The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1896-02-13
Manufacturers Record.


as Result of Her Observations.
Manufacturers Record
"She is one woman who always
talks interestingly, and from whom a
newspaper man can always get good
story"
This expression came from Mr.. Bart
Arkell, editor Of LesHe's Weekly and
one of the owners of /u4ge. He was
speaking of woman whose name is
familiar to all newspaper, magazine
and book readers the world over
Mrs. French Sheldon, African explo-
rer, literateur and cosmopolitan. Mrs.
Sheldon has been in Atlanta several
times within the past year. Yesterday
she came in from trip through Ala
bama. She is in the South studying
the industrial situation for some Eng
llsh newspapers and as the representa-
live of some London capitalists, who
desire to know something of the posi-
bilities and the social conditions OF
.his section. Englishmen always send
over representative to report on the
conditions and the possibilities Of a
community before investing IN its rail
ways or manufactures. 1t is quite a
common thing for bankers and other
leading business men Of Atlanta to be
called on by special agent OF some
English syndicate and questioned
about this or that enterprise, or the
chances of success OF a new factory
IN this town or a new railroad thrOush
that territory.
Mrs. Sheldon, who is at the AragOn
says that she will spend SIX months in
the South in this work. Early yester-
day morning she was out going from
mill TO factory, viewing the processes
OF making cotton cloths, the manufaC-
ture of fertilizers and the operations OF
two or more other industries. Every
wheas she asked many questions of the
managers and the operatives. She !:
a close5observer, and is going deep into
the subject. 81 have discovered sew.
eral things which impress me- she
said to representative OF the C0nsh
tut0n. 81 have figures here which
VIII open the eyes of the English peo
pie on the cost of manufacturing varl-
Gus articles. 1t Is my judgment that
the delay in establishing industrial en-
terprses IN the South is destined tC
prove a bltssin.. While the North
and England have been experimenting
with this and that mechanical appll
anCe the South has been husbandlng
her strength. Now she is ready tc
avail herself of the experiments which
Others have made Mills can now be
put up for much less money than for
merly, and there Will be much less cap
itai invested to earn interest upon
Bricks and lumber are very much
cheaper here than in the North. Cot
ton can be laid down at the doors o
the Southern mills at much smaile
cost than the Northern splnners hav:
to pay for il. In large factory lhl
Soo'
dividend. There is no question abou
the South manufacturing the fine
grades Of goods in little while. Their
are some things which need to bt
looked after, though. The employ
ment of child labor in the mills will
have to be regulated by the legislatures
Children of ten and under ought no
to be at work in the factories. Lane
is cheap down here and the operative
should be encouraged to have then
gardens. True, they do not have tu
pay much for their meat, bread and
vegetables, but they could raise many
things even cheaper than they can Du
them. have talked to the manager
OF number of mills, and have secure(
the actual figures on the cost of manu-
featuring.
"YOu know there is one thing about
the industrial future OF the Soull
, which will impress the capitalist ever,
time in your favor, and that is, tn
absence of labor troubles. You hav'
not the walking delegate in the mill
here to any extent. The tendency /
to scatter new mills and not build VI
great manufacturing communities
such as Lowell, in New England, o
Manchester, in England. Labor
happier in the South than anywhere
else in the world. In England, wher
| lived for twenty years, the mil! oper
ators work day alter day in owe
crowded rooms, with a dull, damp
smoky atmosphere outside. Thes
things have a depressing effect on tn
people. That cannot be disputed. |,
France the sky is SUMMER than in Eng
land, but the conditions are not S
propitious as they are in the South.
really believe that this is the comm;
part of the globe. have been every
where, but in no country have foun
such ausplclous surroundings as al
presented in the Southern States Ev
erything is waiting here, ready for tn
man OF affairs 10 take hold and de
velop.