The people's journal. (Pickens, S.C.) 1891-1903, 1896-06-11

Co'oh SpinuIcs to Reach 1000 900
IN Number by the End OF This
hear-Tho Southern Peach, Pear
ana Watermelon Crops--Wcstcrn
Trade Seeking Southern Ports.
MI Richard III. Edmonds, editor OF
tho Manufacturers Record, who re
Gently returned from u trip to the
south, In an interview with u reporter
Tor Tho Baltimore Ncws said thnt
throug hout the entire South there wa,
u marked tendency TO Improvement,
when was especially noticeable in it's
industrial interests.
Along the Chesapeake and Ohio
ana tie Norfolk and Western rail
roads, stretching from Hampton
aG9os out through West Virginia" he
salo, there is everywhere seen q
very dtoided increase in activity, Thr
output OF coal is increasing; new mines
are oeln% opened: timber lands and
Soal lands arc heing purchased 10,
aeveiopment, and the evidences OF
linproVement cannot fall to impress
anyone who investigates this territory.
III the Central South, the Caro-.
mas ana Georgia, there is no abate-
ment IN the activity in cotton mill
onlialng and In the extension of exist.
ing plants: BY tho end of the present
year The South will have about 4, ,OOC,.
cato CAPT italization of nearly $l2S onn
Oo0,. against 100000 spndl,s Win !,
capital of $6l 900, 900 in the census vear
OF 1871, thus showing an increase Of
over luO per cent. in the number oi
splndles within six years.
business matters In Atlanta ar,
showing favorable results, as tho out.
como OF the Exposition, and statistics
show that more building is now being
done IN the city and of higher class
OF residences, as we'll vas business
houses, than ever before.
| In south Georgia the peach and
| watermelon and pear crops arc now
sale, and Investigations show that the
peach crop will be tho largest eve,
produced in the State. The aggro
gate va:uc OF the fruit crops Of that
district Tor the year is bcng estimated
as high as $1,000 coo or $S, OOO. 900. Il
is calculated that tho fruit and melon
crop Of Georgia will this year furnish
from $4,000 to 20, 900 carloads OF freiph,
to the railroads.
| Inc immigration movement into
that territory is extremely active. and
plans arc maturing for considerable
colonization enterprises, in addition to
these already in operation, including
tho bringing OF German uhd Scandina,
Wan settlers, as we'll as of the North
efn ana Western people. Along the
Georgia and Alabama Railroad, which
Is largely owned in Baltimore, therc
are some half u dozen colonization I'M
dertaklngs, in addition to the Fitz-
gerald Grand Army movement, which
has already settled over 5000 Western
people on the, 100, 600 acre tract of land
purchased FOR that purpose last year.
| PROBABLY the most marked i'm
ProVemcnt and ono indicative of the
most wldc-reaching influence upon in
uuStrlal matters is seen in the Aia bama
| iron and coal districts. BIRMINGHAM
is taking a decided turn for the better,
| and within the last few weeks half :.
doZen important enterprises involving
Investments OF about half million
dollars have been put on foot, while
Two extensive steel plants are practi-
cally assured.
" Tho Birmingham Rolling Mill
company, one OF the oldest and largest
concerns IN tho State, has decided to
| build steel plant with a capacity of
2Oo tons a day TO furnish steel for its
own works, and this will be construct.
ed without regard to any outside iinan-
clal aid. The 81 100000 steel enter
prise projected by the Tennessee Coal
| Iron and Railroad Company is assum-
ing tangible shape, although no time
mas been set for the work OF construc-
| ton.
The output Of coal is the heaviest
IN the history OF tho State, and, not
| withstanding the low prices which
still prevail for iron, the production
is very heavy, and nearly all of the
furnaces OF the State arc in blast.
"Anothcr notable evidence Of the
general upbuilding OF tho South is
the trend Of Western trade through
Southern ports to Europe. During
the last nine months New Orleans has
exported $1,000, 900 bushels of corn,
against 1000, 900 bushels for the cor.
responding timo of the previous year.
New Orleans, by the way, will shortly
be In advance in some respects of eycrv
city in the world in its shipping faci-
lities.
Just below tho city now shipping
| point has been established, where 81
oo0, 600 or 81, ,O00,00 has been invested
IN building a grain elevator, cotton
warehouses, four OF the most powerful
cotton congresses in the world and
COCKS ana piers for steamship pur-
poses. At this point wharfage is en-
| ''SSS VIZ 10 ollcIlDS great attf1c-
tions to steamships.
A belt railroad owned by the same
company connects with ali railroads
| entering New Orleans. and Freight
rains destined for that point are
banded AS soon as they strike the bolt
railroad with compressed air locomo.
| tlves, thus avoiding the danger of fire
| with locomotives running in and ont
between cotton warehouses. This
necessarily brings about q great rcduc-
tlon In the cost Of insurance.
Not TO be outdone by this move
mont, tic Illinois Central RailrOud il
spending about 81 900, 900 in the build
ing OF another grain elevator and ad-
dltional shipping facilities, and this
company will also furnish flee whar-
laGc, so that New Orleans will practi-
cally be free port before the end of
( the year.
" At Galveston there is q bcavy
grain movement as at New Orleans,
while at Sabine Pass. Tex, an elevator
and other shipping facilities arc being
| built to bo ready for the Openinp Of q