Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-02-26
WEALTH OF THE SOUTH
Establishment of Many New In
dustriaI Enterprises.
INCREASE OF THE OUTPUT
Result Of the Efforts of the Southern
Railway.
PROPOSED TO REDUCE FARES
President Finley Points Out the Eff
feet Of the Legislation Intended
in North Carolina.
R0POSED TO REDUCE FARES
BY WILLIAM E. CURTIS.
Special Correspondence of The Star and the Chicago
Record Herald

Record Herald.
RALEIGH, N. c., February q, 1907.
That excellent and enterprising paper.
the Manufacturers Record, contained a
paragraph the other day showing that
during the year 1906 the wealth of the
south had increased $7,3O0OOO for every
day of the year, Sundays included, or a
total of $1,000, 100000. The increase in the
assessed value of property in the south
ern states was s1,O76 479, 7ss, which was
estimated to be an average of 40 per cent
of it's true value.
The manner in which this wealth is ac-
quired is indicated by the annual railway
reports, by the fact that, for example, 1, 19S
new industries, new agencies for the pro-
duction of wealth, for utilizing raw mate
rial, for furnishing employment for men
and women and for increasing the pur-
chasing power of the people were establish
ed on the line of the Southern railway
alone during the year, and many of the ex-
listing companies increased their capital
stock and the capacity for production.
Most OF these new industries were induced
to locate in the southern states by the
agents of that railway company, and by
the advantages 1t offers of low freights, ia
cilities for the transportation of raw mate
rails and the convenience of sending the
finished product to market.
They covered variety of industries, from
a cotton mill with a thousand employees
turning out millions of dollars worth of
fabrics for export, to little shops, saw mills,
cement plants and brickkilns employing a
dozen or more hands and supplying the To-
cal demand for building material and other
merchandise. Vast sums of money are in
volved in the entire list of new industries
and each, whether great or small, will con-
tribute its share to the general prosperity.
Growth in Cotton Industry.
twenty-five years ago there were about
half a million spindles in the cotton mills
of the south. On the 3lst of August, 1906
there were 9,11O,547. The largest number
1885, .O40 Were in South Carolina; North
Carolina had 251 mills with 1886 7O3 spin
dies, and Georgia 13S mills with 1.573, $40
spindes.
According to the Manufacturers Record
other industries have increased quite
rapidly. Its figures show that the farm
products of the south Were worth two bill
lion dollars last year, an increase of more
than seven hundred millions since 1900; and
the output Of it's factories in 1906 was
1925 100000 an increase of $761 100000
over 1900.
In 1850 the cotton mills of the south con-
sumed 1897 900 bales of cotton; in 1906 they
consumed 1914 600 bales.
The increase of its lumber output in six
years amounted to more than hundred
million dollars, and its total exports in 1906,
including cotton. amounted to Sti42 OGo 600.
This increase in commerce and in indus
try is due directly to the enterprise of the
railroads. Without them it could not have
occurred. Without them the south would
be where it was in 1890. The total railway
mileage south of the Potomac and Ohio riv
ers is now GA. 035 miles. an increase of H.
241 miles during the last six years.
These are extraordinary figures but re-
cent bulletin "om the census office shows
even more Te-..Lriable evidences OF develop
nent.
Increase in Southern Wealth
The following table shows the various
forms of wealth in North Carolina South