Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-04-11
More Drawback. of Southern Mills

charleston News anu tOuIltlJ
The New England cotton manufacturers
have been grievously disappointed In their
many confident explanations Of why the
South could not possibly compete with
them-such as that the climate was TOO
hot here for operatives TO work, ana 700
dry for spinning and weaving, and thal
the operatives were billiards, VINO coulu
never learn 10 do good work, and thSt
southern men could not manage mahuldc
turing plants, and that there was no caPI-
tai in the South with which 10 bulld Mus
etc. etc.-but they are still hopeful that
something may develop 10 stop develop
ments I'm this quarter, and they eaten AZ
every straw. a correspondent. who sub
scribes himself "Veritas," and is described
by the Boston Journal of Commerce as
"a gentleman Of education and Keen Cd
'seryation. and a successful manuiac-
turer" offers his neighbors two "straws
this week in a letter to that publication.
One is that machinery VIII last ohly
about half as long" in southern mil as
in a New. England mill. because as ne
thoughtfully explains, the southern mllls
are otiicered more cheaply." For in
stance" he explains further. I'm the
North patching parts of broken machine
~ is strictly forbidden, ana dupllcate
parts are always on mana. ne SVulh
being farther from the base OF supplies.
Matching is continually being done IN us
mills" We cannot speak with authority
on this point. of course, and must turn
this suggestion. which the editor OF the
Journal remarks he has never seen stated
by any other writer over TO some OF
our local experts for consideration. We
NAV note however, in passing. that the
"machnery" in the Augusta. GraniteVllle,
Macon, and Columbia mills has run Tor a
generation or two and that notWithstand-
ing the incessant patching 10 winch IL
has been alphabetically subjected, IL
seems to have answered the purpose OF
making good profits for its owners When
the machinery IN New England mills was
idle Possibly the southern mills general
" can get on in the same patchy way
no 0thor noint Wa rrov allow "Veritas'
TO state for himself. He says:
Labor is q littlc cheareT per capita-but
more hands are required to run the same
number of spndlcs I'm the South IMAM IN
New England The main reason Tor thls
is the malarial troubles which almost cor
stantly cause sickness among the help.
Take a mill situated near a river or
stream. and 10 per cent. extra help Will be
necessary to keep them running on full
time 1t is nothing unusual 10 nave
girl come TO the overseer with lips Diue
and quivering 10 say This Is my chill
day. and I will have 10 go out
This ought 10 settle the business for the
southern mills. Of course. and II would
we presume. but for the eallansry or the
malarial microbe i'm devoting his atten-
lions TO the girls II is inexpressibly sad.
TO be sure. that every "eir" in every
southern mill has her my chill-day."
and is constrained 10 observe II by going
out 10 shake; but SO long rs the wonSh
and the bows and the men are not sub
iect 10 such Interruptions. and can man
acc 10 keep the patched wheels and spin
dies and mules and looms and so on hum
ming at the rate AT which they nave
humrned for the past dozen or twenty
vcars near the malarial streams. so long.
probably. will our southern mills continue
10 make cotton goods for the worlds mar
ket and money for their owners. and WIN
have 10 content ourselves as best we can.
Noxtf