The leader., 1900-04-25

Arkansas. Mississippi. Kentucky. Louisi-
ana and the Indian territory. Tne articles
we're written from mill localities In
South Carolina in January and February
and from New England points in June aud
July. This agitation gave publicity 10
we're already engaged in the Industry.
The interest had growa rapidly, wiki
about $50 mills organized and In the
m SSo ., ss sn issa wn, ts, man many o,a
are about $500, 900 spindles In operation,
ana possibly 10000 more In course of
Organization and partly under contract,
representing an Investment OF $l25, 200, 900
and s1o, 100000 in course OF Organization.
Ii Is dificuk TO obtain absolutely sccu-
rate data. but the best obtainable indi-
In Texas have been put into operation
during 1899. with about twenty five others
In course OF organization. In Arkansas
there 10 less life than in any Of the cotton
states, with the probability of three
points organizing successfully mill move
ments. In Louisiana one new mill began
to run about March l, 1900, with 100
sp!ndles, while two other companies have
organized anu oTdered 5000 spindles, and
Will begin to run by next September.
In mississippi there are about ten mills
under contract, with ten others about
organized and seven others In course OF
organization. These will represent an
average Of 100000 each, though one has
500, 1000, and one has SIS, 200 and another
recently started again with 1000 spin
dies, aud nearly al the others have en-
larged some. A recent authoritative state
ment has been made that in the last
ninety days Of 1899 there were S2,UOO,UyJ
put into new spindles in Georgia, and IL
this ratio extended to the other nine
months, 1t would represent So,u0O,UOO
new capital in Georgia.
The state authorities Of South Carolina
the hrst of the year issued statement
TO the effect that twenty SIX new mills
were organized and commissioned ia that
state during 1899, representing S1.6J0oUO
capital, with s., 5000 put into new ma
chinery in established mills.
4ne Information of the movement in
hand in detail, but will doubtless be
nearly equal 10 that of Georgia and SCUM
Carolina, which appro1lmates 9SOOu,OuO
each, but II these latter average $5,UOV,VVO
the four states Of $26,OO0,000 in buildings,
machinery and grounds and working
capital, which, AT An average cost OF 80
per spindle, would represent In the -FOUR
states ]. 800, 0OO new spind4eS.
The greater part of this handsome In
crease Is from home capital and under
home organization and management, but
instances Ike the Merrimac and Dwight
and other large eastern mill capital bul4d-
Ing In the south have greatly augmented
the Importance Of the movement. The
capital Is usually cash or short deferred
payments, but a number of mills have
which has proven satisfactory.
The strongest test of the growth of cot
ton mills will be found In the consump-
ton Of cotton. In 1850 there were 233, ssj
bales used; in 1890 there were 546. S94
bales used; in 1895 there were So, 1Ol;
while in 1897 the consumption exceeded
100000 bales by 42,6'l, and the follow
Ing year there were 1,23l, S4l bales con
sumed, and for the season up to Septem-
Der, 1899. the aggregate had grown 10
l, 399.3s9 bales, or in eighteen years 1t had
enlarged 800 per cent. The increase of
1899 to September exceeded 1898 by
167 900 bales.
The growth IN spindles is interesting,
but accurate data IS very difficult to OBJ
tain all the time. as the increase is
rapid and constant, and hence i number
of sources of Information are employed
to show an accumulation Of evidence of
extraordinary growth.
The Manufacturers Record, In Feb
ruary last, presented a list of mills in
each state, and the spindles contained
therein. which is summarized as follows: