Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1881-06-30
Cotton Manufacturing in the
South.

Dir. Edward Atkinson, as is known, holds
TINT in tho cotton country tho climate is not
favorable fos establishing industries that
require continuous indoor labor every work
ing day in tho year, on very large scale,
and that tho South generally can make more
money by growing cotton than by manufac-
turing it. Mr.. Felix Fontaine the Georgia
Commissioners or Land and Immigration,
has, in recent letter, presented his views
regarding the future Of cotton manufacturing
in tho South, and in doing so takos issue with
Mr. Atkinson.
Mr.. Fontaino believes that tho South is the
region Of all others for the building and
profitable operation of large mills. lie cites
the Eagle and Phcnix Manufacturing Com
pany's mills ut Columbus, Ga, whero are
employed 1880 operatives, the extcnt of
these mills being indicated by the fact that
they have $4,000 and 1900 looms, manufac-
turing over 100 varieties Of white and colored
goods, and using $4,000 bales of cotton annu.
ally and 800 pounds Of wash wool daily. All
the operatives in tho Southern mills, says Mr..
tontaine, are whites. nearly oil natives of
the region where the mill is situated ut is,"
says Mr.. Fontaino further on, "nn undisputcd
fact that NO mill in New England can show
equal profits with those earned BY mills in
Georgia, all of tnom. except few email
mills being situated in the cotton country
proper" Mr.. Fontaine asks if any one can
seriously assert that Georgia mills, which
have an advantage of 9-lO cents per pound
in the cost Of raw material over their North,
eastern mpetitors-which fo2 o mill of
l,6O0 looms amounts to over 0 per cent Of the
entiro capital, or $4,000 per annum-
cannot sell goods to Mexico and the South
western States cheaper than can mills 1000
miles from the cotton fields and 1000 miles
further distant from tho Western market
MIR. FoDtaine estimates that o crop Of {, $500
600 bales would require tho work Of 2, ,l66,-
6G6 firm laborers, and he believes that this
vast army of workers will at no distant day
be clothed with goods made almost exolu-
siVely in the cotton country proper. Tho
Southern mills have, according to the Georgia
commissioner, beon selling heavy sheetipgs n.
81 conts per yard, shrtpgs at 81 cents and
oight-ounce osnoburgs Of fine finish at o.
cents. making money at time whom no
Northern mill could do it. In the construo.
tion Of their mills, the Georgia companies
havo 10 their favor difference of 33 per cent
in the cost Of brick. and of 66 per cent. in
that Of lumber, while the raw material can
be bought $40 per bale cheaper than the
Northern and English manufactures can
buy II. After making his argument. Mr.,
Fontaine concludes by asserting that. as in
New England, large factories pay lest in
Georgia
South Carolina hos the samo experience az
Georgia. The profits Of tho cotton mills are
handsome, and there is a healthy cotton mill
revival in the State. Curiously enough,
however, the highest rate of profit last yoar
was from very small mill, working will, the
"Clement attachment" Every mill in tho
State recently erected and we'll equipped is
doing well, and it will not take long to make
Mr.. Atkinson true believer in the wisdom Of
bringing tho mills to the cotton. .--Nevs ana
Courier.
The Lexington Dispatch says; "Now is
tho accepted time to make blackberry wine,
as this may be your last chance, for the next
Legislature no doubt will mako it q penal
of6cnce for o briar to bear berry from which
vino may DO made" . &1stb
ThorU Is ane copper mine in York eVanty.