The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1901-10-06
GROWTH OF STATE
|NDySTR|ALLY
Furniture Factories 0utstrip
Cotton Mills.
A WONDERFUL INCREASE
Made This Year by All Wood Work
ing Factories.
REPORT OF THE COMMISSIONER OF LABOR
A WONDERFUL INCREASE
REPORT OF THE COMMISSIONER OF LABOR
Cotton Mills Have Made no Advance, Though a
Number Of New Knitting Mills Are Re-
p:rted. Mill Men Establish Schools
for Children Ct Operatives.

The cotton mill has given way to the
Industrial development Of the State dur
ing the present year.
This interesting information will be
the feature of the forthcoming annual
report of the Commissioner of Labor
and Printing, which is in course of prep
aration. Last year the cotton mill over
State. This year it is the furniture and
other wood working factories.
There has been very little increase
in textile manufacturing enterprises this
year." Commissioner Warner said yes
terday. "A few knitting mills have been
established, but the growth along indus
trial lines has been among the furniture
factories. The growth of the furniture
factory industry during the year has
been wonderful. l think the increase
has been fully twenty-five per cent
All wood working factories have
multiplied during the year. OF course
the furniture factories lead, but it is
surprising to know the character and
extent Of these factories, which are scat
tered all over the State. The lumber
business in every form has developed
with wonderful success. The most crude
and very finest furniture is manufac-
tured in the State. The industry has
proved very profitable one to those en-
gagged in it,
Commissioner Warner and Chief Clerk
Faison are busy gathering statistics and
M inn of 4 vx,;1 I1< ~,
tirely new. 1t is the intention of Mr..
Warner to get out one of the most COM
plete reports that has ever been issued
from the department. All the census
reports concerning this State will be
published in full Mr.. Warner made a
special trip to Washington for the pur-
pose of securing in advance agricultural
and other statistics pertaining to North
Carolina The director of the census has
special men at work on the North Caro-
lima returns in order to have them ready
in time for Mr.. Warmers report
During his trip over the State Com
missioner Warner has discovered several
manufacturing enterprises that are new
to the States variety of industries.
Among these is suspender factory in
Forsyth, factory that manufactures
knives and IOrkS ana carpet factory,
which is one of the only two in the
South.
Though there has been no advonce in
the development of the cotton mill in
dustry in the State Commissioner Var
ner has visited nearly all the factories.
He observed that the mill manufac-
turers are living up to their agreement
made with the Legislature relative to
child labor. Mr.. Warner said:
THE mill owners are wedding out all
the children under fourteen years of
age and / believe they are living up to
their contract made with the Legisla-
ture. A thing that has impressed me
is that they are building school houses
for the education Of the children of their
employees. The Proximity Mill at
Greensboro of which Mr.. Caesar Cone
is president, has built $4,000 school
building. The mill has engaged four of
the best teachers in the State to instruct
the children at the mill. The Efrd and
the Wiscossett Mills of Albemarle Stan
ley county, have also built school houses
for the children of their operatives"