Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1873-02-18
PROFITS OF COTTON MANUFAC-
TURE.

The enormous profits on manufactures of
all kinds and especially on cotton goods, has
long been fully evidenced by the rapid rise
and progress of the manufacturing cities of
New England, but just now we have case in
point which We desire to present to our
readers. Only few years ago, Fall River,
Mass, was a mere village, and was scarce
even an acorn compared with such tall oaks
as Lowell, Lynn, and other cities What it
is now, may be gathered from correspondent
Of the New York Tribune, who writes:
"Fail River seems to be the most rapidly
growing city in New England During the
past year its population has increased nearly
seven thousand, while its cotton mills, for
some years past it's speciality. have augmented
in proportion. 1t is now the City ofSpindles
having robbed Lowell of that honor by the
extraordinary extent of its manufactures and
the enterprise of its Inhabitants Fall River
has now in operation thirty mills. containing
about 100, 600 spind!es representing some
s25,Ooo,00o of capital, and employing about
10000 operatives. The success of the mills
there has been almost unprecedented, and
may be inferred from the prevailing price Of
the shares. The stock of the Union Mill.
begun in 1861, has recently sold for 81 800
Isl 600 being the par value) that of the
Granite Mill, begun in 1865, for $3.50 (the
par value heing Sl00l; the Merchants Mill,
begun in 1868 for $40 (thc par value 5000;
while that of the other mills which have Just
gone into operation, like the Mechanics,
Wempenoag and Slade, is held all the way
from Sl25 to $3.50 per share. In addition
to the mills already built, twelve or fifteen
more are in progress and projected The fact
that it has direct water communication to New
York aud that it is at the terminus of great
steamboat line, is OF much advantage in fur
nishing ample facilities for shipment Fall
River is not only the largest cotton mauufac-
turing town in New England, but in 4 America,
and its future bids fair to exceed its present
as its present exceeds its past. Its recent
rapid growth would indicate that it may, at no
distant day, eclipse Manchester itselc-the
grcatest cotton manufacturing centre on the
globe
HaEper's Ferry, in this county-wherc the
water power has been pronounced to be SUI
perior to any on this continent it cannot be
disputed, is one of the finest fields for the es
Enlistment of cotton manufactures in this
country. Lying on a great trunk line of
railroad, and in close connection with all the
principal cities of the Union and withal not
half the distance from the cotton fields that
Fall River is, one would naturally suppose
that it such enormous profts-as is evinced
by the value of the stock -arc to be reaped
in New England, bri ght and prosperous flu
ture must eventually open up for our sister
town of Harper's Ferry. We trust that this
valuable property, if it is not to be honestly
utilized by the present nominal owners, will
ere long be pus in the market again, and
when sold will fall into the hands of those
who have enterprise and capital suHicien. to
deveope the natural resources of the place to
their fullest capacitv