The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1891-04-18
THE NEW SOUTH.

BALTIMORE, Md, April 1.-THE Manu-
facturers' Record of this week contains an
elaborate review by the Hon. Robert p.
Porter, superintendent of the census, of
the industrial and agricultural progress of
the south during the last ten years, based
on the official statistics. Referring to the
wonderful progress of the south during
the last decade, he says: THE mineral
development and the increase on manu-
fsctures during this period has been of
such magnitude and of such importance
as TO seriously attract the attention of the
world. The south is already producing as
much coal, iron ore and pig iron as the
entire United States produced in 1870. In
no way, however, is the remarkable de-
velopment Of the new south shown in a
more striking manner than by the history
of the astonishing growth of Individual
cities in this section during the past de-
cade
Birmingham, which was unknown
when the census of 1870 was taken, and
which in 1880 had a population Of 30S6,
had grown in 1890 TO fourishing city of
26, III phabitants-in fact, center of in
dustrial activity Of IS 900 people and show
ing an increase within the corporate limits
OF nearly S50 per cent in ten years. The
value of land in and around this city has
increased at rate which Is almost incredi
Die; Chattanooga had population OF
Rock had 13, ,13S in 1880 and q, ,s74 in 1890
Knoxville increased from 9,693 in 1880 to
about DC, 900 in 1890. marlborough, KY,
had no name and no inhabitants few
years ago, but today has close upon 5000
people and some of the most gigantic en-
terprises Of modern times. Roanoake, Va,
which does not appear at all in the census
of $780, is now city of 15, ,159 inhabitants
This is the northern gateway of southwest
Virginia, which has developed one of the
most important coal and iron regions Of
the United States"
The output in the coal producing states
of the south in 1890 was, says Mr.. Porter,
quoting official statistics, more than twice
the entire output of bituminous coal in
the United States in 1860 and nearly =, ,000.-
600 tons more than the total production of
the United States in 1870. These same
states show far greater progress in the
production of pig iron. The only one of
these states producing iron in 1860 and
1870 was Tennessee. The entire production
of all these states, including Tennessee, in
1880 was 397, ,301 tons, which had in 1890
increased to nearly 1000, coo tons. The
production of iron ore in these southern
states now almost equals the total pro-
duction of the United States in 1870. In
that year the United States produced
S,l6S,SS9 tons, while in 1890 the production
of the nine iron ore producing states of the
south was 2, ,917, ,629
. The development of the mineral re-
sources Of the south has not been at the
expense of its other industries. The manu-
facture of cotton, for example, has increas-
ed to wonderful degree, as will be seen
from the fact that in 1880 sthe amount of
cotton consumed in the south was $50 900
bales, while In 1890 it used S97, 900 bales,
an increase of 375 per cent.
The value Of Che south's agricultural
products IN 1889 was over $3.50, 900, 0O0
greater than in 1872, and the value of its
live stock S117, zoe, ,0os greater
The railroad mileage Increased from
s06l2 miles in 1880 to 4e.521 miles in 1899;
the assessed value of property from 81, 91S,-
o00,000 TO s., ,220. 00O. 900, a gain of over
81, 500, GOO, o00 while the true value increas-
ed over $1,000, ,00o, 600. Educational pro-
gress has been much greater than the
percentage of gain in population, and the
number of periodicals in the south has
increased from 2, 625 in 1880 to $50 in 1890.
The timber resources of the south, Mr.
Porter says, are far greater than those of
any other portion of the United States or,
indeed, Of any civilized and well settled
country in the world