The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-06-12
FACTORIES ON THE INCREASE.
COTTON MANUFACTURING A PAY
ING BUSINESS IN GEORGIA.

auf
situation - Bibb Manufacturing
company and other Mills Increas-
iua Their CapRcities-The CoIun-
bus Power Company, of Which
Mr.. Conner Is President, Putting in
a Rig Power Plant at Columbus.
The Mills Generally Prosperous
end Conditions Favorable to a
Further Increase in Manufacture
ing Plants.
Mr.. H. NJ Conner has returned after
snsnd.ng a week in Columbus and the
western part of the state. Mr.. Conner has
large manufacturing interests in Colum-
bus as well as in other points in Georgia.
He is president of the Columbus Power
Company, which is now engaged in the
construction of a large dam across the
Chattahoochee river above Columbus.
The Columbus dam will be one of the
largest if not the largest in this section. It
IS estimated that the pressure at the
gates will be equivalent to a head of AZ
feet. A large electric power plant will
utilize the power developed by the dam
plants in Columbus and vicinity. The cost
Of the plant, including the dam, will be
&@,00O, II is expected to develop 5000
horsepower and will be the largest strict
ly power plant in the state.
Mr. Conner is president of the company
Associated with him in the enterprise are
his brother. Mr.. e. 7. Conner, Maj. j. F.
Hanson Of Macon, and Mr.. G. Gunby
jordan of Columbus.
Mr. Conner is probably more largely in
terested in manufacturing than any other
citizen of Savannah, his interests being
chiefly in cotton manufacturing and near
IN all located within this state. He is as
ISOLATED with Maj. j. f. Hanson and
others in the ownership of the Bib Manu-
featuring Company, Of which he is one of
t1e largest stockholders Besides the mills
OF Macon. the Bibb Manufacturing Com
pany owns a large mill al Porterdale near
Coyington on the Middle Georgia and At
Ianuo branch of the Central.
The outlook for cotton manufacturing
in Georgia." said Mr.. Conner, in answer to
a query, SIS very satisfactory. There are
quite a number of mills in the state, and
so far as l can learn they are all prosper
Gus. There Is a tendency to further in
yestment in this industry, and there will
be some increase in the milling capacity
this year The stock for d 10000 spindle
mill is being subscribed in Columbus, and
l understand that a large part has been
secured. Some of it was subscribed in
Savannah. The mills of which Mr.. w. ].
Kncaid is manager at Griffin are prepar-
ing 10 largely increase their capacity and
the work Of increasing the number of
spndles of the Bibb Manufacturing Com
ffsaI1 mn ~1H
spnjles is well under way. AT several
places in the state the advisability of con-
sructing cotton mills is being discussed"
"A notable feature of the cotton manu-
featuring industry in Georgia." said Mr..
Conner is that the mills are owned and
controlled by Georgia capital Only
small percentage of the stock of these
mills IS held without the state Only
about per cent of the stock of the Bibb
Manufacturing Company is owned by par
ties outside the state. These enterprises
have been for the most part uniformly
prosperous, and there is no reason why
they should not continue to be so. The
Probabilities are that there viii continue
TO be gradual increase in the cotton
manufacturing industry in Georgia. The
Conditions here are favorable to the indus
Try. There is a large amount of undevel-
oled water power in Georgia. The raw ma
NlaI can be had almost al the mill doors,
and labor can live cheaper here than in
The North. While the wages paid the fac
tory operatives may seem small,as compar-
ed with those received by newspaper men
ana bank presidents, still it is much
more than these same people can earn
tlSe"here They earn twice as much in
the mills as they would earn on the farms
rom which most of them come Our
ion fes 4
'he poorer farming class who have found
nard time scratching a living out of the
soil With proper instruction they soon
Nafh and make excellent operatives AS
rule they are orderly and well behaved
III me tWenty-three years during which it
mas been in operation the Bib Manufac-
Wrng Company has never had any trouble
WIN It's employees. The employees of the
ooulnern mills are better housed and
meI surroundings are more healthful
Wah az the Northern mills. We have re-
Gently built number of neat cottages at
our Forterdale mill for our employees, each
outage having plot of ground around 1t
that those who choose to do SO can
We'll" iN do
Ir Conner was asked if he thought the
olening up of new market for cotton
so9us IN the East. as the result of the ac-
SOl' VI the PnlIlppineS by the United
gates would be of any benefit to the
u.hern cotton manufacturers.
tht sumo slight benefit might result from
~i5 source" said Mr. Conner. but my
T tbdioi on the Philippine question is that
go SANDS are likely to cost this country
NV LOT every dollar we get back"
nj SiI' conner said that he found the crops
b ,. the state in fine condition,
W NJ suffering somewhat for lack of rain.
w. Comer was asked if he visited the ex-
t,ison OF the Mobile and Girard Railroad.
Sl1 SAID that, though he went into Ala
si sind ne did not get down to the extern
s s,on' Ihis work has been under way for
YDie ume The Mobile and Girard divis-
H ' u the Central is being extended from
Sa, present terminus at Starlight to An
's sIIl' The capital of Covington county,
Instance of fourteen miles, and will en-
S So.e the Central to tap another large Ala
Oama county.
Mr' Conner said that there is nothing in
U Te report that the Central is extending