The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-02-18

houses near Mt hand The owners or
the mills are particularly careful to
ailo" no persons TO enter upon the
possession of these houses whose char
actcrs have not undergone the most
searching and thorough inquiry. ANY
complaint tina, IS made against. by
the boardors or by any one else. is
thoroughly Investigated; and If good
ground OF complaint is shown TO exist
asains, them they are removed and
their occupation IS handed over 10
some more deserving person. There
are a few children employed in these
factories but not many"
New Methods OF Living.
The company house and boarding
system ana the operative cluss de-
scrihed by these different travellers and
historians continued until about 1870
when the expansion OF the cotton
goods manufacturing Industry exceeded
the local resources OF labor, and 1t be-
came necessary 10 secure operatives
from localities in this country q,
Side OF New tnGtHnG. as wei as from
Canada. Great Britain. Northern Eu-
rope, and recently southern ana East
ern Europe ana Asia. Win the advent
OF this class of mill workers the
greater number OF Americans lief; the
industry The boarding and company
house system WAS largely Abandoned
by the mills because 1t could not be
maintained with a mixture OF races.
ana because the Immigrant employees
preferred another method and cheaper
standards.
Only very small proportion OF
americans. English, Irish, Scotch and
Germans are now employed, chiefly IL
the supervisory and skilled positions,
ia the New England cotton mills. The
operatives are chiefly the representa-
tives of almost half hundred races
%! recent Immigration from Southern
and Eastern Europe aud the Orient.
The races appearing IN the greatest
numbers are the Greeks Portuguese.
Poles, Russians. italians, Lithuanians.
Bulsnrians, Hebrews, Syrtans and
Turks.
The standards of living OF these
races are very much lower than that
prevailing among routhern mill opcr-
htlyes. AS a matter OF fact. there is
little independent life anon. the re-
cent Immigrant mill workers. They
largely live in highly ccnScstcd board-
ing groups. under what Is termed the
boarding boss" system, each man buy
ing his own food. and often having il
cooked and eating 1t separately The
usual housing facilities are frame
tencmcEis With four or more apart
mcnts The small cottages of the mill
workers in the South. the yards and
the facilities for flower and vegetable
gardens. afford :, strikngly pleasing
in FALL River, Lowell Manchester, or
other New England cotton goods
manufactures centres.
The Future ia The south.
Although the establishment OF new
industry in an agricultural country has
ncccssitatcd in the South as in New
Englond, the building oi houses for
operatives and the opening Of stores
ana boarding houses. tn meet their
wants. it is mighty improbabIy that the
living conditions which nave developed
in the Northern textile centres will
ever lie characteristic of a further de-
velopment Of the industry az the South :
crn States There is TOO much avail
able cheap land in the South to make
economical the growth OF cCngcstcd in :
dustrinl districts, ana climatic condi-
tons are. such AS 10 make the small.
detached cottage the most suitable
| form OF housing for waGc-earners. 1t
will. therefore, be many generations
before Industrial centres Of crowded
tencmcnts may probably be looked for
in the South. AS II matter oi iact every
present day tendency Is opposed To
such form OF development Brming
ham. which is the South':, lnrgcst in :
dnstrial city. is in reality an urban
c"ntre for residential, business and
commercial purposes, Of large in
dustrial area in which :he employees OF
the mines. furnaces and steel works
live In small villages, fnc same situn :
ton Is true OF tho industries located in
Richmond and Memphis, Atlanta, Char
lotte. and, the smaller cities and towns
In which cotton mills or other indus
tries have been established