Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1900-08-25
The city Of Laurel.

I'm side of the State, would, were they
o make a personal visit be ready TO
,xclaim, as this writer did recently, !
he half hath not been told.
The census of 1890 gave the ''village"
Of Laurel a population of 800. The
census of 1900 will give it population
Of more than 1000 Indeed the entire
of Jones has been on a CONNER
cial and industrial boom for several
years. The total population in 1890 /
was 1888. The census OF 1900 Will ,
show fully II, 900, The increase in edu- .
cable children in the last ten years IS
8 ,9OS, and in this, as in some other i'm
portant respects, Laurel leads, the as
SCISSOR having enumerated ri children
of school age, an increase of 3S7 since
the enumeration of 1896.
Laurel is on the line Of the New Or
leans & Northeastern railroad, 80
miles south of Meridian, and 1875 miles
from New Orleans; miles to Ellisvillei
10 to Hattiesburg. A branch road al
fords direct communication with jack
son over the Gulf e. Ship Island rail-
road. Several handsome coaches OF the
Gulf & Ship Island were there on the
branch track,
After a good breakfast at electric
lighted "IIotel Laurel we called on
the editor of the Laurel Chronicle, Mr..
Edgar A. Bishop. Like Blakeslee, OF
New Albany, he believes that the pos
sibilities of his town are beyond calcu-
lation. And the Chronicle office is
fair specimen of the general progress
and prosperity. It's thoroughly equip
ped with new material, the press being
operated by gas engine. Mr.. Bishop
will be a competitor for the State
printing when proposals shall be in
vited for the next four years contract
TO our request for few dots about
Laurel he promptly responded about as
follows:
'Wen sir, there are the Eastman,
Gardiner & Co. saw mills, planning, dry
kiln, electric lights; annual capacity,
about 1000, 900 feet dressed lumber;
employs about 200 men.
'Then there is the Kingston Lumber
Company-saw mills, planning mills
dry Ililns, electric lights; capacity 3d.,
900 600 feet $50 men.
'The Laurel Lumber Company; cut
hardwood; is now making improve
ments that will cost about $40, 600; ca
pacity IS, OOO, 900 to 20, 600 feet.
"Ice factory; capacity six tons daily
consumed by local trade.
Laurel Cotton Mills, now building
capital S25O,OOO. VIII be in operation
this fall.
Laurel Oil and Fertilizer Company
cap tai $50, 600; plant will be in opera
, tton very soon.
"A $4,000 school building, erecte
$ last year, but proving too small for on
: increasing population.
"A steam brick plant.
zone bank in operation, and anothe
chartered.
give church societies; three me-
\ churches to be erected this year.
o "The New Orleans & Northeaster
railroad is one of the biggest and be-
= of our attractions; and then there
L the Laurel branch of the Gulf & Sht
d Island, that runs IL miles west, an
" will connect with the main line at "a
atoga. 40 miles west of Laurel.
And then we have-not by an
n means the last or least-the Laur
le Chronicle
p. The average citizen of Laurel ca
Is tell YOU all about herpast and present
A. and future. OF course that is u
A. special function and often the prerog
Y tive of the local editor; but we toul
It. another citizen who is not only the
oughly posted about Laurel, but WI
told us what he knew in such an int
esting way we made mental sten
!" graphic notes of his interesting sta
VI ment. Here is about what he said;
oi "The town of Laurel, as you dou'
~. less know, was founded about the ye
~ 1881 when the New Orleans ~ Nor
m eastern railroad was constructed tr'
Meridian to New Orleans. The prln
nal Industries have heretofore be
lumber manufacturing. AT prest
TO There are three large saw mills, sh
he ping each year between 75,OOO'OoO
III 100, OOo, 900 feet of lumber. These m
'se have monthly pay roll in the nell
TO borhood of $4,000. A saw mill Is OF
he looked upon as a variable quautlt
es' here TODAY and gone tomorrow
this particular case, however, one
obtain an idea of the permaneney, IT
~. the fact that these mills now oWl
rat timber supply to operate for twer
of five to thirty years, without adding
q other acre to their holdings In az
ar. ton to this actually owned, there
the thousands of acres to come into II
ket, which will be cut at this point
"Recently a move has been IN
toward the establishment OF OF
W manufacturing industries at tins pc
~ -, The Laurel Cotton Mill will be ope
- ing next winter 1O,OOO-spindle I
loom capacity for making in day
what these 10000 spindles can mi
facture running day and night NAL
avs practically a 10000 spindle mill, ii
ave ing on the basis of eleven hours
ing This company's present building
feet wide by S75 feet long, three ste
high. with boiler and engine room,
vod cotton warehouses in addition.
;en. companv has an authorized capt.
%. 81 ,OOO, 900, and expects to add I
more mills to its plant.
"The Laurel Oil and Fertilizer
tory has Just been organized wit
en- authorized capital of $4,000, and
heu' mt in a 6O-ton cotton oil mill, and
We lave in connection modern cottol
and fertilizer mixed. This will
operation this season.
,yer ,vrbere is serious talk also of
off and blind factory, and paper mi
Tyer large scale. ,
Last year the city built a hand
$40 900 public school building, an
mas, other will be erected the coming
tics I'VE have one bank of so, 900 ca
d at and surplus with deposits OF VIZ
and a new bank has been organize'
L.. nnntrnctad for the erection