Stepping back in mill time

by Michael Butler

Danny Phillips was kind enough to drop off a disc of mill briefs that he scanned. These date back to 1921. I've read through a few of these and thought I'd reprint some of the interesting material for our readers.

J.E. Harris was agent of Mount Vernon Mills then. B.G. Stumberg was the superintendent. Initials for names were popular back then.

We've all heard that the drinking water in Tallassee brings people back home. Once you've tried it, you'll never find better. It's "enchanted" water. A. Trumper, M.D. and Director of Clinical Laboratory had similar findings about Tallassee's drinking water, noted in the briefs. In a letter dated February 3, 1921 Trumper noted that Tallassee's filtration process was "ideal."

Trumper wrote, "The very low bacterial count and absence of colon bacilli, means exceptional good water for human consumption."

Here's some good advice listed in the 1921 briefs. "The first thing we must have is common sense; and the first thing we must do is sweat!" Good advice still today.

The mill could be a dangerous workplace, at least in 1921. Here are a few of the injuries listed in the briefs from that year:

January 6: Injured person, playing, struck at another fellow who had an open knife in his hand, cutting his wrist.

January 7: Picker Room - Hand in the picker room was changing motors when short circuit caused pile of cotton to catch fire, burning his face and neck.

January 12: Shop brushing slipped on mandrel, catching fingers of employee in turning tool, cutting off end of finger and mashing another very badly.

I counted ten injuries listed for January. They were probably a lot tougher then though. So a guy cut off part of his finger. I'm sure he was back the next day.

Thanks for the briefs Danny. I'll keep reading and offer more fun facts soon.

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