Tetamekon, now Grenloch, Gloucester Township, Camden County

Local Gleanings.

Up the County, August 1, 1850

I went to Spring Mills and Tetamakin [sic, et seq.] Works, under the proprietorship of Wm. H. Carr, of Philadelphia, and driven by the power of that noted stream called the south branch of Timber creek. Tetamakin lying on the Gloucester county side of the stream, and Spring Mills in Camden County. Mr. Carr was not there to-day to give me all the information respecting the various manufactures that have at different times been carried on here, but his gentlemanly and intelligent superintendent, Mr. T. Loring, gave me much insight into the present business of the place, some of which you shall have to use as you please.

The manufacture of forks, hoes, and rakes, is carried on extensively at Spring Mills; and that of sad-irons at Tetamakin—the making of butt-hinges having been relinquished some time back. About a ton and a half of sad-irons are finished here daily; the casting, grinding, handling, packing &c. &c. of which occupies a number of workmen at good wages. The sad-irons vary in weight from four to ten pounds—but where on earth they find people enough to use so many smoothing irons is a mystery to me, when it is considered that a good sad-iron, well taken care of, can be used by at least three generations of “ironers.” But, perhaps, they are making most of these for coming generations; and as we have no tariff on the increase of population, nor any “compromise” as to color, there may be a good time coming when there will be juveniles enough to work all the four pound irons, and adults plenty to shove the ten pounders—if so, what a universal smoothing of plaited bosoms, and flounced skirts there will be about that time! They are also making castings for Crossdale’s Patent Seed Drill, an excellent implement for agriculturists, lately patented—also, a superior kind of mole-trap.

A lime-stone quarry is opened just below Spring Mills, and kilns erected, at which a considerable quantity of lime has already been burned. The lime from these kilns is said to be superior to the Pennsylvania lime for agricultural purposes, only—it costs, at the kilns, ten cents per bushel slaked, and fourteen cents a bushel fresh; and is considered much superior to marl in its effects on all other crops except potatoes. There is a very handsome and productive farm connected with the Spring Mills, and the dwellings belonging to the whole premises are good, and kept very neat. Mr. Carr is now having a very large and convenient hoggery or hog-pen built, with a furnace and large caldron under the same roof, in which it is intended to prepare potatoes, corn-meal &c. for hog-feed. Some of Mr. Carr’s hogs were shown me, and their appearance did no credit to their species; although they appeared to have been well-fed—but they were of a red color, shallow built before and narrow behind, and better formed for creeping through fences, and rooting up sod, than for growing into large hams and shoulders, and filling the lard firkin. I was told that Mr. C. intends improving his breed of hogs by introducing some of a superior race from Chester county. Glad of it.

Extracted from The West Jerseyman (Camden, New Jersey), 14 August 1850, p. 2.