The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1905-10-12


denuded pine lands in certain parts OF
the State today where the long-leafed
! nine may be seen Springing up in thou
sands of strong young trees assured
of maturity Whether this result comes
from the absence of the hog or not
it would seem that care of the forests
! from which the long leaf pine has
been cut, would serve to in time re-
| plenish the land with its natural
| growth So treated a tract of two
| hundred or three hund.ed acres, SO
! limited by viii that il could not be
sold or cut for thirty years would be
| an inheritance richer than bonds.
! Whatever timber will do in the next
| two generations, it will not decrease
in price,
Returns OF Capital COntrastcd.
The business axiom that the pro-
ductive power of capital is largely con-
troiled by its location with reference
to proximity to the raw material to
lie manufactured was never better il
Illustrated than in the comparative fig
ures of the earning capacity of a dol
lar invested in North Carolina and in
similar lines of effort in other States.
The cheapness of constructing build
ings is of itself tremendous saving
in capital outlay. With an abundance
door of every community and an UNI
limited supply of brick clay every
where, together with the fact that
the mild climate permits the erection
of less expensive buildings, the fact
that there are. no OVer-groWn cities
and consequent high land values, re-
duceS the cost of manufacturing sites
Each 500 invested in the manufac-
ture of cotton goods in the United
States in 1900 yielded a product
valued at something more than $72.
In Rhode Island it yielded $64, in
Massachusetts it yielded slightly more
than $71, while in North Carolina it
yielded $50.
That is to say that in North Carolina
capital invested N cotton manufac-
turing afforded a basis of profit from
] ) to % per cent greater than it did
in the other States mentioned. which
are considered - The standard States
for the industry named.
Or in other words, 500 invested in
he manufacture of cotton in North
Carolina ie the equivalent of 1921 in
vested in MasSach uSettS and $131 in
ihode Island.
"''"~1 f"1raS bear only on the rela-
ton of capital to product and when
the earning capacity of dollar put
- ,1bur is considered. along with
4IF ESt-IciiIs III bldlII anu SuppllcS
/ r.. ,nev speak even more significant
!lv
A sinl:lar comparison in the furni-
A-tra Industry with tho great manu-
tate Of Michigan give even
more striking results:
n Sl0U invested i'm furniture
manufacture IN Michigan in 1900 gave
""a6uce of sos, while in North
J caroline t'>e product from the same
amount Of capital vas $1F1--ar ad-
vantage in favor of the latter State
Of 46 per cent: or, MAXIM the other
comparisCr. $40 invested In North
was the equivalent of s1fa
in Michigan. In Michigan nearly "a
per cent OF the capital was required
N the 9cduisit on of land and the erec-
ton of buildings while in North Car
sary to be SO expended was only II
1-2 per cent.
Vast Undeveloped Water Power.
With relation to manufacturing en-
terprises of all sorts the question of
water power will necessarily be ulti-
mately of the first Importance. AS
yet the resources of the State in this
respect have been scarcely touched.
No section of the country affords bet
ter power than the many streams of
this State, both in vast powers such
as that of the narrows of the Yadkin,
the greatest east of the Mississippi
and at a score of other points where
great powers are only waiting for de-
velopment.
AT the Yadkin narrowS there is al
ready being established one of the
| largest plants in the United States
which will develop immense power;
at other points, notably the Roanoke
| Rapids and the falls on the Cape Fear,
! I.,r1 - IL
Through the transmission of electri-
cal energy from these central points
the industrial regions they will create
will be the most economical in the
world
An authority estimates the water
power of the State to be 100000
horse power 1t now requires about
$4,000 horse power to run the cotton
mills of the State. Not more than
10000 of this is now run by water.
What an industrial impetus would
follow upon the more general utiliza-
ton of these natural storage places of
energy on the perennial streams of
the land!
There is scarcely community in
the State, outside of the. low coastal
plains in which there IS not some
water power available. capable of fur
nishing industry with the best and
rent On the Roanoke river there is
a fall of IS feet in a distance &c about
nine miles. On Deep river there is
a fall of twenty-seven feet in a very
short distance. There are numerous
other powers on the same stream now
driving the machinery of more than
a dozen prosperous mills. On Haw
river there are a number of cotton
g and the two best powers on that
stream are still undeveloped. On
the Catawba there are number Of
splendid powers. one developing a fall
# thirty-seVen feet. Farther west
there are still other powers the equals
of those mentioned.
Water mower com pared to that Of
steam in cost is self-evident Prog
ress in manufacturing. however is
coming to demand as the best pow
err either steam or electricity. The
disparity between these two in cost
when the electricity is furnished by
water is at the least one half IN favor
of electricity. To illustrate. The cost
Def horse power by steam is stated
to be about $50 per annum Electri-
cal power produced bv water costs
at the most only half of that amount.
Say that a mill of 100000 capital
uses in the course of a wear 1000
L