The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-07-20
MINT OF MONEY IN
VIRGINIA DOGWOOD
Northern Factories Getting It
Only preparatory" Shops
in Virginia.

There is much wealth in certain
parts OF Virginia tied up in dogwood
and persimmon trees. especially the
first named. The flowery dogwood
grows to perfection In Cumberland.
Powhatan. Buckingham, Chesterfield.
Prince Edward and some other South
side Virginia counties. From this tim
Der the millions OF shuttles. bobbins.
qu.lls and Stays used in the cotton and
wooden factories of the world are
made. When properly sawed out and
dried tho dogwood becomes almost as
hard and durable as steel Tho only
substitute for the dogwood for use in
the cotton mills is the persimmon. and
that not being so plentiful as the dog
wood is hardly a factor. There are in
Southsidc Virginia a large number OF
little mills in which the dogwood is
sawed UP into what the operators call
blanks" that is TO say. the timber
Is made into the proper sizes and
shapes for the manufacture OF the
shuttles. bobbin heads. quilts. etc. and
after being thoroughly dried out and
hardened they are still tho raw ma
terial. and as such the blanks" are
shipped to Northern factories, and are
there made into the finished shuttles,
quills. etc. and vast quantities of these
are then shipped back to the South to
BIO used in cotton mills.
1 was up In Cumberland County the
other day and saw ono OF these dog
wood preparatory" factories in full
blast. 1t is owned and operated by
Woodward Brothers and Young at
Whiteville. These men opened up the
| factory only n few months ago, and
business. the demand for shuttle
blanks" being very heavy and at this
particular time very urgent. Tho
senior member OF the concern told me
| there was immense profit in the nm
ished shuttles. etc. and all OF the
Northern factories making them from
the blanks" shipped from little Vir-
glnia primary grade" factories were
coming money.
Naturally asked: why in the name
Of common sense don't you do :he
whole job right here In Virginia, and
sell to the cotton and wooden factories
OF the South the finished shuttles and
quills and things. instead of just fur
| nishing Northern factories with the
raw material. and letting them make
the larger profts?" He simply shook
his head, and his only audible reply
was. well, we haven't been doing IT.
was never before particularly In
terested in the subject. but having
gotten that far into 1t 1 made dill
gent inquiry, and SO far as my inform
ants know, and so far as know, there
Is not in all OF tho South. certainly
not in Virginia. n factory that makes
the finished shuttles, uulls. etc, from
the dogwood. but there arc numerous
little mills that turn out the BLANKS"
ship them North TO be made into the
finished product and to produce the
cream OF the profits In doswood and
then as much as half of the finished
product Is shipped back South and sold
to cotton and wooden mills
Now, coming down TO the practical
lesson In the case: why should there
not be here In Richmond n shuttle fac
tory to mako into the finished produ ct
the vast quantities OF dogwood being
cut from the forests OF Southside Vir-
ginia. Richmond Is within a stones
throw. II may be said. OF the growing
raw material. and within two or three
stones throw OF the ultimate con-
sumner OF the shuttles and quilts There
Is no better location In the whole
world for such an Industry than Rich
mond. and Mr.. Woodward is my au-
thority. for the statement that there
is nothing that pays better profit
than the dogwood shuttle. quill and
bobhin business. Richmond business
hustle and Richmond capital can well
afford to take time to investigate this
Interesting question. think they will,
find that I have not overstated the
facts or drawn on Imagination In iHe
slightest degrea E. 8. w,