Birmingham state herald. (Birmingham, Ala.) 1895-1897, 1896-12-22

ing by women and children. I'm the north
labor is restricted and soon exhausted;
but not so in Birmingham. 1t Is the
duty of every citizen to help the COM
munity.
Public spirit is the power that uplifts
community. He gave an instance of the
public spirit displayed by Providence,
which twenty years ago was the wealth.
lest city in the United States per capita,
and is now surpassed only by cleveland,
o. The mountains around birmingham
are filled with millions of dollars of nat
ural wealth, and you can get just as much
of this wealth as you have the energy
and public spirit to get out. If a 10000
spindle mill is started in Birmingham
the people will get out of it SS0,0 900 per
year Ohio has an average of $72S per
capita in her savings banks and Alabama
$39. This cotton mill will be a stepping
stone to half a dozen more mills in six or
seven years. The cotton Industry in the
south has been uniformly successful. Biz
mingham now has fine opportunity-lt
can interest the Messrs. Trainor, who are
men of exceptionable ability.
Mr.. H. S. Chadwick, president of two
cotton mills, said that a cotton mill will
pay. No business is so simple and GER
tain as cotton manufacturing. He could
take three bank clerks and they could
easily run the executive department OF
the mill. Birmingham has every adVant-
age-one mill will be followed by others.
In Charlotte, N. c., where he lived, there
was one mill nine years ago; now there
y1e eight or ten. These mills make print
cloths, gingham, yarn for lace curtains,
turkish towels, back bands hosiery, etc
AT the close of next year there would be
$4,000 epindles In operation there, and the
town has only 10000 people.
Mr.. Trainor presented series OF ques-
tions to Mr.. Chadwick, which he answer
ed readily. He said 10000 spindle mill
required 600 hands. But little operating
capital was necessary, as the commission
houses would advance on the goods In
cotton country like this, it was not nee
essary to carry large stock of cotton on
hand. He had known mills to make an
average of 27 per cent. for the past eight
years. In Charlotte he pays $3.50 to 81 per
ton for coal, while in Birmingham it can
be had for less than 81 a ton Print cloths
ore as staple as sugar, iron or any other
staple. The demand for fine grade goods
is growing-wouldn't invest in coarse
grade goods.
Mr.. W. b. Smith Whaley, president of
the Columbia Is. c. mills, was called on
by President Joseph. He said water pow
er for cotton mills was a thing of the
past. All the most prosperous mills were
using steam power He paid 81 ton for
the same coal that can be obtained in
birmingham for 80 cents, and yet his
mills were making money. Mills in Eu-
rope paid 2 per cent. year, but they
were kept running to feed idle people. He
complimented the railroad system of Bir-
mingham, saying he couldn't turn cor
ner without running into some sort of
railroad car.
Mr. Trainor asked Mr.. Whaley several
questions about the cost of building mills.
He said that all materials, such as brick,
lumber, iron work, etc, were cheaper
here than at Columbia.
Mr. w. B. Leedy offered q resolution
rendering the hearty thanks of the meet
ing to these gentlemen for the informa-
ton they had given.
Mr. Sol Haas said that all cotton mills
he knew of were making money-he knew
of one proprietor who complained that he
had to put in new machinery and his
mill would declare a dividend that year
of only 80 per cent.
Ndr. Conner said that this meeting
seemed to he an adjunct of the meet g
of the United Charities held at the Same
place in the afternoon. These gentlemen
have told us how to take care of our
poor. One mill will bring another In
1870 he owned 500 acres of land, and now
he owns 26, ,000-he had kept turning it
over The good time will come when you
make it come. He didn't believe we could
legislate good times.
After the mass meeting adjourned the
cotton mill committee met.