The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1899-01-03

mills have been located IN the past two
years cities and towns have sprung ND
as II by magic, and the large sum paid
odt ih wages have given this whole
country an era OF general prosperity"
Colonel j. b. Knlebrew. immigration
agent Nashville Chattanooga and ST.
Louis railway. Nashville. Tenn:
Every railroad in the South enjoys
an unusuh prosperity. The price OF iron
was long considered the best barometer
of trade When he price OF iron was
hish trade was good. and when the
price fell trade fell with II. but in more
recent years better barometer is the
condition OF the railroads OF the coun-
Try. whenever and wherever the rail-
roads are prosperous the country through
which they pass Is prosperous also. and
vice versa. Take the Nashville Chatfa-
noosa AMI St. Louis railway as am ex-
ample For six years prior 10 1898 there
was only one month i'm which the gross
earnings exceeded $50. Oo0. but for seven
months during the present voor the
earnings have gone beyond that amount.
I'm other words, during the seventv-two
months previous 10 1898 there was only
one month i'm which the earnings reach
ed $4,000. while there have been seven
months during the present wear that
nave exceeded $4,000 a month This
shows more clearly than almost any
statement that can be made the pros.
perity OF that region through which this
railway passes and the prosperity of the
road Itself. Nor Is il alone i'm this. The
Louisville and Nashville railroad has en-
Joyed probably the greatest prosperity
during the present year that IL has ever
aad. ana The same may be SAID OF sew
eral other railroads in the South"
r. G. Hoffman president Of the Sea
board Air Line System. Baltimore. Nd
IL do not think that there is a ques-
ton that the South has been much less
, affected by the prices Of cotton this
year than is generally believed In fact.
you hear much less about the 'ruination
of low prices ! believe that cotton can
ba raised at present prices in the South
az "A profit by those who work. and every
year the Southern people learn more and
moro 10 diversity their crops. and their
other crops have been fairly fine this
year I think the South has now fairly
entered upon an era of prosperity. I
think that the manufacturers have made
producers. and therefore large consumers
Of "A very large class OF population which
heretofore have actually produced or con-
sumec nothing (outside Of themselves)
ana tudt me employment OF ms class
has In nOwise interferei with the~&ri-
cultural interests or the actual pro-
ducers heretofore. and ] think the gen.
eral condition Of the people will show this.
OF coure, there are always grumblelrs.
and the South Is not free from that class,
but you know that / am a believer In
the future of the southern country and
the Southern people"
NTRGTNTAfl AT,,~r, rcrrON-c
NJ L. ingalls,. president Chesapeake
and Ohio Railway Company. Cincinnati.
Ohio;
- cannot speak. as to the remote
South. but the Southern territory which
tho Chesapeake and Ohio serves. 10 wit
Kentucky, West Virginia and Virginia
Is very prosperous to-day. md the OUT
look for the future seems to me to be
good. Kcniu,kv In 1898 raised good
c-oEs ail ~ which are finding a ready
sac Wheat. corn ard stock bring good
prices West Virginia Is the richest land
in the world In my judgment. in coal.
and it's future depends entirely upon It's
development There seems TO be a de-
mand for IL In the East and West to-
day greater than the transportation