Charlottesville Woolen Mills.
An industry which has given this
prosperous little community a National
reputation for the manufacture of
woolens, and in this line, as far as
quality goes, the Charlottesville Woolen
Mills has few peers and no superiors.
Its fabrics have for many
years been recognized as the best the
market affords and were awarded the
only gold medal at the Chicago and
St. Louis expositions for uniform
goods. The company confines itself
exclusively to the manufacture of
this class of goods, its trade and
reputation extending from the Gulf to
the Great Lakes and from Maine to
California. They have an agent on
the Pacific Coast who cares for the
business west of the Rocky Mountains
[ILLUSTRATION]
Charlottesville Woolen Mills—Albemarle's Leading Industry.
The company also does a large mail
order business, their largest markets
being New York, Philadelphia, San
Francisco, Columbus, Chicago, Cincinnati
and Kalamazoo, Mich. Goods
for uniforms of every description,
soldiers, military schools, letter carriers,
police, railway employes, bands,
etc., are manufactured, cadet grays and
indigo blues, being their specialties.
The plant is a large one and is located
about one mile from the city on the
Market street extension. It is what is
known in mill parlance as a "5 set" mill,
meaning that it contains that many
sets of cards. The main building is a
four story brick structure with a floor
space of 26,400 square feet and is devoted
solely to manufacturing purposes.
It is equipped with the latest
and most modern machinery and
about 150 hands are constantly employed.
Adjoining and west of the
main building is another of almost
equal dimensions which is used for
the picking, dying and sorting departments
and boiler room, while on
the east is another three story building
known as the dry finishing department.
The business was incorporated
in 1868 and the first president was Col.
Thomas J. Randolph, while W. W.
Flannagan was secretary and treasurer
and H. C. Marchant, Supt. The
present officers are H. C. Marchants
president and supt.; R. P. Valentine,
vice-president and L. T. Hanckel,
treasurer, who, with Jno. C. Patterson,
Judge John M. White, R. H. Wood
and Sol. Kaufman constitute the
Board of Directors. All of them have
for years been identified with the
prominent business interests of the
city and are highly esteemed by the
citizens of this State. Mr. H. C.
Marchant was born in this city and
received his early education here. At
the opening of the war he enlisted in
Company A, Twelfth Virginia Regiment,
Mahone's Brigade, Huger's
Division, and served in many notable
engagements. In 1863 during the first
day of the Seven Days Fight around
Richmond he was shot through the
left leg with a minie ball and the bone
was terribly shattered. The injury
incapacitated him from further
service in the army, and for over
a year after hostilities ceased he
was forced to walk on crutches. After
recovering from his injury he cast
bout for a business opening and was
practically the founder of the firm o;
which he is today the head. In addition
to this business he is president of
the H. C. Marchant Manufacturing
Company, manufacturers of overalls,
a director in the People's National
Bank and is identified with several
other enterprises. Mr. R. P. Valentine
the vice-president is also a native
of Charlottesville and prominently
identified with its business interests.
In addition to the one described above
he is engaged in the wholesale coal
and life insurance business, is vice-president
of the Marchant Manufacturing
Company and connected with
several other concerns. Mr. L. T.
Hanckel the treasurer, was born in
North Carolina and has lived here for
many years. His business interests
are also varied, law, life insurance
and banking.
