Hattiesburg daily progress. (Hattiesburg, Miss.) 18??-1909, 1903-01-02
Millions of Dollars In
vested in This Section
FIVE MILLIONS IN RAILWAYS
investments in New Cotton Mills
Amount to 100000.
5000 MILES NEW RAILROADS
And Over Five Thousand Miles
Will Be Constructed in 1903.


facturer's Record, of this city, re-
viewing in its issue Of this week the
evidence of southern progress during
the past gear, including investments
of more than $50, 600, 900 in building
new railroad mileage and of more than
$50, 900, 600 in cotton mills, says:
"These facts, touching only few
of the more striking phases OF south
ern development, are indicative OF
what is ahead of us in the new year
To fully grasp the progress OF the
south we should have to study the
change which has come about by
which the southern factory is not
only beginning to supply the needs
of the south, but is bidding for for
eign trade; we should have to meas
ure the influence on the WOODWORKING
3 industry of the phenomenal success or
the furniture factories of North Caro-
lima. which are capturing the trade
Of this country as far as the Pacific
coast, and the foreign trade out to
South Africa; we should have to note
the rapid development of the indus
tries to consume at home for Pig
iron for which we have heretofore
had to find a market elsewhere; the
steel rail mill at Ensley, the steel
car works to be built in Alabama, the
success of the steel wire operations,
which has resulted in the plans for
building the $5, 900 plant men-
toned as to be constructed at Gads-
den; we should have to measure the
power of the new combination OF
cotton mills, which will turn into
this section great amount of new
capital and result in still greater
activity in the advancement of textile
interests; we should have to note
the progress of the great shipbuilding
plant at Newport News, with con-
tracts ON hand sufficient to employ
1000 or s, 900 men for the next three
years; we should have to take into ac-
count the great developments at south
ern ports in terminal facilities and the
growth Of the exports through south
ern ports now reaching to over $780,
600, 600 year, or 35 per cent OF the
total exports of the country.
\ .'To all these we should have to
add the most vital fact-the one cal
culated to have the greatest influence
in the future, namely, the accumu-
lated capital and the accumulated eX-
perience which the south now has, as
compared with the lack of capital and
the lack of experience of five or ten
years ago"
The Manufacturers Records view
of the railroad construction during
the year shows total new mileage
in the southern states and in Mis-
souri, Indian Territory and Oklahoma,
whose railroad systems are directly
connected with southern develop
ments, of 4,099.4. 1t also shows that
at least 5,157S miles of line will be
constructed in these states and terri
tories during the coming year. The
construction in 1902 represents solely
new lines and does not include
changes of line to improve the grades
or sand tracks, but it does include a
small amount of mot over $50 miles)
of electric railways connecting cities
and towns and performing functions
similar to those of the steam railroads.
The record of the year for textile
progress is remarkable. 1t shows ad-
ditions in the south of 1,119, 2s4 spin
dies and 81 .S67 looms. 1t is notable
that of these additions, which indi-
cate an investment of $22, 1856, $50, es-
tablished companies have 752, 344 spin
: dies, or about 81 per cent of the total.
Other tendencies noted are reviewed
as follows:
The low grade goods that have in
the past engaged the attention Of the
southern mills do not attract the new
companies, but they plan for produc-
ing the finer grades of cloth. Many
OF bT6u ain at buls Hlkb-Cihco piO
duction, and several mills already es
tablished arranged during 1902 t.
reset their mills so as to enter intc
the trade in higher-class product
Another decided tendency is tha
which will eventually enable tn,
south to finish the cloths made within
its borders instead of shipping then
TO the northern and eastern finishing
plants. Besides several isolated fin
fishing plants, there were two larg
ones reported in 1902, one with cap
ital of s3, 500, 600 to have branches il
different localities. Establishe
companies seem determined to kee
their leau in the matter of spindles
This feature indicates that the me
who have had the best and longes
sxnerience in the south know ths
tha cotton manufacturing industr
there is built on . broad and fir'