The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1897-01-06

mills of s4-.sa~0
been compelled to shut down on ac-
count If the great depression IN such
ll-zsoG,zss. The advantages OF this sec
ton are apparent. The streams never
freeze, the laborers can work IN their
shirt sleeves II hours day with per-
feet comfort all the year round, ana
the cotton is brought from the fields
directly to the mills. The cost of llv-
ing is cheaper, and may say better
than that gained by operatives IL the
east. Our operatives are a.! native,
-. r;o.:o ci:.;;zc:4s, enI, q strike h9s
never teen known in the State. In
the last six years South Carolina has
increased the number Of Spindles from
SOC, 900 to 100000, and enjoys the
honor of ranking first IN the South IN
cotton manufacturing. Our mills ere
engaged principally in manufacturing
the coarser grades OF cotton goods, but
the mills now being constructed are
putting in machinery for the manu-
facture of the finer grades, and 1t Is
only question OF time when this en-
tire industry will be monopolized by
our section of the country, because we
can do it cheaper, and the average
Yankee has very littlesentiment when
the question Of dollars and cents IN
tervenes.
There is a great field in this section
for bleacheries: not a yard OF the i'm
mense product of our mills is bleach
ed in the State. This seems anomalous
and is only explained from the fact
that cotton manufacturing has heen
SO profitable that our people have been
content to employ their capital N this
channel alone.
That such an enterprise would be
profitable goes without saying, If cnly
to supply the home market: We man
ufacture our cloth, ship to New Iork,
where it is bleached, and then buy Il
back again, thus paying freight two
! ways. whereas home bleachery
fwo9ld save this eSnense and necessa
riIv drive The eastern one out OF the
market. This is our easy and good
natured way, however, ard we con
sinue to pay the tax IN order to let oui
ieastern brother live. Our cotton mills
are largely owned by our own people,
land it is a mistake to think that this
;rapidity of development is due to out
lside capital. Most OF the mills are
ibuilt on wat is known as the install
ment plan, thus enabling wage earn
ers, ard Iaborers to become stockhold
Iers and Interested in the success OF the
enterprise. Many of the small accounts
I1nA = our savings banks have been thu
converted, and in every case to tn
great advantage Ct the investor. In
conversion of our electric power BID
flair to further increase our manutac
Itories within the next year or two
| There is nearing completion IN tn
| CITY Of Columbia the largest electric
! power plant south of Niagara falls
and l believe the only cotton factor,
plant run entirely by electric powe
lis in this country, and is owned large
llv bv the same stockholders. In 3
| DAYS this 10000 horse power station
will be running mills in this city
! There is another company developing
| the immense power on the CataTo
| river. aud contracts have already bee!
entered into whereby the mills OF tn
!enterprisine city CT Rock Hill arc t
be run by electricity. South Caroi!n
will soon be an electric State IN NOR
senses than one.
The IRON mines IL this section, q.
though rich, are worked on sna!
scale, bat probably. l. will surprls
most of your readers TO know lhs
ESouth Carolina produces more gol
than any State 10 the Union east Q
the Mississippi river. We are willing
however, to abandon this enterpris
for free silver. Two gold mines ar
. successfully operated in this State.
The piedmont section IS well TIN
!, 5e4ad with oak, hickory, walnut a L
, short,Ieaf pine, which is sawed at tn
mills and shipped to the norther
furniture factories A rich held
+ offered here for such factories, thel
being ont one ia this section, and 1t
operated upon a small scale.
Cotton IS raised IN this section, 8
well as the middle section and IS OF
very fne grade. This industry p2y
about as we'll as anywhere IN II
! South, in view OF the low price OF II
! product, which is scarcely sutticlel
e TO pay for its production. TIE vie.
!, per acre in the State IS larger tha
/ that Of any State within the cotto
lbelt.