The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1907-04-04

pography aud the nnFaher of large
rivers flowing acrnss il into tke sea.
In this respect ii equals South Caro-
lima or any other southern Common
wealth. A recent survey Of the ysri-
Gus water power available for she de-
vslopment shows that ia the sgxre-
gate they represent over $500. .00o
horse power. Some Of The single
sites at the present time develop
10000 horsepower ntilixed directly
for factory purposes, or for general
ing the electric current to be employ
ed for Elimination as uell IS power
distribution in various ways. This 10
one reason why North Carolina con-
tains 90 many small cotton mills.
No other State equals il IN this re-
spect and the percentage Of small
mills being operated ct profit il
very notable. 1t may be needless to
say that the number of hands engag-
ed In textile work IN North Carolina
Is equal TO il not greater than In the
State of Massachusetts,, despite the
period of time in which this indus
try has been carried on In New Eng
land. As in South Carolina q num-
Der Of communities are notable as be-
ing important centers of the indus
try. For example, over 20 mills are
situated within a short distance of
the city of Charlotte, which has at
tanned its reputation as being one OF
the most progressive cities in the
South principally for this reason. In
CASTOR county in the extreme south
western section of the State are prob
able more industries of this kind than
in any other county ri the United
States. 1t is an interesting fact that
the facilities for the production of
yam and cloth at a small cost are
such that many of the factories In
this country as we'll as elsewhere
have been conducted and equipped
largely by the mill hands themselves.
In other words the cooperative sys-
tenn has been carried out more ex-
tensively in this State than elsewhere
| Ou d SuSCSSoIul UdSAo. w uLC VI ldlC
the tendency has been to build plants
of much larger capacity than former
ly, there is no question bat what the
abundant water-power in addition to
the proximity of the raw material
has enabled the small mills to be op-
1 Grated possibly with greater success
| than in other parts of the South.
The opportunity for obtaining $4,000
or more horsepower from single
site, however, has caused the invest
ment Of larger amount of capital,
both Southern and Northern, at sew
eral points iE the State within the
last few years. One of the most
notable of these projects is at Green's
boro, where advantage has been tax
en- of the power afforded to invest a
large amount of New York capital
Such are some of the reasons why
the value of manufactured cotton tu
the State doubled in the period be-
tween 1890 and 1900, while at pres
ent it represents nearly 40 per cent
of the combined value of North Car.
olina's industrial output, but as al
ready stated, only portion Of the
Ipower available has been utilized anG
the possibilities for not only the tex.
tile, but other forms of manufacture
ing are practically limitless. AS il
is, cotton mills have consumption
equal to all Of the staple which i:
grown in the State and take a con
siderable quantity from outside.
Agriculture.
The various branches of agricul
ture further indicate the diversified
resources of this Commonwealth
While about so per cent of the farm
area is devoted to corn, the cultlva
ton of tobacco has increased so rap
idly that at the present time the acre
age is more than double the terrific
ry which was planted even fftee
years ago, placing North Carolin
next to Kentucky in the importanc
and value of this crop. At such mar
, kets as Henderson and Durham, to
bacco of such a grade is raised in th
vicinity that it is sold in the ware
houses directly to the representative
, Of the manufacturers at prices rang
ing as high as so cents to the poun
, and over. There is no question bu
, what this asset is one Of the mos
important in connection with th
wealth of the State and that it ca
be greatly expanded as more teri
tory is taken up by the tobacc
5 grower and more economical method
a adopted in the cultivation.
L Reference has already been mad
t to the Importance of numbering, e
a pecially in the estern part of IL
q State, but including the hardwoo
e forests in the western section tn
t form of activity has made literal
e phenominal progress. In 1890, Il
: census records show the entire vall
f of the output, was but $S,000,000.
f ten years this had increased to nea
a ly 81, 100000 a gain of 250 per Ger
+ while conservative estimates of Il
) quantity of hardwood and pine pr
f duets which now come from the Sc
g eral plants throughout the Stat
f place the yearly value at fully $2(
!, 06O0,000. As in the eastern seetio
,e the western part of the State st
> contains very large tracts of bar
wood f;uher which remain untoyeh