The clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1883-1888, 1886-12-29
FoR TIE CLAETos.I
Summit Notes.

The lumber interest of Pike county de-
serves special mention as an industry. The
facts to be recited In these notes refer to the
mills of J. j. White, located about three
and half miles south of Summit, and
just south of McComb City. These notes
were obtained upon written inquiry, and
show the Judgment and enterprise of the
proprietor, and the magnitude of the bust
ness.
l. Mr.. White has invested In the mill
business, including machinery, land and
store. about s75, 5000.
2. He has ten miles three-fo narrow
gauge iron railroad, and two locomotives,
one an elght-ton engine, now unused, and
the other, sixTeen-ton engine, with six
drivers He is thoroughly equipped to
bring promptly from his large landed es-
tate stocks to the mill, which is located di-
Iectly on the Illinois Central Railroad
Nine teams OF oxen, and three yokes to a
team, convey the stocks to the road at the
nearest points whence they are transported
to the mill.
8. The quantity of lumber sawed per
day, averages 10000 feet often, however,
it reaches $4,000 feet. The quantity sawed
per annum ranges between eight and nine
million feet of lumber. During the month
OF November, he sawed a little over one
million feet. In addition to this he saws
100000 shingles per month.
i. Between two and two and one-fourth
million feet fare dressed by planning ma
chimes and four large drying kilns speedily
prepare the lumber ready for shipment to
the distant market.
5. Mr.. White ships lumber TO all points,
North and West. This year, he shipped
one hundred and forty thousand feet of
dressed flooring to Washington City to be
used on government buildings. last year,
he shipped on one occasion, five carloads
of dressed flooring to Chicago, which on
account of its superior quality, was re-
shipped to Boston, the hub of intelligence
and of some strange philosophy. Forget
the hub but think of the fact that dressed
flooring was shipped from Pike county, Mis-
sissippi, to Boston, Massachusetts. Ships
annually about two million feet of lum-
Der to the North.
6. Mr.. Whites mill business is equal to
twice, perhaps three times that of any one
of the largest mills on the Illinois Central
Railroad. Surprising as it may seem, the
annual value of his business is equal to
half the value of the whole cotton crop
raised in Pike county in 1880. In that
year, Pike county raised 6 ,507 bales.
7. In the White Mill are employed
about one hundred hands. They live in
cottages near the p1ill, in what is known as
Whites Town. Two schools are provided
cor the children of the employees, one
white and the other colored. They are
sustained for four months by the county,
after which, the white school runs six
months as a pay school, and the colored
school also runs several months under pri-
yate pay arrangements. Both school
houses are used on Sunday for worship.
Thus the education and the morals of the
children are not neglected.
s. Having thus given mere skeleton of
this splendid industry in Pike county, |
wish to add a word respecting the man
that animates it. As | have presented the
cold, sober facts of the business, so here,
no attempt will be made to draw up
series of contradictory, meaningless quail
ties, but portray calm, just estimate of
the man. Mr.. White is a member of the
Presbyterian church. He has high re-
gard for Christian morals, and practically
observes them in everyday life. He is
thoroughly industrious and thoroughly at
tentive to his business. He superintends
his business in person. He is honest, fair
and just in all his dealings. His charac-
ter in private life and in business is with
out blemish. Neither Is ne austere or
repeliant in disposition. Observant of the
amenities of life, his hand is open to any
just, reasonable claim by which the educa-
ton or the morals of the community are to
be promoted. Prosperous in business, he
is charmingly modest. By sobriety, indus
try, generous frugality without ostenta-
ton, prudence and good management, he
has built up a magnificent lumber bust
ness. No truer man in Mississippi than
he. He is an urbane, Christian gentle
man.