LIBRARY
^nS^ch^s.
1895
A. P. Thorpe, Pres. Thos.H. Battue. Treas
f
^rfY MOUNT
ESTABLISHED 1818 INCORPORATED 1874
37756 Spinning Spindles 17964 Twisting Spindles
N
Turner B.Bunn. Secty. Hyman L. Battle. Mgr.
$
ROCKY MOUNXNC
Spinners of High Grade PLY^i(5iRNS
16s, 20s,24s,2,3,and4Ply 2s TO 6s Waste Yarn
LIBRARY
.^^•«?? %.
• 1895 •
n
2
03
The Rocky Mount Mills, the oldest cotton mill in the State of North Carolina, presents an interesting* combination of pictur- esque location, continuity of ownership and thoroughly up-to- date equipment and management. It was built in 1818 at the Falls of the Tar River, a large granite ledge which produces an effective water power. For more than a century it has been owned or officered by members of the same famil}^ Thos. H. Battle, the present treasurer, Turner B. Bunn, secretary, and. Hyman L. Battle, manager, are direct descendants of Joel Battle, who, with two associates, erected a stone cotton mill at the pres- ent location. Burned by Sherman's troops in 1865, it was rebuilt only to be burned again by an incendiary in 1869. William S. Battle, then owner, rebuilt it a second time in 1870 and the building then erected is a part of the present plant.
Though proud of its history, the management has never been immersed in the ])ast, and even a cursor}^ examination of the views presented in this pamphlet will impress one with the fact that funds have been bountifulh^ supplied and expert guidance availed of to keep the present plant abreast of the latest develop- ments in the efficient production of dependable cotton yarns of a high and uniform qualitj^
SiVlTi UBHARlf
Rocky Mount Mills ix 1865
Unfortunately there is no available picture of the original mill which, prior to 1852, was operated by slave labor. The above photograph shows the mill as rebuilt during the Civil War, operating in conjunction with a cotton gin, saw mill, and grist mill. An old invoice used at that time boasts of 3,000 spin- dles engaged in the manufacture of ''sheetings, shirtings, cotton yarn, warps and plow lines."
Two
Cotton Field Adjoining Mills
Approximate!}^ 100,000 bales of cotton are grown within a a radius of twenty miles from the location of the mill, which is thus enabled to secure for its requirements cotton of a consistent grade and character with a minimum of transportation charges. These advantages make for uniformity of output and a favor- able price level.
Three
Receiving Cotton at Warehouses
With local buyers at Rocky Mount and surrounding towns thoroughly familiar with the quality of raw cotton desired, the mill can choose the pick of the crop which is then hauled by trucks to the mill warehouses. Here the cotton is carefully ex- amined both as to grade and staple and substandard bales thrown out. This work is done with great care in order to main- tain the uniform quality of Rocky Mount Mills yarn.
Four
Mixing and Ageing Room
It is an accepted fact in modern cotton yarn manufactnring: thjat to insure evenness in dyeing- the cotton must be carefully and thoroughly mixed. In the mixing' room shown above the bagging and ties are removed from the bales and after the cotton is carefully graded again, this time by the mill superintendent and overseer of carding, the cotton is allowed to stand twenty- four hours before being i-un. Then a mixture is made from thirty-five bales at a time and the cotton run through a bale breaker and other cleaning apparatus.
Fivi
CoTTOx Conveyor Pipe to Main Mill
After passing through the cleaning equipment in the mixing room, the cotton is drawn through the conveyor pipe shown above to the main mill. The picture shows the pipe suspended above the street leading to a steel bridge, now a piart of North Carolina's famous highway system. In passing through the pipe, some 350 feet in length, the cotton is further opened up and put in prime condition for subsequent processes.
Six
Opener Room
Here the cotton, after being deposited on an apron, is auto- matically distributed to the several hoppers and the different processes of cleaning: are really started. After going through these machines, the cotton is drawn to the breaker lappers on the floor above. The mill spares no care in the proper cleaning of the raw stock and the results have fully justified this policy.
Seven
Lappejr Rooii
After going through three processes of picking or lapping and being cleaned of the heavier impurities, the cotton is formed into laps weighing forty pounds. Here the utmost care is observed to maintain evenness ; all laps are carefully weighed, taking into consideration the humidity of the room and any lap varying four ounces from standard is rejected aiid must be run over.
Eight
Section of Cards in Card Room
Carding" is probably the most important single process in a yarn mill and the Rocky Mount Mills takes an especial pride in its carding department. Several years ago in order to lessen the amount of cotton carded per machine fjer day the mills in- stalled maii}^ additional cards and is now carding so slowly as to make its yarn have the appearance of double-carded yarn. Systematic testing is done here to keep the weights within a very narrow range.
Nine
Section of Card Room Showing Drawing Frames and Slubbers
After the sliver is taken from the cards through two processes of drawing to further parallel the fibres and then through slub- bers where the first twist is put in, the roving, as the stock is now called, is wound on bobbins. The drawing sliver is carefully tested every two hours and only a small variation allowed. Such attention to details are observed throughout the entire plant.
Ten
Section of Roving Frames in Card Room
From the slubbers the stock proceeds to the other roving pro- cesses where it is drawn out finer and made ready for the spin- ning operation. Especial care is observed here to maintain the proper humidity and in this department, as throughout the mill, a modern system of humidification is in operation.
JBRARl
Eleven
Section of Spinning Department
Here the yarn is spun into the different counts on modern frames that are kept in perfect repair. All of the different fac- tors controlling the spinning of yarn are carefully watched by an alert force of nnderforemen and each bobbin is carefully inspected before being placed in the creel. Tests for size, strength and humidity are being made every few hours and complete records kept.
Twelve
Section of Spooling Department
Here the yarn is transferred from spinning- bobbins weighing only a few ounces to spools weighing nearly two pounds. In this department, as in others, the different counts of yarn are kept separate by an elaborate system of different colored bobbins and spools.
Thirteen
Section of Twisting Department
From the spoolers the yarn is transferred to the twister rooms and made into the different plies and twists that we sell. Tests are being made continually for twdst and evenness and extreme care is exercised to keep the different twists, counts and plies separate.
Fourteen
Section of Winding Department
After being twisted the yarn is now ready to be put up to suit the customer and here, too, the Rocky Mount Mills has kept abreast of the times. We are equipped to put practically our entire production on any one of the different put-ups. The mill is continually adding new machinery, when by doing so it can either improve the quality of its product or meet the par- ticular requirement of a customer.
Fifteen
Section of Warping Department
The warping department is a source of especial pride. With a capacit.y of 75,000 pounds of warps per week, the yarn can be warped in any manner desired. Chain warps, both snaked and linked, up to 2,250 ends, and ball warps up to 640 ends, are produced in this department.
Sixteen
Warping From Magazine Cone Creels
The machines above are of the very latest type, warping from magazine cones which insures perfect tension and makes for per- fect warping*. A reeord is kept in the warping department of every thread that breaks, and the reason for the break, and this information is passed back to the preceding process for cor- rection.
Seventeen
Cone Creel for Large Capacity Chain Warper
The above creel, recently installed, is one of the largest cone creels yet made and is used in connection with a chain warper. These cones are wound on the latest type winders and insure warping* of the highest quality.
Eighteen
Section of Testing Departovient
In no yarn mill is more attention given to testing than in the Rocky Monnt Mills. A total of 276 tests are made daily in our efforts to maintain standards. These tests are regularly checked by commercial testing companies and are accurately kept. Ex- periments are constantly being made to improve quality, and suggestions or criticism from our customers are always welcomed.
Nineteen
DiFFEEENT METHODS OF PUTTING UP YaRN
The Kocky Mount Mills is prepared to put up yarn in prac- tically any manner desired. Its standard forms are shown above — cones or tubes of any diameter, skeins of any weig'ht, both regular reel or Grant cross reel, warps of any description, and perforated tubes of density to insure the proper penetration of dyestuffs. We are always pleased to consider putting up yarn in any other manner that any customer desires and correspond- ence is invited on this subject.
Ticenty
Packing Room
Here the yarn is packed for shipment either in bales or cases. Only cases of best quality are used and the yarn is subjected to its final inspection. In order to reduce the cubic size of bales intended for export a high-pressure press has recently been put in which condenses a 400-pound bale of yarn to 12 cubic feet. Extreme care is used in weighing all yarn and every package is weighed on two scales before being shipped.
Twenty-one
Shipping Platform, Coal Chute and Reservoir
Oiir own private siding connects our plant with the main line of the Atlantic Coast Line Railroiad, and shipments go through regularly to northern points in three or four days. This is especially desirable when yarns are needed quickly. The above picture shows also concrete coal chute and concrete tank used to keep pressure on the plant sprinkler system.
Twenty-two
Waste Mill
A complete spinning plant has been installed to iitlize the cot- ton waste resulting from the various processes of manufacture. The waste is sorted and mixed in the main mill and drawn through a conveyor to the waste mill. It is then spun in a differ- ent building so there will be no danger of an}^ waste j^arn get- ting mixed with the regular production.
Tiventy-three
Interior of Waste Mill
On machinery especially designed for this purpose the waste is spmi into coarse yam ranging; from twos to sixes and wound on universal tubes, principally for the wire insulating trades.
Twenty-jour
Section of Hydro-Electric Plant
The hydro-electric power units shown above are indicative of the manner in which the Rocky Monnt Mills have kept up to the minute in each department. The total power developed by water is 1,500 kilowatts, and the equipment is of the latest tyyje.
Twenty-five
Trash Rack With Automatic Rake
Put in at great expense, this modern trash rack and auto- matic rake enable us to run by water power during the season when tons of leaves are brought down the river by freshets. The rake traverses section to section and rakes from the bot- tom of the race, a dej)th of 18 feet, depositing the leaves in a trough which are then washed over the dam.
Twenty-six
Section of Steam Power Plant
Although the mill gets the majority of its power from its hydro-electric plant, a modern steam power plant is maintained as a standby. These units have a capacity of 1,500 kilowatts also, and the different units can be put on or taken off without interfering with the operation of the mill. The entire plant is electrified and each department has its own panel on the switch- board.
Twenty-seven
Boiler Plant
By using the latest type automatic stokers the consumption of coal in the steam plant is kept at a minimum. Here, too, is an example of the time and monej^ spent by the Rocky Mount Mills to keep its place in the textile industry.
Tioenty -eight
View of Mill, Dam and Section of Village
This photograph, taken from above Riverside Park, consisting of some three hundred acres of beautiful woods, and owned by the Mills, shows the plant, river, dam and a section of the mill village. The village consists of one hundred and sixty homes, each with bathroom and all modern conveniences. Convenient homes and fair treatment of employees reduce labor turnover and make for efficiency of operation and uniformity of output.
Twenty-nine
Main Office, Executi\'es and Foremen
No plant is stronger than its organization. Most of the fore- men have risen from the ranks and a spirit of loyalty to the Mills and pride in their work dominates the entire personnel. The present management has adopted a policy of aggressive effi- ciency which has given the Rocky Mount Mills a reputation in the trade worthy of its century of honest manufacturing.
Thirty
To those users that desire a dependable source of supply the Rocky Mount Mills offer a splendid connection for at least a portion of their 3^arn requirements. With a weekty production of one hundred thousand pounds and this i^roduced by daytime operation only, it is especially equipped to cater to the larger users. With a capital and surplus in excess of $1,350,000 and no bonds or preferred stock outstanding, its financial responsi- bility is such that any contract for future delivery is safe be- yond question.
The management of the Rocky Mount Mills endeavors in every way to cooperate with their customers in the question of deliv- ery, and with a large production and flexibilitj^ of equipment, is able to offer the best of service in this respect. Having no connection with any other mill all efforts are expended here to constanth^ improve the quality of its yarn and to furnish its customers, many of long years standing, yarn of high qualitj^ the utmost in service and complete cooperation.
The production of the Rocky Mount Mills is sold exclusively through commission houses and quotations and delivery may be obtained at any time from any of the leading ones.
Thirty-one
2310
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7 670
UMASS Dartmouth 3 2922 00455 386 0
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TS 1566 .R6 1900Z
Rocky Mount Mills (Rocky -x i ^ -7
Mount, N.C.) ^2. d/^^
Rocky Mounty Mills