Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1866-12-20
farmer's Reabmg,
Iron Ties VS.. Rope.

A correspondent of the st. Louis Times
makes the following statements on the sub
ject of iron and rope ties for Cotton:
The question of the relative merits Of
rope and iron ties for bailing Cotton is
under discussion before the public, and
having investigated the subject, l beg
to submit the following facts and conclu'
sions:
Iron ties have been very extensively used
the present season; the supply has not been
equal to the demand, but wherever iutrodu
ced they have, from their obvious superIorl'
ty, nearly superseded the use of rope. Some
of the points of superiority now generally
recognized may be noticed.
They are cheaper and more secure
During the present season the difference Of
cost in favor of iron ties has been four to
six cents per pound. But this is not the
only difference. Rope ties, as all planters
know, are insecure. In the transportation
to market of rope bound bales, they break
or are cut by Cotton thieves, and the plan
ter loses, as the account of sales shows him,
from five to twenty pounds to that bale
Iron ties do not come off aud cannot be cut,
and thieves cannot pull Cotton from iron
bound bales, because they are 80 closely
pressed Again, Cotton iu iron ties cannot
burn, aud if exposed to wet will not rot off
In case of fire the ropes burn, the Cotton
opens aud burns up. If from sinking Of
the boat or other cause the Cotton goes into
the water, the ropes burst and the Cotton is
lost. These consequences do not happen tc
iron ties 1t is well known that bales with
we'll bound iron ties will not burn-the fire
cannot penetrate, and if thrown overload
are impervious to water, and will float, With
out injury, for weeks T..
Transportation and insurance. ORE less
with iron ties. Any person having curl
osity to visit Merritt's cotton press IN st.
Louis or Memphis, will see 'dat with iron
ties bale is compressed info about half the
thickness of one baled With rope, and they
will transport them to New York or Boston
for over one quarter 1nd nearly one half less
than bales in rope can be sent, and it is
fact which can easily be substautiated that
insurance conpapies in Memphis charge
one-ouarter per cent less for bales in iron
ties thsn in rope If they made the actual
difference of risk it would exceed one half
per cent,
> Iron ties weigh to the bale two and u
half pounds more than rope. OF course
The planter has. the benefit of this in the
increased weight of the cotton bale In
crop of l,500, 900 it would amount to $780,
300, quite an item at time when the South
needs so fully all her resources.
The plan er could afford to allow tare of
four and half pounds to the bale with iron
lies, and then receive the same for bis Cot.
;on as if he allowed two pounds for rope
oailipg.
Lei the planter look over his accounts of
sales of his Cotton and notice the amount
charged for retailing, and pressing, and
new rope. This is also saved with iron
les If well baled with iron ties it is in
;he shape to 60 directly to the manufactu-
rer 1t is pretended that bales of Cotton
have been set on fire in striking off the
ron ties, and mills burned in consequence,
but l have never heard of such case, and
# one has happened, should be glad to be
referred to it.
It may be safely asserted that so far in
he present season two.thirds of the Cotton
oaled has iron ties, aud yet rope, until quite
recently, has been held in the cities at
eighteen cents per pound.
What would the price have been had there
been DO iron ties? In regard to the supply
If rope, we will take the estimate of the
Louisville Courier, speaking for the rope
1t says:
"The total amount of rope manufactured
rom American hemp now iu the country is
estimated to cot exceed q, 900 coils, divid-
I'd as follows: In ST. Louis, $4,000 coils;
1t New Orleans, 5000 coils; in New York,
1000 coils; in this city, 1000 coils; at
Memphis and interior points, 5000 coils,
half coils, making a total of
1000 coils, equal to the bailiug of 4O5,.
200 bales of Cotton. Dealers estimate
hat more than double that amount of
he present crop of Cotton has yet to be
oaled.
If this estimate is correct, and there are
yet 100000 bales unbaled, and only rope
enough for half that quantity, how is the
balance to be baled?
1t is true that some poor iron has been
used for ties and various kinds of fastenings,
but the use of iron for ties is comparatively
new, and the inventive genius of the couu
try is now engaged in perfectiug its appli-
cation. That they will supercede rope is
patent to every intelligent planter, and that
is the reason they have so rapidly gone into
general use The more they are used the
more they will be approved. 1t is quite
natural that rope dealers who have large
stocks on hand, which they find uusaleable
even with the price reduced from eighteen
to thirteen cents, should decry the use of
iron ties, and food the country with circu-
lars, in newspapers and price currents, with
the bugbear of "actual tax" to frighten
planters, but the question must eventually
be decided upon its actual merits, and that
is practical question which every planter
e L