Staunton spectator and vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1896-1916, 1905-01-20
A GREAT ADVANCE
IN SOUTH'S WEALTH
Assessed Valuation Of Property In 1904
Estimated at S6,I96, ,6y7,8l3.

The Manufacturers Record present.
ed last week theapproximate figures of
the assessed valuation of the property
in all the Southern States at the begin
ming of 1905, publishing table show
ing by States a total assessed valua-
tion of $4.51O, 925, ,237 IN 1890, of S.. .266, :
594 ,044 in 1900. and of So, 1876, ,697. .813 in
1904. Commenting upon these figures
the Manufacturers Record says:
"These figures, subject in part of re-
visien-and, it is believed in the case
of two or three States, several million
dollars below what will be shown by
the final returns on assessed values
Indicate the remarkable advance in
material wealth In the South between
1900 aud 1904. During that period as
shown by these. figures there was gain
of more than $3.50. 900, ,000, or at an av-
erage rate of $3.50, ,OOO. 900 year. The
magnitude of this increase is striking
ly illustrated when compared with the
progress in the decade between 1890
and 1900, when the total increase in
assessed valuation was S755 900, 900, or
at the rate of 5000, 900 a year. 1t
was during that decade that the price
of cotton fell to its lowest point since
the war, but during the last four years,
there was steady advance to the ex-
aggerated speculative value Of the ear
ly part of last year. 1t may not be
possible to connect with exactness the |
increase In the price of cotton and the |
in the assessed values of |
property in the South, but that higher
prices do have material bearing upon /
the prosperity of the South, and thus
upon the enhanced value of property,
goes without question.
In studying the question, however,
it should be borne in mind that during
the last few years the increase in diver
;ified agricultuse in the Soute has been
almost as marked as the increase in the
value of cotton, and added to this is
she really wonderful industrial develop
ment. The remarkable change from
5he low price of cotton of six or seven
years ago is hardly more striking than
is the increase in the production OF
grain, fruits. vegetables ann others
farm products. The total increase in
The assessed valve of property in the
South in the.twentyyea perold from
1880 to 1900 was $3.50, 900. 900; or, in
other words, in the last four years the
gain in the taxable value in the South
las been forty per cent, as great as the
;otal gain of the preceding twenty
years.
LAS in other portions of the country,
t is difficult to state with exactness
What part of the real value of property
n the South is represented in the as
essed valuation. But the figures
which have been given, indicating the
otal assessed valuation furnish fair
,asis of comparison to show the re-
narkable progress of the South. 1t is
IeIieved that with population several
million less than the total population
# the whole country in 1860. the real
wealth of the South is several million
ollars greater than the total wealth {
f the country forty five years ago."
Bearing on the increase in the assest
d value of property, the Manufactur-
RS Record gives in detail statisti cs
howing the great development of div
,rsified farming in the South, which,
n connection with industrial develop
nent has heen a potent factor in the
of that section.