The World. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1891-1896, 1892-01-13

1rr. j.. b. Wilson. o. Washington, Gives
. Glowing Descriptions 81 the South.

President Of the Lincoln National Bank
Of that city, recently returned from q
two weeks trip in the South, and is
quite enthusiastic over the condition
and prospects of that section. :.
Mf. Wilson attended on November
IL and II the convention Of the Ameri7
can Banking Association at New Or
leans, and was chosen vice president
of that body for the District Of Co
lumbia.
He had previously visited Nashville
and Atlanta, but this was his first trip
into Mississippi and Louisiana, and he
shared the surprise of Mr.. John Jay
Knox and others Of a party, who, after
the adjournment Of the convention,
visited several interesting places in
Louisiana and Mississippi, were re-
marlable enterprise and signs Of pros
perity were observed.
Their first stop was at a sugar plan
tation 20 miles below New Orleans. In
the mill are employed 800 hands. The
output is 10000 pounds day, frac-
ton above the standard as to come
under the benefit Of the bounty. Mr..
Wilson said he was most interested in
watching the process from the time
the thousands of pounds Of cane are
brought to the mill until the sugar APP
pears at the other end of the place
ready to be barreled,
At Wesson, IS miles above New Or
leans, are the Mississippi mills, run by
company of which Mr. John P. Rich
! ardson is president. These mills, said
Mr.. Wilson, were revelation. They
have benin operation 10 or IL years,
having begun on a modest scale and
having gradually increased the num-
Der Of buildings and hands until now
about 1000 persons are employed
handling yearly 5000 bales Of cotton
and 100000 pounds of wool.A The
hands are white men and women from
the immediate neighborhood, and Mr..
Wilson said the spirit Of the energy
toward development in the South was
Southern, even the Northerners who
had settled there being thoroughly i'm
bued with the local spirit.
The railroad passing Wesson had
done much for the milling company,
and the place changed from planta-
tion to quite town. In the rear Of
the mills are the neat dwellings for the
operatives, who have also their little
gardens. They are encouraged to buy
their little homesteads, the lands being
sold at reasonable price, and the
whole establishment seems to be con-
Quoted upon the mutual-interest plan.
While much Of the wool used in the
mills comes from Texas, great deal is
obtained from the surrounding coun-
try, ana Mr.. Wilson says he noticed
many fine fiocks of sheep. The cotton
comes from the neighborhood.
Mr.. James G.. Richardson, brother
of the president of the company, has a
farm Of $4,000 acres, probably the
largest in the world. OF these IL 900
acres are devoted to cotton-raising and
1900 negro hands are employed. Mr..
Wilson was shown by Mr.. Richardson
at their New Orleans Office a series of
photographs illustrating the process of
embarrassing from the time the seed
is placed in the ground until its result
has been gained, compressed and is
ready for shipment.
In Memphis, which, he likened to an
immense bee hive of Industry, Mr..
Wilson had opportunity to study more
Immediately the final processes and the
handling of the great Southern indus
try. One big warehouse there had at
the time of his visit $6O, 0OO, 900 worth
of cotton within its walls which have a
length of ], 1865 feet and width of 300
feet. One of the big congresses has a
power "a tons and reduces the size of
the bales to one-third. AT Carrollton,
Miss, the visitors were much impressed
by the preparations for starting the
cotton mills, which have been idle since
the war; The capitalists interested in
them are energetic men, and seem to
be determined to make success of the
enterprise. Greenwood, on the Yazoo
River, was 2 years ago little more than
village. To-day there are two national
banks there, with brick dwellings and
stores. railroad and river facilities, and
many manufacturing interests. \
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