New-York tribune., 1897-07-04
NEGROES RUN THIS MILL.
A COTTON FACTORY IN NORTH CAROLINA
MANAGED BY COLORED PEOPLE.
AN INTERESTING EXPERIMENT IN THE SOUTH
WHICH PROMISES TO PROVE
SUCCESSFUL

Half way between Washington and Atlanta,
Ca, is situated the quiet little town of Concord.
N. c. The Southern Railway cuts it into
two sections. that good views can be had
from the car windows of the "vestbues and
''fast rails" that fly through Of the haif-score
Of lofty smokestacks pouring forth the i'm
mense volumes of smoke that indicate the real
''New South"
Although Concord is an old town. its history
till recently has been Of the usual quiet. con-
servative sort the inhabitants plodding along.
content to enjoy the necessities Of life and the
luxury of a quiet, peaceable community with
out the nervous tension Of modern life. AT the
close OF the Civil War the Freedmens Aid So
ciety OF the Presbyterian Church founded
seminary here for colored girls This institute.
known as Scotia Seminary. with DR.. d. ]. Safer
field president, has enrolled this year six hun
dred girls Besides academic instruction, the
girls taught some practical things, as sew
ing. cooking, etc. to prepare them especially 10
be teachers and home-makers. Aside from this
school there was no enterprise in the town TIL
few years ago. when some enterprising man
began cotton factory. This factory was early
demonstrated success. Labor that cost 81 %
I'm New England was had here for GO cents in
any quantity. Raw cotton was at hand without
freight. and taxes were low. So marked was the
success of the first attempt that nine other
mills are now in operation. and have run con-
tinuously during the financial depression
But in all these mills negroes are employed
save occasional porter or cartman why are
they not mixed? The same old question OF
water and oil. II "just won't do it," But many
people believe that the negro will make sue
cessf,l operative. True the average ignorant
negro is thoughtless. but great hopes are placed
in the thousands being turned out by the twenty
thousand public schools and denominational
schools for negroes in the South Recently
thrifty. enterprisng colored man, Warren Cole
man, started movement to operate a factory
in Concord that should be owned and conducted
by negroes The man himself is perhaps as
Interesting as the enterprise on foot Born IN
1919 in Concord, he had no more home training
than Mrs Stoves Topsy. He learned the trade
of shoemaker and worked steadily. Saving his
earnings.h began to invest in real estate.
Uouse after house was decided to him. until he
now owns about one hundred and fifty houses
most of them small He early went into the
grocery business which he has also made q
! financial success He is now estimated to he
worth S200009 He is by far the most sue
cessful colored man in the South known
straightforward. and he commands the highest
respect Of the white people Of the state because
Of his common-sen and thrift
The cotton mill venture which he has incor-
norated as "The Coleman Manufacturing Com
pany," is the most ambitious effort OF his iife'
and in fact, the most ambitious enterprise yet
attempted by Afro-Americans When warren
Coleman first conceived OF the enterprise, he
tha of the cotton mills
NOW in Concord with all OF whom he Is on h'i-
mate business relations They uhahlihousi9 oA
couraged him, assuring him OF thelr sympa'nS
and assistance if needed Then the pan "dS
aid before the leading men OF his own race anu
Il met hearty response In suDscriptiohS' ~
that in a period of few months more '""H
10000 has been subscribed by PeoPie o'ie
|,,eneration from slavery. Ten per cent OF this
amount having been paid in a char'er Has oee
secured from the State Of North Carohha- -
site inst outside of town limit, consisting Vi oiie
hundred acres, has been purchased, and Inc
4 Southern Railway has just put down side
track to the mill site. The brick work Is no"
Going on and it is proposed to start the spndes
ord looms as soon as possible. 1t Is planned to
hoejn with three thousand spndles and one
! .,,,arod ,ooms Common domestic and sheetine
,,;u ho manufactured From three hundred ano
af+v to four hundred employees will conduct the
enterprise. III,
O,,o of the most hopeful signs connected WIZ
.,, o,or,r;se ;s the warm sympathy 1t has me
from the Southern white people Governor i'us
,ou of North Carolina writes: Il heartily ap
,roya of vour movement to establish cottor
roc,orv for colored employees in this State. This
60 q great progressive step. and If properly car