The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1895-01-30
THE MILLS ARE COMING.
Cheap Power and :, Good White Element
Wanted.

Cheap Power and = Good White Element
Wanted.
BosToS. Jan. 22.-The Legislative
committee on mercantile affairs gave
a hearing this forenoon at the State
House on the petition of the Boot aud
Merrimac Mills of Lowell for permis.
sion to manufacture goods outside OF
the commonwealth, the latter corpara-
ton also asking for authority to IN
crease its capital stock from 81. 500;0oC
to So, 100000. f. C. Clarke, treasurer
of the Boot Mills, first addressed the
committee and exhibited samples of
the kind Of. goods manufactured by
the mills. These consisted-Gf coarse
cotton goods, drillings. sheetings and
shirtings, and class of finer goods.
Mr.. Clarke said the Boot Mills were
Incorporated by special charter in 1885
for the manufacture OF cotton goods
in Lowell: For fifty years these goods
has been made for export and home
consumption, the only competition for
the greater part of the time. coming
from the Northern States and abroad.
Within the last few years, however,
competition has arisen in the Southern
States where fuel and labor are much
cheaper The increase in the number
of mills in the South has been phe.
nomenal, the per cent. being in the
past few years 50 per cent. to u per
cent. at the North. All the Southern
Mills are making the same class OF
goods as are being made in the Boot
Mills and they are making them much
cheaper and if the Boot company is to
continue to make the goods they must
make them where they have the same
as the Southern companies.
At the present, the Southern compa-
nies are making a good profit at what
would be starvation for the Boot Com
pany.
He further said that the principal
desire of the company in its present
move is to preserve its trade mark,
which are very valuable, especially
in the foreign markets, notably Chi
ma.
The company. allowed to go South,
will devote its Lowell plant entirely
to making finer goods on which living
wages can be paid. The company in
tends to keep the Southern labor On
cheaper goods, although Mr.. Clarke
admitted to member of the commit
tee, in time it is probable that the la
Dor in the South will become as skilled
as that at the North. The capital of
the company is now permitted to be
81, 100000, but only s1,200,000 has
been issued, so that enough remains
authorized to allow the company to
build what it needs without asking
for an increase.
Augustus Lowell, president of the
company, said the company has not
vet decided into what Southern State
to 60. and the idea of moving has not
vet been submitted to the stockholders.
No decided step has yet been taken; il
is only seen that some move of this
kind must be madein the near future.
If the plant is establishedin the South
it will likely go to where the white
element predominates, rather than
where the negroes are. Nr. Lowell
said that tie Boot and Merrinac com
panies are the Lowell concerns that
are likely to move, but that it is prob,
able some of the Biddeford, Maine,
companies will soon have to do.
Howard Stockton, the president OF
the Merrimac company. said that the
reasons for his comprny asking to &C
out of the State to make goods are
the same as in the case of the Boo!
company. The Merrimac company.
however, desires an increase OF capita
because its capacity for printing is SC
great that it will be necessary to erect
large plant to supply coarse good;
enough to meet the demands OF the
print works At present the company
makes each year $4,000 yards OF
coarse cotton goods and prints 5000,
900, making it necessary to buy 80
000,00 yards.
1T is sad matter for Lowell, too,
said Mr.. Stockton, that of the good:
| buy about all are bought III The
South. although they are made by {
Lowell concern next door to me.
cannot buy in Lowell because they
cost too much. At present it costs u:
$25, 900 more year for our coal thar
it costs mill at the seaboard, Ek(
New Bedford, and $50, 000a year more
than if our mills We're in Northwest
ern Georgia E" No one appeared t
oppose the petitions and the hearing
were closed
Murdcrers run to Gro urd.
COLUMBUS. GA January 24.-Iht
mystery surrounding the munder o
Tom jarrett on the streets Of Colum
bus on Monday evening last. is abou
being solved. Colonel Harris. q notet
negro desperate was arrestedm Opeli
ka yesterday by chief of police for al
offence committed in that city and
70 Mnn+oror,np,r 1,e- Off