The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1899-07-02
The New Cotton MIL Boom.

Atlanta constitution.
The New York Journal of Commerce ha:
received a series of special reports on the
growth OF the cotton manufacturing indus
try In the South, to which We have pre-
viously alluded which are OF the greatest
interest to this section, and, indeed. to all
who have idle capital. A tabulation Of
these special reports shows that the five
months of the present year, beginning with
January / and ending May 81, have wit
messed the breaking OF the record SO far as
| investment In cotton mills and machinery
| in the South is concerned.
| Fifty new cotton mills nave been built
or projected, representing au investment
OF $l1,50O,0O0, and employing $4,000 new
spindles. In addition to these new and in
dependent enterprises, thirty nine mills
are arranging to enlarge their productive
capacity at a cost OF $1,000. 900. 'che en-
largements will represent 400, 600 new spin
dies.
In short, the total increase In the num-
Der and productive capacity OF Southern
cotton mills during the past five months
represents $1I.000,0O0 OF new capital and
100000 new spindles. Knitting and
hosiery mills have been excluded from the
tabulation made by the Journal OF Com
AhoiNc' lue iuGlcaSe III lneSS Suldller
enterprises has been large. The figures
given represent genuine projects and not
those merely contemplated.
The increase in cotton mills is so phe-
nomenal that the Journal of Commerce
Is inclined to think it is too rapid. 1t Tears
that 1t will be hard to find an outlet for
the new production OF cotton goods. The
Springfield Republican, referring to the
matter casually, and noting that the new
n ~ dow tal H.. ~
coarse goods. says that the movement must
apparently greatly increase the severity of
tho competition against New England.
what the movement means for the South
VIII be clearly seen by comparing 1t with
the figures for two periods, namely. the
period previous to 1890. and that from 1890
10 1898. In 1890, let 1t be remembered,
there were but l,725,0Oo spindles in opera
lion In the whole South. From August, !
1880, TO the end OF August, 1898, there was
an increase OF l,9i5,000 spindles. This was
thought to represent a great increase. |
though 1t covered period of eight years |
nut during the past Ave months, the in
crease Us nearly as great as the number |
OF spindles In the whole South in 1890.
IL is truly phenomenal. and has made
the rosy predictions OF the Constitution
,naue from time 10 time pale and tame
py comparison with actual results. The
a.
thihg sensational in the increase of the
capacity OF our cotton mills
ana makes the suggestions as 10 the dif6,
pulty or nnding an outlet for the product
OF those new mills The answer to that
suggestion was doubtless made by inyestors
before they placed their money In the new
enterprise; and II Is undoubtedly true that
ne whole movement Is the creation of IN,
increased and increasing demand for
southern goods. This demand Is 10 he
onnd represented, in essence ana sub
'tahce' IN the extraordinarily large diW-
ishus Whicn southern mills have been de-
'ihrihg IN spite OF the severe and die
leartening experiences through which their
nce 1898, p"Ssihs ,
Inc increased output of the Southern
mis- VIII md their markets by running
'ut the higher-priced goods. Owing 10
'alurai advantages, the Southern mills ,
ne enabled to make cotton goods vary
luen more eheaply than the Northern
NUS They have the advantage of prox. /,
nity TO the cotton fields. of cheaper fnel
ueaper labor and more equable climate
neir operatives are enabled TO live mach :
aore cneapiy, and ara thus enabled N
ave more money and enjoy more substan- ,
a. Comforts than the Northern and North ;
astern operatives
inc southern mills. especially those that :
,, neeh punt since 1890. have also the !
.ch,n ausahlage OF newer and better I
,ysn,san wnicn combines all the modem
een n,S ana improvements that have Z
snt,rS uurins the past quarter OF a /
.ns,y' me Constitution has been CON /
'nains for the conservative yisv nsss,s