Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1874-12-06

COMMITTEE ON ELECTIONS.
The committee on election OF officers
reported that the following gentlemen
had been elected for tue ensuing year:
President-W. y. Galbreath.
Vice Presidents-B. Bayliss, A. A..
Patton, J. J. Rawlings.
treasurer. S. Davis.
OirectOrs-Napoleon Hill, J. T, STRAIT
ton, A. J. r. Lsndsuer, ]. +. Petit, G..
d. Latham, t. II. Hsrtmus, w. w.
Secretary and OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES.
Assistant Secretary-P. w. semmes.
DAMAGED COTTON.
The committee on damaged cotton
made the following report, and read let
tiers from the local congresses. saving
they were making arrangements for the
proper storage and protection Of all cot
ton.
To the President and Members Of tile Cotton
Exchange:
GENTLEsfEN-YOur committee has
had interviews with persons represents
ing the various interests engaged in the
cotton trade-vith factors, BUYERS, re-
ceivers, shedmen, commission and
transportation men-this latter cOmpris-
ing both the companies engaged in
bringing cotton to our market and those
in taking it away. All are fully alive to
the great evil and losses arising from the
carelessness with which cotton has here
tofOre been handled, and are DESTROYS Of
remedyiDg the evil. For a commence
ment 10 this end the various compress
establishments are erecting ample sheds
to protect cotton from the weather after
il has been delivered at the presses.
The next in order for reform will be the
storage warehouses in this city. We
recommend that they be held TO a
rigid accountability for the order Of cot
ton placed with them for storage.
That they be required to keep all cot
ton under cover delivered to them dry;
and that all cotton delivered to them
wet be put upon dunnage, and be kept
rom receiving additional wetting by the
use OF tarpaulins or other means ample
for that end. Next in erder comes the
transportation companies, railroads and
We find, upon investiga-
ton, that the greatest trouble about
damaged cotton comes from the man.
ner in which cotton is handled upon
steamers. 1t is often received by the
boats on the landing dry and in good
no adequate care is taken in
getting the cotton aboard, or in dis
charging it at our landing. The bales
are rolled over in the mud and water.
ana the result IS, OF course. serious dam
age. This should not be so, and can be
avoided. Thousands Of bales Of hay are
delivered at our landing by
steamers, and the damage on that is
Jrifiing compared to that on cotton. A
bale Of hay weighing four hundred
pounds is worth six dollars. A bale of
cotton Of same weight is worth fifty.
five dollars; yet the latter is
treated as if itWere Of no value what
ever, is rolled in the mud and water,
and great damage and loss necessarily
follows. Steamers should be required to
use all the means L ecessary to get their
cotton on board in good condition. To
protect it while on board from the
weather, and to discharge it at our land
ing on skids, cover it with tsrpaulins
like other freights, and treat cotton SIS
they do other perishsble merchandise.
Z nd so also with the railways. They
should be required to keep cotton pro-
Jected from the weather while at their
1epots awaiting shipment to ORr mar
ket, also in transit, and equally so when
the cotton is awaiting delivery at their
city terHliRi. Finally we would earnest
~ impress upon the owners of cotton In
the interior the great necessity of keep
ing it, while in their possession entirely
protected from the weather. Surely an
article which costs so much time, labor
and money to produce, is worth taking
Gaze OF. The losses annually on the
cotton crop Of the United States.
from caTeiesSness and reckless
ness in exposure TO the ele-
menis, amount to an enormous
sum. II we of Memphis and the region
trading with Memphis will bring about
a reform in this matter, our cotton will
be sought Tor by manufacturers from all
parts Of the world, and we shall soon
discover the favor with which it is re-
garded, not only in increasing orders for
It but IN price. 1t will give Us q stand
ing in the markets Of the world, which
will repay US ten-fOld for all the care
and expense Necessary to keep this
great article of commerce from damage,
and to deliver it 20 manufacturers In
perfect order. Your committee recon-
mend the adoption of the following re-
lOlutiOn:
Resolved, That the foregoing report
Ie adopted by the cotton exchange, and
hat copies of it be printed for gene
u distribution, and that the com nIfttee
le discharged.
Respectfully submitted,
A. ], r. LANDAUER, Chm.
W. A. GOODWIN,
d. Il. HAYDEN
Mr.. LandaueT stated that the com.
1ittee could not frame any bylaws, but !
hat the report covered all. He asked |
hat the committee be discharged.
On motion the committee was dis |
harged and the report received, with |
be adoption of a resolution to have the |
apOrt printed in circular form and dis |
ributed throughout the interior.
Mr.. Patton said that it would be well /
D make each holder OF cotton, whether
neh be planter, railroad, steamboat, or /
he'd, responsible for the condition of |
Otton.
Mr.. LandaUer said the committee had !
that subject, but deemed it in
dvisabie to embOdy it in the report.
Mr.. LandaueT offered q resolution that /
II papers connected with inquiries /
the subject Of damaged cotton /
e, together with the report Of the CON-
littee of three, handed over to the
landing committee on protection of
OttOn. Adopted, aud the meeting ad-
burned.