The weekly Union times. [volume] (Union C.H., South Carolina) 1871-1894, 1894-06-08
c0TT0R MILLS IN ALABAMA.
What Mas Been Done and What OUGHT to 30
Done.

Done.
address Of Hon. T. w. Pratt, delivered at
BIRMINGHAM, Ala, April 25. 1891, at request
OF the State Convention Of Chambers cf q ON
n,erce OF Alabama)
The branch of Alabama development
which, in my Judgment should first
occupy the attention of our Chambers
of Commerce throughout the State id
the manufacture of our great staple,
cotton, and in view of the fact thai
this State has advantages for manu-.
featuring cotton goods equal, if not
superior, to all others, we can, by d
judicious system of advertising these
advantages, secure for this State man.
ufacturing plants which will add mil
lions to our valuation and tends OF
thousands of industrious families to
our population.
The mercantile history of England
during the past century is the history
of her cotton manufacturing, and the
same is true of New England, while
the South, which has furnished the
cotton, has very little show in improve.
ment for the many millions received
for her staple, while the value of her
lands has gradually decreased md her
substance has been used in buying her
foodstuffs and clothing from the North
and abroad.
The following statistics will serve to
illustrate the Importance of this great
industry, and the ridiculous position
we occupy in regard to the same:
There are over So, 500, 100000 in
vested in cotton mills in the world, and
over $400, 900, 900 in the United States,
and yet the South, furnishing so per
cent. of the worlds cotton, has total
capital invested in its manufacture of
less than 100000, 900, or about one
twenty-fifth of the worlds investment.
The value of the crop of cotton of
1893 is calculated 10 be about S275,.
900, 900, and this income would be
trebled or quadrupled if we could man
ufacture our goods at home.
Alabama possesses every requisite
for the manufacture as well as the pro-
duction of cotton-a splendid and
healthful climate, low cost of living,
cheap power, intelligent labor at a
small cost and long hours at work.
l. We havl the cotton at our doors
from first hands, and it costs us at
least 81. SO per bale less than it costs
the New England mills, which are
obliged to pay freight on seventy five
pounds o -'aste.and dirt with every
bale, which, added to the regular
freight rate and the expenses of dray-
ing, sampling commission, ETC., brings
the raw material at the Eastern mills
10 per cent. above the cost to us-a
fair dividend.
q. We have our power at the lowest
possible cost. for in addition to our
numerous and splendid water-puwers,
we are able to buy good steam coal
in most all portions of the State at less
than $1.50 per ton, against cost in
New England of from 81. 90 to $3.50
per ton, and as Alabama is we'll sup
piled with water, mills would find no
difficulty in securing an abundance of
cold spring water for condensing, frc e
of cost. New England mills figure
their cost of power at about $4,000 to
$500 per horsepower per annum
where steam is used, and from $50
to $4,000 per horsepower for water
power. In comparison 1 find few
Southern mills whose power costs to
exceed $1,000 per horsepower per an
mum, and many of these mills in the
South use cheap high pressure engines.
In the manufacture of print cloths
IN the East it is estimated that power
and heating cost one cent per pound
of goods produced. While we canuot
make a comparison with a Southern
mill OF this character, l do know from
actual experience that in producing
coarse yarns the cost of heat, light and
power in our mill is only one-tenth of
one cent per pound. This is not fair
comparison, owing to the different
class of work, but the great cost of
heating the large mills of the North
and East for about six months each
year, when fuel is high, is an enormous
( expense as compared with our cost for
heating in Alabama, when we have but
a few days when it is necessary to use
artificial heat.
| D. we nave inteIiiBenI IaDOr WHICH,,
by reason Gi the low cost of living, we
AN inrc at n saving Of % per cent.
'rcr New Englnrd prices, and we se-
ure Slxty-siy Eor"s lahor per week,
'gaiaht riYtv houYs Labor per week in
New England and ffty-two aod a-balf
honrs labor per week in England.
4. We have no labor organizations to
bother us.
3. The mill buildings aud tenemerts
| ior the haads can be built i'm this State
1t saviDg Of from 20 to 40 per cent.
from the cost Of equally as good build
ings in the East!
.. We can secure freight rates to
market from most Of oar Alabama
cities on manufactured goods at a
saving of nearly half what it costs to
transport the raw cottun, and by a lit
Tie "h"rt on our part could get rates
to Chicago and either Western cities
lower than they are at present. al
though our rates now are lower than
from New England to many Western
points
Z. The record 0f Southern mill cam
lngs compared with the earnings of
Northern mills for the pust few years,
is much IN favor of the South, and is n
strong argument to use with our East.
ern friends. 1t is. perhaps, not GEN