Bluefield evening leader. [volume] (Bluefield, W. Va.) 1906-1911, 1910-02-11
MANY YEARS. WoRk FOR THE
SOUTH PRODUCING RESULTS

last 30 years, says the Manufacture
ers' Record. 1t could not reason
ably have been expected in the past
that the magnificent work VIII Oh the
leaders OF the southern development
have been carrying forward would
produce an immediate full harvest.
For more than a generation the south
has been passing through the plow-
Ing and the seeding time. The seeds
have been scattered broadcast over
the I'm ted States as well as over
much OF Europe. Now this section
IS beginning to see the pipening OF
the harvest.
The southwark trend OF men and
money. the awakened interest
throughout the United States the
resources and possibilities OF the
south, are not the outcome OF any
work OF the past few years. They ar
consequences OF the cumulative work
OF about the last 80 years
When about 1889 the south. rising
from the wreck and ru n OF the war
and the reconstruction period. worse
in its effects than the war itself.
began the revival OF he industrial
interests so ruiely shattered by that
struggle, { aroused the sentimental
interest OF the country, and TO a Ger
tain extent sentimen played a large
part In southern progress dur ng the
next ten years. That sentimental
side OF southern development. how
ever, passed away when the stra n
came in 1891 and 1892. with the Bar
Ing failure, and the great dcpres-
sion in cotton which began about that
ime This sect on then had TO face
long period OF agricultural poverty
and industrial stagnation, the latter
coming with grea sever " after the
panic Of 1893. SO serious was the
south in that period that the total
increase In the assessed value OF all
property n this section from 1890 TO
1900 was only about $3.50 600 600.
whereas in the preceding decade.
from 1880 10 1890. the increase had
been nearly s1.5OoOOO,oOO Thus.
notwi;hstan ling the steady Increase
IN population, he progress of the
south in the 10 years end ny with
1900, as measured by the increased
value Of property. was but little
more than one-halt as great as D.
tween 1889 and 1890, WITH the
coming Of h CHER prices OF cotton in
l9o0-19O3 agricultural cond lions i'm
proved. Gradually the farmers
found themselves In better financial
shape than for years-able TO pay of,
in the aggregate hundreds OF mill
Eons OF mortgages and crop-lien in
debtedneSs. Then they felt the
stimulation which comes with free
dom from debt and an increasing
bank account. Farm lands which
had been depreciating n value grad
ually began 10 show a steady in
crease. In the past nine years three
times as great as the assessed value
or 1880, more than twice as great as
the assessed value of 1890 and so
per cent. greater than the assessed
value Of 1900. In the meantime the
great financial forces Of the world.
which had not been ser ousJy affect
cd by tho sentimental side OF
and southern development between
1880 and JS90. came more and more
TO recognition Of the unequaled ad-
vantages OF the south. Line upon
line, precept upon prccep,, had been
making their impression upon the
world The success Of southern cot
ion mills had convinced investors,
north as well as south, OF the excep-
uonal advantages OF the south for
cotton manufacturing The fact that
the iron interests Of the central south
had weathpred the tremendous
changes which had taken place IN
the iron and steel interests OF the
World by reason Of the discovery q,
theMesaba ores In the early part OF
the COS, and the extreme pan'cky
conditions IN iron and steel after
1893, had given TO the metallureEal
world a higher appreciation than {,
had ever had of the remarkable ad-
van ,ages OF tho south for iron and
steel product on. One by one the
great leaders OF metalIurgical de-
Velopment had slowly but surely
turned their thoughts 20 the south
The men who had made fortunes I'm
coal in Pennsylvania gradually cross-
cd the imaginary diyid nk limo whic1
bad separated them from West Vim
glnia. When they found that coal in-
vestments in Yves. rgnia proved
as profitable as had coal iuves,u. hts
iu Pennsylvania, they extended their
invesiIgatIons and Investments