New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1862-04-21
The Cotton Factories,

HUNDRED miles of hostile territory will interpose
| between the fngtives and their place of refuge.
The Cotton Factories,
T. (.
The Augusta factory has followed the commend
able example of the Athens and the Macon faeto-
ries, and fixed the prices of their cotton goods at
rates below what could have been eStorted from
the necessities of the people. 1t has also provided
| that it will only sell to such merchants as will
/ pledge themselves not to charge at retail more
than two cents per yard over the wholesale prices
/ they pay the factory. This affords the merchants
/ fair profit for his time and labor, and expenses,
and protects the public from speculation On their
necessities. This is the more commendabte on the
part of the Augusta factory, because it is in their
i power to obtain several cents more per yard on
all the cloth they are manufacturing. Parties are
ready and anxious to contract with 1t to take all
/ they can manufacture at q considerable price
/ above what they are charging. If it acceeded to
/ these propositions it would lose all control over
the prices of its manufactured goods, froR, the mo-
/ ment they passed out of its hands, and the sales
i would then be governed by the law of supply and
demand. AS car acity OF the cotton factories
/ of the Confederacy is below the necessary con-
sumption of the Confederate States, It would be
difficult to say how high cotton goods Weuld rise II
the control OF prices were to pass out OF the hands
of the factories The scarcity of cotton goods is
i aggravated BY the want of cotton cards. II an
!! ample supply Of these could be obtained the old
fashioned spinning wheel would again come largely
into use, and the increase of hand-looms in our
farm. houses would materially check the present
tendency OIL COLtOQ SO0uS slu flSe 10
prices.
The factories we have named deserve much
praise and the good will Of the country for their
moderation, for high as are their prices they are
less than they could readily obtain They are less
| than other factories in Georgia are charging for
similar goods. Owing to the supply being much
shorter than the demand, all that is made meets
with ready sale-ethe higher priced as readily as
| the lower. This makes the liberal policy Of the
| Augusta, Athens and Macon factories more con-
| spicnousiy commendable. 1t should be remem-
bered to their credit hereafter and for their bene
| fit when blockades are raised and peace returns,
and the old state of things perhaps is restored.
The time ives, and at distant period in the past,
when Sonthsrn factories struggled with difficulties
and embarrassments, and many were overwhelmed
in rnin-when fimsy Yankee goods flooded the
South and broke down Southern enterprises, es-
tablished to farnish people with better articles
at mere living rate Of profit. But the delusion OF
a half cent or q cent d yard less price tempted
our merchants, many Of them Yankees with an
zee sympathies, to reject the Southern made aud
buy the low priced Yankee made cotton sheesing,
shifting and esnaburgs, and our Southern fellow
citizens yielded to the short-sighted policy Of aid
ing to break down Southern factories by giving
the preference to the products Of Northern looms.
Our people are now reaping the fruits Of this mis-
| taken policy, in scarcity OF goods and enormous
prices The few Southern factories that have
yised the chilling neglect of their people, and
managed to struggle on to the present day, ere;
now reaping the reward of their enterprise and
perseverance. They are gathering rich harvest.
The harvest may be a short one. The long hoped
for days of Southerg patronage may soon be over
and with returning peace the old difficulties and
prejudces may have to be met by our Southern
manufacturers. 1t is impossible to foretell what
are to be their fortunes in the future. All good
citizens hope for an early and honorable peace.
Whether it comes soon or late, the war has taught
us some valuable lessons. We would be glad to
see oar people applying them at once, aud not
wait for peace before acting. Capital aud enter.
prise should at once combine to supply sill def
ciences in the manufacture Of necessary articles.
should not be too censorious of those manutac-
turing companies that are retrieving past losses
and making present gains, if it finds that they are
pursuing the policy of keeping down prices, in
stead of initiating them. The course now adopted
by the Augusta, Athens, and Macon factories does
keep down the price of their goods, and, in its
moral influence, has depressing tendency upon
other cotton goods. They cannot compel other
factories to bring down their prices. They are
unable to produce a sufficient quantity. to force
down the market. But they have set good ex-
ample. They have obeyed patriotic impulse,
and one which, in the end, will result to their per-
nanent advantage.
+ TAXING OF HUNTSVILLE BY THE FEDERALs.-By
persons arriving on the Charleston road, we learn
that on Thursday last as the train from this city
was going East, when near Huntsville, the fireman
called the attention of the engineer to of the
finest equipped cavalry he had ever seen. The en-
gneer at once doubted their being our troops; the
doubt was conveyed into certainty on the receipt
of volley from the troops, which proved to be
Lincoln cavalry. The train vas seized.
The mail agent threw some of tile mail matter
out of one window, and leaving the car, Joined
with the passengers and escaped capture Pas
sengers out Of military dress were suffered to 60
free. Messrs. Bell and symmes, messengers of
Adams Express, were taken prisoners. One of
them had on the uniform of a Georgia company,
We learp also, that all persons found in uniform in
Nashville were seized.
i i stated that twenty-five engines fell into the
Federals' hands, but this appears to us an exag.
geration. On one part Of the road some Of the
Federal soldiers seized engine and made off
with it; they were eight in number. They did not
know how to run the engine and were pursued by
some Of our people in another epgine,ss
When they found they were about to be over.
taken they ran off into the woods, but four of them
eawere caught and captured. This party had burned
a.bridge six miles beyond Stevenson, which place
Is stated to be in the hands of the Federals The
men captured belonged to the 18th Illinois. They
had fiat car in front Of the locomotive, on which
they had mounted cannon.
The force of the Federals is stated to be thirteen
thousand. The truth of the rumors about the re-
capture Of Huntsville by our people is denied by
those arriving on the train this morning.
IN mphis Appeal, 10Th