The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1907-12-11
GROWS SECOND.
South Carolina Next to Massachu-
sets In Cotton Manufacture.
The Cold Statistics Of the United
States Census Reveals the Above
Eactc


The cold statistics of the United
States census bureau frequently re-
veal some wonderful things. Among
these, in a bulletin just issued, is
that South Carolina ranks second in
the number of cotton spindles in the
United States, being exceeded only
by Massachusetts, and that during
the past year South Carolina actual
ly increased the number of spindles
more than 150,000
This interesting bulletin says:
Massachusetts, exceeds every other
State in the number of cotton spin
dies, having 9, 1853, ,389, or "a per cent
of the total; South Carolina ranks
second, with 3,6O9, 1863. or 13 per cent,
and North Carolina third, with g.
981, 1856, or 10 per cent, Rhode Island
has fourth place, Georgia fifth, New
Hampshire sixth and Connecticut
seventh. Massachusetts increased
its number of active spindles during
the year by 307, ,443, or 3.5 per cent
of the total for the State, while in
North Carolina the increase amount
ed to 262. .652, or II per cent. The
increase in South Carolina was more
than $50, 900 and in New York near
ly 100000. According to Table 8
there were 1.141 ,661 cotton spindles,
exclusive of renewals, added during
the year, thus indicating no cessation
in the progress of the industry. How
ever, the net increase in the total
number of spindles for the year is
1,127,734. This apparent discrepan-
cy is accounted for by the fact that
few plants were dismantled or
abandoned, and to the reduction of
the spindle capacity in others.
In it's annual Investigation relative
to the cotton industry the bureau
makes no endeavor to segregate
frame and mule spindles; but if the
proportion between these spindles as
returned at the census of 1905, when
this was done, be applied to the stat
istics of active spindles in 1907 the
figures would be 20.427, 1896 frame
and 5 5,947, 1896 mule.
In addition to the spindles design
ed primarily to spin cotton. 751, PSI
have been returned as consuming
cotton mixed with other fibres. The
States which lead in the manufac-
ture of woollen and knit goods ma
turally lead in the number of these
spindles. Of the total number re-
ported, 1877, 100, or 81 per cent, were
returned from Pennsylvania; no.
862, or II per cent, from New York;
70, ,462 from Massachusetts,, 81,
from Connecticut, and smaller num-
bers from several other States.
Massachusetts, leads in the con-
sumption of cotton with 1,253.856
bales or IS per cent of the total for
1907, followed by North Carolina
with IA per cent, while South Caro-
lima takes third place with 13 per
cent. The fourth position is held by
Georgia with II per cent; New Hamp-
shire takes fifth, Alabama sixth, and
New York seventh. AS stated above,
a comparison on the basis of active
spindles gives some of the States a
slightly different rating. Although
Massachusetts, increased it's cotton
spindles by more than 300, 900, the
quantity of cotton consumed increas-
ed less than 20, 900 bales. If the stat
istics for South Carolina be examin-
ed in q similar manner it will be
found that the quantity of cotton
consumed during the year is 5,705
bales less, while the number of spin
dies operated increased more than
100000: This would indicate sig-
nifcant tendency during the year to
spin finer counts. provided, of course.
that the conditions prevailing in the
two years were similar and the spin
dies were operated in like manner.
In the mills of the cotton growing
States 970,039 spindles were report
ed as having been idle throughout
the year, which is Sc per cent of the
idle spindles returned for the entire
country. While the scarcity of labor
is largely responsible for this condi-
ton throughout the country, it ap-
pears more pronounced in the cotton
growing States However, as stated
elsewhere, a considerable number Of
the spindles returned as idle from
the cotton growing States were not
in fact idle throughout the year, but
we're new, and had only been INSTALL
ed a short time.
The Newberry Observer says
"Col. William Jennings Bryan may
never be president. but he has fur
nished to the American people an ex-
ample of fidelity to principle, fear