Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1902-08-27
Prosperity and the South.

The phenomenal activity in bust
ness, which some anticipated would
be checked last year by the greatest
shortage ever known in the corn
crop, seems this year destined to be
still further augmented by the
largest corn crop ever produced, and
to this great corn yield will be added
a large wheat crop, even if the final
outturn be little less than last year.
The average production of corn from
1895 to 1900 was little over 2,000,-
100000 bushels year, but in 1901
the crop was cut short by the hot
winds and the drouth to 100000
600 bushels. The indications for
the present crop as reported by the
Department of Agriculture point to
yield of nearly 2,6OO,OOO,OOO
bushels, or over 1,000,00O,0OO
bushels in excess of last years pro-
duction, and 3OO,OOO,O0O bushels
more than the largest crop ever
before produced, that of 1896.
The Indications for the wheat crop
are for yield of 650,000,000 bushels,
and though this is less than the crop
of last year, which was the largest
ever produced, it is the largest crop
ever grown, with the exception of
that of 1891 and of 1898, exceeding
the average yield of recent years by
approximately 10O,0OO,OOO bushels.
Some experts, however, estimate
this years yield at over 7OO,0OO,OOO
bushels.
In the aggregate the grain crop of
the country will probably be much
the largest ever produced, and the
abundant rains throughout the greater
part of the country assure large pro-
duction Of other crops. In the
South the corn crop will probably
be cut short to some extent, but the
cotton crop will probably more than
make up for this, and added to the
promise of a fine cotton crop will be
an abundant yield of fruits and
vegetables.
From all parts of the country
there come reports of greater pros
perity among the agricultural in.
terests than has been known for
many years. The high price of
foodstuffs, against which consumers
have protested, have yielded to the
farmers and cattle-raisers profits to
which they had been strangers for
many years.
The railroads of the whole coun-
try are burdened with traffic beyond
their ability to handle. Locomotive
and car works are rushed with Or
ders for rolling stock which will tax
them for the next year or more.
Rail mills already have the assur-
ance of demand which will equal,
If not exceed, their greatest possible
output in 1908. Manufacturers of
all lines of iron and steel goods,
makers of machinery and kindred
interests, the pig-iron producer and
the coal operator are rejoicing in a
period Of unprecedented activity and
prosperity. So marvelously great
has been the sweep Of this industrial
and railroad activity, 80 great the
expansion of our trade interests, that
we are constantly forced to wonder
how long such period of activity
can continue, and yet the tremend
GUS increase in business, in wealth
and in consuming power of our
country has carried this prosperity
far beyond what anyone would have
dared a few years ago to predict.
Storms may come and disasters
may temporarily overtake us, but at
present there seems to be no sign of
a cloud upon the business horizon.
1t is a matter of congratulation that
the South is moving forward in this
period of prosperity as never before
The world now recognizes as never
in the past that this section is to be
the scene of the greatest business
and industrial activity, and that
what we have done is only faint
indication of what is ahead of US
Manufacturers Record, August 18th