St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1890-08-30
Success of Southern Factories.

Facts and figures continue to show and
prove what we have before repeated, that
right in the South in the midst of the cot
ton fields is the place for successful cotton
manufacturing. Experience has proven
this beyond question. There is not fac
tory in the South, where it is properly
managed, but what is paying good per
cent on the investment. Ex-Gov. Lowry,
of Mississippi. makes the statement that
the product of Mississippi mills at Wesson
is sold in Boston in competition with goods
of all grades, manufactured within forty
miles Of Boston. 1t must be remembered,
too, that these mills are SO situated that
thew have but one line of shipment and
have no chance of competition in freights.
This experience is in line with that of
other mills in Georgia and Alabama. With
such experience there is no wonder that
| factories in the North are hunting up good
situations in the South where they can
move their mills.
When we read that a manufacturing es-
adjustment up North, employing perhaps
| 1000 hands, desires to move South, we
conclude at once that the principal owners
of the factory have investigated the mat
ter, and the information obtained led to
| this conclusion. The time is now upon
us when the cotton must be manufactured
in or near the great cotton region, If done
for profit Already the foothold of South
ern mills is SO firm that the New England
mills cannot compete with them. Inc
Southern mills have no long stretches of
freights to meet; they have climate
which favors the work, making it less
featuring. This is shown in the per cent
sn1 ss xo1l oil u tn
world, and which reveals the fact that the
Southern mills have largely the advantage
over those of the North.
The business man of manufacturing in
terests up North are alive to the times,
and are trying to keep pace with the
changes that are being made. He sees
that he can now make favorable terms
with some live young Southern city by
getting bonus to remove his mill, and
he seizes the opportunity, recognizing the
! fact that the day may not be far distant
when such opportunities will not come.
! The moving of mills South and the
building of new ones and charging others
has created demand for this kind of ma
chinery, and this will lead to the moving
of iron mills South, as there will doubles:
be advantages held by such mills because
of their nearness to the cotton mills. There
must be mills for the. manufacturing O
this machinery, right near the Southern
, cotton mills, where it is wanted. The ad
! vantage that one such mill will have owe
those far distant will be SO great that othe
| factories will follow or new ones be built
Just SO with the great machine works tina
3 are manufacturing machinery for the say
!, mills that have so largely increased In tn
South during the last few years. 1t
evident these machine shops must com
? nearer the mills. Time in this fast ag
has much to do with these matters, Q
well as the long haul of freights W
noticed the arrival in our city on the LIT
Of April of the machinery for the new ic
: factory in this city. This machinery wa
: shipped on Feb. 26 from New York, an
shows the result of long distance tn
! american.