Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1890-09-12

WHkE.E THEIH MARKET WILL

1t is not an unreasonable inquiry, when
we see the number of new manufacturing
towns being established in Virginia and
other parts of the South, and Which will
certainly in the next six months be adding
large volume to the manufactures of the
country, to ask where their market will be ?
The mere existence Of a furnace OF factory
making a large output, does not assure
prosperity any more than the surveying of
thousand acres of land, laying it off in
town lots and calling it a city. increases its
value-the manufactured goods cannot sell
themselves and the thousand acres are but
the old field they were before. MI. Joseph
d. Weeks of Pittsburg who has a national
reputation as q master of the subject OF
iron and iron manufactures, is discussing
this point in the Virginia Manufacturer. !"
He calls attention to the fact that: ''There
are in the States South of the Potomac and
OHIO and East of the Mississippi, says
100000 people. This figure as well as
the others given are early estimates, rs the
census Of 1890 is not yet available. There
are in this territory, with all it's vast
wealth OF minerals and lumber, with all
of the advantages that go to build up great
commercial and industrial centers, say 80
cities with population of 10000 and over,
or one such city to every 100000 inhabi-
tants. In Pennsylvania alone there are at
least IS cities with a population Of 10000
and over. AS Pennsylvania has about
100000 total population, this means one
such city to every 100000 population.
eff the small communities were consid-
cred, the same OF even less ratio would
exist. Virginia, West Virginia, Georgia
and Alabama, have roughly about the same
population as Pennsylvania. These four
States have in the neighborhood OF 80 cities
and towns Of over 1000 inhabitants. Penn
sylvania has probably 60. SO that in pro-
portion to total population the number Of
cities in the South is only about one-half
what it is in Pennsylvania and on this basis
there is ground for an increase.
''Now why are there more cities and
towns in Pennsylvania than in the South ?
Simply because Pennsylvania is so largely
a manufacturing State, and it is chiefly
manufactures and commerce, not agricul-
ture, that brings together people and
makes cities. Agriculture scatters popula-
tion manufactures and commerce concen-
trate it. -
Mr.. Weeks thinks that the manufacture
ing towns now building in the South will
find the market for their output in the
South, which 'muSt become in the near
future the great consumer of the United
States. 1t has, outside of a few commune
ties, absolutely nothing. Millions of midi
vidualS in the South have hardly the neces-
sites Of life except as to food. Their
clothing and shelter, their furniture and sur
ronndings are of the poorest kind. So, also,
also communities are without those things
that indicate prosperity. But with the
advent Of the spirit Of the New South, pros
perity and all that comes in its train are
coming to the South. Things that are not
necessary to life but will add to it's comforts
will be demanded, better homes, better fur
| nishings. better garments, better everything
must be had, ard with this demand COM
munities must grow.''
Here is the great market which the
Southern manufacturing towns, by reason
of proximity, will have the control Of for
many years to come, control made irwin
chile by the location of the manufactures
on the site of the raw material Let us
look at what promise it gives of being a
market worth supplying. Taking thetwelye
ex-slaves States (onitting Maryland and
West Virginia. the census shows that III
the ten years since 1850 their property has
increased in value over 81 800, 0O0, GOO: their
debts, State and County, have decreased
1888 40 600; their railroad mileage has IN
creased q ,0S4 miles and there are 1924
miles being constructed; their crops have
increased $940, 642 800, OF 81 per cent. over
1880; the value of all their products has in
creased 5000, COO, and Their population
has increased 100000.
This is a magnificent n arxet to lie sup
piled, and that locality nearest it which
first gets it's manufactures into that market
will have the strongest, deepest and most
permanent hold on it. It has been thought
that the blooming" and hurrying of new
towns, furnaces and shops in Virginia is
going too fast, but with this good mar
ket in view it is not going fast enough.