Oxford eagle. (Oxford, Lafayette Co., Miss.) 1876-current, 1901-08-15
MISSISSIPPI MATTERS.
NOTES OF PAST AND CURRENT EVENTS.
BY J. L. POWER.
NOTES or A BRIEF OUTING.
TEs OF PAST AND CURRENT EVENTS.
By ]. L. POWER.

Seven hours from Jackson to
Tupelo. via Meridian. is not bad
schedule. The connection at Meridian
is uncomfortably close. especially when
the A. 4 V. is half an hour late at
jackson. But the trains on the two
roads are accommodating. and their
passengers are saved 4 tedious lay
over. even when they are detained at
so pleasant a place as Meridian.
On reaching Tupelo at 6 o'clock on
the morning OF the eth. we registered
at the Read House. and proceeded be
fore breakfast. to visit the Tupelo cot
ton mill, which was in course OF con-
struction when We were in Tupelo in
November last. We had met Mr.. l.. ID.
Hines. the president and general man
ager. in our occasional visits 10 Ripley.
His residence ami Office are near the
mill. We called at the home. sup
posing that he was not on duty at so
early an hour. but Mr.. Hines is not
built that way. lie Is one OF those
successful men who belivee that the
early bisd catches the worm. and SO
We caught him in his Office. with n
broom in his hands sweeping out the
once floor. lie conducted us at once
through the mill. and we will state
very briefly the result OF our observa-
tions ana inquiries.
The Tupelo cotton mill represents a
cash outlay for buildings and equip
ment to date. Of siis. 900. The original
subscription was sl25.e0o. nearly all
OF which was raised In Tupelo. Mr..
Hines is the largest stockholder The
subscriptions were payable in Install
ments. subject to call. and the entire
sum subscribed. except the small sum
OF $500. was promptly paid as called
for. Dirt was broken for the mill on
the 18th OF August. 1900; IL was open
ed for business on May 10. 1901; and
within twelve months from the day
that dirt was broken. the mill will be
making nine thousand yards Of drill
ings and domestics per day. The pres
ent daily product reaches nearly that;
and so great is the demand for the
goods that there is already talk of
doubling the capacity of the plant In
deed. the mill was constructed with
this In view.
On the morning OF our visit the mill
was behind l50 bales with its orders
for domestics. On the day previous.
one order OF ~ bales OF drilling was
received from Kansas City.
The Tupelo cotton mill is. perhaps.
the best lighted and best ventilated
mill in the United States. The en-
ployes are nearly ala adults. There
are very few small children. and they
belong to the families OF other en-
ployes. All look healthy and happy.
They are paid semi mi-monthhly. The pay
roll numbers one hundred and fifty.
and whsn the capacity is increased to
ten thousand spindles. the force will
be eorrcspGGdingly increased. This
means much for 1,Ips,o. and 1t would
mean much for Jackson. Vieksburg
and other good points IN the State that
are sleeping on their opportunities in
the way OF money-making industries.
Mr.. Hines had no previous expert
enre in cotton manufacturing; but he
put twenty-five thousand dollars of his
hard earned cash in the Tupelo mill.
and he Is thoroughly satisfied with his
investment. as are ali his associates.
On the 18th of July lightning struck
the smoNestack at the top. and tore
81 oh
wide. nearly to the bottom. IL can be
seen from the train as you pass. and
the Tupelo cotton mill. because of that
lightning freak. will soon become as
widely known as John Aliens fish
pond.
After our inspection Of the mill Mr..
Hines had his team in readiness. and.
with two other friends, were driven
to Verona. four miles south. passing
though John Aliens big farm Of near
ly two thousand a,res. We have never
seen such fine cot on ard corn. Indeed.
there is no more productive country in
the universe than that section of
Mississippi. Our State may not have
any gold or silver or coal mines. or oil
gushers. but there Is no similar area
In all creation that can produce more
and better stun for the support of
man or beast.
The special purpose Of our visit to
Verona was to be pTese Mt at the we'd
ding OF Miss Patio Kincannon and
Mr. {. ;. Brother. of Kirksyille, Mo
This interesting event took place at
$3.50 p. m. at the family residence Of
my old friend Maj,r James Kincannon
near Verona. The ceremony was per-
formed by Rev. -. McShau. and was
witnessed by about nifty persons, all
relatives and intimate friends. The
presents were Numerous and elegant
The happy couple eft nn the first train
for their new hole. Billings. Montana
Mr.. Brother was superintendent of the
city schools at kirksville, and has re-
Gently been elected TO a similar posi-
tion in Billings.
The annual reunion OF John ST.
monton Camp. U. c ", took place at
Verona on the day following. and we
could not resist the temptation to re-
main over and take Il in. II was a
great success. and will be mentioned
more at length in next issue.
There is but one opinion among the
law-abiding people of Mississippi in
reference to the Carroll county lynch
ing: that it is a shame and disgrace
to the State. And there is another
opinion: that the next session OF the
legislature should provide for the
summary removal of all officials who
fail in their duty in such outbreaks.
1t is more than probable that Secre-
tary Hunter will recommend in his BIZ
ennial report to the legislature the es-
tablishment of a Bureau of Vital Sta
tistics to be operated in conjunction
with the State Board of Health.
In the report of Registrar James Hill.
which has just been made to the gov
ernment land office, II is shown that
there are now 195,S50 acres of govern.
ment land in Mississippi. subject to
entry. most Of this being in the ''piney
woods" section.
Mississippi still stands proudly at