The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-01-01
lie SoUTH'S SOLID PRoeRESs.
THE YEAR 1895 ONE OF MARVEL
OUs ACHIEVEMENTS.


The Period Free FroH Speculative
Blooms. Hut Marked by the Laying
of Substantial Foundation for
Greater Grovth-Thc Atlanta Ex-
position and the Awarding 10 the
South of the BattIeshipS Contract
Two of the Years Conspicuous
Events.
Baltimore. Dec. 3l.-In general sum
mary of the business progress OF the
south during the past year the Manufac-
turers' Record says: "The year just
ended has been one which for all time
TO come viii be noted in the records of
southern progress as one of the most
important periods in the business history
of the south. It has been a year Of mar
Vicious achievement 1t was a year free
from speculative activity. and year in
which there was no hurrah or booming
business seen in any part Of the south.
but in all this great territory there has
been a solid, substantial foundation laid
for greater growth than was ever before
seen in the south, If not in any other part
OF the country.
Standing out conspicuously in history
will be the Atlanta Exposition and the
results which must necessarily flow from
that undertaking. The greatest good
from the exposition will be the slim
ulation into increased activity OF the
people of the entire south. Quiekened
into livelier realization of the uneauaIled
opportunities which their section Affords
stimulated by what has been accomplished
IN Atlanta and elsewhere, the effect Of
the exposition will be to double, possibly
quadruple, the aggregate energy dis
played in the active upbuilding of the
whole south by the people of the south.
The broadening influence of such an OK
pOsluon upon the people of this section,
the educational effect which il had al
ready had, cannot be measured 1t marks
not simply new period from which the
industrial history of the south must
henceforth date, but it marks a new pc
Ilou IN broader spirit of patriotism for
our entire land.
POSSIBLY the most important event i'm
the industrial history of the south for
many years was the recent award to a
southern ship building concern of a con-
tract FOR two batteships to cost 81 500. 600
Nothlng which has occurred, excepting
the Atlanta exposition, has more fully
emphasized the growing power of the
south in the business interests of the
country.
'"The Newport News shipyard now has
on hand an aggregate of over S,0O0, 900
worm OF work-an amount which might
justly be regarded as of great magnitude
for even such a concern as the Cramp
Ship-building Company
The revival Of the fronsbusiness during
1888 put into operation many idle fur
naces, made heavy increase in the out
put or coal and iron ore. and at the close
of the year the production of iron and
the output of coal is at a heavier rate
than at any former time in the history
of the south. With all of its iron and kim
dred interests on a basis now acknowl-
edged throughout the world of most solid
and enduring character the future of
these Industries In the south 10 far
promising than during the boom period
or rev years past, when the world at
large had not comprehended the magni-
tude and the solidity of the metallurgical
interests of the south. At the close of the
year arrangements are being completed
for blowing in several other furnaces
which have been undergoing repairs, and
in the early part of the new year the al
ready heavy production of iron in the
south will be materially increased.
Cotton mill building in the south in
1895 was phenomenal. The aggregate
number of spindles for new mills under
taken during the year and for enlarge
ments of old mills, was, in round num-
bers, about 100000, or probably twice as
great as ever before recorded in one year.
During the year the south's pre-eminent
advantages for this industry We're for the
first time fully and completely admitted
by the foremost textile authorities of the
world. In round numbers the south has
now including mills in operation, and
those under construction or for which
spindleS in sight, all of which will be in
full operation before the close Of the
present crop year.
THE tide of population which for a
year or more been slowly turning south
ward, has swelled during the past twelve
months to great magnitude. Throughout
the north and west thousands Of people
are turning southwark, and the outlook
indicates that within the next few years
as many settlers from outside will come
into the south as went into the north
west fifteen or twenty years ago, when
that country was being opened up to
civilization. eo.,. .,e
1.-The old year has wiped out many. of
the scars of the disasters following the
panic it has cleared away much of the
uncertainty of the past and given the
south an opportunity to demonstrate to
the world the inherent soundness of all
its business interests and to prove and
have this proof everywhere accepted, that
no other section of this or any other land
offers such phenomenally favorable con-
ditionss for the support of agricultural
population, the development of industrial
interests and the creation of wealth. In
brief such has been the record of 1885,.
1.-The new year opens with every as
surance that despite the uncertainty
which overhangs the country because of
financial affairs and of the Venezuelan
situation, the south at least will move
steadily forward, and in 1895 will show
even greater advancement than its record
for 1885"
The Smfth-McMahOn Fight a Draw.