The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1896-01-16

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spindles and 553 looms. Their nrofts
since July, 1898, have been $4,000 per
month. ~
These are not isolated cases, specially
selected, but they are among the few
cases where the actual facts about the
profits in cotton mills are obtainable.
In most cases the managers of mills, for
obvious reasons, refuse to give the in
formation desired about the profits. IL
is worthy of attention that the newer
the mill the greater are the profits,
owing to the numerous improvements in
machinery.
SiXth-MethOd Of doing business in
Southern mills, including salaries paid to
officers and having special reference to
the method of dispOsing Of the manufac-
tured product, whether through commits
sion agents in the commercial ccnters or
by reaching the trade directly from the
factory.
The management of the business of Il
mill, as conducted in the South, is not
difficult and does not require more than
ordinary business ability. The principal
ability IN required in the superintendent
upon whom dcyolvcs the management
alike Of intricate machinery and the en-
tire force of operatives. His salary
ranges from $1,000 to $1,000, owing to
the size Of the mill and his responsible
ties. The manufactured product of the
Southern mills is generally, and in most
cases, disposed Of through commission
agents at New York, Philadelphia, Provi-
dcncc or Boston, also Japan and China.
Scycnth-Thc effect of the location of
cotton goods factories upon the COMMUNE
ties where located; also effect on sur
rounding farm lands and land interests
| in general.
| The location Of cotton mills enhances
! the value of lands, gives n better market
| to the farmer for his products and in
crcascs the interest in diversified farm
| ing, the only disadvantage in any case
being where laborers leave the farm to
take employment in a mill.
Eighth-'Thc cost of labor and the pro-
| portion of skilled labor that would be re-
quired to start n new factory and the
opportunities for obtaining it in II new
field.
All the laboi employed in the Southern
mills is home labor, with the exception
of small percentage of skilled wOrkmcn.
In many cases it was found that the
superintendent was the only expert mill
man in the mill This is usually the
case i'm yarn mills. Also, Il large per-
ccntagc Of the stockholders in these mills
are the operatives and their families.
The cost of labor is various, because the
labor to be performed is very diversified.
Much of the labor in these mills can be
performed by children from 10 to If
years of age. In employing children
the hours are usually made much shorter
than in the case of adults. The prices
day. This includes rent, which is |
usually furnished by the factory man
agcment. The most ordinary laborer
can learn to perform the duties required |
in mill in n very short time.
In concluding this report it is worth |
while to suggest that our inquiries |
showed us that stock in cotton mills was |
not generally offered for sale, but was |
usually sold above par where sold at all,
and it is worthy of remark that trust |
funds are being largely diverted from
railroad and other bonds for investment
in cotton mill stock, as the latter is far
more profitable and hence is considered
II safer investment.
In making comparison of the adj
vantages of our section for cotton mill
business with those of the points visited,
the fact is well worth attention that the
staple of the cotton in these places is
generally from "a 7-S of an inch.
while our cotton runs to an average of
/ is inch. Also the price per pound for
cotton is 3-4c more there than here on an
excess of S3.75 to $500 per bale. 1t
would be very difficult to estimate this
advantage accurately on figures, but it
is doubtless largely to the credit of our
section in the way of prospective profits
in cotton manufacturing.
1t is also worthy of attention that many
of the mills visited are run by steam
power where coal cost from 50. to $500
per ton. and $50 to S1.S5 per cord is
paid for wood. These prices mean Il
cost of about S225O per annum per horse
power. While the labor question with
us is not one about which accurate fig
urcs can be made, il would seem that any
difference in the price of labor between
there and here we could readily hope
to Offset in full by the advantage we have
in water power at S4.OO per annum. by
our long staple cotton and by the fact
that our cotton costs us an average of
3-4c less per pound. If these premises
are correct the cotton mill business
should pay ut Austin what it is paying
in North Carolina and South Carolina
of from Is to 30 per cent
per annum on the investment, provided
the management is of the best.
In our opinion, the building of one good
cotton mill and the successful operation
of the same for two or more years would
mean very much to Austin in the way
of manufacturing development and would
undoubtedly lead 10 the building of nu-
mcrOus other mills. both with home and
foreign capital. We consider that Aus
tin has the opportunity of becoming Il
cotton manufacturing city of Importance
because she has perhaps rs much de-
vclopcd water power as all other points
in .hc State combined.
Much, if not all, of the success of n
mill depends upon the management of
il and we would like to suggest that we
took occasion to inquire into the standing
and capacity of Mr. III. c. Gildard, the
proposed manager of the Austin cotton
mill, and learned that he stood we'll with
the people who knew him, both for his
business capacity and his ability to man
age the cotton mill business so rs to make
the best profits out of it, and we were told
that Austin was particularly fortunate
in obtaining the services and experience
of man so skilled and capable as Mr..
Gildard.
Many letters, statements and illustra-
tions have been filed with the secretary
of the Board of Trade for the reference
of the committee in case the members de-
sire 20 verify statements contained in
our report. Respectfully submitted.
u. T.. FUIMORE,
FRANK llElERMAN.
| did not have an opportunity of max
ing the investigations and inquiries en-
tered into by Judge Fillmore and Mr..
IIcicrman. rs | visited only Atlanta, but
| can say that the information | obtained !
was that factories in that section of the
country were increasing in number and |
capital. were paying handsome profits |
on the capital thus invested. and, accord |
u