Goldsboro weekly argus. [volume] (Goldsboro, N.C.) 1885-1909, 1895-01-17
SOUTH'S GREAT INCREASE.

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The man who thinks that the
South is retrograding or is at a
standstill and is not coming rap
idly to the front, as the favorlte
section of this North American
continent, not only in one thing,
but in all things, evidently does
not know the history of his coun-
try as it is being enacted day by
day. The low price of cotton, a
temporary financial depression,
a howl of hard times, the wall OF
a few hair Drained croakers, and
all the other powers that com
bine to impede progress have
not and cannot stop our move
forward and the great industrial
growth which has set it through
out Dixie. All these hinderances
have, as has been shown time
and again. had less effect upon
this section than any other.
Who ever heard of people
starving in the South? Yet many
farmers in Nebraska are now
without the necessaries OF life.
Who ever heard of rain not fall
ing for a spell of three or four
months in this section and all
the crops drying up for the lack
of the refreshing showers from
Heaven? Yet this is becoming a
yearly occurance on the wind
swept plains of the West. Who
even heard of iron being made as
cheaply in the North as in Ala
bama. or of any other section
possessing as many advantages
of mineral wealth, soil and eli
mate as this favored spot, this
Switzerland of ours?
The world is at last realizing
all these facts and many more.
New England manufacturers
have learned that they must
come South with their plants or
quit the field, SO they are coming
South.
A definite idea Of the rapid
strides of progress made by the
South of late years is given in a
recent issue of the Baltimore
manufacturers Record, A person
has but to read these few figures
to be convinced that this section
is destined yet to be the greatest
in the country. The M0nutoc-
turers' Record reports in detail the
progress of the material wealth
of the South during the past
fourteen years, i. e., from 1880
to 1894, that is both astounding
and agreeable.
Analysing these stupendous
figures the Record says, lit will
be seen that since 1880 the rail
road mileage of the South has
increased from 2O,612 miles to
nearly AZ, 900 miles, or, in other
words, we have built in the last
fourteen years over 5000 more
miles than the South had in Oper-
alton in 1880. In that period the
South has quintupledits coal pro
duction, risi-g from 5000, 900 to
80, 900, 900 tons; increased its pig
iron production from less than
400, 900 tons a year to nearly l.
600, 900 tons: increased the CAPT
tai invested in its cotton mills
from sci, 900, 900 to S107, O0O, 600;
the number Of spindles in its cot
ton mills from 567, 900 to 3.000,-
900; the capital invested in its
cotton oil mills from So, 500, 900
to $50, 600, 600. The census report
of 1890 showed that the true
valuation Of all property in
the South was 81, 500, 600, 900,
against S7,641, 900, 900 in 1890,
an increase of 50, 900, 600, 900.
During the same census period
the value of the South's farm
assets made an increase of nearly
5000, 900, 900. The capital in
vested in its manufacturing in
terests in the last fourteen years
has advanced from 1857, 600, 600
to $500, 900, 900; the value of the
manufactured products turned
out in the South has risen from
1857, 600, 900 to at least $1,000,
900. 900. Such a record of pro
gress as this may we'll command
the attention of the business
world. It deserves the careful.
study and consideration Of mef
who are watching the currents Of
the worlds business interests
and basing their calculations fol-
the future upon their investiga'
tons"
After rejecting upon these
facts and figures, the thought