The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1894-01-29
Southern Textile Mills.

Southern Textile Mills.
The statistics of textile mill construc-
ton for the year 1898, compiled by the
| Textile World, which President Harrison
| recognized as an authority, shows that
the cotton industry continues to lead the
textile group of manufactures and that
the south led the other sections of the
country in cotton mill construction last
year Indeed, the showing made by the
south is almost marvellous, and is ex-
tremely gratifying TO those Of US who
have constantly maintained that the
south should and would, at no very dis
tant day, manufacture the greater part,
if not all, of the cotton she raises.
Last year, it is general y, conceded, was
one to test the limit, the abilities and re-
sources rof men and communities. The
year opened with "hard times" which
went on from bad to worse, until an extra
session of congress was deemed necessary
to afford relief About the time of the
assembling of the extra session the eli
max had been reached, and when the re-
peal bill was passed the reflex action set
in. What caused the hard times it is not
necessary to refer to here-they were
upon US, for a whole year. Yet during
that year the south went on building cot
ton mills until it led every other section
in construction, both in volume and ratio
of increase. In volume of increase, as
compared with that of New England, the
difference was only slight-27 new mills
with 1S3, JOG spindles in the south against
Is mills with 49,, 600 spindles in New Eng
land. But in ratio of increase, the diff
ference was greatly in favor Of the south.
During 1898 new textile mills to the
number of 172 were built throughout the
country. OF these 50 were cotton, 80
wooden, and SO knitting mills, the re-
mainder being silk, shoddy and miscel-
laneous. OF the cotton mills % were in
the southern states and Is in New Eng
land, the remainder being scattered. OF
wooden mills the south constructed 5, as
against ID in New England.
South Carolina led her section in con-
struction of cotton mills. with mills of
75, l20 spindles. North Carolina followed,
with IA mills and $1,000 spindles; then
came Louisiana, Alabama and others,
sorry to say, with 2 mills of 7,OS0 spindles.
However, Georgia rejoices to see her
plucky sisters at the front, and will en-
deavor TO join them later
As to the character Of the goods to be
manufactured by the new mills it is noted
that the tendency has been towards finer
grades Many of the southern mills have
put in plants for spinning and weaving
finer counts than has ever before been
attempted in this section, besides which,
at least one finishing mill and one print
apparatus has been set up And the only
cotton mill in the world, it is believed,
operated with electricity as motive
power, has been established in this sec
tion. at Admission, Ala.
The year 1892 has been, according to
the Textile World, 1.-THE gratest year
of progress in the textile manufac-
turing interests in the way of
new construction in the history of
the industry" is compared with cotton
mill construction during that year, reck-
oned by the number of spindles New
England's construction last year fell off
in the neighborhood of &C per cent. The
south's construction, similarly compared,
decreased about % per cent. under the
pressure of hard times. The question is,
if the south can make such an excellent
showing as against New England during
a year of extraordinaryGdepre what
may not be expected of her when trade
resumes its normal volume and condi-
tionsl
1t is noted with some satisfaction, by
the way, that though the south has gone
into the textile mill building business
with vim and determination, no stock is
taken here in shoddy mills. New Eng
land built six shoddy mills in 1892 and
three last year; the south built none.
The south is relaying for herself fabric
of prosperity that will stand the wash
and the wear