Page:The New International Encyclopædia 1st ed. v. 18.djvu/423

SOUTH CAROLINA. wage-earners engaged in manufactures in the latter year numbered 48,135 (3.6 per cent. of the total population), of whom 8,560 were children under 16 years of age. The State's abundant supply of raw materials, its excellent water-power, facilities for transportation, and low cost of living, are greatly to the advantage of the manufacturing industry. The recent development is confined largely to manufactures of cotton. Absolute increase in value of cotton products between 1890 and 1900 exceeded that in any other State, and gave South Carolina first rank among the Southern States and second in the Union. In 1900 the amount of cotton used by the local mills was considerably over half the total yield of the State. The manufacture of cottonseed oil and cake also made a marked gain in the decade 1890-1900. The State's supply of phosphate rock and cottonseed meal has given rise to the manufacture of fertilizers, and Charleston is the second largest manufacturing centre of this product in the country. Flour-milling scarcely meets the local demand.

The following table shows the figures for the leading industries:

It is estimated that the woodland covers 20,500 square miles, or 68 per cent. of the State's area. In the Piedmont region the hard woods predominate. South of this region lies an extensive belt of yellow pine. Cypress covers the low coast lands. Lumbering made little progress prior to the decade 1890-1900. The increase for that period is shown in the above table. The greater part of the timber cut is of the yellow-pine variety. The value of planing-mill products is increasing, but the manufacture of turpentine and rosin is decreasing in consequence of the exhaustion of the timber from which the product is obtained.

The coast waters and navigable rivers offer excellent advantages for water transportation. The Savannah River is navigable for 158 miles; the Santee, for its entire length; the Pedee, for 120 miles; the Congaree, nearly to the city of Columbia; and the Wateree, to Camden. Railroad mileage has increased from 973 miles in 1860 to 1427 in 1880,

2289 in 1890, and 2919 in 1900. The railroads are mostly owned or controlled by three huge systems—the Southern, the Seaboard Air Line, and the Atlantic Coast Line. A considerable foreign trade, principally exports, passes through the port of Charleston, which ranks tenth among the Atlantic coast ports.

The State Bank of South Carolina had an exceptionally successful career. It was established in 1812 to remedy the financial disturbances caused by the impending war with England. It was entirely under State control, and its president and directors were chosen by the Legislature. The capital was furnished by the State and the bank was the repository for all State funds. All State expenditures were paid through the medium of the bank. It was free to do a regular banking business, but its debts could not exceed twice the capital exclusive of deposits. Branch banks were established at Columbia, Camden, and Georgetown. The work of the bank is best illustrated by the official report of 1848, which showed that it had received and paid out State moneys to the amount of $28,000,000 without any loss. In 1852 its charter was renewed and it continued to do a most satisfactory business until 1870, when it was put in liquidation. The following table gives the State banking statistics as reported as to principal items in 1902:

The Constitution now in force was ratified in convention December 4, 1895. Voters must have resided in the State two years, in the county one year, in the polling precinct four months, and must have paid all taxes collectible during the previous year. A residence