The age-herald., 1900-01-28
NEW ERA IN THE
 SOUTH'S HISTORY
Marvellous Development of the Cot ton Manufacturing Industry
 and Its Future.

D. G. DunneH. the veteran correspondent of the New York Times. writing to his paper from Columbus, S. C., under date of January 20, has the following to say of the development of the cotton manufacturing Interest in the south:
 "A few years ago the chief boast of the people of thds city was of It's glorious past before the ravages of war and the bhghting experience of reconstruction had flung 1t in the dust oppressed Joy the incubus Of black domination, and arrested in develop ment by a debt of a million dollars imposed by newly enfranchised race that appre- ciated the opportunities or power rather than their responsibilities. Like monu- ment to its own inability the capitol of the state, begun many years ago, stood un- finished, as a confession that what had been attempted could not be done. There was a little struggling business in the streets, next to no building, palpable de- fclency of public spirit, and hopelessness of the future that was concealed behind typical southern resolution and grit that was. as touching as it was apparent.
 Columbia has charged The atmosphere of detection has been dissipated. The peo- pie who were hopeless ten years ago have taken heart. Instead of standing still the population has increased and is increasing. The streets are alive all day with the ac- tivity of business. Public spirit is awaken ing and will yet become fully aroused; will bhrow off the burden imposed by ignorant and reckless extravagances, and will yet make of a naturally handsome town one of the most attractive and comfortable cities. Columbia has about stopped dating every lining from the fire that followed General Shermans occupation in 1865. and dates it's new epoch from the beginning of cotton spinning and weaving, that has served to set everything in Columbia in motion as a natural result of the extensive manufacture of the raw product that Columbia formerly sent away to be developed elsewhere at a profit in which the town did not share.
 ''It is very difficult to write about the prospective development of the cotton man. ufacture in the Piedmont district without falling into the use of superlatives and ineurring the reputation of being vision- ary. After journeying about among the cotton mills in company with a man who has dry-nursed the Interest for years, and who now coddles it without apology, as- something his very own, 1t is not easy to adopt critical language in speaking of a situation that at first glance looks more hike the result of magic than the logical outcome oH the application of capital and common sense to advantages held out years ago by nature and only grasped within the the last five years to really great purpose. It is but year or two ago that Columbia was cotton-shippng point drawlng it's supply from plantations, great and small, around its limits. Now it ships next to mo cotton, and next year it will ship in instead of shipping out. Every industry shares the impulse given by the operation of cotton mills that cannot produce enough cioSi by daylight. but must run day and night to meet the demand.
 Beginning the New Era
 'Ihe beginning of the new cotton manu- facturing movment here is not yet five years old if the experiment of one com pany be excepted. The first mill was an eastern plant, moved down to Columbia with the idea of utilizing it in a country where labor would be cheap enough to com pensate for antiquity of machinery The later development is attributed in good part to the energy and confidence of w. B. s. Whaley, an engineer to whom great enterprises present no alarming features and who possesses the faculty of inspiring capital with some of hls own lack of timidity. He first in 1885, directed the con struction of the Richland a steam mill be- gun to be built with a capital of $50 900, and finished with $500 900 capital Then he vent into the scheme for developing the
 iranby mill property. At first that had s200,000 capital. From time to time it was increased, large buildings taking the place