The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1899-10-06

The New York Journal of Commerce
gives an interesting account Of the South
orn cotton manufacturing industry for
September 1t says that the activity dis
played during that month Tar exceeded
that Of August. The spindles for Sep
tomber number about 223,OOo and the looms
about 5000 The Journal estimates that
the amount required to install this ma
chinery ready for operation will be about
100000. Besides this it says that there
were about dozen companies formally
organized with capital subscribed that
did not state what equipments would be.
The capital OF these companies aggre-
gate sl.975O00. Then follows q lisl. more
than column in length. of the various
new cotton mills in contemplation, the
largest of which is a million dollar fac
tory at Gastonia, \. G.. IL is also said
that several representatives Of New Eng
land compaVies who were investigating I'm
the South for eligible branch factories
during the summer. have returned home,
and one of them. at least. has the direc-
tors considering the investment Of a large
sum Of money in a Southern plant.
The cotton industry i'm the South is
growing with wonderful rapidly and it
is the opinion of some that the large
number Of new cotton mills in this Sec
ton, making OF course d more active de-
mand for raw cotton, have helped TO in
crease the price OF the raw material. But
the most interesting thing to MS about
the article in the Journal OF Commerce
IS. that the machinery for these new cot
ton mills and enlargements comes mainly
from New England. The spindles. looms,
carding machines. etc. come entirely
from New England. while the boilers en-
gines. water wheels. and other supple
mentary apparatus OF divers kinds are
furnished by all sections. 70 IS further
stated that the New England machinery
workers continue 10 work extra time 90
enable them 10 III their contracts and
within the past week # has become known
that a decided increase in the price Of
cotton milling machinery is pending early
announcement
II will be seen that We are stil de-
pending on New England for manufact-
ured articles A little while ago We were
buying all our cotton goods fros New
England. We picked cotton from the
nelds. ginned and haled H. sent It TO New
England. and had II returned TO us I'm the
form OF cotton cloths. But by and by We
discovered that We could manufacture
this cotton at our own doors, and when
the Southern mills fairly got into opera
ton. the New England mills in some in
stances were forced TO shut down. be-
cause they could not stand the compeu-
ton. But now that We have learned how
70 build and operate cotton factories in
our own territory We are sending TO New
England for our machinery. although
birmingham Is now tho iron center OF
the world VIC cannot do everything in
a day. but Wa are learning great and
valuable lessons. We have learned how
90 manufact are cotton goods. We nave
learned how 20 make pig iron ana steel
IN competition with tho world. and by
and by We shall have learned how to
manufacture all sorts OF machinery. The |
time IS not distant when the cotton In
uustrv Will be practically confined TO the |
South, and when the machinery for these |
factories will be manufactured at home.