The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-09-19
GOOD SHOWING FOR CHARLESTON

The annual trade review of the Charles
ton News and Courier published on last
Saturday shows that 1t takes more than
hard times, low cotton and war to keep a
good town down. During the commercial
year which ended on Aug. 81, last, despite
various untoward circumstances, Charles
ton made considerable gain over the year
preceding in both volume and value OF
business transacted The totals for the two
years show an increase for 1898 of some
thing more than $L0OO,OOO Had the prices
of cotton held up to the figures of the pre-
vious year, the total increase would have
been much larger, since there was a gain
of about 1000 bales in cotton receipts. AS
it was, while the receipts were larger last
year, their value was less.
There was a Slight falling off in the rice,
turpentine, and lumber and tie businesses,
but these decreases We're more than coun-
terbalanced by very gratifying and encour-
aging gains in crude phosphates, feruliz-
ers, manufactured cotton goods, miscellan-
eous manufactures, fruits and vegetables,
and Wholesale and retail trade. And both
the imports and exports showed an up
ward tendency, with every indication that
that course would be continued for some
time to come Charleston remains the
heading fertilizer manufacturing city in the
country, and the mills during the year
recently ended made money for their own
err
Under an act of the state legislature,
manufacturing enterprises planted in
Charleston are exempted from municipal
taxation for a period of five years. The
fruits of this liberal policy are to be seen
in the numerous manufacturing Industries
on every hand. There are 432 manufactur-
ing establishments of all kinds in the city,
employing S,166 hands and each year turn
ing out products valued at SIS $50. The
Charleston Export Line, running direct
steamships TO Europe, Is building up a big
business. During the year it cleared SO YES
sells with fun cargoes for foreign ports, and
has in view a larger amount of traffic for
the year now on. The railroads which CEN
ter in the city are cooperating to the end
of making the direct trade with Europe a
success and much freight including guam
titles of grain is being brought from the
West for shipment through the port
A feature of the review which is worth
especial mention gives details of cotton
manufacturing in the state. 1t shows that
there are in South Carolina 81 cotton mills,
! employing $lS,614OO0 capital, having SO 500
Eooms and 100000 spindles. Five new
mills were added to the list last year.
These mills manufacture almost everything
| in cotton that can be suggested. from lace
curtains and print cloths to heavy duck
that weighs about 8 ounces TO the yard.
| The New England idea that fine cotton
fabrics cannot be manufactured in the
South is a fallacy that has been exploded
| by the mills of South Carolina. The old
| Palmetto State is rapidly becoming a
manufacturing state, and as her chief sea-
port, Charleston, win be benefited.
Charleston now has deep water, ample
wharves a terminal belt railroad a COM
plete electric street railway system, a di-
rect trade line of steamships TO Europe.
| first rate credit and banks with vaults wen
lined with money. It's back-country is be-
ing developed by settlers and mill build
ers, and 1t is represented TO the world by
one of the best newspapers of the South.
Ii has, therefore, an of the elements neces-
sary 10 commercial greatness and prosper
| ity With harmony and concerted action,
there is nothing to fear for Charlestons
future.