Empty spools, thousands of them, were around the mill.
history under ground
spools
Note the large belt pulley in the center of the frame. Follow the axel it’s on and you’ll see several belts still attached to the drive, which was originally steam-driven.
These wide spools sit atop the abandoned tracks that lead to the train shed, which was later repurposed into a truck shed.
I wonder when fluorescent lighting was added.
This picture typifies the industrial ideal of the early 20th century. More metal than air. More efficiency than beauty. More profits than people.
A classic Eveready, borrowed from Herb’s office.
A wonderful porcelain drinking fountain on the first floor. Note how it’s wrapped.
The batch tag specifies some of the technical properties of the silk worked here.
Aluminum spools replaced their wooden counterparts, later in the factory’s history.
I really like the porcelain guides for the silk threads, probably used because they could be polished for perfect, persistent, smoothness.
The note on the left announces that the spindles in the crates are dirty.
The left wall is stacked high with wooden crates holding spools. Tags hang on machines describing the last batch of silk the mill ever produced.
There were bins with hundreds of spools in them in the basement.
Standing atop the dust collector, the factory breaks down into diverging patterns, processes.
We know what the ladies’ favorite treats were! Found holding parts on a repair cart.