Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1882-07-19
COLUMBUS. ga.
A Southern Manufacturing CITY.
CHATTANOOGA rrsds.msu.

OnatbalOOba 4IAuetmbus
Just seventeen years ago your cor
respondent was an eye witness to the
engagement between Wilson's raiding
party and what few Confederate troops
were left to defend the city Of Colum.
bus. General Wilson having a walk
over entered the city after meeting
with the p~raiseworthy resistance such
comparative small force could offer,
and very soon Columbus seemed to be
wrapped in a sheet Of flames, Com
pairing the aspect of ruin that follow
ed, with the prosperous condition Of
the city to-day, it seems as a grand
Transformation scene. 1t is true that
rather long time has elapsed to bring
the city to its present condition, but
she is steadily, year after year, i'm
proving. The enterprises that have
been in existence for some time are
increasing their capital and charging
their works. In this respect the
Eagle and Phoenix Manufacturing
Company takes the lead. They have
three cotton mills and one wooden
mill, all running to their fullest ca
pacity, and giving employment to near
or quite 1000 operatives, their capital
being increased to over $4,000, 900.
These mills are undoubtedly the
largest in the South, and are run all
by water power.
Just above the Eagle and Phoenix,
aud also run by water power, is the
Muscogee Manufacturing Company.
Their capacity has been enlarged
within the past year, and now theyar
doing a comparatively immense bust
ness. On up the river some three
miles, is the Columbus Manufacturing
Company, formerly knowns as Clapp's
Factory; these mills are also doing fine
work in the line of sheetings and do
mestics. The water power Of this mill
has sufficient force to run eight or ten
mills of its equal in size. A casual
glance at the river as you walk from
the wharf up the river for four or five
miles will convince you that Columbus
has been bo~unteously gifted by nature
in having the finest water power in
the world. So extensive is it that
when you come to estimate the com
paratiYe horse power you would be
lost in a perfect labarynth of %calcula.
tions. The future may yet bring
about the establishing Of a line of fac
tories and mills for four miles from
Columbus northward. Such an
bounded success of these water power
mills seems to have attracted other
enterprises Of almost equal magnitude,
run by steam. Prominently among
themis Clegg's factory, situated almost
in the center of the city. The cotton
checks and other goods made by this
mill are second to none made by its
more extensive neighbors. Among
the most extensive institutions of its
class is the Columbus Iron Works,
employing about 200 hands in making
steam engines complete. and doing all
kind Of machinery and foundry work.
They have also a boat building depart
ment. Now plying on the Chatta-
hooche, between this point and APP.
palachicola are the steamers WHY and
EveriDgham, both built out and out,
from bow to stern, by the Columbus
Iron Works. They have now on their
quays a new hull in course of being
built for another boat, the trade Of
the river admitting an increase.
The population of Columbus is
10000, including its Alabama
suburbs, and which should be included,
because these suburbs are filled up
with the operatives of the various
factories on this, the Columbus, side
of the river. Columbus proper has
about $4,000 people.