The Montgomery advertiser., 1904-08-06
SOUTHERN PROGRESS
BUILDING OPERATIONS FOLLOW
THE ADVANCE OF COTTON.
Present Activity Promises to Increase
in the Future Owing TO Finan-
cial Easement Due to
Good Prices.

recent letter to The Manufacturers
Record a leading New Orleans Arm,
referring to the proposed erection OF
large building for it's business wrote,
This is all on account of 12-cent cot
ton" That letter suggested a special
inquiry as to the effect which the
higher price of cotton lately has had
in awakening throughout the South a
wider interest in building operations,
both as to dwellings and as to business
houses of all kinds
Accordingly a number of representa-
tive architects In the Southern States
were asked for expressions as to the
outlook for building operations as an
outcome of the ability through increas-
ed prosperity, to have better homes
and better business establishments. In
reply a score of letters were received
thoroughly reflective of general bust
ness conditions and nearly all tracing
present activity promising to be great
er in the future to the financial ease
ment of the people through good
prices for cotton or other agricultural
products. The situation Is well sum-
married. in the letter from a New Or
leans architect as follows:
There is no question but what the
higher price of the cotton crop during
the past three years throughout the
South has stimulated to a very great
extent the construction of all classes of
buildings. Cotton Is the principal pro-
duct of the South and brings the great
est amount of money into circulation
making the entire population richer or
poorer every year according to the
price the staple brings. 1t affects
almost every interest. the planter first
afterward the dealers who sell to the
planters and advance the money to car
ry the crop.
I'm the last three years the price of
cotton throughout the South has been
considerably above the cost of pro-
duction of the staple and the surplus
money has paid off the old debts of the
farmers and put cash into the hands
of merchants and manufacturers. leav-
ing In great many instances very
large surplus of ready cash with the
planter himself.
The Southern people have always
been noted for their liherality and
also known as good spenders. And
this additional money throughout the
South is being very largely expended
in better homes, schools, commercial
and public buildings. If the price con-
tines to be above the cost Of produc
ton, which 1 sincerely hope will be the
case, there will he an immense amount
construction of numerous buildings.
can see a very marked Improvement in
values of real estate and In prosperity
In this city. and we all expect a ire
mendous amount of building construc-
ton in the next two or three years
characteristic of operations in New
Orleans is the erection of residences
costing from $4,000 to $4,000, while in
smaller place, as Magnolia, Ark,
ha,r A.
ring the past six months on residences
and a new court house is to be built In
the near future. In North Carolina, as
In Georgia, Alabama, South Carolina
and Texas. is noted an increase in the
quality and completeness OF homes in
town and country the general ten
dency being toward a higher standard,
This is attributed entirely or partly
to the good prices for cotton, though a
letter from Ocala, Fla. where business
is very brisk, says that while cotton
may slightly contribute, It is by no
means the primary cause. as that sec
ton has diversified industries, phos-
phate mining, turpentine farming.
trucking and cattle raising. the latter
in its infancy, but very promising"
Diversification as seconding the work
of cotton, is noted In Texas, and let
ter from Dallas says. Fruits, early
vegetables, grain ana farm products.
which we formerly imported. are now
being raised for the home and north
ern markets. This system of diversi-
fication eliminates a total crop failure,
and as q consequence Texas is not in
the market as a borrower. but as a
lender"
AS to the future, "a letter from CO.
lumbia, s. c. says:
Eve attribute the building activity
In the South to the general prosperity
of the country throughout and to the
progress of the South in particular 1t
is entirely too broad a statement to say
that we account for this in the fact
that cotton has been IL cents "A pound
There are too many tributary reasons
to attribute 1t to any one cause, but of
course this general statement will hold
good forever. that as long as the aRri-
cultural classes of people are prosper
Gus the balance of the country will he
prosperous. We attribute the advance
in the South to the natural causes
which are bound to restore 1t to it's
place Of wealth, for II has the re-
sources, climate and the people to re-
instate it, ana we attribute some of the
increase and advance in business of
this year to this philosophical view.
We believe that cent cotton would
check our progress. But IT will not
hesitate as long as cotton is not below
cents, and in the next ten years, il
our manufactures increase as rapidly s
they have in the past ten. we shall not
fuctuate in our onward march with
the price OF cotton. -