Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1875-06-06
COTTON MANUFACTURE.
Something About its Cost I'm Nashville
Our Advantage over the New Eng.
land MOnOpOIIsts.


land MOnOpOlists.
Attention was called in yesterdays
UNION AND AMERICAN to some pertinent
facts, given by correspondent Of the At
tdRtd Herald, in relation to the almost in
credible profits made by one Of the cotton
mills at Augusta. We feel deeply interest
ed in developing manufacturing enterprises
Of all kinds in our midst; for from such is
to come the future prosperity Of our cOun-
try. The raw material is at the very thresh-
hold of our mills, with abundant and cheap
fuel, labor and all the other requisites for
manufaf turing. Nowhere can more or bet
ter facilities be had than in this immediate
section, and they must be developed.
In our city we have large cotton mill,
superior in all its appointments, and upon
its success depends the building Of one or
twenty more. Should it succeed, others
will follow; should it fail to prove a remu-
neraiive investment no similar experiments
will be made. That it ought To achieve
eminent success no one doubts. 1t is well
located, commands an abundant supply of
cheap labor, cheap fuel and is in the cotton
growing region; yet, unlike the mill at
Augusta, it has not, up to the
present, been as profitable as had been
anticipated. This important enterprise
should be most carefully fostered, and we
hope soon 10 be able to chronicle the paw
ment Of large dividend and the building
Of other establishments. The heavy
fabrics can be manufactured here as we'll
and more cheaply than in the New Eng
land States, as we have cheaper labor,
breadstufis and fuel. The raw material
being at hand, the cost is of course less,
while the saving Of carriage to the mills
and the return to this market Of the pro-
duct is an advantage Of great moment,
which ought to afford a wide margin Of
profit, In the New England mills the
cOstiOf manufacturing standard sheetings is
given as follows: Average GRADES of good Ordi-
nary cotton, suitable for standard sheetings,
say 1j4 cents (Old classification in the
mill; its waste in manufacture, including
. per cent. for bagging and ties, is an aver
age Of Is per cent net in cloth, or about 10
per cent Of gross weight in the bale, equal
ing % cents per pound, making the cost of
the cotton in the cloth 1763. The esti-
mate Of cost properly made up includes the
labor, mill expenses, current repairs, and
all other charges, allowing no rent Of mill,
ETC., Of course; and this cost is taken by
manufacturers to be, and actually is, the
same per number Of yard on all plain goods.
In some establishments the rate is A mills.
extremely low, while in others it is 90
mills, extrsyagantly high. But take
the mean, say 81 mills per
number as the cost. This, on No. II
yarn, would give, to make standard sheet
ing, per pound, 7.35 cents; to this add the
expense Of selling, say 2 per cent, and we
have 2.S5 yards Of standard sheet
ing at 25.4S cents, or S.94 cents per yard.
Our calculation is made, of course, upon
the cost Of cotton last season. In Nash
vile it could be made much cheaper. Say
cotton at "A cents per b., expenses, say s
cents, equal p cents per ID. for cloth; add
p per cent. for commissions, say 225 cents,
making 2.S5 yards Of sheeLing, costing
about S cents per yard. These goods are
quoted in our market at 10 cents, showing
a wide margin Of profit over New England
mills, which ought certainly to be encOur-
aging TO our capitalists.