The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1901-05-02
CREATING BUSINESS.
Great Work Done by the Southern
Railway in Building up the Country
Traversed by its Lines.
(From the n. Y. Financier.)

(From the n. Y Financier.)
We have received little pamphlet
issued by the Southern Railway, Civ
ing in detail the growth OF textile
mills along the lines of that system
during the year just ended. together
with an enumeration of all the textile
industries now located in the same
territory. The pamphlet is interest
ing, not only in its showing OF the
really remarkable work which this
road is accom-. plishing in building up
the section which it covers, but vast
lv more so in the revelations Of possi-
bilities which await the application
of similar principles to other systems.
The Southern has long been noted for
the persistent policy it has taken in
this particular. Since its reorganiza-
tion it has been the best friend the
South has had, and while the work
accomplished cannot be classed as
philanthropic, a great deal Of it has
been for the benefit Of the South in
the abstract, rather than for direct
profit to the Southern system as a
corporation. The pamphlet in ques-
tion shows that during 1900 no less
than "a new textile mills and kindred
industries were located along the
railway, with an equipment OF /, 49,
$50 spindles and 22,185 looms. In
addition a numbe of established con-
cerns increased their equipment.
several Of them erecting new mills,
while others replaced old machinery
with new. In addition to the mills
enumerated, 16 other textile mill
buildings are in various stages OF con-
struction, and several companies have
been organized for the purpose OF be-
| ginning work thi. year. In all, the
total of mills now number over 500,
with an equipment OF 1853 looms
and 4,463, ,493 spindles.
This may be regarded as tcdiou,
enumeration. but the lesson it con-
veys ought not to be lost on railway
managers in general. The territory
traversed by the Southern six or
eight years ago, omitting few cen,
tralized points, was regarded as mos.
unpromising in general prospects.
Yet the managers of the system, by
sheer persistence, have so changed
conditions that the property today is
regarded as one of the most promising Q
in the country.
A bureau, such as described. could
| give to maL .facturers information AZ
to the best location OF certain indus
tries, it could tell them where freight
| rates were lowest, and in endless way,
| divert to its own territory n revenue
that might insure certain returns IL
dividends. The most vital point N
railroad operation is supposed t" be
the scientific handling OF transppri:-
ton, but second TO it ought To br al
intelligent application 10 the work OF
guaranteeing steady volume o|
transportation to handle. and in tina,
particular a golden opportunity has
been neglected. The success OF the
Southern Railway in establishing on
an average two textile mills week
along its lines during the full year 1900
should open the eyes Of other railway
managers.
OF course railway systems have al
| ways tried to attract business, but
for perfection of detail the Southern
is easily in the lead. And what thi:
road has done, others. even in thick
lv settled regions. will be forced K
do in the future. Heretofore tht
trunk lines have been content &c
handle the business that came Il
them. With rare exceptions they
have ignored one of the most poten
tial features in the upbuilding Of theil
traffic. The maximum Of business
that the trunk lines will handle ha'
not yet been reached, but in th'
Eastern section, at least, future in
creases will be smaller than in th'
past. Why should the roads acceP
this as an inevitable feature? An,
one OF the great lines, with an intelli
gent bureau working with a distinc
purpose can create for itself new traf
fic quite out OF proportion to tha
which it may receive in the ordinar.
course Of events.
WANTED TRUSTWORTHY ME.