Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1929-01-06
BIG PROCRESS
is REPORTED
THE SOUTH
Building, Construction
Contracts Are Esti-
mated at About ST.
250,000,000

80 49,
Southern states are shown for 1928
IN a comprehensive review published
today by the Manufacturers Record.
building and construction contracts
awarded in the South last year ran
10 $3.50, 000, 900, Of which $685. 7s,-
600 was for what may be called major
construction and the balance for
residential structures, private gar
ages, repairs, alterations and addi-
;ions costing under $4,000 each.
The figures representing new con-
tracts and contemplated work an
nounced IN the last three months OF
1928 clearly indicate the tremendous
volume Of the new building IN sight
throughout the Southern states" the
paper comments. Naturally, many
awards were made in the fourth
quarter for projects or which work
will not be started for some months.
Together with the normal building
program, this should insure the con
tinuation at high level OF building
and industrial expansion In the South
in the first half of this year"
Further promise of progressive sc-
celebration in the development Of the
South also is seen IN scores of letters
to the Manufacturers Record from
the executives Of corporations m
many lines Of industry, railroad ex-
ecutives Of corporations an many
lines Of industry, railroad executives,
bankers, realtors and others IN close
touch with conditions in the present
and the future.
For the financing of public m
provements, 1866 issues of bonds,
with par value of S350,697 900 we're
sold by the Southern states and their
political subdivisions. Bonds Tor
miscellaneous public improvements
ran to 1858, $4,000, representing Jol
issues; roads. paving and bridge
bonds. par value, aggregated Sl5o'-
lIa,500 for 33i issues; bond issues
for school work totaled 266 with q
par value OF $37.il4. 500, and l3s IS
sues sold for drainage, irrigation
projects. sewer and waterworks were
valued at par az s2i, $4,000.
Careful estimates prepared by the
great power companies Of the South,
the summary says, indicate that IN
order to keep pace with the demand
for electric power, ii will be neces-
xsry 20 expend in the next IL years
orer $4,000, 900 900 for new plants, eH-
tensions to established projects n
transmission lines in their territory.
In the 10 Southeastern states, hydro
power plants now arc under way with
a total Of 345. 900 horsepower capacity
andapplications are pending, or con-
.truction has been authorized, for
projects totalling 100000 additional
horsepower.
OF IN. textile industry il says. in
part:
MANY Southern textile mills ev-
handed operations last year by the
erection Of additions, the installation
az new machinery and general re-
habilitation of propertiesi BESIDES
many new mills were completed or
an unde way. Cotton spinning IS
being supplemented on a big scale by
weaving mills, dyeing and finishing
nIsnts, and the manufacture OF knlt
goods. silk goods and textile special
lie. Of a varied character. There IS
also a notable tendency toward d.
versification and for merging various
mill units into large and Efficient or
rAnizations. New equipment 70 pro-
dure goods more cheaply and Ell
~ficiently il replacing obsolete ma
rhinery on n large scale. southern
mill. are purchasing quantities o.
machinery designed to handle rayon
and silk. particularly the former. IN
combination with cotton and other
textiles. Broad looms sre being In
stalled in place Of old style, mario"
looms" .
The knitting industry, Il adds, Is
exoeriencing rapid growth, and full
"a hioned hosiery Is being produced
1, 4 number OF mills; also, IN place
~ cheap cotton hosiery, hose Of WOOL.
,nyon and silk and Of mixtures Of
hose textiles with cotton are being
manufactured in volume.
.rhe movement Of mills from the
Noyth ana East to the South and the
nnYrhase az established mills by out
side capital have stimulated diver
sion
tremendous development OF the
ravon manufacturing industry IN the
south also is cited in the article;
Since 1916, there has been a rapid
development OF rayon plants in TIE
south, SO that there arc now built OF
building Is plants, representing an
investment. including construction
programs now land out and unoor
way, Of approximately S2vO,0O0'OVo
Rnpid as mas been the growth q
rayon manufacture, the industry -
yet in it's infancy IN the South, say
careful observers, and this augurs
well for the continued development
If plants on a large scale IN the
states from Maryland TO Texas.
Progress described as phenomenal
in the development Of mail, business
and passenger ~airportS and airplane
factories III the South Is recorded ~
to- review, and the expenditure o.
vast sums of money in the south
Tor great milcages in the aggregate
oF natural gas and oil pipe lines. for
big artificial gas plants and modern
rsfinsries" is detailed. Approx
mateiv 5000. OGO. 900 will be extended
for h~etterments by railroads IN the
South in 1929. while highway ex-
mansion calling for an even larger i'm
~estmcnt stimulates the building Of
bridge. and many other construction
activities.
Nor has the develcpemrt 90 the
South IN 1928 been confined 20 strict
~ material lines. but has included
erormoux investments In churches
and schools ard colleges and in hos
pitals ard saritarigF1s.
In detail, the following summary Of
nuhlic improvement bond sales In the
South in 1925. much Of which rep
re.erts expenditures to be made FOR
~orstrurtion work II 1922:
Alabama Reads. s~i9.2c3.oeo:
.rhool. ssss.0 200; sewer s~i.iso,noo;
miscellaneous. s~s.1ea.soe; total. s2s,-
HS5.5o0.
Arkansas Roads, 1873 500.
.uhnof s1ySss. 600: sever. 1921 .nNA:
n;.rsilareous. ~ss,s2e.o0o, total. s2s.-
SIS. 500.
rirriSx-Roads. e.ssf mo: school,
s,fso oo0. sewer. $500 900 riscel-
-s,rceu.. s~fT,T-7.bno; total. $685.