John Wj^att, but the same principles were involved. In 1764, James Hargreaves, a v/eaver of Lancashire, invented the "Spinning-Jenny "; and in 1769, Richard Ark- wright, of Nottingham, obtained a patent for his "spinning frame," which was the most perfect machine for spinning cotton which had been invented up to that time. In 1779, Samuel Crompton, a weaver of Bolton, after five years of study and experiment, completed a machine known as the " mule- jenny." This was a most valuable addition to the machinery then in use for cotton manufacture, as it combined the principles of Hargreaves' and Arkwright's machines, and applied them in a more practical and useful manner. The invention of Crompton was not patented, and his machines soon came into general use by English spinners, who made various improvements in minor details, which increased their efficiency. In 1785, the patent granted to Arkwright for his " spinning frame " was set aside, and the use of his inventions thrown open to the public. In this year, also, the first adaptation of the steam engine to cotton manu- facture was made, by the erection of one of Boulton & Watt's engines in the carding and spinning factory of the Messrs. Robinson, in Not- tinghamshire, England. During the same year of 1785, already made memorable in the history of cotton manufacture, the power-loom was invented by Rev. Dr. Edmund Cartwright, of Kent. Rude and cumber- some at first, it was greatly improved by 1787, when it soon superseded the hand-looms, and caused the establishment of the factory system in place of the custom which had previously prevailed, of weaving by hand-looms at the homes of the workmen. The events clustering around the period of 1785 to 1787, gave to the cotton manufacturing industry of England a wonderful impetus, and the present factory system dates from this time. In 1793 the " Saw Cotton Gin " was invented by Eli Whitney, a citizen of- Georgia, but a native of Massachusetts. The importance of this invention to the cotton manufacture cannot be over-estimated, for it was the one thing needed to insure a sufficient supply of the raw material to meet the requirements of the increasing machinery for spinning and weaving. The result of Whitney's invention was the rapid extension of cotton culture in the United States, and its permanent establishment as one of the leading staples of the country. Previous to the introduction of the "saw gin," lint cotton had been separated from its seed by the use of what were known as "roller gins." The process was almost identi- cal with that in use in India centuries ago, and was slow and expensive. The new gin separated lint from seed in much less time, and at much less cost, than had been done by the old plan. As it also increased the quantity of lint made from "seed cotton " (or cot'on as gathered from the field), it is easy to see how Whitney's invention greatly enhanced the planters' profits, and thus gave so great a stimulus to cotton planting. In 1775 a stock company was formed in Philadelphia for the purpose of spinning cotton by machinery, and this was probably the first at- tempt at cotton manufacture in the United States. In 1780 a company was organized at Worcester, Mass., for spinning and weaving cotton ; and it met with a fair measure of success. The first regular cotton mill in the United States, operated upon the factory system, was erected in 1787 at Beverly, Mass., by a stock company, at an outlay of about ^4,000. The public felt so great an interest in the success of this en- terprise that the Legislature of Massachusetts assisted the company by several grants of money, amounting in all to ^1,500. In the previous year (1786), machinery for carding, roving and spinning cotton, after Arkwright's and other English methods, had been erected for Col. Hugh Orr, at East Bridgewater, Mass., by Robert and Alexander Barr, ma- chinists, from Scotland. This machinery was designed chiefly for the purpose of giving practical information to those interested in the sub- ject of cotton manufacture. To this end, notice was given in the news- papers that the machines could be seen and examined by the public, and that the manner of working them would be explained. The factory started at Beverly, in 1787, was speedily followed by others at Providence, R. I., New Haven and Norwich, Conn., Philadel- phia, New York, Boston and other places, in about the order named. These factories were all employed in carding, roving and spinning cot- ton by machinery. The weaving of cloth was done on hand-looms until 1813, when Messrs. Francis C. Lowell, Patrick T. Jackson and Paul Moody started at Waltham, Mass., the first Mill in the United States, in which power-looms were used. The power-loom, invented by Dr. Cartwright, had been in use in the British mills since 1787; but, in those days, intercourse with the mother country was so restricted, and 5 the secrets of inventors so jealously guarded, that its principles and mode of construction were unknown in America. As early as 1790, yarns and cloth were manufactured in considerable quantities at Statesburg, South Carolina. In 1822 the first cotton mill was erected in Lowell, Mass., now the largest cotton manufacturing centre in America. In 1825 there were in the United States about 800,000 spindles, which consumed during that year 100,000 bales of cot- ton. Until 1845 the cotton manufacture was chiefly confined to the Eastern and Middle States. There were very few regular cotton mills at the South ; but in that section a small quantity of cotton was yearly spun by the old-fashioned spinning-jennies, and woven on hand-looms for home and plantation use. Even to the present time, this primitive method of manufacture is followed in some portions of the South. A review of the growth of cotton manufacture shows that this great industry has kept pace with the rapid progress of American develop- ment. Fifty years ago there were in operation in the United States, 795 mills, running 1,250,000 spindles, and employing 57,500 operatives. These mills took from the crop of 1831-32, only 174,000 bales of cotton. In 1882 there were fully 12,150,000 spindles, giving employment to over 200,000 persons. Their takings from the crop of 1881-82 were 1,933,000 bales. A comparison of the progress of cotton manufacture in Great Britain and in the United States is interesting. In 1850-51, Brit, mills worked 21,000,000 spindles, and took 1,667,000 B./C In 1860-61, " " " 33,000,000 " " 2,635,000 " In 1871-72, " " " 36,000,000 " " 3,132,000 " In 1881-82, " " " 41,000,000 " " 3,439,000 " The record of the United States shows even better results. In 1850-51, U. S. mills worked 3,600,000 spindles, and took 464,000 B./C. In 1860-61, " " " 5,200,000 " " 839,000 " In 1871-72, " " " 7,500,000 " " 1,097,000 " In 1881-S2, " " " 12,150,000 " " 1,933,000 " It will be seen that between 1851 and 1882, British spinners increased their spindles 95 per cent., and their consumption of cotton 106 per cent.; while American spinners increased their spindles 237 per cent., and their consumption of cotton 317 per cent. The ratio of increase has been more than twice as great in the United States as in Great Britain. According to the census of 1880, there were in the United States at that time, 756 regular cotton mills, representing a capital of $208,280,346, and running 10,653,435 spindles. The following are the details of the several States for the census year ending June ist, 1880. Maine New Hampshire. Vermont Massachusetts . . Rhode Island. . . Connecticut New York New Jersey Pennsylvania. . . . Delaware Maryland Ohio Indiana Illinois Michigan Wisconsin Minnesota Utah Total in Northern States. ' Nurnler 0/ Spincles. 695,924 944.053 55.0S1 4,236,084 1,764,569 936,376 561.658 232,221 425.391 46,188 125,706 '3.328 33.396 4,860 5,100 10,000 1,708 432 10,092,075 Bales of Cotton Consumed. 112,381 I 157.673 i 7,404 ' 574.857 167,480 109.703 64,614 21,069 83.997 i 7,512 51.537 5.323 11,558 2,261 i 600 3.173 400 54 -I- Capital Invested. $15,292,078 19,877,084 936,096 72,291,601 28,047,331 20 310,500 1 1,^99,638 3,807,750 10,331,985 874,570 4,600,816 670,000 1 ,090,000 240,000 20,000 200,000 5,000 20,000 1,381,596 |$i9o,oi4,449 Virginia North Carolina. South Carolina. Georgia , Florida Alabama Mississippi Louisiana Texas Kentucky Tennessee Arkansas Missouri Total in Southern States. Grand Total 49 14 40 I 16 8 2 3 16 164 756 44,340 92,385 82,334 198,656 816 49.432 18,568 6,096 2,648 9,022 35.736 2,015 19.312 561,360 10,653,435 1 1,461 27,642 33.624 71.389 350 14,702 6,411 1.358 246 4.050 10,436 680 6,399 188,748 $1,190,100 2,855,800 2,776,100 6,348,657 1 1,000 1,246,500 1,122,140 195,000 50,000 360,000 1,145,600 75,000 890,000 $18,265,897 1,570,344 $208,280,346 These figures refer to regular cotton mills, manufacturing yarns and fabrics made entirely of cotton. Besides the cotton consumed in these establishments, 99,611 bales were used in woolen mills, hosiery mills, and felt and hat factories; 40,597 bales, in the manufacture of mixed fabrics, not sold as cotton goods, but composed largely of cotton ; and about 15,000 bales, in mattresses and upholstery work. These additions to the figures for the cotton mills proper, would make the entire cotton consumption of the country for the census year, 1,725,552 bales. From careful investigation, it has been estimated by Mr. Edward Atkinson, special agent of the census for cotton manufactures, that 30,231 bales more were consumed during the commercial year ending August 31st, 1880, than during the year covered by the census returns (ending June ist, 1880). This, added to the census figures, gives 1,755,773 bales as the consumption of the United States for the cotton season of 1879-80. Apportioned between the Northern and Southern States, the number of spindles, and consumption of cotton during the year ending August 31st, 1880 (based upon the census of 1880), may be thus stated : Number of Bales of Cotton Spindles. Consumed. Northern States, 10,092,075 " 1,543,720 Southern States (including Virginia, Kentucky, and Missouri), - - - 561,360 212,053 Entire Country, ----- 10,653,435 1,755-773 The 756 cotton mills gave employment, during the census year, to 172,544 persons (exclusive of 2,1 15 officers and clerks). Of these opera- tives, 59,685 were men; 15,107, boys; 84,539, women ; and 13,213, girls. The working hours were 10 to 11 per day, and the wages for the year averaged $244, or 8 1 cents per day for 300 working days. The factories not classed as regular cotton mills, but manufacturing mixed goods containing a large proportion of cotton, gave employment to 12,928 per- sons ; while establishments for printing, dyeing and bleaching cotton and mixed goods, employed 12,866 operatives. Add to these the 2,115 officers and clerks of cotton mills, and the total number of persons en- gaged in the different branches of cotton manufacture in 1880, reaches 200,453. I" 1850 the regular cotton mills gave employment to 94,956 persons; in i860, to 122,028; and in 1870, to 135,369. It will be ob- served that while the number of spindles increased nearly 200 per cent, between 1850 and 1880, the number of operatives increased only about 80 per cent. This is due to the greater efficiency of modern machinery, and the growing tendency to concentrate work in large establishments. Since 1880, the increase in spindles, by the erection of new mills, and enlargement of old establishments, has been very considerable. It is estimated that on September ist, 1882, there were fully 11,320,000 spin- dles in the Northern, and 830,000 in the Southern States, making a total of 12,150,000 spindles in the entire country — an increase of 1,500,000 spindles within the past two years. During the same time, the cotton spindles of Great Britain have ad- vanced from 39,750,000, to 41,000,000; and those of the continent of Europe, from 20,800,000 to 21,850,000 — an increase of about three per cent. for Great Britain, and five per cent, for the continent, against an Amer- ican increase of fourteen per cent. While the English were the first to use machinery for spinning and weaving, the Americans have made many inventions which perfected and cheapened the cotton manufacture. All of the American methods which possessed merit have been adopted in England, as all English improvements have been introduced in America. This interchange of the inventive skill of the two countries has been constantly going on, so that, at this time, neither can boast of any especial advantages over the other, in the matter of patented machinery. British machinery, for spinning and weaving, and, in fact, for ail purposes directly connected with the cotton manufacture, is considered more perfect in its finish and details than that made in the United States ; and is used in many of the best appointed mills. American steam engines, however, and all appliances for furnishing and regulat- ing motive power, are regarded as superior to those of foreign make, and are in general use. As yet, the American mills manufacture, besides yarns and thread, chiefly the coarser descriptions of goods, such as shirtings, sheetings, drills, checks, print cloths, bags, etc. Some fine fabrics are made by Northern mills, but they are rather the exceptions which prove the gen- eral rule. In Great Britain the average consumption of cotton, in the year 1 88 1-82, was about 36 lbs. per spindle, while in the United States it was about ']'] lbs. This fact illustrates the relative fineness of the goods manufactured in the respective countries. It must be said, to the credit of American manufacturers, that their goods are generally free from adulteration, honestly made, and correctly branded. They stand deservedly high in the Chinese and Indian markets, where they come in competition with British goods, which are often badly adulter- ated with sizing and other filling. The bulk of American cotton manufactures are sold for home consumption, the export trade not yet having assumed proportions of importance. Within the past few years a prominent feature of the cotton manu- facturing industry has been its rapid development in the cotton-growing States. The general recuperation of the South, from the losses entailed by the war between the States, and the wretched misgovernment which followed in its wake, has been marked by earnest and energetic efforts for the establishment of cotton manufacture in this section. Many of the Southern municipal and State governments have encouraged the movement by granting exemption from taxation of capital employed in cotton manufacture. In the year ending August 31st, 1878, the South- ern mills took from the crop 147,000 bales of cotton ; and in the season of 1881-82, their takings were 287,000 bales — an increase of 95 per cent. During the same period the Northern mills increased their takings of cotton from 1,341,000 to 1,646,000 bales — a gain of about 23 per cent. Southern factories possess the advantages of proximity to the cot- ton fields, and a climate whose mildness insures them against those interruptions to work, which, in severe winters, are often causes of inconvenience and loss to Northern mills. Other advantages over the North are cheaper land, (for sites for factories and dwellings for operatives), cheaper building material, fuel and labor, and longer work- ing hours. Nearness to the cotton fields means not only a saving in cost of transportation of the raw material, and the reduction to a mini- mum of the inevitable loss in weight by handling, but it means also a better selection, and lower prices. Southern mills can buy their cotton direct, and save the profits and charges which the Northern mills must pay to brokers and middle-men. The loss in weight on cotton in transportation to the Northern mills is considerable, and to this must be added the loss by the shrinkage in weight on the larger stocks of cotton which Northern mills have to carry, in consequence of their greater distance from the sources of supply. The Northern mills certainly possess great advantages in their proximity to the large cities which serve as distributing points for their production ; in the facilities afforded by the many machine and repair shops which have sprung up around them ; and in the better supply of skilled labor. It may be fairly questioned, however, if their advantages equal those possessed by the mills of the South. The cost of transportation to Northern and Western markets of the product of Southern mills in excess of what they can sell to their own trade, is certainly much less than the freight paid by the Northern mills on all the cotton which they use. The additional first cost of machin- ery to Southern mills, and perhaps the somewhat greater expense for subsequent repairs, are far more than balanced by their cheaper fuel and labor, and more certain water-power. It is thought that the dividends made by Southern mills in 1881 averaged 14 per cent., while those of the Northern mills averaged scarcely 7 per cent, on the capital invested. It has long been the general opinion in the Northern States and in Europe that cotton manufacture would not prosper in the Southern States. In view of the facts that of recent years cotton consumption has increased at the South in a greater comparative ratio than at the North, and that Southern mills have actually paid larger profits than Northern mills, the idea so long cherished must be abandoned. It is useless to attempt to maintain mere theories against the logic of accom- plished facts. 1^ Blessed with an unrivalled climate, an abundance of unfailing water-power, inexhaustible supplies of coal, iron and lumber, and with a soil whose fertility insures abundant and cheap food, why should not the Southern States succeed in their efforts to establish cot- ton manufacture ? It would surely be in accord with a correct system of economy if the entire cotton crop of the country could be spun in the section of its growth ; and the proportion of it needed for the looms of the world, shipped in the shape of yarns instead of cotton. Cotton culture and cotton manufacture in this country are capable of vast extension. Since 185 1 the extent of the cotton crop has been doubled, while American spinners have, within the same time, increased their consumption over three hundred per cent. LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 018 533 635 9