The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1905-10-07
LACK OF WORKERS
Needed in the Industries
of the South.
In Many Cities StaIwart Negroes Loaf
About Streets Supported by Earn
ings and Piferings Of Their
Females.


Especial to News and Observer
Commenting, upon statements made
at different points in the South illus
trating the widespread and urgent de-
mand there for workers ranging from
skilled mechanics to farm laborers
and household servants, the Manufac-
turerS' Record says this week:
"A glance at the facts reveals the
situation which must be corrected il
the South is to realize its immense
potentialtieS. For instance, a Nor
loIk, as at many other points, there
is activity in building operations. but
they are hampered by the lack OF
skilied and unskilled Workment in all
the trades. one contractor being able
to find only fifty laborers to DO the
work of one hundred.
In the Birmingham district 10000
men could be used Immediately, but
they are not available. A cannery at
Charleston needing 400 shuckers can
obtain but 175. Negro farm hands in
Mississippi are paid in some cases
double the wages of five or six years
ago. but d sufficient number cannot
be had at any price. Cotton mills ana
icotton congresses at Augusta are
short of hands, contractors with rush
Jobs cannot carry out their contracts,
house there will be delayed unless
workmen from New York or else
where may be promptly brought In
lit is noted at Savannah that a FACTORY
has been vainly calling for 5OV girls
for a long time. Lumber staollsh-
ments in east California are taxing
the bull by the horns and are bring
ing in from the North. foreign born
hnlp, and arrangements have been
made to settle 10000 Italians ana
Mexians upon the sugar plantatlohs
of Louisiana. From Virginia to Texas
the cry for competent household ser
vice extends.
tirelv to actual shortage in the num-
her of persons able to work. In many
cities hundreds of stalwart male ne
groes loaf about the streets colIeht
TO be supported by the earnings anu
the petty offerings of their females;
Many of the males who work at all
disappear from their job as soon rs,
tbeIr have earned enough to live on
for a week and many of the females
in house service are equally unren-
able. For such the vagrancy laws
must be strictly and perSlStenlly en-
forced Even with that, tnough'
there would still be room for at leas'
half million men ana women Ctr 80
the immediate work OF the SouIn
to cav nothing of that which is to be
done hereafter.
,~ Mill, Flsi, CO aud Field
IN the season of 1904-N5 Southern
cotton mills consumed 81 1,9'@ pa,
IF cotton. though their spindle capac-
itv was sufficient to consume 100000
or 500 900 more bales. FAILURE 70
make tho most Of the investment IN
machinery was based upon lnapllltg
to obtain a full quota or operatives;
Some iron furnaces are falling Denlliu
their capacity to the extern OF z'ooV OF
3 900 tons a month. not because tnere
is no uprgent market, but because
they cannot find enough common
,iiv Iaborers, even to move promptly
.oousands of tons on their yords, al
ready prpmised for delivery Rall-
road contractors are rivalling one an
other in their search for men VINO
wielr the pick and shovel Cottoli
fields are white to the harvest put 'i,e
laborers are few. 90 1t Will not 40
merely to go out into the highways
and hedges of the South, the byWays
of the towns and compel them TO come
in whether or not they be compe-
tent There is limit to the shlIIlhs
from town to country, from farm 10
factory. consequent upon the economic
revolution which has been under way
for wears in the South. That sectlon
has the material in vast quantities
which must be developed for the good
of its own poole and of the people or
the whole country. 1t has not enough
workers of it's own for the full devel-
opment of that moterial. 1t must
look outside itself for additional
workers"
During the past three months
Southern cotton mills, either new or
enlarging, have announced plans IN
yolving 52,020 new sDindles and 6O2
new looms, total increase since the
first OF January of 304, 040 splndles
and 6,2S6 looms Announcements
during the past three months repre-
sent an investment of about $1,O4O,-
600. Included in the developments
of the past summer have been an
nouncements of a number of new COM
panies and Of additions to old mills
in which details as to the number or
spindles and looms have not been
given. Had these details been avail
able the third quarter of the year
would have mtde much better show
ing. Reports of this character com
prised $4,000 mill at Columbia, ). C.'
for manufacturing cil-mill press cloth
from camePS hair and mohair; three
new cotton mill companies with an
aggregate capital of 100000; a $2Oo,-
900 cotton rope company at Spartan
burg. s. c., and allitions to the chaln
Of cotton mills operated at spray
N. c.