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speed, and the absence of spasmodic or jerky movement to the shuttle box is remarkable. The gears are enlarged and hardened, and its mechanism generally improved, guaranteeing increased desirability.

The taking-off picking is wholly on the bottom or picking shaft, leaving the square or shoe shaft with only the shoe and arm upon it, thereby relieving it of the extra weight that the former motion placed upon this shaft. The picking or bottom shaft makes one revolution per pick, as in the 1880 loom. Lost picks can be found with ease and rapidity, thus reducing stoppages to the minimum point.

Correspondence solicited. For further particulars, address Crompton Loom Works, Worcester, Mass.

SOUTHERN MILL NOTES.

THE Anniston, Ala., Mfg. Co. have bought new automatic sprinkling machinery for their cotton mill.-Enterprise Mfg. Co., Birmingham, Ala., have organized, with a capital stock of $200,000, and will soon buy machinery for a mill with 10,000 spindles and 300 looms capacity.-J. P. Jones and E. S. Dumee of Phila., Pa., will move their two cotton mills to Birmingham, Ala. One will manufacture ginghams and cheap goods, and the other colored goods in imitation of woolens.-Joseph Hunt will build a cotton and woolen hosiery mill, to cost $25,000, at Florence, Ala.-W. C. Davis, Milton Humes and M. J. O'Shaughnessy, of Huntsville, and Joseph F. O'Shaughnessy of New York, are interested in the $100,000 stock company to build a cotton mill, capacity 15,000 spindles, at Huntsville, Ala.Matthews Cotton Mill Co., Selma, Ala., have ordered additional spindles and are negotiating for more looms.-W. L. Chambers is president; C. B. Ashe vice president; David Clopton, Jr., sec., and J. V. Allen, treas., of Sheffield, Ala., Cotton Mill Co. Capital stock, $50,coo.-There is talk of forming a company to build a cotton mill at Fernandina, Fla.-The Princeton cotton factory, Athens, Ga., contemplate adding 30 looms and 1900 spindles.-W. L. & J. H. Barnes will replace machinery in their four and grist mill at Marietta, Ga., with machinery for making yarns and knit goods.-Emby L. Sweringen and Harry L. Jefferson, Louisville, Ky, have organized a $90,000 stock company to manufacture woolen jeans and knit fine hosiery; will start within two intmths with 65 looms, and contemplate soon onlarging...Will operate Swearingen Mfg. Co.'s plant.-Hale, Smith & Co., Mayfield, Ky., will add to their woolen mill 30 looms, 16 6-inch set of cards, two mules, engine, boiler, brush mill, etc., as soon as an additional building, now in course of erection, is complete.-Seward Sewall is erecting machinery for decorticating ramie at La Fayette, La.-Yocona mills, Water Valley, Miss., will not add at present 100 looms.-A clothing factory has been started by Young Bros. at Fayetteville, N. C. -It is reported that a cotton factory will be built by W. D. Morgan at Fayetteville, N. C.-G. M. Webb, Jr., J. E. Taylor, A. J. Sloan and others, have formed Jonesboro, N. C., Cotton Mills Co.; capital stock $10,000, to operate W. R. Burgess' cotton mill, to be removed from Staley to Jonesboro; will add 800 spindles.-Dunkirk Mfg. Co., chartered some years ago, contemplate completing organization with a view to building a cotton mill at Lakeview, Aiken, S. C.-The cotton mill company at Aiken, S. C., formed by C. K. Henderson and others, is called the Manchester Mfg. Co.; capital stock $200,000. They will build a 12,500 spindle mill to manufacture yarns, knit goods, thread and rope.-T. A. Wilbur & Sons are putting in machinery for a clothing factory, at 161 Meeting street, Charleston, S. C.; about 100 hands will be employed.-A stock company has been formed to start a pants factory at Charleston, S. C. W. S. Johnson of New York, manager, is buying machinery.-Red Bank mills, Lexington, S. C., will purchase a few drawing frames.-It is reported that Pelham, S. C., mills, will build an additional mill of 7000 spindles capacity; present mill has about 3000 spindles.—Athens, Tenn., woolen mills are putting in additional machinery.-A shirt and clothing factory is to be started at Fort Worth, Tex.-The $45,000 needed to secure the erection of $200,000 cotton mill by H. N. Burdick, of New York, at Gainesville, Tex., has been raised; capacity 6000 spindles and 150 looms; mill to be 50x260 ft., 2 stories, with 2 wings 75x40 ft.-A company to build a cotton factory is being worked up at Galveston, Tex.-Efforts will be made to have Liberty woolen mill removed to Lynchburg, Va. It is proposed to form a stock company to operate it.-Negotiations are being made to start a knitting factory at Roanoke, Va. -Mfrs Record.

THE COTTON FACTORY.

SHELL ROLLS VERSUS SOLID ROLLS. THE above subject is one that in years gone by has created

quite a sensation among cotton spinners, and either from prejudice, or from a hatred to give up old-fashioned ways, many are heard at this late day advocating the old solid roll in preference to the shell roll. The reasons given for their preference appear very weak to those who have given the thing a fair test,

and had the shells a ten led to with a little extra care until the

operatives became accustomed to them. Some of the reasons given against them are, that the shells being frequently of different sizes, it is difficult to match them in pairs, and that when not properly matched, the thread nearest the largest end will be irregular, and have the appearance of cut yarn; but, then, that is not the question, for we all know if the proper curve was not given to the point of teeth in gearing, we should have trouble, if the curves on the point of the teeth of a rack and pinion were part of the epicycloid instead of part of the cycloid, we could not expect to have a smooth running motion. So in all other parts of machinery, if we do not get things as they were designed to be, we may expect trouble; and so it is in the case of the shell rolls. If we order rolls to be exactly one inch diameter, it is our fault for accepting them, especia ly when it is of such vast importance as making uneven yarn for all the years that shell rolls last. But here the advocate of the solid roll may say, Did you ever see among common machinery a portion of an exact cycloid on the curve of the teeth of a rack? or a part of an exact epicycloid on the teeth of gears ? Are they not as a rule, only approximations? And on the same scale of reasoning, according to the cost of the machine, shall we not accept these shells at their approximate sizes? I say yes, when the approximation comes near enough so as to give no trouble, as with the teeth in the gears, but when we find so much fault with the teeth of gears, as we hear from some of those who oppose shell rolls, of their different sizes, I am fully convinced that we should soon see that the pattern was fixed over, and have new gears. But in arguing this question this way, they seem to lose sight of the fact that there is as much liability to have the ends of a solid roll of different sizes as the shells, and that with the solid roll there is no opportunity to rectify it, as there is in matching shells. Then, we know there is not the opportunity in the solid roll to adapt itself to its work, as in the loose boss, seeing there is a little leeway between the inside of the shell and the shaft, which is a very good thing when a thread is broken and there is a lap on one side it does not affect it as much as the solid roll does, for whatever comes under it must lift it just so much from the steel rolls, and should it be one of the inside threads, then the whole of the remaining threads will be affected. So the proper thing to do is when new shells are received from the machine shop, have some one who is capable go through them very carefully with a template, and all he finds too small or too large, return them to the shop as inferior, then the same amount of care with the roller cloth and the leather that we use in having the solid rolls covered, will give us a shell that will ensure good work, but in cases where this precaution has been omitted, and uneven shells are all the go, the best plan is to give every new spinner a few lessons on matching, and should he have any in his weekly allowance that will not match, either exchange them or let them lie over until he gets his next week's allowance, when he is most likely to find mates for them. This a spinner soon learns, and more especially when he finds the more careful he is the better his work will go and the less bad work he will make. I know in times when uneven yarn is complained of, every conceivable idea is attended to by the man who is alive to his business, but it is best to see to it for ourselves that the cause of the uneven yarn is in the uneven rollers, for it is no uncommon thing for carders to make this assertion when they are told that the roving is uneven, anything to move the responsibility from their shoulders. But no spinner should omit keeping a constant record of the numbers of his roving, and when any irregularity shows itself he ought to be the first to call the carder's attention to the fact, whether on ring frames or mules, for who can tell the amount of trouble saved, for when the roving is uneven, who can say what kind of traveler shall be put on, when the numbers in the yarn vary from one to three hanks, as is often the case? What kind of warp must 'this class of goods make? Or if it is filling, what printer can keep his colors even, if for prints-if for cotton-flannel, what napper

can get an even nap on it? I feel confident that frequently when spinners are spending so much time and trouble looking over the shell rolls, the place they should be looking is on the presses, on the speeders or slubbers, or to the cones. This is when the carder finds his weighing at the drawing and railway head pretty regular. I do not mean by this that any inattention to shell rollshould be tolerated, but you will seldom find a mule or ring spinner let a thread trouble them long before they break down the roving until it is fixed, for it will not stay up long at a time, when the shell rolls are in a bad condition, and especially when not properly matched. -Shell Roll.

PICKING OF LONG STOCK.

HAVING entered upon a view of the manner in which in practice cotton is prepared for spinning, it will be necessary to stick to the picker's room a short time longer. In calling attention to the opening and lapping of the finer qualities of stock, it will be well to point out the difference between the various machines built for this purpose. Where fine counts are spun, and Sea Island, Egyptian and other long graded material used, there are at least three k nds of picking room machinery that are popular. One is single beater openers with double feeding rolls delivering the loosened cotton into sheet-iron receptacles, from which it is taken and weighed, and hand spread to double beater lapping machines. This, it must be admitted, is a favorite way by which to prepare long stapled cotton in the pickers room. It may be asserted that handweighing is out of date; but let those who think so visit those old fine spinning mills making yarn for thread manufacturers, and they will soon be undeceived in respect to this. These concerns have the thread trade and they are bound under contract to supply so much yarn of such a number per month, and if it is not extremely near the size required it will be returned. There are none so particular about the exactness of numbers, nor any using such large quantities of fine yarns as thread manufacturers. Those mills which spin for them, have for a series of years satisfactorily filled their contracts with hand spreading, and it would take a wonderful amount of persuasion to make them change it. The only difference, however, between these methods of opening and lapping, is the weighing and spreading by hand. Put on lapping rollers to the opener, and an evener on the picker, and the improved system of opening and lapping is presented to the eye. There is another method by which long stapled cotton is opened. A machine with three porcupines laid parallel, with three eights of an inch of clearance between them, the first running downwards, the second upwards, and the third downwards; the one receiving the cotton from the other without intervening feed rolls, and subjecting it to a very thorough opening and clean ing. We must not fail to observe that in beating cotton for fine yarns, there is a forcible argument in the favor of a gradation of velocity, which might be proportionally arranged to the length of the staple. This idea is brought to the fore in the treble porcupine system, where each cylinder is driven faster than the one preceding. These porcupine cylinders are fitted with dirt dredgers and trunks, in the same way as beaters, are very easy on the fibre,and considerably diminish the quantity of bunchy work. There is still another method of opening long cotton, that is, the porcupine, cone shaped and on end, into which the cotton is sucked with a fan, and as it strikes the smaller part of the cone first it rushes upwards, on account of the greater superficial velocity, until it reaches the top. It is then delivered on a lattice table, and fed to another beater of the usual kind. Here then, are three different systems of practice for the purpose of opening and extracting the deleterious matter from Sea Island and all other long-stapled cottons, all of which are popular in certain localities; and when cared for as they should be, make good work. The first method is the oldest, and, with the improvements now and again it receives, such as lapping on the opener, extra doubling on the finisher, and very sensitive eveners, it has the widest range for all kinds of stock, and produces yarn for strength and regularity hard to beat. But long stapled cotton on this sort of a machine has been found to have a tendency to string; and the closer the rolls are set the more this evil is aggravated. The reason of this is because of the length of the stock. The beaters pluck the fibres from the bite of the feed, instead of opening them, or they will hang under the feed rolls until they are of a considerable length, before the beater is able to get such a grip as will throw them on the scree; obviously, the cause of this is the length of the fibre, so that the machine that makes

excellent work on short material is not as well adapted to the
long. Hence the introduction of porcupines, and the different
ways by which these are operated, while the cotton is beaten
between the parallel cylinders with teeth, without intervening
rolls, and these running at a graduated speed, there can be no
stringing, and the heavy foreign matter is given a better chance
to gravitate downwards on account of the longer flight, without
interruption. On the upright coned porcupine, while the cot-
ton ascends, the heavy matter is beaten and falls to the floor;
while the positive upward drag from section to section of teeth
prevents stringing. It is especially on the openers that these
subjects are most likely to appear, because the cotton is in a
lumpy state, and the feeding rollers are widened in one direc-
tion at one time more than another, thus allowing the thinner
layers to escape.
-John Lindsay.

THOSE FACTORY BATH HOUSES.

I HAVE read with pleasure a few remarks in your recent issue relative to baths in manufacturing establishments. I can. not say much in favor of the Valley Falls Manufacturing Co.'s bathing arrangements. I have worked there several times in the weaving department, but I never succeeded in getting a bath ticket; I was never d nied one, but always was told to "call again." The proprietors exhibit a great deal of outside sentiment, but somehow they continue to select an inferior class of men as overseers, and the rate of wages paid is not the average of other manufacturing companies. The Lonsdale Co.'s efforts to accommodate their operatives with comfortable baths are worthy of all praise. From 1868 to 1872, the rules regulating the baths were excellent indeed; the overseer of the weaving department held a certain number of tickets, and on certain days of the week each weaver was given a chance to get a bath ticket, and it was a pleasure to the overseer to oblige. In fact, it was plainly evident that the heads of various departments willingly encouraged the sanitary arrangements. A spare hand was provided to weave a certain time, long enough to allow each weaver to enjoy a bathr sometimes advantage would be taken by the bather staying an unreasonable time, but only a limited few acted unfairly. The bath house was situated on the banks of the river, a few yards from the mill, and was very nicely arranged. Every convenience for comfort was provided. The attendant was an elderly lady, and it is to be regretted that from some cause or other the bath rooms are not attended or appreciated as formerly. The fault, in my judgment, is not with the owners, or agents, or superintendents; I cannot say so much for the operatives and overseers. Let us hope that the near future will develop a very strong, heartfelt desire amongst the operatives to earnestly support such sanitary facilities. -Iconoclast.

BATH ROOMS AT DOVER.

I SHOULD like to mention the Cocheco Mfg. Co. Dover, N.H., as one of the companies furnishing bath rooms and reading rooms for their help. During a call at the reading room, the writer was shown all the departments by the janitor Mr. Joseph Hartford, who informs me that the reading rooms and ba h rooms have been established since Nov. 1876, and have been entirely successful. Three or four Boston dailies and two local dailies are taken; also all the leading weekly and monthly papers and magazines. They have also a library of 150 or 200 books in connection. Tre bath rooms are fitted with all modern conveniences; four for ladies and four for gentlemen, which are free to all employes, and are open day and evening. The company does, and always has looked to the interest of their employes, who, under the efficient oversight of the agent, John Holland, are contented and doing well.

-D.

MR. ANDREW ARTHUR has closed his term of 27 years service with the Everett corporation, Lawrence, Mass. Mr. Arthur is 63 years of age and has been one of the most competent engravers in the mill. The overseers and second hands presented him with a solid gold chain and K. of P. charm, with a sum of money. -Lawrence Telegram.

We would like to communicate with a cloth inspector who is accustomed to matching shades. One accustomed to knit goods, as jerseys, stockinets, etc., preferred. Address Inspector, care Wade's FIBRE AND FABRIC.

WADE'S FIBRE AND FABRIC wants all the news from every cotton and woolen factory for Facts Whittled Down.

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WEEKLY.-860.00 per inch, per annum, 52 times. EVERY OTHER WEEK.-$40.00 per inch, per annum, 26 times. MONTHLY.-One full page every fourth week, 13 insertions per annum, $400.00. Half page $225.00. Quar. ter page, $125.00. Payments to be made at the end of each quarter.

For shorter time than 3 months $1.25 per inch, each insertion. Cash in advance, or on presentation of bill.

Trade advertisements can be changed monthly.

Mills for Sale, Mills Wanted, Second-hand Machinery, &c., 81.00. per inch, each insertion. Cash in advance or on presentation of bill.

If addressed care Wade's Fibre and Fabric and forwarded, $1.25 per inch will be charged.

and references, on application, by Geo. S. Harwood & Sɔn, 220 Devonshire street, Boston, Mass.

COTTON, wool, silk and linen, are the standard textile materials. To this list modern research is constantly making additions of more or less value. Perhaps the most startling innovation in this field is the manufacture of a coarse cloth from peat. The process by which vegetable fibres are separated from the peat as it comes from the bog, and prepared for spinning, has been patented by two Freach gentlemen. By the addition of about 25 per cent of shoddy to the peat fibre, a cloth suitable for cheap gowns may be had; without any admixture, horse rugs and such goods are manufactured.

ACAIN SUCCESSFUL.

THE SAWYER SPINDLE CO. WINS ANOTHER SUIT.

THE spindle in controversy was the so-called Buttrick & Flanders spindle, and the patent infringed the patent to Geo. H. Allen, dated Sept. 12, 1882, and numbered 264,054. The sub

HELP WANTED, or Positions Wanted, 25 cents when replies are addressed ject of the invention, as stated by the court, is a “spindle and

to advertiser, and cash sent with ad. If addressed care of Wade's Fibre and Fabric, and forwarded, 50 cents will be charged for each insertion and to defray postage for forwarding.

WADE'S FIBRE AND FABRIC is published EVERY Saturday by

JOS. M. WADE & CO.,

185 SUMMER STREET, BOSTON, MASS.

Entered at the Boston post-office as second-class matter. PROTECTION AND TEMPERANCE.

RICHARD R. HAINES.

WE.had a call recently from our old friend, Mr. Haines, whom we had not seen for many years, and we were much pleased to find him in good health, with all the vim and push he possessed in our midays, strengthened by his long years of experience in the woolen commission house business. As a publisher, we had rather lost sight of Mr. Haines, but our manufacturers of fancy cassimeres will remember him as a leader in the business while he was of the firm of Van Valkenburgh & Haines, and later in the firm of Haines, Bacon & Co. Mr. Haines is now

in charge of the woolen department with the firm of Tebbetts, Harrison & Robins, in their New York house, backed by large capital, and having a strong corps of salesmen covering all markets. There is no man who has a quicker intuitive sense of what is best for a mill to do, or is a keener judge of just how to put a piece of goods together, or how to treat it in its various stages of manufacture, than Mr. Haines. We know this from years of experience, and in our mill days were always glad to see Mr. Haines at the mill. His views are so practical that he wins the confidence of his consignors. He watched our interest to such an extent that we had no accumulation of goods while the mill was under his supervision. The house with which Mr. Mr. Haines is now associated will take one or two more accounts, which they have sufficient room and force to handle in good shape. We do not believe they would take any new business which they could not handle well, or which would conflict with accounts that they now have. This was always the policy of Mr. Haines, and we heartily endorse it.

We are in receipt of a very neatly gotten up four-page illustrated circular describing the specialties of Geo. S. Harwood & Son, late Harwood & Quincy. It describes and points out the advantages of the opener and feeder (Bramwell patent). The feeder for the worsted card as well as the Bramwell feeder for woolen cards, is well illustrated. Those wishing to know more of the advantages of these feeders are advised to write for this ircular, which will be cheerfully sent, together with price lists

supporting tube combined with a bolster tube located therein, a step placed loosely in the bolster tube, and a pin fitting the step loosely to prevent it from rotating with the spindle, yet permitting the step to move laterally in the bolster tube as the foot of the spindle travels to find its true centre of rotation." Judge Colt decides that all these elements, or their equivalents, are found in the Buttrick & Flanders structure, and that there is "nothing in the prior art which serves to protect the defendants from the charge of infringement." A copy of the decision will be sent by Geo. Draper & Sons, the agents of the Sawyer Spindle Co., to any manufacturer desiring one.

MACHINERY WANTS.

C. B. ASHE, Sheffield, Ala., wants bids on an outfit of machinery for making cotton yarns.-Jonesboro Cotton Mill Co., Jonesboro, S. C., want to buy 800 spindles, 9 cards, I speeder, 1 drawing frame, 1 slubber and 1 twister; second hand will do if first-class.-N. B. Drewry, Griffin, Ga., wants to correspond with parties manufacturing yarn and cotton rope machinery.W. L. Barnes, Marietta, Ga., wants to buy machinery for knitting factory.-W. R. Burgess, Greensboro, N. C., wants lowest jobbers' prices on cotton and woolen factory supplies, such as belting, hose, lace, oil, etc.-J. R. Wimberly, box 66, Hope, Ark., wants prices on a 20 horse-power engine and boiler.Geo. B. Wright, Dixons Mills, Ala., wants to purchase a 6 or 8 horse-power traction engine.-Carner & Co., Roanoke, Va., box 270, want a 25 horse-power engine and a 35 horse-power boiler with return flues.-Lowest cash prices on iron roofing are requested by E. A. Dixon, Paris, Texas.-T. S. Dudley & Co, Columbus, Ga., want an engine 14x18 or 20 inches. An automatic cut-off preferred. The Fulton Lumber & Mfg. Co., Atlanta, Ga., want 16 horse-power detached stationary engine. -Elkins & Sadler, Newbern, Va., want a 15 horse power engine.-Bids are solicited on a 50 horse power engine and a first class portable fire box tubular boiler, by the Excelsior Mfg. Co., Jacksonville, Fla.-Prices per ton of 1, 2 and 3 inch iron pipe are wanted by F. G. Samson, Boardman, Fla.—A small engine and boiler of about 4 horse-power are wanted by W. E. Telford, Fort Reed, Fla.-Machinery for jute bagging factory is wanted, address this office.

THE CROMPTON 1889 36-HARNESS LOOM. In our last week's issue, Feb. 23, appeared on the front page of FIBRE AND FABRIC the illustration of the Crompton narrow fabric loom, instead of the Crompton 36-harness loom. The arrangements were positively made by the firm to have the electrotype delivered to this office at a given time, and the paper was held back from the press. Never supposing that it was possible for another electrotype to be furnished, we did not give it a careful examination, but sent it to the printer at once. At the last moment, after a part of the edition had been run off, it being impossible to delay the press an hour longer, we discovered that an entirely different electrotype had been sent We this week give the correct one.

us.

FROM FALL RIVER.

THE action of the Chace mill stockholders in refusing to build a new mill or adopt the recommendations of its board of directors was worked up by the small stockholders, who were betting money on the streets previous to the meeting that the project would be killed.. The Chace mill was built in 1872, and started in 1873. When completed it contained about 43,ooo spindles and cost $790,000. Beside this amount $71,000 was invested in land and $41,000 in tenement houses. Since that time they have added 7,000 spindles, costing $80,000; making the total cost $982,000. The land has been an unproductive asset and now stands on their books at a valuation of $7000. The income from the tenements has not been equal to the interest on the cost, taxes and depreciation. Today the quick assets are equal to the outstanding indebtedness and the plant is out of debt. The amount of the capital, $500,000, deducted from the cost of the plant, $982,000, leaves $482,000, the amount of indebtedness paid out of earnings, which, added to $300,000 paid out in dividends, makes $782,000, or 156 per cent net earnings; add to this amount the interest paid, $329,ooo, and we have the gross amount earned by the mill, which may be stated as follows: debt paid, $482,000; interest, $326,000; dividends, $300,000; total, $1,111,000, an average of $70,000 per year for the 16 years that the mill has been in operation. Debt and interest has absorbed the greater part of this amount. The debt is now wiped out, and the interest account amounts to less than $10,000 per year. No one can deny but the equipment needs improving, especially in two departments, to put it on an equal footing with newer mills. The carding capacity needs increasing, and frame spinning should be put in for warp. The directors have several times considered plans for throwing out the warp mules and substituting ring frames, but the difficulties in the way of doing so are: first, the fact that such a change would require the re-organization and increase of one carding department; second, it would require a considerable increase of power, and, third, would be unavoidably attended with loss of production while making the changes. The cost of such a change would not be less than $125,000. In view of these facts the directors recommended the building of a three-story mill, parallel with the present mill and about 200 feet from it, putting weaving on the first floor, carding for all the warp spinning on the second floor, and all the warp spinning on the third floor. This plan contemplated increasing the plant to about 80,000 spindles and would cost about $400,000. While it would not make a new mill of the present one it would overcome many of the disadvantages under which they labor. It would put the plant as far as their warp is concerned on an equal footing with the newest mills, and as less would be required than now of the carding department, the work conld be done better. The difference between the best equipment and that of an inferior character is well illustrated by a recent change they made in their steam plant. Within a little more than a year they have thrown out their cylinder boilers and put in their place horizontal tubulars at cost of nearly $20,000, including the changes necessary to accommodate the new plant. They have now run them a little more than six months, and compared with the same period one year ago. with coal at the same price, the saving in fuel has been at the rate of $4,500 yer year or 22% per cent. on the $20,000 invested to make the change.-The first lot of cotton consigned to the new Hargraves mill, 150 bales, was damaged by fire last Thursday morning. The cotton was only delivered the day before, and stored in an old barn about 200 feet from the mill. The origin of the fire is unknown; the loss is roughly estimated at $3,500, fully insured--It is reported that the delegation of weavers who waited ubon Treasurer Rounsevill of the Shove mills were told that in his opinion there was not the slightest possibility of an increase of wages being granted at present.The cards are all in at the new Hargraves mill, and a portion of the ring spinning frames. Most of the engine is on the ground though not set up. The shafting in this mill as in the other new mills is behind, and the most serious delay in starting is from this cause. It was hoped to run cotton through this week but owing to the fire a new supply will be needed.—The Weavers' Union meeting, Tuesday evening, to hear replies from delegates appointed by shop meetings to ask the mill treasurers for an increase of wages, was but slimly attended and showed very plainly that a strike at this time would result in a failure, as a majority of the treasurers have not been waited upon by such delegations, but what reports were made were of unsatisfactory interviews. They hold that by reason of higher speed, better

yarn, etc., weavers are earning larger wages today than in 1885, and are being paid at as high and generally higher rates than in Lowell, Lawrence and other manufacturing places. Under these circumstances there is no inclination to advance prices. The writer was informed by the officers of the union that another mass meeting is proposed, to see if any considerable number of weavers can be induced to strike.-Mr. E. S. Willis, overseer of the carding room in the Globe Yarn Mill, No 2, has resigned, and accepted a similar position with the Howland Mills, New Bedford. Mr. Thomas Ellis has been appointed to the position made vacant by Mr. Willis.-Mr. Stephen Cuttle, overseer of the carding room in the Borden City Mill No. 2, has been transferred to the new No. 3 mill, and is succeeded in No. 2 mill by Mr. John S. Cuttle, second hand of No. 1.-Mr. Edward Coyle, second hand in the carding room of the Merchants' Mfg. Co., has resigned and accepted a similar position in the No. 2 Union Mills.-Thomas Tyrall of the Davol mills goes to the Merchants; Samuel Dubor, second hand of the ring spinning in a mill at Milltown, New Brunswick, has accepted a similar position in the Merchants' Mfg. Co. in this city; Walter Costello, overseer of mule spinning at the Crescent mills, has resigned, as also Patrick Leary, second hand. Stephen Harrington, second hand of mules in the Globe Yarn mills, succeeds Mr. Costello and Daniel E. Murphy, formerly overseer of mules at the Slade mills, succeeds Mr. Leary. Mr. Harrington's position at the Globe is filled by the promotion of Wm. Freeman, mule spinner. -"Troy."

COTTON COMBING.

I AM very much pleased to see in your paper a discussion on the combing machine, a compa.atively new machine in this country, which will be the means of giving information to many, as this subject I have never seen treated in any other paper. In your issue of Feb. 13, "K. P." states that Mr. Lindsay is all wrong as regards the Heilman comber; hope "K. P." will give us his idea as to setting, say for Sea Island or Egyptian cotton. -Nipper.

IS IT A DIFFERENCE OF OPINION.

I WAS glad to see so much by John Lindsay on the comber, and sorry he was taken up so in the last issue, for though there are some things said that I would take exception to myself, yet he has given so much good information, I am sorry to have him "pulled" so soon; but he may hold his own. -F. R. L.

FOREIGN FACTS WHITTLED DOWN.

OSBORNE mill, Cowhill, Oldham, Eng., is on the market as a limited company; about £20,000 capital has been subscribed. -The scheme for erection of a woolen mill at Maritzburg, Africa, has been successfully carried through; the shares applied for have been allotted. The cotton crop of the Punjaub India is estimated at 2,072,761 cwts.-The Empire Spinning Co., Oldham, Eng., commenced work Feb. 11. The mill doors were besieged by persons seeking employment.-Machinery is being rapidly placed in Bridge mill, Hopwood, Heywood, Eng., 5 pairs of mules, with preparation, are in working order. It is rumored that a new weaving shed at Four Lane Ends, Norden, is in contemplation.-A new mill of 1500 looms capacity is reported to be built at Barrowford, Eng., by Boothman & Co. -Prospectus has been issued for a new mill in Rochdale, Eng., to hold over 80,000 spindles. Land at Sparth Bottoms has been secured.-Atherton, Eng., Cotton Spinning Co. is arranging for erection of another mill. to contain 16,coo spindles.-— Sabden, Eng., Weaving Co., 200 looms, has stopped indefinitely. A large number of new ring frames have been erected at William Yates & Co.'s Westbrook mill, Castleton.-James Taylor & Sons, of Bury, have begun work at their new mill at Castleton.-It is said that John Taylor has taken and proposes running Throstle Nest mill, Blackburn, 3 months idle.-Kew Mill Mfg. Co., Blackburn, are adding 160 looms to their plant.

MESSRS Robt. Broadbent and Son, represented by A. A. Brigham 186 Devonshire St., Boston, Mass., have recently placed on the market a new conical drum winder, which in many respects surpasses the old. The traverse, formerly five inches, has been lengthened to seven inches, making a bobbin ten inches in diameter, and weighing four pounds. A stop motion has also been applied for winding from skeins, cops or spools, either silk, worsted or cotton yarn.

THE WOOLEN FACTORY.

AMSTERDAM, N. Y.

I SAID in my last that I hoped to report soon the rest of our knitting industries starting up. This I now have the pleasure of doing.-Kline & Hubbs started in full on the 18th inst., C. W. Warner on the 25th inst., so that with the Amsterdam Knitting Co., which will put in stock this week, there is not an idle spindle in the city outside of the Globe mill, which we are sorry to say shows no signs of life.-One of the most surprising changes of the past week was the selling of C. D. Austin's mill to Wm. S. Benn and C. W. Becker. The former is general manager of Sanford & Sons' carpet mill, which position he has held for the last twenty years. Mr. Becker is of the firm of Wendell & Becker, a large drug house of this city. The consideration was $65,000; both are smart business men, and will keep abreast of the times.-Mr. Austin, who is the soul of enterprise, expects to break ground for a new 6-set mill as soon as the frost is out of the ground.-At Schenectady, N. Y., all the mills are running in full and expect a good year; this town is receiving new industries, and with the enlargement of old ones, expects to do a great deal of building the coming summer. Parties wishing to locate some good manufacturing industry in or near this city will have the ground to build on given them free; for further particulars address W. W, care of Jos. M. Wade.-Francis Gilliland's Sons have just completed one of their three compartment washing machines, which goes to Miller's knitting mill, Middleville, N. Y. So many parties are writing them about this machine that they are to have it photographed before shipping it, so as to be able to show the knitting trade just what they are making. -W. W.

THE SHEARING MACHINE.

If, on the other hand, the sides clear out well enough and the middle does not seem to come up to the scratch, the trouble may be looked for in the take up. Whenever the friction plate attached to the take-up roll becomes set tight, it takes up faster than it ought, and the cloth will be drawn too tight over the rest. This must be looked after and cleaned, so that it will not take up faster than delivered, keeping the cloth moving over the rest somewhat loose. The cause of the trouble may also be in the ledger blade being lower in the middle, and this can be determined when grinding, by using the straight edge, and can also be remedied at that time.

The revolver belt must be looked to occasionally and kept tight enough to drive the revolver up to speed, for we cannot expect to do good shearing, even if our shear is sharp, unless the revolver makes at least 800 revolutions a minute. The brushes also come in for their share of attention, and should be kept clean and not set up too close. The raising brush especially, should not be set to close, for then it will be apt to force the cloth toward the blades faster than the takeup can take care of it, causing chipping on the sides. Chipping is also caused by the blades being set too high. The back brush, between the blade and brush rests, also needs looking after now and then. See that it strikes the cloth just enough to take off flocks, etc., that may be there, but do not have it strike too hard, for then it will take off more than is necessary and fill up the pan faster than is desirable. The pan below the back brush is none too large anyway, and it is probable that if it gets full and is not emptied right away, we will have more flockholes than if we had no back brush at all. So far, I have treated those causes of bad work which belong to the shear, but there are many troubles for which the shear is not to blame, but which have to be remedied here if there is a chance to do so. Tight or loose listing, uneven fulling, etc., will produce bad work that has the appearance of being done on the shear. Good judgment is required in finding the proper cause in order to apply the proper remedy; and with the method as explain. I and all the points looked after as they cught to be, it becomes a comparatively easy matter to locate the cause; and of course where the cause is known the remedy will readily suggest itself.

We now come to another trouble, and that is scratching and heating. This is caused either by running the shear too dry, or, as is sometimes the case, by the iron on the back of the blades. The former will cease as soon as the oil is applied, but the latter is apt to trouble even with lots of oil; and the only remedy is to remove the iron and expose the steel. This is called backing-off when done to the revolver, and facing when done to the ledger-blade. Backing-off a revolver requires separate machinery in order to have it done properly,

and in most cases it is preferable to send the revolver to the manufacturer of the shear or to some shop where the facilities for such work can be found It can be done with a file, but in the end sending it to the shops will be found to be the cheapest and best. If we have to do the work ourselves, we may place the revolver in a lathe, or in some way fix it so it can be turned, and proceed to file the iron down to the steel, keeping a uniform bevel all the way across and smoothing off with a fine file. When all the blades have been cleared of iron, if the revolver is not true we put it on a grinder and grind until true. If the revolver is fullest in the centre, set this up to the grinder until it touches lightly, taking care to keep the sides at equal distance. Set up gradually and evenly until the entire surface is touched, and until a sharp edge is obtained all the way across. If, on the other hand, the centre be smallest or hollow, set up the sides until they touch lightiy, and keep setting up slowly and evenly until the centre is reached and a sharp edge is obtained. If a shear is handled half way decent, this operation will seldom be necessary, and the revolver may be sharpened with a hone in its proper place on the shear. When a hone is used, some emery and oil should be used with it. Be careful to place your hone on square or it may be thrown out of your hand. Move the hone across from side to side briskly, so that one place may receive as much of the emery as another, and not have all of it on one place. Every time you put fresh emery on the hone, it is a good idea to change the place of commencing, say first one side then the other, then the centre, and so on. In this way the emery will be distributed evenly, and a good sharp edge obtained. —T.

THAT TOP QUESTION.

IN number 208, "Wool Comber" claims that my solution of "Top Question" is all wrong. With the exception of misplacing the decimal point in square root of 60, which ought to read 77.7 instead of 7.77, I claim that it is all right, "Wool Combers" assertions to the contrary nevertheless. In all operations by slide rule we can only give approximate results, and "Wool Comber" knows this and was not slow to take advantage of it. He says he is willing to leave it to "Gala" whether I am right or not, and so am I. Here is my solution by fig. ures: 3600 times the square root of equals 2800; 3600 minus 2800 equals 800. Now, the square root of 60 is not hundredths and 3600 multiplied by this will give 2800. "Gala's" 73, as "Wool Comber" says, but as "Gala" puts it, 77 one 22 added to 773 equals 100 per cent of the whole amount. "Wool Comber" also says that there is a singular feature about the question, which is that 2800 is just of 3600. Not at all singular, as 77 will be found to be just of 100 per cent. "Wool Comber's" answer is wrong. -Selim.

THE WOAD VAT.

THE Woad, a flat leaf growing plant containing some indigo, was used exclusively in the 17th and 18th centuries. Only very light sky blue shades could be obtained, and that expensively, until the indigo plant was brought to Europe from the East and West Indies to add to the woad vat cheaply, darker shades. But owing to the woad's liability to excessive fermentation it has to be carefully watched even night and day, as over-fermentation produces nitrogen and putrefaction, and consequently loss of indigo. Now to prevent this ammonia-producing state, the vat has to be carefully hardened with lime; but the color will not be so bright or so fast as otherwise, and so will have to be colored a shade darker than the shade desired, as it loses more by fulling. A man using a woad vat today is fifty years behind in this progressive age. A German indigo vat is more than 10 per cent. cheaper than a woad vat. The indigo vat was used first in Germany in 1839. It requires less vigilance, is faster in color, loses no shade by fulling, and consequently requires less indigo for the same shade, besides saving the cost of the woad. It can run many months longer before renewing as it has not so much settlement, and makes a finer red-blue shade which some woad dyers have only obtained by topping with magenta afterwards, an expensive process, as a second operation requires steam and labor. -E. C. Haseruck.

THEODORE C. BECKERT, formerly the assistant designer for the National Worsted Mills, Providence, R. I., has recently been engaged as designer by John Chase & Sons, Webster, Mass.

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