The Pascagoula democrat-star. (Pascagoula, Miss.) 1878-1920, 1895-08-30
RESOURCES OF MISSISSIPPI.
THE BUSINESS OUTLOOK OF THE STATE
DECIDEDLY BRIGHT AT PRESENT.
Wa shington Post.

Washington Post
Mr.. Charles e. Hooker, Jr., in con-
versation with Post reporter, sta
ted some interesting things about the
material resources and industrial
growth in his State Of Mississippi.
my State" said he, sis attracting
thrifty farmers who come there unin-
tluenced by the extravagant rhetoric
and imposing statistical totals OF the
immigrant and real estate agent.
Mississippi has preferred not to be
known as boom State, and g work
out its industrial salvation on nor
NAL lines, confident that In the full
ness Of time self interest abroad
would do away with all old prejudices
and local or sectional discrimination.
"The advantages of our soil and eli
mate cannot well be exaggerated. We
have no extremes of heat or cold, en-
tire failure of crops from drouth or
other cause is unknown, and the win
ters are so mild they are not taken
| specially into account. Our forests of
timber are incxhaustiblc and of great
variety, the pine and cypress trees
being known to lumbermen the world
over. A Mississippi sawmll has re-
Gently closed a contract to supply a
ST. Louis firm of manufacturers with
10000, 900 feet Of yellow pine lumber
1t will take the mills four years to
saw the lumber and require 10000
freight cars to haul it. Northern
capitalists have begun building
railroad from Hattiesburg to deep wa
ter at Gulf Port on the Mississippi
coast, by which the vast timber and
the various farm and garden products
of that region may reach direct our
own and foreign markets. Land in
Mississippi well watercd and timber
ed may be had from S. to $40 an acre.
The extensive plantations of the old
regime are divided up into small hold
ings, including the delta country.
Mississippi having heretofore been
principally an agricultural State, has
been exceptionally favored with rail-
road facilities. The Mississippi Val
ley road, the Mobile and Ohio, the II.
linOis Central, the Queen and Cres-
cent, the Northeastern and the South
ern Railway, with their branches,
cover the entire State, North and
South, East and West, and the near
future will witness an astonishing in
crease in railway mileage Of that
State, together with the harvest of
earnings and profits that the coming
prosperity Of the South will surely
bring. The Southern Railway Com
pany, under its present sagaciOus and
far-sighted management, is carrying
new life into that section, with its
large public spirit and stirring enter
prise. This road, understand, is lis
ted on the London market, and l
look for some substantial investments
for this season along its line.
mississippi may take pardonable
pride in the solid character OF her
banks, as | believe there was but a
single suspension during the recent
ycrv trying panic, when so many cCm-
mercial Houses and financial institu-
tions went down under the pressure
of bad collections and the general de-
moralizatiOn which sets in with such
conditions. Mississippi is leading
competitor now with her vegetable,
orchard and dairy products in the
Eastern markets. Madison and Co.
piah counties have furnished a large
share of the strawberries and tOma-
toes upon which the people Of Wash
ington have feasted this season.
Mississippi has number of pay
ing cotton and cotton seed oil and
woolen factories. l will give one H.
lustration of how they are succeed
ing. The WessOn Mills, situated in
Copiah county, is conducted by some
of the most substantial men in the
State. They were established by the
late Col. Edward Richardson, who
was called the Cotton King, and
known and respected in the money
centcrs of the East as one of the most
reliable and efficient business men in
the South. These mills have recently
doubled their capacity; they employ
large number of operators and la
borers, and a beautiful city has
sprung up there in what was wild
wood some twenty years ago. Their
goods are sold abroad as well as in
this country, having orders frequently
six months ahead. Manufacture and
diversified agriculture are the unity
ing factors OF an industrial revival in
the State which is bound to make
marked impression upon thinking
minds. There are no hard natural
conditions In the State to contend
with. Mississippi provides most
efficient common school system and
schools OF higher grade, presided over
by some Of our most accomplished
and exemplary American educators"
| At this point the reporter sugges-
ted to Mr.. Hooker II there was not
some unjust reflection upon bis State
as TO crime, to which he replied !:
Eyes, for the people Of Mississippi
have the greatest respect for and
most earnest desire to maintain law
and order Bearing In mind the con-
tact Of two races there, the coutroll-