The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1910-06-16

Its Land and Industrial De-
Partment in Attracting Home
seekers and Settlers Who
viii Make Desirable Citi-
zens for the Country Along
Its Lines, and in Contribu-
ting to the Upbuilding of
Industries and the Develop
ment of South's Resources.
Washington Correspondence Oh arlotte Chron.
icie
In a constant effort looking toward
the upbuilding of industries in the
South and the attracting OF home
seekers and settlers who will make de-
sirable citizens for the country along
it's lines the Southern Railway Com
pany through its Land and Indus
trial Department with offices located
in this city, is doing a work which
has been and is of vast Importance in
the great progressive movement in
the South
At the headquarters of this depart
ment which occupies a three story
building on Pennsylvania avenue
there has been collected display O1
the agricultural, manufactured, min,
eral, and forest products of the South
which in themselves constitute com
prehensive permanent exposition OF
the territory south OF the Ohio and
Potomac Rivers and east of the Mis-
sissippi. This is open at all times to the
inspection OF every one, it has been
visited by thousands, and has been
the means of interesting many pros
pective settlers in the South and
bringing to this section the most de-
sirable class of citizens. This perma.
nent exposition as a nucleus makes
it possible for the Southern Railway
through it's Land and Industrial De
partment to make attractive exhibits
at fairs and expositions, in the North
and West which make, a splendid
showing for the South. No matter
how short notice the department
may have it is ready and able tC
make a creditable display of the vast.
| ly varied products of the country
lowered by the lines of the Southern
Railway. In this particular line the
Southern Railway Company has done
a great work having made very
elaborate and attractive exhibits at
all notable exhibitions for many
years past and this has involved very
considerable expenditure on the part
of this Company in each instance.
Information About the South.
| In addition to this exhibition o
lSOuthern products and manufactures
there has been collected great mass
of information about the Soutf
which has been classified and ar
ranged in such manner that at E
moments notice the most detailed
facts can be given as to the product
and resources OF any county through
which line of the Southern Railway
passes. This compendium of infor
nation about the South which j
without an equal represents the worl
of years of Intelligent and persisten
) labor in studying the South ant
. gathering those facts which will prop
erly show to the world its attractiv
features.
With this information in hand tn
| department has labored unceasing 81,
in the special work of locating indus
tries at all points along the com
pany's lines and in inducing settler
in the North and West and in north
ern Europe to turn toward the Sout]
to make their homes.
, While all along the greater part O
the department effort has been eS
: pended in the work of attracting de
sirable settlers to the South, it wa
0 expected that at first the creates
measure of success would be found i
the work of locating industries. Th
success of this work can be seen by
reference to the last annual repor
which shows that during the yea
, ended June Both, 1909, there were lc
Gated along the lines of the Souther
Railway 453 new industries callin
for an investment of 500, Alb, 1885, o
v and additions to existing industrie
amounting to 1888, ,935.0O. Durin
the same period construction was b'
gun on industries to be completed le
ter in which $6,473,O00O0 will be II
vested.
During the same year along tn
1000 miles covered by the Mobil
and Ohio railroad there were cor
4 structed 55 new industries costin
& $2,123,600. while additions to e1
listing plants raised the investmen
4 to 50, ,254, 700. During the past eigh
years investments along the lines {
8 the Southern Railway and the Mobi
i and Ohio railroads have reached tt
] enormous figure of $51S,O00, 10000
: in which great work for the upbuildin
! of the South, the Land and Indu:
I trial Department of the Souther
! Railway which also serves the Mobi
y and Ohio, has played a most impo
8 tant part.
4 Attracting New Settlers.
q Though the work of attractin
settlers to the South was conducte
for years under difficulties whic
would have dismayed men with le:
patience or with less faith in tt
South, her varied resources, and HI
ultimate future, the Southern Raj
- way was fortunate in having selecte
for this work a corps OF men who ha