Birmingham state herald., 1896-01-01
''2GGRESS OF TIE SOUTH. !, Year 1895 Witnessed a Great Stride Forward. MELLON NEW SPlNDLES. e Revival of the Iron Business Caused Many Furnaces to Be Blown ln-A
 Good Year Promised.

Baltimore, Dec 31.-In a general sum- Emary of the business progress of the |south during the past year the Manu- |facturers' Record says:
 The year just ended has been one (which for all time to come will be noted fn the records of southern progress as ne of the mdst important periods in the business history of the south. It has been year of marvellous achievement. was aEear free from speculative ac- ivity, "a year in which there was no urraiI 6r booming business seen in any G3ff the south, but in all this great
 tory there has been a solid, sub Ential foundation laid for greater 5wth than was ever before seen in
 south, if not in any other part of A4 country. Standing out conspicuously history will be the Atlanta exposition
 the results which must necessarily Aexrom that undertaking. The great
 pod from the exposition will be the
 ion into increased activity of people of the entire south. Quickened 70 livelier realization of the unequalled Opportunities which their sections af rds stimulated by what has been ac- \nplished in Atlanta and elsewhere,
 effect of the exposition will be to
 ble, possibly quadruple, the aggre- energy displayed in the active up-
 ding of the whole south by the peo-
 of the south The broadening in
 hoe of such an exposition upon the
 lie of this section, the educational
 t which 1t has had, cannot be meas
 It marks not simply new period
 which the industrial history of the
 must henceforth date, but 1t marks
 period in a broader spirit of pa
 m for our entire land.
 sibly the most important event in
 dustrlal history of the south for
 years was the recent award to a
 n ship building concern of con-
 -ror two battleships to cost $i,5OO,- 'V00. Nothing which has occurred. eX- ceptng the Atlanta exposition, has more fully emphasized the growing power of the south in the business interests of the country.
 The Newport News ship yard has now on hand an aggregate of over $7,OOO00O worth of work-an amount which might justly be regarded as of great magnitude for even such a concern as the Cramp Ship Building company.
 The revival of the iron business during 1895 put into operation many idle fur ma ces, made very large increase in the output of coal and iron ore and at the close of the year the production of iron and the output of coal is at heavier rate than at any former time in the his tory of the south. With all of it's iron and kindred interests on basis now acknowledged throug bout the world of the most solid character the future of these industries of the south Is far more )promising than during the boom period of a few years past when the world at large had not comprehended the maSni- tude and the solidity of the metallurgical interests of the south. At the close of Xl.1 hptn IIalsted for blowing in several other fur
 which have been undergoing re-
 k and in the early part of the new .dr the already heavy production of on in the country will be materially in- eased.
 Cotton mill building in the south in 1895 Ias phenomenal. The aggregate num- Ter of spindles for new mills undertaken Turing the year and for enlargement of bld mills was, in round numbers, about ] 100000, or probably twice as great as AF before recorded in one year. for this industry were for the first time fully and completely admit ted by the foremost textile authorities bf the world. In round numbers. the puth has now, including mills in opera on and those under construction, or br which the money has been raised, bout 4000, 900 spindles in sight, all of hich will be in full operation before the resent crop year. The tide of popula- pm, which for a year or more has been bwly turning southward, has swelled ring the past twelve months to great agnitude. Throughout the north and st thousands of people are turning lthward, and the outlook indicates t within the next few years as many tiers from outside will come into the nth as went into the northwest fifteen twenty years ago, when the country Is being opened to civilization.
 The old year has wiped out many of the lSSs of the business disasters following
 panic; 1t has cleared away much of Uncertainty of the past, and given
 putin an opportunity to demonstrate
 world the inherent soundness of
 siness interests, and to prove. and e this proof everywhere accepted, no other section of this. or any other offers such phenomenally favorable ditions for the support of great pop |ton. the development of industrial in ests anG the creation of wealth. In ef. such has been the record of 1895.
 new year opens with every assur-
 that, despite the uncertainty which
 bangs the country because of finan-
 fairs and of the Venezuelan situa-
 ke South, at least. will move steadi-
 brward, and in 1896 will show even
 ter advancement than its record for