The Montgomery advertiser., 1904-09-01

ry's cotton mills. The year may have been ominous and disastrous for other cotton mills, with cotton standing at its record breaking mark. but the cot ton mills of Montgomery lived through 1t and thrived.
 The Montgomery cotton mills de- clared twice their regular semi annual dividend of four per cent. These div idends have come regular Fly and as q matter of course. year after year. The fiuctuation of cotton, as unprecedent- ed as 1t was, and its unparalleled high price. in no way affected these semi- annual dividends. While four per cent. dividends are declared semi-annually it Is understood that the stock holders draw in reality five and six per cent. semi-annuals.
 The Montgomery Cotton Mills enjoy also another unique distinction. They have never yet shut down. The cotton mills in this section have frequently found 1t advisable to close down for some period because of the price of cotton or the condition of the market. Of the mills in this section, however. the Montgomery mills have continued to run day after day.
 "This has been a satisfactory year for us." said Secretary W. B. Tanner in discussing the milling situation. "A very satisfactory year, notwithstand- ing the peculiar and trying condition of the year for cotton mills Cur reg ular semi of four per cent. was twice declared and we run the mill throughout the year in spite of the fluctuations and tho price of cotton.
 '@rhe effect of the unusual fluctua- tions of the market on the cotton mills could hardly be appreciated by lay man. During the season at times these fluctuations amounted to s45.VJ a day on bale. The market ran up and down a scale of figures whose linn its were equal to more than the price | of a bale of cotton. Now we use twen- ty bales of cotton each day. The fiuc- tuations of the market price of the
 material used in the day amounted to $500, Doing business under such
 conditions was, to saw the least. try ing, and many mills found 1t advisable to suspend until noImal conditions were restored. We continued to ope- tate our mill throughout the whole year, however. The conditions were against cotton manufacturing making money throughout the year.
 The twenty bales of cotton that we
 use daily are bought in the local mar
 ket. We employ in our mill two hun QTeu operatives. ne HILL nus d Cd- pacity of six thousand spindies and one hundred and fifty two looms. The
 products are osnaburgs and ducks
 which are sold over the northern. east ern and local markets"
 We are proud of one feature Of
 our record which we believe to be
 rather unusual Tn all the years that
 we have operated the Montgomery Cot
 ton Mills we have never sustained but one loss on safes and that was in the local market.
 "The company is also proud of the
 character of houses which 1t owns and rents to its operatives. They are all of fine appearance and first rate quali-
 ty. I hardly think that a better class of operatives houses is owned by any
 milling company. Moreover. we have
 never had any trouble with our em- ployes. We have escaped labor trou-
 bles and have progressed smoothly fin | attending to our business.
 "As to railroad rates we have no | complaint at all to make. Freight
 rates for cotton mills are based on
 groups of cities in which the cotton
 mills are located. Cities in the same group get proportionately theH same
 rate. Our rate is as good as tile rate of any other city in the group in which
 we are located. have found that 1t | mas been the policy of the railroads to foster and build up the enterprises lo- cated along their llnes'
 | The plant of the Montgomery Cotton Mills ts located in West End on the lines of the Louisville and Nashville
 and the Western Railroads. The off,
 cers are A. M. Baldwin, President; w.
 B. Tanner. Secretary; and J. R. Mont gomery. Superintendent
 Peoples Cotton Factory. Another factory of the class in
 which the people of Montgomery take
 a pride Is the Peoples Cotton Factory
 which is located in West End and which has increased the industrial pop | ulation and benefits of the city. The plant of the company is situated on
 the Louisville and Nashville and the Western Railroads. A splendid set of machinery has been established in a fine factory building, the whole form- ing an excellently equipped enterprise Joseph Norwood. one of the best known citizens of Middle Alabama is Presi- dent of the Company. The mill is an
 investment of s250,000, and it gives em- ployment to three hundred and nine people. It has ten thousand spindles and three hundred and twenty looms The plant consumes three thousand bales of cotton each year. The mill
 manufactures sheetings and shirtings The Cordage Works. The Alabama Cordage Works Is in the class of the most successful factories fthe city. The product of
 the company's plant Is cotton twine of all sorts. The factory and its equip
 ment cost $4o0Oo and 1t employs sixty people. It consumes annually seven teen thousand bales of cotton. Its
 products are sold principally In Chi cago and vicinity. The officers of the company are L. g. Young, President
 Frank Mcdonald, Secretary.
 The Montgomery Ginning and Cot
 ton Company Is located near the tracks l of the Western and Central Railroads The plant Is owned by Mcdonald, and Wagner It represents an investment
 of s30,0o0 and employs twenty-five
 hands. The company does d ginning
 business and has daily capacity of one hundred bales.
 COTTON COMPREssEs.