Pinewood Cotton Factory Burned in Fire (1871)
Pinewood Cotton Factory, situated on Piney River, Hickman county, and belonging to Samuel GRAHAM & Son, and valued at $125,000, was totally destroyed by fire on Friday night 24th inst. There was no insurance. The account below is from the Banner of Saturday.
The mills were located fourteen miles from Smeedsville and Dickson, on the Nashville, and Northwestern Railroad, on the Piney River; 55 miles from Nashville, and consisted of a large cotton and woolen mill, and a grist and saw-mill.
The cotton and woolen mill was built of brick, in the most substantial manner, three stories in height. It operated over 2,000 spindles, and from 35 to 50 looms, besides carding all the other necessary machinery used in such establishments. About 120 persons were employed in it, all of whom have of course been thrown out of employment.
The mill turned out weekly 7,200 yards of the best quality of four quarter brown sheeting, besides large quantities of cotton batting, yarns, etc. It was established about twenty years ago by Samuel GRAHAM & Brother, who own several thousand acres of land around it, besides the little town which they built through the operation of the mills. The town has a church, a school-house, store, temporance [sic] hall, and post offivc. Every man; woman and child in the place found steady employment in the mills.
Mr. GRAHAM, who is a man of great thrift, energy and wealth, will doubtless rebuild the establishment. It was run to the fullest capacity, and was doing a flourishing business.
Source: Whig and tribune. (Jackson, Tenn.), 29 July 1871. Chronicling America: Historic American Newspapers. Lib. of Congress. <http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn85033435/1871-07-29/ed-1/seq-4/>