The Marietta journal. [volume] (Marietta, Ga.) 1866-1909, 1882-01-26
SKILLED LABOR AND IMPROVED
MACHINERY
The Secret to Manufacturing Success

the South could NOT compete euc-
cessfalIy with New England and
Northern factories in either cotton
goods or mechanical articles. This
ides hiss grown out of several eyre
gious failures in the South where
unsk illed labor ard worn out ma
chinery were used. What does Mr.
Edward Atkinson think Shen he
reads that last year the cotton mills
at Enterprise, Naichez and Wesson,
Miss declared an annual dividend
of 90 per cent each, and that an Au
gusta (Ga) Factory a dividend of
"a per cent per annum. We know
cheap coal and excellent water pow
er have proven valuable suxilisries
in this important and gratifying suc>
cess, but there we're other valuable
| factors that aided largely 10 this
acknowledgement machinery
and skilled labor.
The cotton mill or other Industrial
manufacturing enterprise that COM
petes successfully With New England
or Northern factories, in the South,
are those which operate the latest
improved machinery Wherever a
Southern man has attempted TO build
up manufacturing enterprise hnd
used old style machinery, it has been
drag and the results unsatisfactory
because the odds were against him.
The Princeton cotton factory, at
Athens, Ga, we learn, failed to pay
any dividend for several years, ow-
ing to the fact it was equipped with
old style machinery. A year or so
ago it made partial change and de-
clared ten per cent dividend
other changes have since been made
and the prospect is that a twenty
per cent dividend will be realized.
Whenever a Southern maoufac'
turer uses the same style of improv
ed machinery that the Ncrtherr
manufacturer uses in the manufac-
ture of cotton or woollen fabrics, OF
wooden articles or iron Implements
success has rewarded his enterprise
Common sense should teach US that
inferior machinery will turn out in
ferior work, and in point of excel
lence cannot stand comparison with
that turned on. by superior machin'
cry, the only sure test of merit
This is an age Of progress and one
must keep up with its improve mentt
or get left.
In this county few years ago,
gentleman of energy, skill and en-
terprise attempted to run a spoke
factory, to supply the trade with al
article of prime necessity in thu
manufacture of buggies. He loca
ted few miles ffom town in an &C
cessible place surrounded with tn
very best timber suitable for hi
busiuess. He went to work will
second hand, old style, machinery
that a Northern firm had discarded
to give place to the latest improved
machinery. What was the result
The spoke made here by old machin
ery was not as nicely finished, ole
fashioned, and would require extrf
work and expense on the part OF The
buyer to properly shape it, while OF
the other hand that of northern make
by improved machinery was beau
tifully shaped and of the latest style
and required no extra expense to
the buyer, consequently it received
preference and found ready sale, and
proved its merit by successful COM
petition.
The Cobb county man had just al
good timber in his spoke, but old
style machinery failed to make an
article equal in symmetry, excel
lence and style, and he closed out
believing that locality and not old
style machinery had to do with bis
failure.
Skilled artisans and the best and
lates. improved machinery are in
dispensable to successful competi
ton, and no one understands this
better than northern manufacturers.
Nothing new is invented but what
they avail themselves of it, whether
it be for use in cotton factory, chair
factory, shoe factory, Touring MILL
or 10 anything else of industris !
creation, and thus they acquire SUI
perior advantages in facilities, ex-
ecu,ion, excellence and cheapness
Our people must do the same if they
would dot cur country with paying
manufacturing enterprises.