The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1902-02-06
SOUTHERN FURNITURE FACTORIES.
A Large Number of Plants Making
Numerous Articles Of Wood for
Home Use.
Norfolk Public Ledger.

y OrIOlk IuDIic Ledger.
The Southern Field, which is pub
lished monthly by the Southern Rail-
way, gave in its last issue the names
of one hundred and lightweight fur
niture factories that have been estab-
lished along the line of its system Of
railroads. nearly all of which are To-
Gated ia the South. Speaking of
these factories the Field says that
they manufacture common furniture,
table tops, office furniture, chairs.
desks, suits, chiffoniers, baby cribs,
&C.. and that there are, besides these
factories, large number of plants
making numerous articles Of wood
for home use. For long period the
valuable timber used for the manu-
facture Of furniture has been passing
through our South Atlantic ports on
its way to the markets Of the world,
but a change is now going on which
promises to be as pronounced as was
that which diverted TO the. factories
Of North and South Carolina the cot
ton grown in those States. The
article which the Field publishes in
introducing its list Of factories is so
interesting that we reproduce it:
The manufacture OF furniture IN
the South is Of comparatively recent
development. Ten years ago.a South
ern factory was an isolated and rare
industry. In fact, as late as 1895,
very little had been done along these
lines. Within the past two years,
the growth has been remarkable, and
it still continues. Last year fifty
four new factories were erected in
towns on the South ern Railway. For
the most part these industries have
been built up with local capital and
by Southern people. Several large
plants from the North, however. have
to their best Interests to locate in the
South.
''Iu tho inception II this industry,
the heads of many Of the concerns
were men from the various walks OF
life, doctors, merchants. etc. The
construction Of furniture was entirely
foreign to them. There was 10
skilled labor to be had: men and boys
we're taken into the factories and edu-
Gated to run machines and finish the
furniture. Carpenters were taught
to do the cabinet work. Everything
had to be learned and everybody had
to learn, from the highest to The
humbIest workman. Finally foot
hold was gained, one factory followed
another, and today the industry is
one Of the most profitable, and viii
soon be one Of the largest in tn,
South. The product at this tim. va,
the cheapest grades Of futnitNr", bu;
as these wOrkmen have become skill
ed. the grades have been raised 50
that today several factories are pro-
ducing furniture Of excellent finish
and quality.
with the growth of the industry
there has come AMI those
other concOmltants accompanying the
Development Of 4 Great industry. On
October 23rd last. representative fur
nilure manufacturers of the South
| met in Chattanooga. Tenn, and form
| ed an organization to be known a
| the Southern Furniture Manufacture
| ers' Association, the bIect Of which
is to advance in every possible way
! the interests Of the furniture manu-
facturers throughout the South. Tn,
Association is representative OF The
| best known furniture manufacture
along the Southern Railway. The frs
regular meeting was held Nov. goth
at Charlotte. n. G. The next meet
inc will be held at Atlanta, Ga, OF
MAY 2)th 1892.
..During he months Of June, Jul,
and August last, there was fitted vi
at Chattanooga. Tenn. q furnitur:
exhibit showing the samples of good
manufactured by the different fac
tories. The object was to draw buy
ers from West Of the Mississippi Rive
supply. The results have been YER
gratifying and the Furniture Manu-
facturers' Association, it is said, a
their last meeting were inclined t
make the exhibit permanent one
Early in 1901 there was issued iron
High Point, \. c.. the Southern F'ur
niture journal, devoted to the inter
ests of the South, aud thus was take
another step to bring before tn
world an industry for which tn
Southern States are eminently fitted
Probably nine-tenths of the furni
ture manufacturing plants Of til
South are located along the Southern
Railway. This is so because its line
reach the forests of hardwood, walnu
and poplar. which furnish the supple
OF raw material, not only for Souther
factories, but for the major porto
of those in the North Its wide gras
Of the transportation problem of tn
South enables this system to max
advantageous traffic al justments, an
for this reason the furniture factOrie
of the South are enabled to compet
successfully with those in other sec
tiOns Of the country.