Speculation

Speculation - Chapter 5

Soon he entered his house, grateful that all within were fast asleep, for he didn't think he could endure his mother's worried questionings or looks of concern. So slipping quietly into his room he shrugged out of his coat,tossing it carelessly across a near by chair and collapsed with pure exhaustion into bed hoping with every fiber of his being that the warm rose scented air and Margaret's soft laughter would return to him once again.

Sleep finally overtook him, and when he awoke it was with the memory of warm sunshine caressing his skin and the sweet feel of Margaret's soft arms around him once more.

At 5:00 A.M., Mr. Thornton was back in his office, the glow of the single oil lamp illuminating the pages of his mill ledger as he sat looking over the recent figures that he had posted the previous night.

His office was already sweltering, the massive boilers had already begun running 2 hours before the shift started in order to bring the mills to the humid temperature of 100 degrees Fahrenheit. The nearly suffocating temperatures were needed to keep the thread from breaking off, for they were very sensitive to both heat and humidity. Sitting at his desk with his sleeves rolled up he found himself tugging at his cravat in a vain effort to loosen it more and get some relief from the stifling heat. Every day he was more convinced that cravats were the most irksome piece of men's attire ever created. Giving up the attempt,he threw his quill pen down in a bit of frustration, and stood up and walked to the entrance of his office, looking out over the vast equipment as the workers filed in ready to start a new days shift. He never tired of hearing all the powerful, magnificent machinery come to life with the rhythmic din that caused the floor to throb like the pulse of a living breathing thing under his feet. That power always filled him with a scene of awe, no other weaving shed or spinning mill could match the size and scope of Marlborough Mills, his weaving shed alone was one of the largest, currently holding a thousand self acting weaving looms; it held no rival in all Milton.

But it wasn't always that way. When Mr. Richardson hired him on as a foreman some 10 years ago, Marlborough Mills was a much smaller operation that ran using older, almost outdated equipment that produced only a fair cotton count but not of the fine quality other mills produced using newer spinning mules and weaving looms.

Mr. Richardson was in truth quite a old fellow, very set in his ways, and while not opposed to change he just never saw the need until it was pointed out, which John Thornton did. Mr. Richardson took quite a liking to this honest, noble young man who had worked hard to pay off a debt not of his own making, clearing his fathers name of any shame. He quickly saw within John the makings of a fine cotton manufacture and within two years he moved him into the position of manager for he had a sharp keen eye for fabric quality, a extraordinary knowledge of cotton machinery, and some of the most innovative ideas he had ever heard of.

It was Mr Thornton who first quickly discovered that instead of using the more popular long staple cotton imported from Egypt and India he could get better results using Sea Island Cotton from the Southeast coast of America, while more expensive, possessed a extra long staple and silken quality that produced a cotton cloth with a high cotton count giving it a silk like sheen and feel that had no rival in all Milton; as a result business soared.

Mr. Richardson soon found himself turning more and more control of the mill over to Mr. Thornton and within 5 years of his starting at Marlborough Mills Mr. Richardson retired, confidently leaving the mill in Mr. Thornton's capable hands. Orders poured in, and Mr. Thornton worked on increasing the size of his weaving shed while quickly updating the old 250 spindle mules with the more current mules that held 500 spindles each, and now he currently owned the newest machines that held 1,200 spindles. Within the spans of 10 years Marlborough Mills went from a average cotton mill to a mill renowned throughout all the empire and the name: "John Thornton" drapers assistant turned cotton manufacture was held in the highest regard and esteem.