Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1882-02-22
THE SOUTH.
Her Wonderful Industrial Develop.
menes
PhiladelDhsa Record


The industrial revival now going on in
the New South" is remarkable, and its
growth much more rapid than is gener-
ally recognized. New towns are spring
ing up and old cities are increasing in
wealth and prosperity. The astonishing
extension of railroad lines within the
past few years affords facilities for the
development of Southern agricultural,
mineral and manufacturing resources
which have heretofore lain dormant
Illustrative Of this great Industrial pro-
gress is the growth of the thriving city
of Birmingham, Ala. Less than a
dozen years ago its site was cotton
| field. 1t has now 5000 inhabitants Its
buildings are substantial, and its indus
tries are backed by capital. The Birming-
ham Rolling Mil Company has a
capital stock of $4,000 employs from
400 to 500 men and is working to its full
est capacity night and day, furnishing
rails and merchant bar iron. The Alice
furnace has a capacity of fifty tons of
pig iron per day, employing $50 men;
paid up capital 100000. The coke
works, several foundries, machine shops
and iron works in the same place all have
ample capital and employ alarge number
of men. This does very we'll for an in
FAINT town. As to the increasing pros
perity of the older cities, we find that
Richmond, Virginia, with population
of 63.0C0, has a total property valua-
ton of $4,000, 900, and its 675
manufactures have a capital of ST.
600, 900. The product last year-largely
| iron and tobacco-am united to $32, 000-
900, against $24, 900 900 in 1880. Column
bus, Ga, with population of only 400,
last year increased its assessment by
| $471 900 and its business by 1895, 000
| Augusta. Ca, has six cotton mills, with
| 81 600, 900 capital and lis 900 spindles,
and all are making money rapidly. Two
of them last year paid 10 per cent. to
their surplus funds; another about Is per
cent. a fourth did still better, while two
others are Just starting. The Industrial
South, of Richmond, Va, says respect
| ing the agency of the railroads in the
| development of the latent re-
sources of the Southern States: ''The
Sonth is just fairly getting on toward
the advantages so long enjoyed by
the North through the agency of
great systems of railroads that have been
giving values to her farms, that have
been charging her old cities and build
ing up new cities for her, that have been
making money plentiful and her people
happy. The contrast will soon cease to
be seen. The North will not halt; but
the South, quickening her own steps,
will soon come alongside Of her in the
race. In truth it is the North that is
mainly giving this great impetus to the
railroads of the South, and the South
gives warm welcome to the hand thus
held out to her." Doubtless the system
of slavery was a great stumbling
block in the way of industrial pro-
gress; but we cannot refrain from ex-
pressing our belief that had it not been
for the infamous "carpet-bag rule" and
unjust system of administration forced
upon the South at the close of the rebel
lion she would have much more speedily
recovered from the shock of war and
ere now have reached position of in
dustrial advancement commensurate
with her resources. She is on the right
track now. and the people of the North
will gladly welcome her TO an equal
place IN the development of the limitless
| capacities of our common COUNTRY