The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1896-11-18
improvements in the
South.
The Manufacturers Record
Reports Conditions Improv-
ing-The Direct Trade
With Europe.

BALTIMORE, NOV. IL Il ne manu-
facturers' Record. in its review of south
erp business conditions, says:
The remarkable growth oe foreign
commerce through southero ports is en-
pbasized by the arrangements that
bave just been completed for the estab.
lisbmeps of direct steamship lines from
Norfolk. Charleston. Savannah and
Brunswick to European ports Five
years ago only three southern ports bad
direct steamer liues TO Europe, the
shipments from other por; heing by
tramp steamers, Now southern
ports have established i, to various
British aud continental ports. rhe
magnitude Of this business is illus
trared 10 the fact that ope company
operating large number Of steamers
bas eogaged much Of their cargoes
through the whole winter aud up TO
March. and another company operatiug G
from Norfolk has about 50 or 60 steam
ers engaged for carrying general cargo
business this winter This great in
crease in foreign exports is building up
southern seaports and giving to them as
much activity and prosperity as has
heretofore prevailed in he industrial cen.
ters of the south.
s'Following the general improvement
since the election. large number of
southern enterprises have resumed op-
eratioas aud others are preparing to do
80. Among the most important report
ed iu these two classes during the week
are the Ashland Steel company and the
Nortoo Nail works at Ashland, KY;
the Baltimore tin plate company, EN-.
ploying 200 hands; the Wheeling Iron
and Steel Company aud the Whitaker
Iron company of Wheeling, and other
enterprises have increased the number
Of their hands from 1000 to 4.500; the
KaDavba WOODEN mills Of Charleston,
W. Va; the Maryland silk mills Of
Hagerstown; the cotton duck mills near
Baltimore; the Galveston, Texas, rope
and twiue mill, employing 100 hands;
the Fostcria Glass works at Mounds
Vile, W. Va, 800 uen: Avery plow
works. Louisville Ky $50 additional
men; the Louisville woolen mills, 800
operatives; the Bear Grass woolen mills
200 bands; the Howard Harrison COM
/ pany of Bessemer, Ala, put 90 full
force; Birmingham Rolling mill 1900
meu; the Gate City rolling mill, Gate
City, Ala, 900 mca and large num-
Der of other industries throughout the
south. Among the new enterprises
looking to the development Of business
interests in the south reported fer the
week are number Of railroad under-
dertakiogs; 81, 900. 600 company or
ganized in the west which has pur.
chased G, 900 acres of land in Texas for
Improvement and colonization iu con-
nection with manufacturing enterprises;
a Chicago company organized to pur-
chase 100000 acres of land in Ala
bama for colonization sales of several
large tracts Of timber lands for develop
meut; a $150.000 cellulose plant at
Owensboro. Ky $4,000 knitting
mill company at Uoiou Point. Ga; a
500, 600 electric light aud power COM
pauy at Fort Worth. Texas Many
enterprises projected some mouths ago
aud delayed by the political excitement
are now being taken up actively with a
view to securing capital for immediate
construction Some of them have capi
tai already pledged contingent upon the
election, and these will be carried for
ward promptly. Reports to The Man
ufacturers' Record from all parts Of the
south show a very hopeful feeling and
a determination to bend every possible
eoergy to the ua'eria! advancement Of
this section, the newspapers very gen.
orally urging the people to drop poll
tics for the time aud give attention to
the advancement of material interests.
Serious ReVerSeS.