Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1900-12-06
BASED ON INDUSTRY.
CAUSE OF THE GROWTH OFTHE LOW
ELL OF THE SOUTH.


Marvellous Expansion of Cotton
Manufacturing In south .CapoUna.
Spartanburg's Progress How
Thriving CITY Grew: ~: ~:
The growth of the cotton manufac-
turing industry in the south in. recent
years has been by leaps and bounds,
and nowhere is this more apparent
than in Spartanburg county, s.; c.,
sometimes called the Lowell of the
south. 80. ....
UNIFORMED visitors may be disposed
to smile at the adoption of the de-
scription, Lowell of the south" L W.
ell does not smile at it, for this is the
great cotton manufacturing center of
the south, the country that has set the
example which other counties are fol
lowing with advantage and great prof
1t. Augusta, Ga, talks with pride Of
/ her 100000 spindles; Columbia, with
scarce five years experience in cotton
manufacturing In real earnest, also
boasts Of 100000 spindles and a prom
Use of speedy increase; Spartanburg
county calmly shows the record of "a
cotton mills, capitalized at $5,110, 300
with 1O,G40 spindles and 2,454 looms
turning into cloth about 250,000 bales
of cotton each year.
Each mill is history in itself Of the
progress of the Industrial movement in
South Carolina. But all of them ac-
knowledge an influence, the wisdom
and sagacity of a leader who pointed
out the way with n confidence, fore
sight, energy and ability that entitle
him to the honor in which his men,
ory Is held-D. Z. Converse, a Vir-
ginian, born in 1928, who was the
pioneer in cotton manufacturing in
that part of South Carolina.
These great mills have made Of a
once diminutive but pleasant town a
large and thriving one, with a future
that must be full of comfort to those
who choose to settle down here almost
under the shadow of the hills of the
Blue Ridge. In 1870 the population
was 1,070. In 1890, after the develop
ment of cotton spinning and weaving
had begun, 1t had increased to $500.
Judging by the public school attend
ance it Is now considered a moderate
estimate to put the population at H.
000 With the influx Of builders, of
mill operatives, of persons interested
In the direction of new enterprises, all
sorts of business have marched along
until now the number of wholesale
houses is impressive, and the increase
In the number of churches and schools
and the quality of all such structures
tell Of the prosperity of the mills, run
ming night and day, and of the share
that the people of the town have in it
The natural attractions, the scenery,
the water supply, the health statistics,
invite more comers from the mountain
and the lowlands. The statement that
more than 1000 houses have been built
in the last year ought to convey an
idea Of the activity prevailing in this
bustling little city, with it's quaint, old
fashioned, irregular public square,. or
namented with a fine bronze. statue In
honor Of Morgan, the patriotic, rifieman
Of the Revolution. The stoteS are
many and we'll stocked Along. the
street are seen many mountaineers,
the tall, athletic men of the type found
In eastern Kentucky and Tennessee,
and you are told that there has been
a greater infusion OF them in recent
years than before the industrial era
set In. The schools are not only In
good buildings, but are said to be as
efficient as the best In the south.
A short drive from the center Of the
town to the eastward brings the visitor
to Converse college. :, an institution
broadly established and. literally en-
dowed by d. E. Converse, the gentle
man whose enterprise encourage and
guided the recent development OF the
cotton manufacture in this part Of
South Carolina. Within certain linn
its 1t Is an independent institution
1t is Christian, but not denominational,
and the founder took great pains that
his intentions should be carried out.
The situation and grounds are superb.
Upon the highest spot in Spartanburg,
elevated /, 200 feet above the sea level.
with so acres of ground about the
establishment and commanding a view
Of the nearby Blue Ridge that is ex-
Quisite, there are fine brick buildings
costing $4,000 that are complete in
every detail. The main building Is 400
feet long and 100 feet deep and con-
talns 175 rooms. Converse college Is
exclusively for girls. There are also
other excellent educational institutions
In Spartanburg.
Public spirit is asserting itself in
Spartanburg. J. G. Darlington, the
proprietor Of The Herald, who cher
ishes q worthy ambition for the town,
predicts that it will not be long before
the many evidences of awakening en-
terprise will be crystalliZed in i'm
provements that will add to the COM
fort Of place greatly favored by ma.
ture. Hitherto there has been so much
concentration of interest in the con-
struction of mills that there has been
little attention given to municipal im-
provements. For the sake of business
In its closely built up main street Spar
tanburg must soon have pavements. 1t
Is promising to be rich. 1t cannot af- |
ford to be wastefully economical.
most SuccessfuI Merchants.