The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1894-01-13
Manufacture of Print Cloths in the
South.

From the Boston journal OF Commerce.
The rapid development of the south as
otton-manufacturing center is hardly
understood or realized by those who do
not make frequent visits to that section,
or are not familiar with the latest stats
tics from that point. The wonderful ad-
vance OF this industry is fast enriching
that portion of our country, and is fur
nlshiug employment to a class that here
totore has had but faint idea of steady
labor. This advance has been wonder
fui, but no more so than the advance of
the intelligence of the help. There are
many points in the south where a few
years ago it was very hard to perfect an
organization of Cotton-mill help that
could be used to advantage in the manu-
tacture of the coarsest plain white goods.
IT has so far progressed in the knowledge
of this industry that a mill on
moderately fine work would have no
trouble in securing help that would enable
the mill to produce as high grade of goods
as those on the same numbers IN the
north. Until within short time the
manufacture of print cloths in the south
to any extent has not been undertaken,
but now there is a feeling that these
goods can be produced there at a good
profit, and several mills are at the pres
ent time being equipped with machinery
that will run on them. We predict that
the near future will see "a large amount
of our print cloths manufactured in the
south and at better profit than they
yield here. ItwOuld seem, in the light Of
the fact that the southern competition in
this class of goods will be such that many
OF our northern mills will have to go off
from them in order TO be operated at a
profit.
The wise men who to-day build a mill
In the south will organize it for the pro
duction of print goods. The labor in that
section being so much lower, and the ma
chinery being of the most modern pat
tern, they can deliver the goods TO our
printeries in the north cheaper than any
mill in the north can produce them. The
writer of this article is thoroughly con-
versant with mills in that section as well
as in the north, and knows that the items
Of cost are decidedly in favor of the
southern mill He has been through many
mills in the south where the help in intel
ligence is fully up to that in a mill in
Lowell or Lawrence A walk through
the weave room would show you fine, in
telligent-looking weaYers working eleven
hours per day, earning but go cents in
that time, with their looms producing as
high per cent, and with as few seconds
as looms on the same grade of goods in
the north. OF course th3 writer would
not state this was the condition of things
throughout the entire south, but cites
these few facts to show that the progress
to be made in the education of the south
ern cotton mill employees as regards skill
and habits of industry within the last
few years has been truly wonderful. We
have cOnVersed with many of these men,
and many of them, too who have arrived
at the prime of life before thinking of
engaging in this industry, and who since
have attained wonderful success in it,
l., II
with which they have applied themselves
10 their new line Of business and letting
no opportunity pass to gain knowledge;
in fact, many of the most successful cotton
manufacturers in the south at the present
time had arrived at theirprime before en-
gaging in it.
1t would seem to be the part of wisdom
for parties who have capital that they
wish to invest in new cotton mills in the
north to take well into consideration the
danger of southern competition before
deciding the class of goods they will or
game new mill TO manufacture. There
is plenty of room in the north for cotton
mills, but let them be organized To manu-
facture a much higher grade of goods
than most of our northern mills are at
the present time turning out. Let them
be built to make cotton goods that will
sell when finished for from 33c. to Soc
per yard then, with sufficient duties, we
can supply our market with home
made goods that have hereto
fore been imported from abroad. A
careful investigation will show TO any
skilled manufacturer that there is plenty
OF room for nigh grade goods in this coun-
try, and the wonderful progress the
American people are making in other di-
rections establishes the fact than we can,
if we turn our attention in that direction
and pursue it, just as well make in this
country this grade Of goods as to send the
money out of the country to procure
them. Large and wealthy corporations
like the Amoskeag, Pacific and some
others should spend annually large sums
in raising their goods to still higher
grade.