Weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1858-1865, 1862-05-28
For the Standard,
COTTON FACTORIES.

Mr.. EDITOR: believing you to be an impartial
man, and trying to publish the truth, and willing
to give all fair hearing these thoughts, after
seeing an article in the Standard in regard to the
prices charged by the cotton manufac-
turers for yarns and sheetings, as uniDterested
man. have desire to have both sides of the ques-
ton shown. There are great many things to te
considered in this matter, and as have been an
operative in the cotton mills for the last fifteen
years, know something of the change that has
been in the price of factory findings, we'll as fac
tory goods. For instance before the war;. they
could get the best sperm oil for 81 SO per gallon,
and now it cannot be bad at any price. But, as
substitute, groundpea oil at the enormous price of
So so per gallon, and lard oil at s. 90 per gallon,
and neither of them is good for lubricating ma
chinery as the sperm-consequently the machinery
is damaged as much in one year as it would be in
three when lubricating with sperm; so here is one
great tax on the factories that they did not have to
contend with previous to the war. Belt leather,
that has run up to 81 25 per pound, when have
worked it that cost only 80 cents. Brooms from ~
to so cts steel and iron for repairs have gone up
beyond reason-the former from % to 70 cts the
latter from to 20 cts per pound. Lacing leather,
that could be bought before the war for IL 70 per
side costs So 90 per side at present Spools quilts
and bobbns cost twice much as they did previous
to the war, and there great many articles tnSs
the factories are compelled to have, which have all
got the specializing prices on them. 1t does appear
to me- that if the people would take the above sate
ments and calculate for themselves, that II "oeiu
have tendency to some extent, to alay the pre)u-
dice that seems to have arisen against the cotton
factories. Another thing to be considered is, tnat
the manufacturers are not to blame altogether lot
the high prices Of their goods but spectators SEM
in their orders bidding up, and it has been custom
airy ever since can recollect that when an artice
is for sale, whoever pays the most for it. gets It
consequently the spectators who oner tne n.oss oi
the factory goods, get them. Down with speeula-
ton, or it will whip US before Lincolns army does
There is another thing to be consldered1tnat is,
wages in the factories have gone up The Island
Ford factory is an exception in this case tor while
other factories have advanced wages % per cent,
they have advanced them 80 per cent There is
another particular for which they deserve still more
credit; that is, they are selling their hands pro-
visions cheaper than any factory l am acquainted
WITH and all the factory goods the hands need lof
their own use are sold to them at reduced price,
while others charge their hands the same that tIey
do spectators. do not believe that our agent mas
any desire TO be aspeculator, for have irequeh.y
heard him tell his customers if they would FURNISH
him provisions at the old price. that he would sen
them yarns a. the old price. But spectators o'u
up, and who will refuse money? The only reason
l can assign for the Island yarns going up higher
than the others on Deep River is that it is far su'
perior to any made in this county.