Edwardsville spectator. [volume] (Edwardsville, Ill.) 1819-1826, 1823-06-28
AGRXCUNYVR.aA.

To the Editor of the American Farmer.
FALLS OF THE GREAT WABASH.
Mount Carmel Ed7vards county, Hi
noiS, March 30, 1928.
DEAR SIR,
May success attend the labors of Mr..
Niles ! May Baltimore ever maintain a
high rank for patriotism and individual
enterprise Being "pioneer," as you
have properly styled me, in these new
regions of the earth, | feel disposed to
drop line occasionally. On yesterday
/ received letter from Boston, which
has induced me just this minute to drop
my "gun" (having been successful
in procuring my wife a pair OF fine ducks
and now prompted by The impulse oftbe
moment, to scrbble few lines, which
ifysu can dccypher you will do well.
You will recollect, that on the 10Th Of
April last, addressed you letter con-
tanning a sample of cotton, the produc
ton of cur soil, both of the timber and
prairie lands marked the prairie cot
ton first rate, and the timbered land ION
the river) second rate; and at the same
time enclosed ike samples to the Post
masters at New York and Boston, not
having any knowie ge of the manulac-
turers of those places; il was not ill yes
terday that | received the return from
the latter place. l now sir, lay before
you the general opinion Mus obtained Of
Our cotton; the manufacturers having
reversed my rates, and given the pre-
ference to the river land production.
Mr.. Skinner in his answer dated August
slh 1929 to my circular of April 9th,
states " | have shown the sample ofyour
cotton to our chief manufacturers, who
admire it on account of its beautiful
wilderness, and the hneness of its fibre,
but they find its staple somewhat short
er than desirable, still the best is very
good, and would bring l6 cents per
lb. here at present; the other would
bring IA cents.
Messrs. w. Young, Son, and Co. ma
nufacturers, Rockland, on Brandywine,
Delaware, under date Of June lib, 1922,
in answer to my circular, state, that the
Postmaster Of Philadelphia having put
my circular into their hands, they found
"the sample enclosed of beautiful
white, bat in staple and strength resem-
bling the Alabama and Tennessee (cot-
ton y what staple they have is very weak,
and that of the parcel marked first is
worst. 1t is impossible to say at what
rate they would pass in our market;
there is but little demand for any thing
that is not good staple, as there are few
objects thatis could be applied to at pre-
sent. The samples would answer only
for the coarser yarn, wadding, bait, and
candlewick. The color is excellent, and
perhaps the staple in general is better
than that sent" (This was fact, having
only picked up the first locks that came
to hand "All the manufacturers choose
that cotton which is strong staple; it is
that which brings their goods with re-
pute into use. Your cotton is also very
clean. We have not ye spun any cot
ton. Our wooden factory produces eve
nv kind of cloths" &c. (prices stately
Peter II Schenck Esq. of New-York,
writes June 10, 1922, " The Postmaster
of this city, (Gen. I Bailey handed me
your letter OF the 18th OF April last, with
two small samples of cotton. GUN
cotton factory, and am now manufactu-
ring about 5000 yards of goods per week,
and am using the first quality OF Louisi-
ana cotton, and no other (about 1000 lbs.
per weekly The samples of cotton you
sent are very handsome and clean. The
latter quality is very important. The
staple is not as long as the Louisiana.
Such cotton would now bring l6 cents
any reasonable quantity, but it must be
clean, and the staple not injured by the
gin. You mention your wish to enter in
to a contract for large supply, you
will find no difficulty at any time to sell
your cotton in this market, iii all turns
out equal to the samplcs.-But must
have much larger sample to judge Of
its real value"
As the cotton market is down, our
country women are manufacturing our
own cotton, and find it superior to any
that has ever been brought from below.
Indeed the Tennessee and Alabama cot
ton cannot come into competition with it.
William Hill, Esq. of Boston, under
date 18th February, 1928, states that
your letter with samples of cotton was
nut into my hands several months since
by the Postmaster, SC. The cotton looks
bright and clean, though the staple is
rather short. Louisiana cotton is worth