Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1921-01-13
Some Striking Evidences of
the .South's Economic Woo,

the COuEh S economic F7SOT
a TLANTA'S notable building record for
~ 1920, exceeding that of any previous
twelvemonth by some three million
dollars, is reinforced by reports OF the years
construction activity throughout the South.
Consider the fact that there were upwards OF
twenty-one thousand industrial developments
in this region. .,s<
Represented among these. according to
the Manufacturers Record, whose careful sta
tistics on such matters are valuable beyond
measure, were thirty-nine airplane plants,
sixty-two shipbuilding plants, thirty-four iron
and steel plants, eighty-three concrete and
cement plants, eight hundred and eighteen
foundry and machine plants, two hundred
and two metal working and seven hundred
and thirteen woodworking plants, six hundred
and fifteen textile mills, two hundred and
sxty-nine clay-working plants, three hundred
and eighty-three flour, feed and meal mills
two hundred and thirty-four canning and
packing plants, two hundred and two drain
age systems, three thousand three hundred
and thirty-one pieces of road and street con-
struction and miscellaneous items and enter
prises to the number of more htan sixteen
hundred.
In addition to these Industrial develop
ton from agriculture and mining to the man
ufacture Of finished products, the South pre-
sents for the same year substantial build
ing record, for example: Nine hundred and
fifty-one bank and office structures, five
hundred and sixteen hotels, one thousand
five hundred and four stores, seven hundred
and eighty-three warehouses, four hundred
and two theaters, five hundred and thirty
nine hospitals and sanitar1ums, one thousand
five hundred and one churches, two thousand
five hundred and twenty-one schools, five
hundred and fifty-nine apartment houses,
and three thousand six hundred and sixty
seven dwellings. The years total for build
ings was fourteen thousand seven hundred
and ninety-siX.
This record is the more remarkable be-
cause of two circumstances which tended to
restrict both industrial extensions and build
ing operations to lines, of more or less urgent
need. For the first three quarters of the
year Certainly for the first -half) costs Of
material and labor were so high as to check
many developments which, under a moderate
scale of costs, will go forward; while in the
last quarter, financial stringency and gener-
ally unsettled conditions proved to be retard-
ing The fact that despite these difficulties,
1920 scored so rich and varied a record of
construction is highly cheering; for it shows
that the South is on an achieving march,
which though temporarily slackened will re-
sumo with undated vigor so soon the
transition from war to peace economics Is
complete.
That this process is even now in it's latter
stages, many signs of the day seem to indi-
cate. Stock markets steadier and the
trend of commodity values is toward a more
stable and generally more satisfactory basis
than for several years. Moreover, confidence
is returning to the rank and file as well as
to business leadership; the latter, indeed,
was never seriously apprehensive. Some in
terests, it Is true, are not yet readjusted,
and some must walk warily in the months
ahead If they are to bring their problems to
a happy issue.
But the most competent observers predict
that America as a whole, and particularly
the resourceful South, will have a prosperous
year If they but turn with stout hearts to the
duties and opportunities that lie so COM
mandingly and SO richly before them.