The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1900-04-20
new ACTIVITY
IN IRON TRADE
Foreign Inquiry Has Increased Great
" in the Past Week.
FARMERS ARE MORE PROSPEROUS
New Mills Are BEING Erected-IdIe
spindles Started and Active
Plants Increased to Manu-
facturc Southern Cotton.
FARMERS ARE MORE PROSPEROUS

ia the BIRMINGHAM iron district, and there
IS every indication OF further advance
Business is no longer scattering ana con-
fined TO small lots, but it is broadening.
am, h,,vers of good, round lots are taking
what they can get. fphe changed aspect
of the foreign trade OF late has tended TO
strengthen the domestic trade. Foreign
inquiry for iron has increased rapidly, aud
lis now of greater magnitude IMAM eVe'
before One of the heading factors IN tue
Birmingham trade registered during the
week inquiries for % eco tons OF iron Tor
export and has cabied prices on all that
IT, cared 10 take. The inquiries do not
come from any particular district IN any
one country, but are so widespread as 10
indicate that stocks abroad are approach
ing depletion, and that iron buyers must
take what they can gel. Among the
sates was one of 1000 tons TO Antwerp,
on the basis of Sl6.oa at Birmingham for
No. 3 foundry.
,rvnical of the comfortable feeling OF
Southern planters arising from the good
prices brought by cotton this year is the
evidence of prosperity in Mississippi set
forth in correspondence from Jackson to
the Manufacturers Record, which says:
SMALL MILLS.
.tIunumerabIe little cottonseed-oll mills
are in construction and contemplation
throughout the State. The farmers. be-
ing put on their feet financially by the
price of the cotton crop this season, nave
some surplus cash TO invest. ana il ma
jority OF the small mills mentioned ar
what might he termed community mills,
owned almost entirely by farmers and
those men who have farming interests
In most instances the mills nave, or VIII
ihave new and improved gins attached
and it is evident that the cotton planters
| have arrived at the conclusion that the
manner IN which their cotton is prepared
,.tf,i,, xtvirh he
| price received. The establishment of these
small mills and gins is an irrefutable ar
eSunent as to the good financial condition
| of the planting class. The mills will large
Iy ado. TO the material wealth of the coun-
try and become important factors therein.
for, aside from whatever profit may DC
| derived from the operation of the mills
| and sale of their products, most OF the
| nulls and meal will be used for fertilizers
| and feed for cattle, at one time reducing
| the yearly bill for commercial fertilizers,
| and thereby in the saving insurlns more
| profit to the planters and adding TO their
wealth in the way of putting thelr STOCK
| in marketable condition In this way
stimulus will be given To a very profitable
| industry. which only in the last threa
years has received any attention at ALI
and that IS the raising and fattentng oil
cattle for the markets 1t would be sur
| prising were the number of cars of cattle
| shipped from Mississippi to Chicago, ST.
Louis and Kansas City known The sup
ply does not begin to equal the demand.
and the State Is overrun with cattle buy
ers.'
While there are prospects of an Increase
in the cotton acreage, the correspondence
says that as a rule the farmers have not
| lost their heads. but while increasing cot
ton acreage are also planting larger areas
| of corn, which will prepare them for any
turn of the market.
INCREASE PLANTS.
| In the mean time plans are steadily pro-
| crossing for equipment TO handle on
| southern soil the product of the planta-
lions Application has been made for a
| charter for the Carolina mills at Green
| WILLIE S c. which will start with a.Wo
| spindIes, to be increased by 2,o00 for yarns.
| The old Pioneer Cotton Mill at Memphis.
| Tenn, with 1i,60o spIRdies and 80 !ooHss'
/ Will be put in operation within month.
| \ site has been obtained for the mill OF
| the C,aluacna Cotton Company, OF San
! ford, N c., and ARRANGEMENTS for the
| erection of the building will be made I'M
| .netfiateIy iFhe Cfuntersviile CottGn-Mtll
| Company. of GuntersviIle, Ala, will equip
| its plant with about 5000 spintllss for tne
| manufacture of coarse yarns. The Coeh-
| ran tGa.) Cotton-aIili Company VIII invest
| $4,000 in n factory. The Gtrard (Ata)
| Cotton Mills will have an equipment of
| f3S looms to manufacture plalds and gins-
| hams from yarns obtained from the
| Eagle & Phoenix Manufacturing Company.
| Of Columbus, Ga. The plant VIII De ope-
| rated by electricity. The Walton cotton
| Mills, of Monroe. Ca. will start with 5,5un
| spindIes TO be increased to 5.DO. Capltal
| to the amount of 5000 has been sub
! serfbed for mill of S0t0 spintsles at
! China Grove. n. G., 10 make medium
| yarns. The Hampton Cotton Mills OF
| Hampton, Ga, will begin building wtphin
| month. Among the additions TO exists
| ing plants are a cotton factory TO SPIN
| cotton for the Park Woollen Mills. of
| RossviIle, Ga; 70OG spinning spindles and
| 500 twister spindles for the Manchester
| Cotton Mills. of Rock Fill, S O.. to be-
! installed IN 4 two-story building So by 10
| feet. and rhlrty-tive cottages for opera
| tives: 4 GyeipS plant for the Seahoard
| Knitting Mills, OF Henderson. n G Plans
| are also understood 70 be well under way
! for a 25.oa0-spindle and 750-loom cotton
| mill at Chattanooga, Tenn, while the
| Orangeburg IS CO Knitting Mill VIII
| have an equipment of twenty machines
| and q dyeing plant TO manufacture full
! and half hose in black and colors
| NEW INDUSTRIES
| Among the other Industrial undertakings
reported in this weeks Manufacturers,
! Record are the following: sSa,eal wood
| working factory in Alabama; S2fe,oG0 min
| ng, company and 40ton cottonseed-ofl
! mill in Arkansas: s20,O0a oassava company
| in Florida: s20.6o0 basket factory. s., $50
| cannery. st0a eoe fertilizer factory and ssso.-
| eco turpentine company in Georgia; ESQ.,
| $50 chemical company in Kentucky; SAs,ef0
| humber mill ana 4Ce-barret rice mill IN
| Louisiana: $4,000 planning mill, sS-ton cot
| tonsaed-oil mill in mississippi: do-barrel
! -four mill and $500 oil mill and ginnery
| in South Carolina: 10000 ice company.
| $4,000 cement company. 100000 air-shfp
| company. S2o,e9N cotton-oil mill. 5000 cot
ton-nil mill $1,000 telephone company.
| Sf5. GEO mill and elevator company. and si0.-
| COO telephone company in Texas; $4,000
telephone company. s5.oeo telephone COM
| Fany. s2.0GGC00 sulphur mining company
! s2GoC0o coal and coke company. 100000
| mining company and sNeoo telephone
company in Virginia: $ae.efe greenhouse
| company In West Virginia.