The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1899-10-05
SOUTHERN MILL EXPANSION.

The cotton crop OF ls9s-s9 breaks all
previous records in the United States.
not only crossing the 1900, ,000-bale line.
but exceeding the crop OF last year by
$4,000 bales. Two-thirds OF the product
OF American cotton fields are exported
each year TO foreign countries, the chief
markets for American cotton being In
England other countries, however.
France, Germany. Japan. China and
Belgium. take some The most interest
ing feature OF this years cotton pro-
duct, perhaps, is the fact that there has
been an enormous increase In the
amouiJt of cotton manufactures In
Southern states. compared with the
amount OF cotton manufactured In the
North, where. heretofore. the chief cot
ton manufactures have been.
The record OF cotton manufacture Is
a record OF looms and spindles. as well
as or the number of mills i'm operation.
ana of the number of bales Of cotton
consumed. CompaIld with a year ago,
there has been AN increase in the
whoie Northern region of the United
Sites ~ $4,000 spindles only, whereas
ehe Soutn has gained more than 5OO,O0O
spindles, or six times as much The
.etai number OF spindles in both parts
OF tne country was 900 last year.
anu, as may be seen, the increase IN the
oouth HAS been relatively very mucn
iarger says the Chicago Inter Ocean.
IN 1894 there were 100000 spindles in
tne twelve Southern states, in which
there was any appreciable amount OF
COTTON manufactured. In 1896. the total
mad risen TO 2,I01, 900 In 1898, 1T was
5ooo,O00 and this year il is $500 600.
ine gain in the number of looms was
cofrespondingly large, from $4,000 in
ies1, TO 10000 In 1885, 9l.0o0 in 1898, and
$4,000 this year.
III has been a matter of wonder why
In SouthNrn states, where cotton is
raised, water power is abundant, labor
is cheap, rents are small, knowledge OF
COTTON and cotton goods extensive, and
the opportunities for the investment of
capital comparatively few. there should
be such small amount OF cotton man.
ufacture. and the cotton dealers should
md profit in shipping at considerable
expense their product either To New
England factories or abroad. IT has been
pointed out frequently that "a probable
element in the future prosperity OF the
new or industrial South would be found
in the more general manufacture OF
cotton goods in mills nearer the chief
sources OF cotton supply.Th are now
Ala such mills in the South. OF which
16S are in North Carolina, 75 in South
Carolina, 81 i'm Georgia, 81 in Alabama,
90 i'm Tennessee. IL in Virginia. 10 in
Kentucky. in Mississippi, in Texas
now the chief cotton state each In
Louisiana and Arkansas-a large cot
reproducing state-and three In Mis-
souri,. These Southern cotton mills con-
sumo i'm a ysar |. 400 900 bales, or twice
as much as they did five years ago. an
encouraging sign TO those familiar with
The opportunities which the south offers
for cotton manufacture.
In addition 10. the cheapness of labor
the abundance OF water power the
proximity to the source of products. and
the opportunities for ready market
Southern cotton manufacturers ENJOY,
when in competition with New England
dealers considerable advantage an
climate. The absence OF severe weather
allows tse mills to he operated In the
South at all times of the year, whereas
the temperature i'm Massachusetts and
Rhode Island frequently interferes with
work The mills operated by water
power are much more likely TO freeze y
The North than in the South. The Soul
| IS less likely to b. affected by hot
spell i'm the summer than i'm the North
| A still more important climatic conv
tion is the humidity OF the atmosphere
The air must be moist. otherwise th'
cotton yarn will break apd so nsces
sary is this moisture that in many %
the English and Northern factories,ex
pensive machinery is provided 10 pre-
serve the proper humidity In the atmos
phere. and 1t is for this reason tina
those massachusetts mills nearest tn
ocean enjoy an advantage which ha'
been unsuccessfully sought by thos'
either inland or remote from the sea
The Southern manufacture of cotton Il
now a considerable item in the industri
al prosperity of the South, AMI the iarg'
increase i'm the number or looms an'
spindles in the year or the record
hraalxine cotton crop is a Circumstance
of Importance.