Wednesday, September 30, 2015

North Carolina Business News, September 1905

From the Gold Leaf, September 14, 1905

Trainload of Southern Furniture From Mebane
What is said to have been the first solid trainload of furniture of one order ever shipped by a Southern factory was sent this month from Mebane, N.C., the first installment of furniture for bachelors’ quarters on the Panama canal, contracted for the government with the White Furniture Co. This train of 13 cars, carrying more than 10,000 parts of dressers, washstands and tables, was handsomely placarded, each car bearing a 20-foot banner worded “From the White Furniture Co., Mebane, N.C., for United States Government, Panama Canal,” and in addition the trade-mark of the shipper, “The White Line Guarantees Satisfaction.” Mr. Hallam of the firm of Hildreth & Co., of New York, consulting engineers and inspectors to the government, accepted the entire lot. An additional order was also placed with the company, and the White Furniture Co. has just been advised of an additional award by the Isthmian Canal Commission of a finer grade of furniture for quarters of the married employees. This concern has grown since 1881 from a saw-mill to one among the leading furniture factories of the South.

Dunn Mills Sending Cloth to China
Notwithstanding the reports that continue of a boycott on American-made goods by Chinese buyers, the Southern cotton mills continue to make shipments of their products to the Far East. This is indicated by a dispatch from Dunn, N.C., which refers to the shipment of 500,000 yards of cloth to Shanghai by the No. 2 mill of the Erwin Cotton Mills Company of Durham, N.C. The No. 2 mill is located at Duke, near Dunn. It was planned for 70,000 spindles and 2,000 looms but only half that equipment is in position at present, and the product is denim cloths. This is one of several recent instances of big foreign orders for Southern mills.

Wood-Fiber Plaster, Gastonia
An enterprise of considerable importance in connection with building and construction interests in the Gastonia (N.C.) territory will be established in that city by Messrs. J.B. Beal, J.L. Beal and S.B. Barnwell. They will organize the Gaston Plaster Co., ad establish a plant for manufacturing 15 tons of wood-fiber plaster every day, investing from $6,000 to $8,000 in the industry. A two-story building 30 x 80 feet will be erected to accommodate the mechanical equipment, none of which has been purchased. The machinery will include the plaster-making apparatus belt conveyors, elevators for handling paper and jute bags, belting, etc. Manufacturers are invited to correspond relative to supplying the machinery.

Another Mebane Enterprise in Spray
It is announced that Messrs. B. Frank Mebane, Arthur J. Draper, George W. Franker, all of Spray, N.C., and their associates will organize the American-Japanese Company, with capital stock of $1,000,000. While no details have been made public, it is understood that the company’s plans are to build a cotton factory at Spray, where Mr. Mebane and his associates already operate a number of mills. Their established plants have a total of approximately 50,000 spindles and 1,900 looms, and another mill company which they organized several months ago is building a mill of 12,000 spindles and 360 looms at Spray.

The Imperial Yarn Mills, Belmont
Another cotton-yard mill will be built at Belmont, N.C., by the officers of the Chronicle Mills of that city. The new company will be known as the Imperial Yarn Mills, and will organize with a capital stock of $125,000 to build a plant which will be equipped 10,000 spindles and accompanying apparatus. A site has been selected and arrangements for beginning construction work will be completed soon. Nos. 40, 50 and 60 yarns will be made. Over $100,000 has been subscribed by Messrs. A.C. Lineberger, R.L. Stowe, M.N. Hall and their associates.

A $20,000 Improvement in Lexington
The Nokomis Cotton Mills of Lexington, N.C., has awarded contract for new additional machinery to cost about $200,000, which is now being installed. Its new equipment includes 1920 producing spindles, 26 40-inch looms from the Draper Company of Hopedale, Mass., and cards, lappers, speeders, etc., from the Howard & Bullough Machine Co. of Pawtucket, R.I. This enlargement gives the Nokosmi Cotton Mills a total of about 15,000 spindles and 356 looms, producing gray cloth for covering purposes exclusively.

Monazite in North Carolina
Cleveland and Rutherford counties in North Carolina furnish very signal evidence of the rapid development that section has made in the development of its monazite mines. These counties contain land that 15 years ago was valued at $2 per acre, but is now selling for as much as $600 per acre because of its mineral wealth. Near Ellenboro, Rutherford county, the supply of monazite sand is very abundant and land prices are high.

The Rhode Island Company of Spray, N.C., is having plans and specifications prepared by Messrs. Lockwood, Greene & Co., of Boston, Mass., for the erection of a 100 x 200 foot addition to its building. It was announced in June that this enlargement had been decided upon and that 200 looms would be installed. The looms will weave cotton blankets. About $12,000 will be the cost of the improvement.

Asheville Marble Works
The Cherokee Marble Works of Murphy, N.C., will establish a plant in Asheville. It will erect a platform equipped with derricks, install polishers, etc., which will use pneumatic tools and other improved modern equipment.

Asheville Cotton Mill
Asheville Cotton Mills has awarded contracts for machinery and construction work to install electrical equipment for operating its plant, which will take the place of steam power. Equipment is 8,448 spindles and 450 looms, to which will be added some spinning frames, revolving flap-top cards, etc.

Charlotte’s  Combing-Gin Works
The Fuller Combing-Gin Co., will increase capital stock from $100,000 to $150,000.

Cleveland Furniture Factory
Cleveland Manufacturing Co., has been incorporated with capital stock of $20,000 by J.J. Kincaid, B.A. Knox and W.F. Thompson for manufacturing furniture.

Concord Cotton Mill
Cabarrus Cotton Mills contemplates building a large addition to their present installation, which has 8,500 spindles and 542 looms.

Greensboro Concrete-block Works
Earl & Kelley will form the Keystone Hollow Block Company to establish a plant for manufacturing hollow concrete blocks, which are used for building purposes. About $3,000 will be invested at the start. The site has been purchased.

No comments:

Post a Comment