The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1883-11-15
The Growing South.

Il
! The South has reason, and the country
no less to congratulate itself on the great
| development Of inddstryg,,in the Southern
States. To appreciate it fully, we must
remember the deyastations of war, and
the destruction of a system of labor to
which all the people Of the South had been
educated for generations It was not pos
sible that a revolution so profound and SO
sweeping should pass without great pros
tration of industrial and commercial
forces for a time. The marvel is that
| there should have been aistlbstantial re-
covery within the lifetimeof any who wit
messed emancipation. The. war also was
one OF the most exhausting and destructive
OF all modern wars. The civilized world
has been wont to marvel at the wonderful
recuperatiOn of France, after an invasion
Of Germany lasting only few weeks.
But the Southern States were continuously
invaded, garrisoned, devastated and block
AIDED for four years, and yet their recovery
has been complete. Under such combi-
nation Of circumstances, it is really mar
yellous that we are able to say, only eigh-
teen years after the close of the struggle,
that the South is richer, more productive.
more orderly and more prosperous than
ever before.
But this is by no means all that can be
said with truth. The South has not merely
regained all that it lost, but has made sur
prising progress, far beyond even the most
sanguine expectations INDUCED before the
war. The census Of 1880 was received al
most with incredulity, in some respects,
because it showed development so rapid.
But the gain during the last three years
has been still more wonderful In 1859
the South produced about as much cotton
as i'll 1878, but last years crop was about
4O per cent greater than that of 1878 or of
any year before the war. It's manufacture
of cotton in 1860 was insignificant five
years ago it consumed about las, 900 bales
but it is now taking for its own con-
at the rate of 100000 bales
yearly. 1t was some time after emancipa-
ton before the South came to raise such
corn crops as it produced before
bushels, in 1880 itraised 577 900, 900 BUSH
els, and last year 654 500, 900 bushels, altho' =
the aggregate yield.of all the States was
less than in 1880. In manufactures, Mis-
souri,, Maryland and Delaware gained
during the decade of war and
but the other Southern
States made great progress, and their ag-
gregate product was valued at $193, 100000
in 1860, at $27S, 900, 900 in. 1870, and at
$685., 000,0 900 IN 1880, Notwithstanding the
omission of thousands of mechanics shops
under manufactures by the pre-
gregate value of products is obtainable,
but there is no room to doubt that the in
crease during the last three years has been
more rapid than at any previous period,
and the yearly value of products can
hardly be less at this time than $500, 000,-
BOO in the twelve States below the Potomac
and Ohio line, besides over $500. 100000 i'll
Missouri, Maryland and Delaware.
The rapid development of the South is,
perhaps, indicated more clearly by the
records of railroad building than in any
other way. In 1860 the twelve States be-
low the Potomac and Ohio had 9, 200 miles
Of railroad. and in 1859 about 1900, the
cost of rebuilding having been very heavy.
But at the end of 1879 there were 1900
miles in operation in these States, an in
crease Of over so per cent in ten years, and
there are now about $4,000 miles, an in
crease of nearly go per cent in four years.
to statistics recently published
by New Orleans journal, the assessed
of property in the same States is
now over 50. ,O0O, 900, and the increase
inee the census year has been $641 100000,
r. nearly 80 per cent. In no other large
et ,tion of the country has the increase
zee n as rapid.
T bese facts will crafty every patriotic
Ame rican, whether his home is in the
ANN South or in colder chimes. 1t is
With hearty rejoicing that we see the
southern States making such progress,
lot mer ely in wealth but in that diversifi-
ation of industry which is the surest guar
.ntee of lasting prosperity. And there are
lot wanting signs of social Improvement
md changes in public sentiment which
1--WE promise of a still greater progress and
higher prosperity.-N. Y. Tribune.
Naz~nA