Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1917-08-23
NlVfN IS READY TO INVEST MONEY IN COITON MILL Local Banker and Capitalist Also Has Carefully Studied
 Situation. PROPOSES ALSO
 PAPER FACTORY Personally Investigated Both propo- SitiOns During Vacation Journey and Is Enthusiastic HoIdcr- ness. Trulock and Others.

The proposal of H. C. Couch pres ldent of the Arkansas Light x Power company, printed in yesterdays is sue of The Graphic, that a cotton mill De erected in Pine Bluff. the loSlcal point for such an industry. met with immediate and favorable response from Pine Bluff business men, and developed the fact that D. b. NlVen, acting vice president of the Citizens bank also had determin- ed to launch such a movement.
 II. |. Holderness, president of the chamber of commerce.; Mayor Simon Bloom. and w. N. Trulock were among the business men to endorse the project, and give assurance of if nancial support.
 This is great opportunity for Pine Bluff said MT. Holderness, flor If We get one cotton mill, we'll get others. MT. Couch is right. This is the logical point for the erection and successful operation of cotton mill, as we'll as a pulp mill, and | feel confident that with such men as Mr. Niven and MT. Couch and their associates working together with the business people of Pine Bluff, the organization and fi- nancing of company to erect and operate cotton mill will be an easy matter"
 Nisen Ready to Act.
 MT. Niven, who has just returned from visit to the Carolinas, where he inspected the cotton mills, par ticularly to the Loray mills at Gas tonia, N. C., fully prepared to initi- ate a movement to organize a com pany for this purpose, and tO organize a pulp or paper company.
 When interviewed by a representa- tive of The Graphic last evening, he said: q am ready to go into the cot ton mill company with Mr. Couch and his associates. l am very anxious to see cotton mills in Pine Bluff and am ready to take stock in the com pany
 "Gastonia, IN. C., has fifteen cot ton mills. They send away to buy the cotton. Pine Bluff is the center of a great cotton belt and affords a big supply of the raw material. I | went through the Loray mills at Gas ,onia The plant has 57000 spindles and this as well as every cotton mill there is big success.
 Although they did not tell me just 1 what the mills paid stockholders, it | was estimated that the profits to p per cent. Pine Bluff l offers more advantageous oppor- unity for the development of the cot on mills industry than in the Caro- ines for the reason that we have he cotton here, and it will prove good thing for the city
 "It would provide employment for ] large number of people. This would necessitate the erection of suit able houses for residences, which would mean purchase of lumber md building materials, employment 'f carpenters and builders. Then would come the question of increase )f local trade, and for every branch of the retail business.'
 Pulp Factory.
 MT. Niven also gave Very close ;tudy to the pulp or paper making business. He visited the paper mills tt Bristol, Va, the town on the bor- Ter of Tennessee, where a man tanding in the street can put one oOt in two states at the same time, he dividing line running through the own.
 They are doing wonderful bus ness," he said. "I brought piece of heir paper home and it is in the ank now. This concern is paying
 dividend. They use ordinary wood, mostly poplar, and said that cotton wood is much better for the purpose.
 "We have an abundance of cotton wood along the Arkansas river. There 5 big grove of it near the big free ridge. This wood can be brought o the mill in this city at very title cost.
 "Here are two very good busi- ess propositions for our people to ake hold of, and they will be of value in upbuilding, de- elopment and growth of the city.
 Resources Investigated.
 MT. !Couch's company, the Arkan- as Light & Power company, is al eady interested in the manufacture paper, having conducted number experiments in making paper from ice chaff and pine wood, and it is ] aving further experiments made :; ith, view to making good mark ; table paper.