The New Orleans daily Democrat., 1878-11-28
Supervision.

To the President nnd Board Of Directors of tht
New Orleans Cotton Exchange:
Gemttemcn-In reviewing tho business of th'
supervision and levce inspection departments
for the year we have but little to add In {
general way to what has already been said Ii
the annual reports of our predecessors.
by dlnt OF close attention and q thorough
system, the departments have been reduced
TO o bueiness-like basis and are carried or
with q degree Of 6nr othness and regularlt,
which indicates that they havo now become q
permanent feature Of the cotton trade OF New
Orleans.
Tho cotton receipts ct this port for tho sea-
son Of 1878 We're considerably the largest
since the Inauguration of supervision, and
afforded thorough test of the system. AS q
result we are pleased to report that the en-
forcement of your rules, Notwithstanding the
crowded condition of tho landing and store
houses during the height OF the season, ocCa-
stoned no delays or Interruptions.
According to the report Of your chief SUI
pervisor, Of tho total gross receipts, G93 7Gl
bales, 1,270173 bales were supervised, The
loose frCm which, including scale pickings,
amounted, in bales OF 450 pounds each, to
about 1850 bales, or o fraction over two pounds
per bale. We doubt II there is cotton
port in the world III which the loss Is SO
small.
In fact, for tho legitimate purposes of
sampling, first by the factor and then by the
purchaser, after deducting the average loss
from scale picking, it would be practically
with smaller percentage of waste.
Commenting upon tho matter. the chief
supervisor says:
"In comparing the actual loose per balo
this with last season there will be found only
q small fractional difference, which speaks
well for the efficiency Of this department and
confirms the statement made in my last an
nual report that the loose and waste was now
reduced to as small compass as Is compati-
Die with due regard to the interests of all
parties in handling SO largo an amount of
cotton.
"a fraction over two pounds per bale is
small In comparison to the largo amount of
waste made previous to your system of SUI
pervslOn, and should certainly rebound to the
credit OF New Orleans as the first place to in
augurate and successfully carry out 50 need
ed a reform in handling our great staple"
your committee commend the chief super
visor and his assistants for the zeal and ef-
nciency which they have shown In the por-
&ormance OF their respective duties.
1he large transit business in cotton ac
*coNs2ts in a measure for the discrepancy be-
tween our total gross receipts and the amount
On the landing however pro-
lection was extended against pilferng and
careless handling to the entire receipts OF the
port-the number of vessels reported upon in
the daily returns Of the levee inspection de-
partment throughout the year including 27s
and 367 sailing vessels.
General satisfaction appears to have been
sre entitled to credit for the promptness with
which they have performed their duties A |
number Of falsely packed and oily bales were
detected in excess of former seasons and |
reported upon.
A few arrests of pilferers we're made by the |
force, who hold police commissions, but this
evil, so serious in past years, has been most
put down.
The chief inspector reports the bagging
used of a decidedly better quality, and the
size Of bales more unilorm-an item largely |
In favor of shipping, as materially improving
5towage capacity. Better care has also been
aken in handling bales while in transit be-
iyTsan the press and ship. and various i'm
1rozAnents and changes have been made
ending to show the unanimous desire Of oil