Dallas herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1849-1873, 1867-01-05
COTTON MANUFACTURE.

COTTON MANUFACTURE.
In continuation Of the subject mat
ter of DR.. Scott's communication,
published by us last week, the Gal
weston News has the following:
"The oldcalculation, made by Gen.
G. J. James, of Rhode Island, which
has often been referred to as q stan
daad, was. that mill of 10, 900 spin
dies, which work up annually say
into sheetngs of one yard in width,
ofthe fineness of No. IA, 100000
pounds of cotton, would cost with all
it's machinery complete, $4,000.
and require working capital of
$4,000.
"To manufacture 800, 900 pounds
of cotton into the fabric above named
including the cost of cotton, steam
power, transportation, insurance,
labor, and every other item of ex
pense would cost $3.50, 900; to which
must be added $4,000, the interest
of capital at six per cent, which
gives the entire cost of the manufac-
turt One million eight hundred
thou sand pounds of cotton will make
100000 yards of cloth, which, at
the old price Of seven and a half
cents per yard Ga low price, by the
way, for any time would be worth
1881 800, leaving a balance, after
having paid every expense, Of about
S106,000.
"This calculation is made for the
labor of 275 operatives, most OF
whom, however are supposed to be
women, girls and boys. This labor
creates, in one year, actual wealth to
the amount of 100000 from / 500
900 pounds of cotton. In this esti-
mate, I'VE take the amounts as given
by Gen. James, supposing that the
increased price Of cotton is fully bal
anced by the increased price of the
manufactured article.
at is not probable that many mills
Of this size will soon be started in
Texas; but we believe it is agreed,
that smaller mills may be worked in
the South at a fully proportionate
rate ofprofit.
.'One of the objects ofGcn. James
calculation was to exhibit the diff
ference between the profits of raising
and manufacturing cotton and his
estimate shows that to raise l $780,
600 pounds of cotton required the
labor of no less than 600 ablebodicd
hands, besides one halfthat number
of horses and mules; whereas the
manufacture of so much required
q niv 275 hands, and few Of them
frs class Iaborers The capital nee
essa,v to produce 100000 pounds
of cotton is S76S,000. The manu-
facturer = capital is but s250,ooO.-
If: therefore, says Gen. James, the
planter coul,l ny any means remove
these plantations into one of the
New England States. with all their
slaves, (the estimate was made IN the
days Of slavery fixtures, etc. and
they should continue - produce cot
ton as abundantly as on the Missis-
sippi or the Tombigbee, th oue'n now
nominally worth something IKE
million Of dollars, the owner Of tic
cotton mill, which cost but SaoO,-
ZOO would not exchange it for them,
and would evidently be loser by
the bargain if he should. But what
may we suppose the New England
would be willing to
give for the transfer of his cotton
mill into the midst of Il rich cotton
region?
THE manufacture Of cotton IS
much more profitable busin .ess than
the raising of the raw material; ana
we. in sending il off in the raw aFate
are acting precisely as Russia ana
Sweden would be doing, if they were
to send off their valuable iron ore to
some other country COR manufacture.
But those countries are much too
thrifty to commit such a folly
Providence. which has blessed them
with a valuable raw material. has
also gifted them with the common .
sense to see that their profit on 1T .
must be made by the manufacturer.
Therefore, they 90 to work and
make their iron ore into the best OF 1
iron. Why we should not pursue
similar course with regard to our
cotton. nobody can tell. There is
certainly nothing in the way a such
a result which cannot be removed by
well directed enterprise and indus
try; and these powers applied judi
ciously to the most valuable raw
material produced in the world
would be sufficient 10 lay for Us the
foundation of a broad, rich and cd
during prosperity.
aMncb of Tie cost Of preparing the
cotton for a distant market, lar 'e
amount of transportation, handling,
e,e would be saved by manufacture
az home. To this may now be added
the three cent tax and above all,
II i 10 be noted that the vast addi-
tionsI value Of the cotton as manu-
faftured IL retained at home. Of
which the original manufacturer re-
,ains his share and the balance is
distributed for labOr-
The general Law as respects all
raw materials. especially those Of q
bulky character. is that they should