The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1891-01-20

towns TO apply themselves in the ma
chine shops and factories, learning all the
minute pertaining to the textile trade
and manufst IRE. The Southern manu-
ia ;turers buy much of their machinery
from Massach lsetts shops, and thus there
exists a tie between Southern mill men
and the people of the Bay s ate.
During the year OF 1891 there will be a
vast increase in the numbsr of Southern
cotton mill spindles. There will be a cor
responding Improvement in the character
d goods manu- ctured, and there will be
a sui greater widening out in the mar
kets supplied by Southe n mills.
Inc past year witnessed the establish
ment OF a large number of hosiery and
knlt-goods mills throughout the Sou ID.
Virginia has been notably prominent in
this new de )arture. Tha State has also
been active in the establishment of other
kindred exile enterprises. For example,
IN the town of Salem a woalen mill is be-
ing completed, a knit-goods mill is in
prospect, a clothing factory is under con-
stIuctlon, and at other points in Virginia
this statement may be reiterated.
Only a couple OF weeks ago a representa-
tive of a wealthy New York syndicate
was In Buena Vista and Glasgow nego-
:rating for the location of q mill to manu-
facture S TX braids a ID spu silk, and Civ
ing employment to 800 operatives.
It is this degree of diversiication that
is making Virginia head he list Of South
ern manufacturing States, and it is almost
inconceivable, too, that in the face of q
heavy State debt that commonwealth has
been able to throw off her business leth-
srgy and awake to her real material i'm
p~ortance.
One of the best ind cations of the sub
stantil prosperity of the South and its
wonderful growth during the past year
lies in the banking capital invested. In
1880 the banking capital of the South
consisted of $92 SIS 900. Observe the
in reaSe in ten yearsl There is to day in
the South $l71, 800, 81 invested in banks,
fully SO per cent. increase in ten years.
The latter half of the past year has been
more notable for the establ, shment of
new banks than has been any other period
in the history of the South, until there
are few towns of any importance wha
ever that d. not boast of a local bank.
The volume of money in circulation is
therefore greater than it ever has been.
In 1880 the census authorities did not
seem to regard it as a matter of interest or
Importance to report the amount of capital
invested in Southern enterprises. The
census of 1890 will show that $780,
40 900 has oeen invested in that dlrec-
ton.
Ano: her notable indication of the
South's wonderful expansion is the
gr Nth of her cities and towns. Within
the past decade there has been an increase
of 50 per cent. in the number of towns
havIag q pc oulation of TO- 900 inhabitants
and over. The larger communities, such
as New Orleans, Charleston, Richmond,
Norfolk, Atlanta, Nashville, Memphis,
Galveston, and Dalla, have enjoyed a
steady growth, both IN population and in
volume Of business. There has been
more money spent ii municipal improve
ment, in better streets aeing paved, in
sewerage systems adopted, in electric
lights installed, and in fire alarn and
police patrol systeus ipaugurated, and so
on to the end of the list of these modern
accessories of the metropolitan cities.
The cities named have every one made
successful experiments in manufacturing,
and with that degree of success will be
the ratio of the industrial prosperity they
will enjoy during the present year.
All IN all, the South starts out upon
the new year under more promising
auspices than ever before in her history.
- Washington Post.