The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1904-01-01
PR ;. 8
IS, STEADY
Join T.. Williams 8 Sons Tell.
What tic South Has Done
and Is Doing.
ITS GREAT IRON INDUSTRY
Production Nine Times Greater
Than i'll 1880 Coal and Cot
toll, Railroads and Banks.

NIcssrs. John I. Williams and Sons will
to-day issue bulletin presenting statis-
tics regarding the steady growth Of the
South. Among other things this interest
ing publication will rtcesnt the following!
facts:
The pis iron proc uctlon OF the South in
1880 was 307,C0O tons, or about ten per
cent. of the entire product of the United
States In 1890 tho South produced 100000
tons, while in 1908 tho South will produce
fully $500 900, or, twenty per cent. Of the
entire production OF tho United States!
for 1903 which is within 100000 tons Of
the production Of the entire country IN
1850. Tho production Of pig iron In the
South in 1903 is Just about nine times
what It was in 1850.
In 1880 the total production of bituml-
nous coal in the United States was H.
100000 tons, Of which the South mined
100000 tons or fourteen per ~ on ~, no
year the South has mined over 6V'tVo,o'o
tons, or nearly fifty per cent. moro than
the United States in 1850, and ten times
its own product In 1850.
TIE COTTON INDUSTRY.
In 1850 the South had invested In cotton
mills s2l0oO,0oo CG67oO spindles); in !sso'
sto,Ooo, 900 q 100000 spindes); in 1900, sll?,
900 COO and at the present time, 175,0to,0co
to 500 100000 about 100000 splndles).
Tho relative growth Of this industry
In the South, as compared with New
England, is shown In the fact that ~ le9'
the consumption OF cotton In Northern
mills was 100000 bales, and III southern
mills. Gs6,QO bales. while for the crop
yenr of 1905 the. consumption In North
ern mills was 10000 bales. and In
Southern mills 100000 bales. Thus,
while the consumption OF cotton was
practically stationary in the country out
side Of the South, 1t has more than. tro-
bled in the last ten years ~ tilo aous'l -.
Connected with the development or cot
ton has been the increase IN the manu-
facture of cotton seed oil and kindred
products. In 1850 there were forty cotton
seed oil mills in the South, with a cap
III of sS,50o,OOO; to-day There are about
ZOO cotton seed oil mills. with q capltai OF
over OOOO 900 and an annual product OF
over s125,0OOO0O.
Tho South has this yoar raised very
large corn crop, nggregating many NH
uons Of bushels IN excess or last year.
A Conservative estimate OF the value
OF the agricultural products OF the south
this year is $1,000, 100000, against $780,
0oQ, 600 in 1850,
Botwccn 1850 and 1900 tho amount OF
capital invested in the lumber INDUSTRY
OF 4 he South Increased from S23,DOO,Oo0 TO
Slsl. 1900, and tho value OF the pro-
ducts from $4,000, 900 to Slss,Oo00O0. Tho
total cut for 1900 amounted to li,2l3, $4,000
feet.
In nearly every other line OF industry,
such as oil, phosphate, fertilizers, the ad-
vance has bean in keeping with the re-
marlxabe growth in tho Industries named.
The whole South, and its every industry,
has made wonderful progress, and now
that the great staple of the South k(cot.
ten) is on profitable basis, yielding
| Iicl, returns to the farmers, 1t Is diff
cult to set any limit to the advance which
! we are to see. II may be accepted with
| out question that tho progress of tho
| South during the next ten years Will far
| exceed that OF the last twenty years.
| To recapitulate, the agricultural pro-
| ducts OF the South will this year yirld
at least sl,50o,000,ooo to Southern farmers,
against S66o,000oO In 1882 and sl,27O,-
| 100000 In 1900 The value of the pro-
duets OF Soutlhsrn factories and mines
| wils be $l,Tb0Q00,00O, against $457 10000
| IN 1850 and $1,000, 100000 in 1900, showing
a total OF 1926. 100000 for the year, or
n difference of nearly S5oo0o0,00o ms COM
| pared with the total value OF the South's
| products only three years ago.
RAILROAD CONSTRUCTION.
or the fory-three States and terri
tories of the United States. showing new
mileage construction during 1903, twenty
| fivo are credited with the constructor of
over 100 miles OF road; ten OF thes., were
! Southern States, Tho total construction
for the year was 5.T2345 miles, OF which
the Southern States constructed 2,10S ,0S,
or aGk per cert.
/ IN BANKING CIRCLES.
Regarding the national banks OF the
Southern States aud the United States,
it will be observed that the Southern
States are moving with longer stride
than the rest Of the country. In ind-
!, yidral deposits the growth in tho South.
ern States was l52 per cent. while in the
balance Of the United States 1t was less
than 90 per cent, In RESOURCES the in,
crease In the Southern States was over
ia per cent, while In the rest OF the
country 1t was about 90 la per cent.