The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1894-10-03
WAGES GOING up
More New Wooden and Cotton Mills
Than for -Four Years.
Unusual Prosperity in Factories A
Twenty live Per Cent. Wage Advance.

/ luueuAt prosperity IN E1clOfleS-A
Twenty-Five Per Cent. Wage Advance.
These are bad times, very bad.
times, for political wool growers
and calamity howlers. Not only
do prices of domestic woods remain
firm, at an advance of about 10 per
cent. above the Mckinley prices of
two months ago, but there is un-
usual activity in the wooden and
cotton mills.
The Wool and Cotton Reporter
devotes o page every week to a
"BglIetin of New Enterprises,
which, however, includes mills shut
ting down. There used to be more
mills shutting down than starting
up; but since the passage of nthe
free trade Wilson bill, which was
to eannihiIate- the WOODEN ind nstry,
the record has been a remarkable
one better than for any two weeks
during the four years of Mckinley
ism.
For the week ending September
the Reporter mentions five new
mills, one of which is Gotten mill,
to cost s150,O00, twenty eight en-
largements and improvements, and
twenty mills starting up, one of
which has been closed nine months
and another FIVE years.
Rawitzer Brothers, of Stafford
Springs, are mentioned as having
settled with their dissatisfied wea-
vers, giving them a % per cent adj
vance in wages. This wage ad-
vance is more than the American
Economist could find in any pro-
tected industry during the first two
years of McKinleyism.
Under the column "Enlargements
and improvements" there are 10
mentions. Under the column
"Starting Up and Shutting Down"
twenty mills are mentioned as hav-
ing started or about to start up.
One of these has been closed since
April last, another over a year, and
third for two years. Allthese are
wooden mills. Only four are men,
toned as shutting down-one to
make repairs, another for two weeks,
another because of death, and the
last is running on short time on ac-
count of low water.
IF this sort of business goes on
until November the result of the
election may not be SO satisfactory
to the Republicans as they have
been anticipating. They must
either manage to keep the mills
closed or to keep the backwoods
voters from knowing that more
wheels are turning than ever be.
fore. Can they stave off prosperity
until after election? If the drought
had only lasted two months longer
Republican prospects would be
brighter.
The record is a good one, but
that for the week ending Septembe
10 is better. During this week
there were fifteen items under the
column headed "New Mills" One
of the mills mentioned is TO have
49, 900 spindles, and TO be the larg-
est cotton mill in the South.
Another for making cotton, wool
and worsted yarn, is to occupy
building ITO by 200 feet, which
structure alone is to cost $4,000.
1.-THE plans for the new plant" says
the Reporter, "have been ready for
some time, but it is said the con
struction of the mill depended upon
the settlement of the tariff question.
1t is located at Philadelphia.
Another cotton mill, with $780,
900 capital, is proposed for Bath, S.
G.. Two hundred thousand dollars
have already been subscribed.
The other new mills are for the
manufacture of wooden, cotton, knit
hosiery, and silk goods.