Bryan daily eagle and pilot. [volume] (Bryan, Tex.) 1909-1918, 1913-02-20
COTTON MANUFACTURING
IN TEXAS
BY A. S. TATUM, A. & N. COLLEGE

has not received the attention It's
magnitude justifies. The average
Texan does not realize the immense
amount of money this State is losing
every year by selling her cotton crop
in the raw state instead of manufac-
turing it into cloth. If our 1912 crop
had been manufactured into the very
simplest and plainest of goods we
would have received fully two hun
dred millions of dollars more for 1t
than we will as it is. Isn't it worth
few moments serious thought and de-
liberation?
We have at the present time some
fifteen cotton mills running in the
State, consuming less than. one per
cent of our cotton crop. OF these fif-
teen mills. ten of them are within a
radius of one hundred miles of Dallas.
This is not due especially to any nat
ural advantages of this particular sec
ton of the State, but is due largely
to human nature, or rather that part
of our nature that so much resembles
that of the sheep, that is the disposl-
ton of the masses to follow the lead
of the few. However, this is not more
marked in Texas than elsewhere. For
instance. in the town of Westfield,
Mass. there are fifteen factories, and
fourteen of them manufacture whips.
Now this town has no more natural
advantages for making whips than 1t
has for making ten thousand other
articles, but someone started a plant
on this line and the others followed
suit.
There is scarcely section Of Texas
in which cotton manufacturing can
not be carried on just as profitably
as it is in the parts now engaged in
it, but the industry has simply not
been considered in some Of the Other
portions of the State. All things have
to have a beginning, and very Otter
these beginnings are small, but 1t is
time more of the towns of Texas were
realizing how much they need cottor
mills, and were making these begin
nings. There has been very little o
this work done in West or Northwes
Texas, but there is a new mill jus
about ready for operation at Pos
City, Just south OF the Panhandle
This mill has been built and equipped
according to the latest and most up
to-date methods in every respect
!, This fact, taken in connection wit
their splendid climate, good water an
general healthful surroundings, lead
us to believe that they will have n
trouble in keeping plenty Of hell
This section of the State is not hand
capped on the fuel question, either
for they are just a short distance froI
splendid coal mines. In fact, we pre-
dict a prosperous future for this Ell
terprise, and see no reason why man
more should not be built in this sam
=. section of the State. This Post Cit
I company owns a large tract of farm
-, ing lands, which are said to be esp
, cially adapted to raising cotton, an
+ they expect to raise a large percen
e age of cotton used by the mill, thu
: combining agriculture and manufa
: turing. If cotton is unusually hie
S their agricultural department will flu
/ nish the big end Of the profits, al
! when cotton is abnormaly low II
h factory will furnish the bulk Of II
d profits, so on the whole we think
y a good example for others to folio
when possible. There are likely to
some parties desiring to build m
who are not in a position to own Il
: land on which to raise the cotton f
the mill, and to these we will say tn
is not necessary at all, but is go'
combination when it can be so 6
b ranged.
Another good feature Of this pla