The Chronicle-star combined with the Moss Point advertiser., 1948-06-11
Mill Paid
3 Million
In AT Wages
Two Million More
Poid To Formers.
Others For Wood

The operation of the Moss Point
Mill of the international Paper
Company has meant much to the
economy of Jackson county for
many years. Its steady growth
and expansion during the past
35 years has meant also a stea-
dy increase in the number Of
workers employed at the mill, and
a proportionate increase in the
amount of money these employees
spend for. food and clothing, taxes
and insurance, and the many 9TH
er items that 60 into the every
day living of a typical Ameri-
can family.
The expansion of the mill has
also been reflected in the in
creased use of raw materials, and
a proportionate increase in the
amount paid to farmers and land
owners of the county for pulp
wood, which has meant a substan-
tial increase in cash income in
the rural areas.
As an example of this expan-
sion. in 1888 the Moss Point Mill
employed $50 persons and paid
out approximately one million
dollars in wages.
In ls47 the employment lev
ell had risen TO approximately
1850. with a total outlay of
wages for that year amounting
TO approximately three million
dollars.
Two Million for Pulpwood
In addition to the three mill
lion dollars paid in wages in
1947, the mill also paid nearly two
million dollars to farmers, wood
dealers and other timber owners
for pulpwood that year, a pro-
,portionate share of which was
spent in Jackson county. Approxi-
mately $435,000 additional was
paid for railroad and barge trans
p~ortation in getting the pulpwood
to the mill. During 1947 about
1900 men were steadily employed
in Mississippi in the pulpwood
operations supplying the Moss
Point Mill.
The above figures all add up
to an impressive total. Taking
into consideration wages paid by
private contractors and others in
woodland operations. which furn-
ished employment for 1900 per-
sons, and direct wages paid by the
mill, it is easy to understand just
how vital the operation of the
mill is to the continued econom-
ic growth of the county.
Typical Employee
An an example of how the
earnings of an employee of the
mill affects the economy of the
community in which he lives the
series of photographs in the COM
posite picture at the left shows
the everyday life of a typical en-
ployee.
He is Lawrence (Pat) MCGEE,
who lives in Moss Point and
has worked at the mill for %
years. He is a machinist, having
followed the footsteps of his faith
er who was a master mechanic at
the mill.
Mr.. MCGEE is married to the
former Nanearl Mcleod of Moss
Point, and the couple have two
children, Lawrence Edward, 20,
who vas formerly employed at
the mill. but is now in the U. S.
Navy and Carrie Rose, is, who
attends school at Moss Point.
Center top panel in the COM
posite layout shows Mr.. MCGEE
working at his job at the mill
Top left shows him drawing his
paycheck and at top right he de-
posits a part of his earnings in
his savings account; center left
he accompanys Mrs. MCGEE on
a shopping tour, and at center
right he attends to the payment
of his city taxes. Lower left is
the attractive and comfortable
home which they own in Moss
Point, and at right he enters the
clubrooms of a local fraterna1
organization to which he be-
longs. Lower center panel shows
Mr.. MCGEE at his favorite recre-
alton, fishing.
Multiply many fold times MI.
MCGEE, his work, his interest in
his church and community, his
standard of living made posi-
bic by his native skill and gain
full employment in an establish
ed and substantial local industry
and you have what the Moss
Point Mill means to the people
and the economy of this section.