The Opelousas journal. [volume] (Opelousas, La.) 1868-1878, 1873-11-14
Cation Manufacturing.

The Charleston News invites North
ern cotton spinners to transfer their
mills to the South, where the business
can be prosecuted more probably on
account of cheaper material and cheaper
labor. Itaays:
"Three years ago Appointment North
ern manufacturer wrote to the presl-
dent of a South Carolina company:
"While | have only met expenses in
the North in running twenty frames
5000 spindles-the returns / have from
sixteen frames of the same machinery
in Georgia, for the last six months,
have been $4,000 clear profit: Our
company has determined to sell out
their machinery.
= The South enjoys the adj
vantage of not less than twenty per
cent. over the North in manufacturing.
moved South, and his cotton mill at the
North is permanently closed"
If the census figures of 1870 are to be
| accepted as authority, cotton manufaC-
turing is more profitable in South
Carolina than in any other state in the
Union except Missouri, and it is sur
prising that it should not be more cx-
tensively prosecuted. There were only
10 cotton mills in South Carolina in
1870, working 1923 hands, having
81 1887 600 capital, paying S257,68O i'll
wages, consuming a product Of $685.
937. If we add the amounts paid for
wages and materials together and sub
tract the sum from the value Of the
gross product, we have 1910, 798 as the
net product, equal to about 40 per cent.
ION the capital invested, and to 1854 per
hand. In Missouri there are three cot
ton mills reported, employing 361 hands,
having $480,2M capital, paying $780,
800 in wages, and $481, 745 for materials.
and yielding a gross prOductOf S798,O50
This would make the net profit 1896, 600
or 40 per cent. on the capital invested
and 1853 per hand. In Massachusetts
there are 1874 mills reported, employing
49, 96 hands, having $4,832,375 capital
paying $1S,612,925, in wages and $751;,
495,685 for materials, and yielding {
product of $685. 79, 1853. This is a ner
on the capital, and 5000 per hand
!, Georgia has "a mills, with a capital O.
: So, ABA, 1865, employing 2,846 hands, pay
ing $611 1858 in wages and $1,000, 758, TO
materials, and yielding a product o
So, 648, 1913; net profit $532,347, equal t.
Is per cent. on the capital, and to $18
per hand. Rhode Island has 142 mills
I with a capital of $18,885, 800, payin,
$5,240,33333 in wages and $13, 1895, 1888 flo
materials, and yielding a product o
I $22, 139,903; net profit $3,579, 932, equa
| to 30 per cent. on the capital and t
: 1910 per hand. Tennessee has SO mills
: capital $97O,650; number of hands 800
wages $175,156; materials consumes
, 1906, 789 gross product S941 ,542; ne
profit S270,597, equal to 26 per cent. O
to $500 per hand. Ohio has Z mills
capital 1856, 700; hands employed 462
wages paid $113,72O; materials con
sumed $493, 704, product 1851, 1886; ne
s profit $74,411, equal to IS per cent. o
e capital and to $1D per hand. LOU
p siana has four mills; capital $593,O0O
- hands employed246 wages paid $4,000
y materials consumed $161 ,485 value c
: product 1891 $50; net profit S29,41
II equal to 5 per cent. on the capital an
to 1920 per hand. Tt appears from TIL
that cotton spinning is twice as prof
table in some states al in others, il
n largest profit being found in Missouri
the next largest in South Carolina, a
New England states. The censt
affords no clue to the explanation of tt
striking differences exhibited, unless
IF be that in South Carolina the cote
:, mills are all turned by water wheel
B. while in Massachusetts and Rhoi
ii Island tworthirds of them are turne
IF by steam Even this, however, do
not explain why the highest pro-
- should be found in Missouri whe
steam alone is used. '