New-York tribune., 1900-01-26
SOUTH CARoLINA COTTON MILLS.
NEXT YEAR WILL PROBABLY SEE THE
STATE SECOND ONLY TO MAssACHU-
sETTs IN COTTON MANUFACTURE.

SAAIE SECOND ONLY To MAoSAOHI-
sETTs IN COTTON MANUFACTURES.
Columbia. S. c.. Jan 25 tspeciaD.-The year just
closed has been the most prosperous ever known
in this State and the industrial progress has been
such as to surprise CarolInians- Cotton factories
are considered the badge Of progress, and every
town capable Of supporting a weekly newspaper
has built is striving to build a factory. Unlike
North Carolina where factories with from 1000 to
$4,000 capital are the rule. South Carolinians have
built few with less capital than 1000, and these
are constructed with a view 10 expansion The
majority of the mills Of $2o0 900 capital, few
Of half million and ssO0.OOO and one. the Olympia
now building at Columbia has S1.50OOoO capital
In 1898 there were chartered in South Carolina six
cotton mills, with a capital Of $4,000. The books
Of the Secretary OF State show that last year eleven
mills with a capital of 1925 900 were chartered
that sixteen mills already in operation made ex-
tensions and increased their capital stock by
GOO. and that to fourteen mills with an ag-
gregate capital Of CO., were issued commits
sions Of Incorporation, and they are now IN process
Of formst ton. This gives the actual investments
IN mills last year s.. .704 900. with the promised
investment Of 50 250OoO more The new year is keep
ing up the record Already to three mills with a
capital $500 O00 have been issued commissions OF
Incorporation and two charters have been granted
TO mills given commissions last year, representing
$SOOCGO capital
Allowing that the ratio OF increase VIII be main
tained throughout this year South Carolina viii
on the first day OF the new century be the second
cotton manufacturing State IN the Union, second
only to Massachusetts, in spndles and looms oper-
ated, and probably first In consumption Of cotton.
-Four years ago this State took the lead OF the
Southern States in cotton manufacturing and has
each succeeding year increased the distance be-
tween herself and her nearest competitor. North
Carolina has the greatest number of mills but in all
else-capital invested. consumption spindles and
looms-the Palmetto State is far in advance.
Last year she consumed nearly One-third OF the
eastern States The cotton yield in this State was
L0l20OO bales and OF this South Carolina used 439
per cent in her mills This years cotton crop
short in the up country, where are the greater
number Of mills. Buyers for these mills quickly OBJ
tained the local supply and then into the lower
part of the State and Georgia and shipped cotton
10 their mills from 80 800 miles. past years
the price of cotton has ranged from % 50 points
lower in South Carolina than in New-York but now
the nsuTes are reversed The local markets have
been higher than New-TOrk all the fall the differ
local brva-e 1-l 80, ,S -Z,,J,, ~ - - - So -
PR sent season is estimated s000 600 bales 20
gJg bales viii be used in South Carolina mills The
eraI of the largest mif7s cbartered and under con
strucuon Will not be in operation until near the
close Of the season.
The remarkable change Of interests has come so
suddenly that the general public has not realized it.
Sparlanburg was ne pioneer manufacturing county
IN the sta,e- Water power was abundant and one
or two little mills built there thirty years ago.
II is within a decade however, that the grea test
qeyeIopments nave occurred. Old mills have Dsen
built over and old machinery thrown away. The
draw operatives, and as a result of the mills it has
twice as many towns as any other county in the
cotton mills in operation, owned by seventeen cor
pOrations and representing an invested capital OF
and consume 10000 bales Of cotton year Another
mill is about 70 begin operation in Spartanburg,
while still another with 100000 capital, mas been
As the leading cotton manufacturing city Of the
South Columoia's claim Is undisputed- Yet her
first mill began operations only five years ago. The
pioneer was the big duck mill, which built
soon as the 4c00 horse power of the Columbia
Cu5fnp the Ov-5pia vy6irb &c bi5iy- siV nils m
here, although additions larger than ordinary mills
capital represented is $50OOG8: looms 90. spin
dies 250O01 Before the building of the latest mill
the cotton receipts in Columbia from 10000 To
1000 to 900 bales The investment in mills in
Columbia LAST year was 100000, three times more
than INFESTED in any other town or county in the
State Of the six mills. one. the second built Is
ity furnished from the power house where the en-
tire power Of the Columbia Canal IS generated into
Carolina min men believe that in five years. unless
mn puIulls S7Ia!hs a serious and unexpected set
cotton crop and that thereafter cotton from other
has in round numbers 100000 whites-men women
and children OF this number about forty-ve thou
farms or were tdIers and non-producers are now
wage earners in South Carolina cotton mills Mills
for the most part are running night and day, and
while the wages paid are considerably lower than
NH In CnarIeStoh WheTe the management attempt
ed TO make whites and blacks work side by side
occurred that the mill originally built has been
added TO- machinery installed and its caDaC-
ity doubled without increasing the original capital
or assessing OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES with the reserved
profits of a few years. In other cases 10000
mill has been planned 10000 capital and the
full complement of machinery put in with the
profits of three years It is almost impossible TO
obtain from mill officers a statement of the amount
Of dividends.
The development of this industry is having an
effect politics With increased prosperity the
large factory element. the workers. lose interest
in free silver. They making money under
the present order of things than they hoped 10
get The factory owners willing many them
anxious for expansion. They wish the influence
OF the United States extended. in one way or an
other. in the East Their views are represented in
the Senate by Senator McLaUrin from this State
The rice interests in South Carolina have largely
increased in the last five years. and with that in
crease there are more men formerly free traders.
or taxation for revenue only advocates, who are
demanding that their interests be protected.