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Wamsutta supercal4/16/2023 ![]() They also created the perfect weave for sails on sailing ships. At some point Wamsutta changed the fiber content of Lustercale to 100% cotton. This blend feels like cotton but is somewhat softer. Additionally, they manufactured a new product called Lustercale, a blend of 60% cotton and 40% high strength Avril rayon. By 1935, their sheets were henceforth known as Supercale instead of percale. Wamsutta, however, increased its sales in 1925 while others were liquidating and closing. The following decade almost two dozen closed. During this time, four of the city's factories closed down. Prior to the Great Depression, in the 1920s, the city of New Bedford, along with many other northern textile towns had their own depression. By this time, the company operated a total of 229,000 spindles and 4,310 looms, in a city with numerous large spinning and weaving mills. A new focus was directed toward fine sheets and pillowcases complete with advertising campaign geared towards the public. Machinery was upgraded and replaced and the steam power was replaced with electric. In 1917 plans were in the works for this massive mill to receive a modernization overhaul. By 1897 Wamsutta was operating 4,450 looms and employing 2,100 workers. Soon after, in 1892, Wamsutta owned a total of seven mills, and was the largest cotton weaving plant in the world. Pierce, William Wallace Crapo, Oliver Prescott, and Charles F. Joseph Grinnell remained on until 1885 when he died at the age of 96 and Andrew G. In 1883, the Wamsutta Mills had six mills and produced 26 million yards of cotton cloth annually. ![]() It is also of brick, three stories high and 569 feet (173 m) long by 95 feet (29 m) wide. In 1882 the construction of mill number 6 was begun. In 1880, the Wamsutta Mills replaced the old Whitin spindles with 20,000 new Rabeth spindles, which were made in Pawtucket, Rhode Island by the Fales and Jenks Machine Company. Famous textile magnate William Madison Wood began his textile career at the Wamsutta Mills, age fifteen, working there 1873-1876. Shortly after, and production of percale fabric began (New Bedford is known to be the first city in the United States to make fine cotton). Also of brick construction, it is 433 feet (132 m) long by 93 feet (28 m) wide. By 1875, capital reached $2,500,000, and Australia had recently been added as a shipping destination. retired as superintendent in 1874 and was replaced by Edward Kilburn, though the company continued to grow. 4 was constructed in brick, 495 feet (151 m) long by 70 feet (21 m) wide with four stories. By 1868 the capitalization of the company jumped to $2,000,000 and a fourth bigger mill was built. A third mill, a duplicate of the second, was built in 1860–1861 outfitted in 1862 and opened in 1865 the delay was due to the Civil War and labor and product shortages. A second four-story mill, 240 feet (73 m) long by 70 feet (21 m) wide, was built in 1855. ![]() Soon business began to boom, with capital increasing to $300,000 in 1853. Cloth production began in February 1849, and housing was built for its workers. David Whitman of Rhode Island served as an advisor during the construction and setup of the mill, which was initially fitted with 10,000 spindles, with room for 5,000 more. Designed by Seth Ingalls of New Bedford, it was a stone structure, 212 feet (65 m) long by 70 feet (21 m) wide, with five stories. Early development Ĭonstruction of the first mill began in 1847. ![]() The first meeting of the stockholders was held in 1847 and Joseph Grinnell was elected president and Thomas Bennett Jr., who had served as the superintendent of the Wamsutta Mills from 1846 until 1874, the secretary. By mid-1847, Bennett raised $160,000 for the mill, mostly in small investments of ten shares or less from skeptical New Bedford businessmen who were unfamiliar with the textile industry. ![]() On April 8, 1846, the new corporation was granted a charter from the Massachusetts General Court. However, one prominent investor, Congressman Joseph Grinnell stipulated that the mill be located in his home city, New Bedford. Bennett originally planned to locate the mill in Georgia, where he had previously worked for fellow Fairhaven native Dwight Perry, in a mill. The Wamsutta Mills were conceived by Thomas Bennett Jr. ![]()
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