The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1891-11-08
PROSPERITY OF THE SOUTH.
Railroad Inspection Trip TO The Banks Oh
the Mississippi
COAL. IRON AND KING COTTON.
Across Three states on the Georgia Pacific
Iine-Its Prospects for Earning
ID vidcnde.
baltimore SUM-

road system returned % Bait moro on sun
5., The main purpose was an inspe tioi
NJ The Georgia Pacific railroad. and that WI
thoroughly done from Atlanta, Ga. to Green
v e.. Miss. on the banks of the Mississippi
river. ia company wit President Bryan O
the Georgia Pacific. and ell the execu ives o.
The Richmond aud DanvDle s. stem ana '"'
Georgia Pacific road a special ram o.
three private coaches lett Atlanta on We /,
nesday morning and made the I'P ~ -, ousH
the States of Georgia. Ala anna anu VI
sipp % the Mississippi river anu uioH oach
20 Birmingham, where the IAli"au tNvCu'
tives pgrted company. 10 was essehtiaiiy 4
Ireirose ipsrecf on in which the material
and industrial Developments anu possiolh
ties reCsi,ed close attention. The GeOrg
Pacific Is one of the most important members
of the Richmond and DanvIle family OF
railr ads and ~ the discussion OF hlchmohd
Terminal affairs Do has come IN tOr good
sbare of notice The inspection Of II demon
stretei 90 the tourists that the whole road of
oycr ,5O miles including branches. has been
worked up 90 good physical standard. with
ont e1trayagance of out ay at any point. and
that 70 i- in condition Tor handling ecOnOml-
ally fl large traifi-. That Is the basis o. 90 d
abroad management. and II must DO lett 70
he Nali-street critics TO settle the question
whether tie railr0ai people have done we'll
W ill M that sort OF work for the Georgia
Pacific and the other Richmond and DanyIe
roads.
The Georgia Pacific railway was finished
ia 1889. In the year on led June 80, 1871 II
earned S3.ll4 per mile in the year ended
June So 1891. the earnings We're 3d. 9 per
mile the earnings for the current year are
expected 10 Ue $4,000 per mile. The net earn
iugs of the road IN the past month OF October
Appropriated $4,000. The Georgia faclhc
10 It's second year earned nearly as much per
mile as tie Atlanta and tharlotte one of the
giit-edee Richmond and Danyille properties
earned u ITS seventh year. The Atlanta and
Charlotte Airline raj WAY. as II Is named. was
finished ID l713. Ia l,7. il earned sZ.14i per
nile. wniiein 1890 70 earned -6,-13 per mile
These examples o. steady increase IN railroad
earnings serve 20 mark the onward course Of
Southern industrial development.
rom Alexandria. Va. south TO Atlanta,
Ga. and from there westward through
Georgia. Alabama aI.d Nj 81 slppl TO the great
river. distance OF !, 100 or ], 90 miles there
is not o. ue seen dccaylng on neglected
city. town or hamlet. On the other hand,
everything is upon the upward turn. The
meu one meets everywhere are talking busi-
ness. and 10 is more the Outgrowth of the
ambition 90 keep step with the march or
progress than the mere sOrdid desire 10 ac-
ouire rapid individual wealth Atlanta Is q
truly metropolitan city. with the look If st.
Louis aNl LIe hN"IllII why's % LltdBO III
Its handsome business tuoroughiares. BIZ
uingham. the magic coal and iron city of
Alabama. Dis "a marvel 20 the stranger. when
be realizes that tuis substantial growth has
been accomplished M "a few wears Coal and
Iron are the elements OF future greatness Tor
birmingham and many another place IN that
fav0rei region of Alabama. The iron and
coal companies are making themselves felt IN
the markets of the country In common
with people from other States. the Nirginians
are prominent among the newcomers all
through tlat belt OF territory. Dir. Thomas
Seldom. of Richmond. is the president OF the
SchIOss Company OF Birmingham. one OF the
big iron producers. and he WAS proud to show
tie visitors what ms furnaces are dong.
Cotton j.. vet considerable Of "a KIN IN the
South as the crop reports abundantly de
uOnstrate. But 81 was remarked on al sides
that cotton and corn fields are close neigh
I0rs. even down 90 the Mississippi leyees. the
outcome II the introduction of diversity OF
Agriculture The white population are at
work iu tie cotton elds as wei as IN other
agricultural and industrial pursuits and the
kindly soil is responding % careful tlllage
with "a percentage of results that lnsures gen
era prosperity.
This is the period of the establishment and
upbuild.ng az towns in the South. And 10 is
matter for congratulate II that the Southern
h0use-bulider wants substantial structures.
The number of well-bult tuck IN tor es,
stOrehOuse-. dwellings and pubic edlhces is
8 surprise g. tho visitor IN country. too,
where the hardwood forests reach 10 the
Mississippi Tie towns are ~ most instances
the offspring az the railroads. winch run
everywhere. until the southern country has
been well occupied. Churches an school
houses are conspicuous 10 ects ana many OF
the church e.lhces and school stfu lures
are remarked for their beauty. 1T Columbus,
Miss, there IS a cOnsp.cuOusly handsome
pile of brick building, forming an educa-
t0nal inst utiOn Tor $50 girls. And the
legend at the entrance. in PLAIN letters I'M
parts the information that the daughters OF
Mississippi are there also instructed III the
arts If good housekeeping. fleciric lighting
water works and street-r,ulways seem 10 be
considered almost essentials IN southern
towns these days Steam dummies, cables.
electric trolley, and horses furnish the mo-
tive power Tor the sueet-car lines. Atthe
several stopping places N the tlp over
the Georgia Pa hc the merchants and
other business men waited upon the
railroad officials ln force They talked
cotton and ITS Transportation at the
cotton towns and coal and iron an the trat-
BE iu them iu the towns o. tie mineral belt.
ln some instances there were conferences
WITH The boards OF trade which have grown
lp IN the Southern cities. small and large.
AZ GreeuyIle Mass the tourists strOIed
4 long the levee and had "a good view OF the
Arkansas shore. on the other side oil the big /
liver Greeuylle ls a thriving little cotton /
city. with street cars and other accessories. /
Despite d cIevasso early IN 1870, there are the /
usual signs ~ push and enterprise peculiar % 4
southern towns. Tie possibilities 81 the |
ratio with the states beyond the Mississippi /
over the Georgia Iacihc railway are not 10 Ne /
overlooked.
Al Birmingham on the return trip. there /
yae dinner. at which Captain ColstCn was /
md Iar Url.r "A
nests The trip hOmeward from Atlanta /
sas commenced on ~aturday morning. IL |
as the day oil the week W ell people came 70
own from the surrounding country. The /
ration platforms on the route were crowded /
With people and with balei cotton. TINS was
lie fat through Georgia Soutn ana Noitn
'aroling until night shut IN the sightseeing.
'hen the electric lights served as OeAcons 20
mark the towns as the express tram whlstled
~ The cotton factory Development along
he railroads from lrgin.a 10 Georgia IS
cry noticeable They are substantial struc-
ures some of them extensive ana al with
MODERN appliance for economic production.
his development is becoming Oh such hashl-
uds a. 20 lead 10 the conclusion thnt II must
,rng aDOut q revolution IN the Ia mess OF
ottOn manuncture ia the mineral belt the }
lain is made good that iron ore. coal ana
limestone are all 10 hand % encourage tno
manufacture Of iron. Where cotton helds
nd corn helds are side 10y side aud cotton
sctOues are al hand Ut the nearest railroad
owns. successful competition with cotton
at the North certainly looks
lore than probable to the lay observer
Al Culpeper, Va, on Sunday morning. the
0urists were joined by United States Senator
ohm 5. Barbour. OF Virginia. president Ot
he Virginia Midland railroad under the old
egime before It became portion OF tie
richmond and Danville system. Mr.. Bar