Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1889-09-13
THE PROSPEROUS SOUTH.
The Enormous Increase of Wealth and
Products in Dixie's Land.
Texas Leads the List in Increased Values.
Eight Thousand Miles of Railroad in
Three and a Half Years.

BALTIMORE, Md, Sept. 12.-The
Manufacturers Record of this week
publishes special letters from leading
bankers throughout the South as to the
outlook for business, and without excep-
ton they report heavy crop with farm
ers less in debt than at any time since
the war. Money is unusually abundant
for the season, and the best prospects
ever known for industrial activity. The
increase in the value of Southern crops
this year over 1883 will be upward of one
hundred and twenty-five million dollars,
though last years was the largest on
record up to that time. Spec
ial reports to the Manufacture
ers' Record from state officials
show that the assessed value of property,
from assessments now being made, will
be Sl75 900 900 greater than last year.
In Texas the increase is $40 900 900;
Georgia, $50 900 900; Mississippi, Sl6,-
900 900; Louisiana, $40 900 900; Tennes-
see, $40 900 900; Alabama, Sl2 200 900;
Arkansas, 81 900 900, and West Vir-
glnia, Sl2 900, 900.
Summing up the industrial and agTi-
cultural growth of the South, the Record
says that IN three and half years it has
reported the organization in the South
of upwards of eleven thousand new in
dustrial establishments, covering every
line of manufacturing, from making pins
to building locomotives, and the build
ing of over eight thousand miles of rail-
road.
In the last eight years the South has
raised about tWenty-one million five
rI,1 Il I,olN ~P
one billion five hundred million bushels
of corn, nearly one hundred and fifty
million bushels of wheat and two hundred
and forty million bushels of oats. The
total value of these and other agri-
cultural products, according to official
government figures, reaching to upwards
of two billion five hundred million dol
lars or an average of over eight hundred
and thirty million dollars for each year.
Railroad mileage of the South has been
increased by the addition of over twenty
thousand miles since 1879. Since that
year over eight hundred million dollars
has been spent in building new roads and
improving old ones. Assessed value of
property has increased over one billion
three hundred million dollars since 1880.
In 1880 the South made 397 ,30I tons of
pig iron, in 1888 over 100 900, and in
1899 it viii produce about l 800 600 or
l 900 200 tons.
In 1880 6 ,O48 ,511 tons of coal were
mined in the South, III 1888 the output
was IS 900 200 tons, and in 1889 it will
probably be not far from %, 600, 900 tons.
Cotton mills have increased from 16l
with II, 1923 looms and COZ 1854 spindles in
1880, to 335 mills with 45 200 looms and
2 ,035, 900 spindles, while many new mills
are being enlarged.
In 1880 there were 40 cotton seed oil
mills in the South with a capital of
So 800 900. Now there are 263, repre-
senting an investment Of over
$40 900 900.
The value of the South's agricultural
products for 1888, was about $500, 00O,-
600, against S571 900 900 in 1879; while
1889 will probably show 5000 900 900 or
$3.50 900, 900.
Value of the South's livestock is now
S505, 900, 900, while in 1879 it was $780,
400, 900.
The production of grain rose from 431, =
OLA $50 bushels in 1880 to 612 ,666 900
bushels in 1888, and this year will
probably show over $50 900 200 bushels,
an increase of nearly $50, 900, 900
bushels.
A very full report of the operations of
the English syndicate which is spending
$40 900 200 to build the new town of
Middlesborough, Ky, at Cumberland
Gap, is also given. The list of directors
includes many of the wealthiest and
oldest iron and steel makers in Great
Britain. Mrs. Langtry is numbered
among the holders