The Lexington dispatch. [volume] (Lexington, South Carolina) 1870-1917, 1899-05-10
Weeks Development in the
Great South.
Millions in New Investments Have
Been Undertaken.-Cotton Mills
and Railroads.

duu lellllO OooS.
: Special to the State.
Baltimore, May AT the recent
meeting of the New England Cotton
Manufacturers association southern
man, Mr.. W. B. Smith Whaley, of
Columbia, S. G., successful as mill
engineer and as leader in the tex
tile industry, read paper upon the
advantages to be gained by electrical
transmission of power. Simulta-
neously with the presentation of this
paper is the announcement that
S5CO,000 are to be expended in build
ing and equipping in North Carolina
strictly modern cotton mill to be
operated entirely by electrical power.
The proposed mill, according to Il
report in The Manufacturers Record,
is part Of the plan of the develop
ment Of the great water power at the
falls or narrows of the Yadkin river,
where the water is forced from a
width of 1000 feet through a gorge
one-quarter CT a mile long and Is
feet across at it's widest part, and
where there is a fall Of from 26 to 40
feet. The company has S5,O0O,OoO
capital behind it, and expects to dis
tribute electrical power from the
falls to divers industries within a
radius of SO miles. The water power
Of the southern piedmont region is
perhaps, with the exception Of Mag
ara, the most reliable in the country.
Its utilization for cotton mills and
other industries will undoubtedly add
largely to the industrial potentially
of the south.
In the meantime cotton mills are
being built or improved upon the
older lines, and in the list for the
week the Manufacturers Record re-
ports the plan of the Lanett cotton
mills at West Point, Gs., to have
been changed so as to increase the
equipment to $4,000 spindles and
1,OOG looms. The mill will be four
stories high and $50 by 500 feet in
dimensions and will employ 1000
persons, for whom 240 cottages will
be built. The Eufaula Cotton mills,
of Eufaula, Ala, will increase it's
equipment by l2,50O spindles and
379 looms, making total of $4,000
spindles and 700 looms. CONTRACTS
are being completed for the erection
by the Trion Manufacturing company
of Trion Factory, Ca, Of mill with
a capacity of $4,000 spindles and $50
looms. The Louisiana Cotton Mill
Co., of New Orleans has been incor-.
porated with a capital stock OF
Sl,OOO,OU0 for the manufacture and
sale Of cotton goods, and a company
will be organized at Chattanooga to
erect a 10000 spindle mill, while it
is probable that under the efforts OF
New York and Georgia capitalists
the water power at Gilchrist Ferry,
about so miles above Augusta, will
be developed fer the transmission OF
the power electrical to cotton mills
and other industries.
The North Carolina enterprise
mentioned contains promise OF rail
road development as its consequence.
The mutual Strengthening OF the |
railroad and industrial interests is a
marked characteristic Of present
southern development. At the meet
ing OF the Alabama Commercial and
Industrial association at Mobile, a
notable illustration of that fact was
given. Of the II reports made by
different cities in the State nearly
every one indicated that increase IN
the number of industries had been
followed or preceded by increased
railroad facilities.
Among the new undertakings
noted in this connection is the Doth
IN, Hartford and Florida railway,
which is to traverse q portion OF
Southern Alabama and Northern
which is heavily timbered.
The length Of the road will be 60
niles, with Chipley, Fla, as its
southern terminus. Naval stores are
expected TO be an important item In
is traffic. The Farmville and Pow.
latan railroad, which extends from
Bermuda to Farmville, Va, is to be
extended to Manchester across the
liver from Richmond in the near
uture. Mr.. James R. Worth, gen
sral manager Of the company, in a
etter to The Manufacturers Record,
says tLlat the light Of way is row being
acquired for the l3 miles extension.
The question of extending the line
rom Farmville to Roanoke is also