West Feliciana sentinel. (St. Francisville, La.) 1876-1877, 1877-06-09
THE STEALING OF COTTON.
CNew York Times. I

New York Times.l
For some years past dealers in cotton in
this city have been annoyed by an organ
lied system of petty robbery, carried on
by weighers, truckmen and Others in the
process of handling previous to shipment.
This evil has grown to such extent that
the aggregate amount annually stolen at
this port is estimated at ten thousand
bales. An official document recently is
sued on this subject by the cotton ex-
change says: cit is not a pleasant re-
Election that while our contract sytem,
by it's perfection and the magnitude of
the operation, controls to q great extent
the future of prices throughout the world,
our spot business has year by year been
leaving us, that buyers avoid our market
while owners are afraid to consign their
property to this point, lest the loss in
weight should absorb all margins for
profit" The exchange has endeavored
to cope with the matter for years. Neither
effort nor money has been spared to bring
about reform, but without effect, the
law being utterly ineffective to protect
owners. Recently an appeal signed by
nearly all the leading cotton houses was
sent to the exchange, begging that some
remedy might be devised, and a meeting
of the board of managers was held ac-
cordingly on the nineteenth ultimo, at
which several plans were considered. The
one adopted was that now in force in
New Orleans, of bringing warehousemen,
weighers, truck-owners, samplers and
members under the direct control of the
exchange, by refusing to employ any per-
son unless he take out a license issued by
the exchange. This plan provides for the
establishment of a supervisory bureau,
with a chief, an assistant chief, and as
many assistant supervisors and clerks as
may be necessary to see that an elaborate
set of rules, framed for the guidance of
the handling of cotton SO as to prevent
waste, are rigidly carried out. The sala-
ries of these persons are provided for by
fee of five cents per bale to be paid by
the deliverer, and five cents by the re-
ceiver, or ter cents when cotton in transit
is supervised on request of the owner.
This plan was submitted yesterday after
noon to a meeting of the members of the
exchange for their approval. The i'm
portance of the subject drew a large at
tendance. Mr.. Miller moved the adop-
tion of the plan, and all animated dis
cussion Immediately ensued. Some mem
bers were opposed to it on the ground OF
the expense. They thought a less costly
method might be devised. Others argued
that to call plan expensive where fifty
cents would be saved at an outlay of five
cents was absurd. Mr.. Miller said that
he could prove that whereas the loss at
Liverpool is only four and half to five
per cent, in New York it is from six to
seven per cent. Mr.. Watson, one of tie
board, said he had disagreed with his
fellow members in regard to the advisa-
bility of the plan that had been adopted.
The ono he preferred was that devised by
Mr.. Baldwin of concentrating storage iu
warehouses at some particular point
where all the sampling could be done.
He thOnght that responsible warehouse
men might be found, and that the neces-
sity of supervising would be done away
with. He offered an amendment that a
committee of five he appointed to visit
| warehOusenen and report within thirty
| days upon the feasibility of the concen-
tration of the storage plan. At Mr.
Baldwin's request, Mr.. Watson subSe-
quently withdrew his amendment, and
,r. Baldwin offered another referring the
matter back to the board 18th instruc-
| ton to consider it further and report in
thirty days. This was carried, and the
meeting adjourned.