Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-10-10

| nerous samples Of the yarns, sheetings
| hosiery. and other products OF the cot
| lon- and knitting-mills along the South
| ern railway, which show something OF
| the great progress Of the textile industry
of the South.
| DEVELOPMENT IN THE COAL
FIELDS
The coal iron, and steel industries
show great activity, greater than hereto
fore in their history. The coal-mines
=, have been considerably aided by strikes
| in other sections of the country. Com
parativey little of the increased de-
mand, however, came from that source.
! There Is a widening of the market for
Tennessee and Alabama coal, and there
have been recent shipments of Alabama
coal to Mexico. That may be regarded
as the beginning Of a great trade. Re-
Gently the mines of Jefferson and
Walker counties, Ala, in connection
with new service afforded by the South
ern railway, began supplying the mar
kets OF New Orleans ard other places
along the lower Mississippi, which had
formerly looked to Pittsburg for their
supply Of coal. The coal is shipped
from the mines to Greenville, the Mis-
sissippi river terminus of the Southern,
way company having secured and put
into active operation a barge line on
the Mississippi river. The increased ac-
tivity of iron furnaces creates a larger
demand for coal and coke from the Ten
nessee and Alabama mines. The output
In Alabama last year was 5,74S,6N tons,
and in Tennessee 2.G63,l0 tons. and IL
will be much larger next year.
PIG-IRON SHIPPED TO EUROPE
AND ASIA.
The iron furnaces and rolling-rnills of
East Tennessee are very busy, and are
now employing greater number OF men
than any previous time. The growth OF
The pig-iron industry Of the South and
especially Of Alabama, has been very
rapid. Last year Alabama furnaces pro-
duced 922,l70 tons of pg-iron, and this
year the production will be very much
greater. The Alabama furnaces have
established foreign market for their
product, and southern iron is now ship
ped TO Europe and Asia at a good profit
competing successfully with English fur
naces. A sample shipment has just been
made to Australia. In the Birmingham
District twenty-one out of twenty-five
furnaces are running with a capacity
of S,OS3 tons OF pig-iron employing 300
are expected TO go into blast shortly.
The rollng-mill at Birmingham is run
ming double time. and the mills. fur
naces, and mines Of the Birmingham
District recently had 10 send outside FOR
men. The Birmingham mill is now giving
employment 10 about 1900 men. The re-
cent steel-making test proved most sue
cessful. For over a month, Furnace No.
l, OF the Birmingham Company. has
been making twenty-five tons OF steel
a day. and it will probably be started on
double time soon. Furnace No. 2 Is now
completed. and will shortly be put in
operation. This successful Inauguration
Of the steel industry at Birmingham has
given new impetus to all that region.
MERCHANTS BECOMING |
AGGRESSIVE.
In all the cities and towns along the |
line of the Southern road woodworking |
lumber-mils and other manu- |
enterprises are busy, and en- !
ploying full compliments OF men. Mer- |
chants and jobbers at Richmond. Nor /
folk Atlanta, Augusta, Birmip CHAM,
Knoxville. and Nashville are emulating
those OF northern and western cities, /
and are reaching out FOR trade. Con-
siderable building is In progress at the
places named and at other places along \
he line OF the road. In fact. evidences
II prosperity are everywhere to be seen
n the South.