The commonwealth. (Scotland Neck, N.C.) 1896-1929, 1899-12-07
COTTON Mills.
How They Have Built a City.
GASToNIA'S WONDERFUL
GROWTH.

week man who lives in Gastonia. N.
G.. His name is B. V. Brumfield, and
he is a member OF the Gastonia Coffin
Manufacturing Company of that city.
he is not directly interested in the cot
ton manufacturing business, but talks
enthusiastically about it because he
knows that cotton mills haye been the
prime factor in building up Gastonia
from a village of ECO inhabitants to a
city OF more than 5000 population In
a very few years.
Mr.. Brumfield said "In 1880, when
l moved to Gastonia, it was village Of
211 population. About that tins a
movement was started to organize a
cotton factory there. It was to be a
$lOO, 900 mill, such you propose to
establish in Yazoo City, and was Or
ganized on the same cooperative plan.
It was hard struggle to raise the
800, 900 for the first mill, because our
people were not then familiar with
the almost fabulous profits which have
since been made out of the business.
However, the mill was finally organ
lied and put Into operation. The first
year 1t paid off debt of $4,000 and
had ZIG O0e besides to carry to the sur
plus fund. Since that time other
mills have rapidly followed in the wake
of the first one, until now we haye 81
mills in operation in our county. The
growth of the town has been steadily
upward keeping step with the prog
ress OF the cotton manufacturing IN
tertests, as you may readily see from
these figures. In 1880 tho population
of Gastonia was I'll in 1885 it was q
little more than 500; in 1890 1t had
grown 10 be town of LOO In 1895
it was about 1900; while now it can
boast OF a population of more than
5000. Thus you will see that our pop
ulation has more than doubled every
five years since the establishment Of
our first cotton mill.
care these mills paying investments
for your stockholders?" the reporter
asked Mr.. Brumfield.
eyes, they are all making big mon
ey. OF course they don't always take
the public into their confidence in
these matters, because were their enor-
nous profits generally known, it might
create dissatisfaction among their en-
ployes. I have personal knowledge,
however, of how some of these mi lis
are paying, and will cite you a case
which would hardly expect you to
believe, without cos.oborative evidence
This, however, you may obtain by
writing for a copy of The Manufact-
ures' Record Of April or ii last A
young friend of mine, Mr.. John Love,
was thirteen years ago book-keeper
in hardware store in Gastonia, at the
munifcent salary of $50 per month.
His uncle owned cotton mill, and In
order to get his nephew interested In
the business, offered to sell him some
stock in it and take his notes for the
payment of same. With some mis-
givings as to undertaking such re-
sponsibility, young Loye bought the
stock-$I9.OOO worth-givlng bis
notes, covering long period OF time,
for the payment. That was thirteen
years ago. Since that time the stock
has paid for itself out of the profits OF
the business, and Mr.. Love has drawn
In addition thereto $9,750 in cash as
dividends. This magnificent showing
of the. profits of cotton manufacturing
opened the young mans eyes to the
vast possibilities of the business and he
now owps a mill of his own, is interest
ed in other enterprises in our town,
and though only about 33 or 81 years
of age, is worth probably $500, 900.
And this is not an isolated case. !
could mention several almost as nota-
bic. 1t is no trouble to get takers OF
stock in a cotton mill in Gastonia
now. Recently sevs raj mill men hap
pened to he talking together in our
town when one of them suggested that
they build another mill. The stock
fo<a $15O,OOO mill was subscribed
right there In fye minutes. When it
became known about town, there was
a general clamor among clerks, farmers
and other small Investors to get in.
and the capital stock was increased to
accommodate them.
"a mill has just been orgaizsd at
| Gastonia with capital stock of $780,
600. AS an evidence Of the prosperity
which is bound to follow the wake oI
cotton factories, may state that there
are now in course of construction ir
Gastonia two cottoi, MILLS, 200 dwell
ings and eleven brick storehouses.
zone Of our mills, the Ayor, which
manufactures the faer grades of goods
! gets It's cotton from Mississippi, some
! <f ~,l.ot oo.ooc f.Oro Vonan nn,nfv