The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1898-01-21
PROGRESS IN FIVE YEARS
THE GOVERNORS LETTER WILL
DO THE STATE GOOD.
LET The CHAMBER OF COMMERCE ACT
The Attention of the World at This Time
Should be Called to the Peculiar Ad-
vantages Of North Carolina
Enjoys,

While all the talk about the trouble
in the New England cotton mills and
the reduction of wages for the alleged
reason of small profits is going on the
mills of the South are prospecting, and
daily increasing i'm number
This is especially true of North Caro-
lima. Already she has far Outstripped
every other Southern State IN the num-
Der of its cotton mills. On December
lst there Were 210 mills in the State
and since that time three new ones have
been commences.
All the mills in this section have made
money. Their profits have been large
This has been due to the location, com
dition and good management.
These things are attracting attention
abroad. The people of New England
are already making inquiries as to how
the trick is done.
Yesterday Governor Russell received
the following telegram from a leading
New York paper touching this matter:
1T lis asserted by the New England
cotton mill owners that the great strike
now in progress is due to the extraor-
binary extension of Southern competition
IN cotton mill industry. Will you kindly
telegraph n brief statement in regard to
the prospect for further extension of
Southern cotton spinning in immediate
future, also number of Spindles as COM
pared with five years ago. comparative
profits and per capita earnings of labor
ers?t
Replying to this the Governor set
forth that this State has better natural
and commercial facilities than almost
any other State of the South, and added
the following facts:
/ "In IoS6 the State had SO cotton mills
with 4,071 looms and $780, 33 spindles.
In 1894 this had increased to 1856 cot
ton mills, with 14,90S looms and roo. 497
spindles. The past year, 1897. has wit
messed a wonderful increase in COTTON
manufacturing over the former years.
for there are NOW in this State 30 cot
ton mills, with / ,41J knitting machines,
"a, 511 looms and LOLA. 3S3 spindles.
Forty-f0ur per cent of these mills are
now running at night and the average
hours of labor are liz; for this State
has no law regulating the hours OF labor.
THE average taily wages paid skilled
men Exclusive of machinists. engineers.
tiremen and superintendent was 81. II i:
to unsk1iled men, 66H cents; skilled
weavers, 6712 cents; unskilled women,
46 cents, and children, 3415 cents: or Il
general average of 90 cents per day for
all classes of lab0rerS.
During 1897 twelve cotton mills have
been erected and eleven that were com
menced in 1896 have been completed.
Since December plans have been ma
tureu for the erection, of three new
mills.
The prospect for a rapid extension of
the cotton mill industry of the State il
most excellent; for within her borders
are waiter courses with an aggregate of
3,50O,0OO horse power, capable of run
ming 14O,0O0,000 spindles.
Here the cotton is grown and when
manufactured in the State cost of its
transportation in bulk to the Northern
mills is small
Our mills are i'm an excellent state
and are declaring from to II per cent
dividends on the capital invested"
The Raleigh Chamber of Commerce.
when it meets next Tuesday, should
take this matter up and agree on some
method by which practical encourage
ment may be given to manufacturing
industries desirin- to come to this State.
Commercial organizations i'm Georgia
and other States are already alive to
this great opportunity and they are
taking active steps with a view to tax,
ing advantage of it.
Let the Chamber authorize President
Raney OF send a letter to all the other
municipal authorities and heads of the
commercial organizations in the State
calling their attention to this fact and
Urging on them the importance of inn
mediate cooperation for mutual benefit.
1t would not be bad idea liter if all
these organizations, for they are sure
to agree ON tine main objects and ideas.
would send delegates to Il convention at
some convenient point in the State.
With an equal start in this race North
Carolina can Outstrip all her sister States
of the South, if she does not reap the
full advantage of this southwark indus
triad movement, her people will have no
H. IL