The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1879-06-18
AMERICAN COTTON GOODS.
A Large Increase in the Export Trade.
The Best Grades Made in This Country
Comparing Favorably With the Fin
est Manufactured in En-
gland and France.
New York Tribune.1

New York Tribune.l
The article recently published in Provi-
dence asserted that the official statistics of
the first quarter of the present year showed
that the United States imported from En-
gland lS, 165 900 yards of cotton piece goods
against IL, 052, 900 for the same time in 1878,
and added that 'it ID fact that the best
cotton goods sold in this State are manufac-
tured in England and France" Importers
and manufacturers in this city say that the
unjust and erroneous. They claim that so
per cent of all the imported cotton goods
are taken out of bond between January and
May, being landed here from December to
March, thus making the importations of the
FIRST quarter of the year apparently very
heavy; while the first six months of the
year In this country are devoted to
home trade, the export business begins
in May and continues to increase
each month until December. The exports
of cotton goods for the week ending
May 10 were nearly 4 1000 packages. and in a
few weeks it is estimated that they will
iCoCh 4OOJO PuSAuSCs o WccA. LUG Nhlue Oh
cotton goods of all grades exported during
1878 was about $12, 900, 900, and merchants
estimate that nearly so per cent. more goods
will be exported this year. As to the asser-
ton that the best cotton goods sold in
Rhode Island are manufactured in England
and France, the response was that this
would be true il only one piece of the very
finest French lawn were sold there; but that
it is an undeniable fact that the cotton
goods manufactured in Rhode Island are
sold largely in England under the shadow
of the best English mills. The official state
ment of exports and imports for nearly six
months OF the present year shows, it is
claimed, that in cotton goods the balance of
trade is in no immediate danger of changing
against this country. The exports from
January l, to May 49, have been So, 437, 1893,
against 81, 311, 705 during the same time in
1878, or an increase this year of 81, lbs. 1888.
The imports since January l. have been
S., 353, OSs. against 81, 0O4. 742 for the same
time in 1878, an increase of $34S, 346.
A representative of A. T. Stewart & Co..
who both import and export cotton goods.
said: Reports like this are calculated to do
For some years the importation of the finer
qualities of English goods has fallen off with
the general list of importations and they
may have revived little this year. 1t is
not just to base an estimate of the volume of
| the general export trade on the customs re-
ports of the first quarter of the year. as this
is the time when the bulk OF the imported
| light cotton fabrics are taken out of bond
| for spring and summer wear. Our Ameri-
| can cotton goods are as a rule much finer
| than the English manufactures. Our ex-
ports are RAPIDLY increasing, and already
they are nearly so per cent. more than those
| of 1878 for the same time"
| 1t was said by representative of Garner
| d Co., manufacturers of and dealers in
American cotton goods, there can be no
dispute that the French manufacture finer
! quality of cotton goods than we do, but
THESE are principally lawns and light gauzy
fabrics, for which few people pay high
| prices. Only q small quantity OF them
comes here, and 1t is not unfair to say that
| nine-tenths of all the lawns sold in this
country are of American manufacture. Our
| mills have greatly improved, and the quail
| ity OF fabrics turned out is far superior to
| that of last year. We are now making su-
| perior lawns percales and gauze goods,
nearly equal to the French in fineness. and
far more serviceable. The very best cotton
| goods sold in Rhode Island may possibly be
| French and English, but this is not true of
other States. The manufactures OF New
York, Massachusetts, and Connecticut make
| splendid cotton fabrics. The same quality of
| goods as that manufactured in France could
be made here. but it would not
pdy, % thCcC 6oOoo oiC poiCudoCo
by only a few persons who are
willing to pay 35 cents yard for fabrics
which are really not worth over Is cents.
England is not making any finer goods than
America, and as q rule English goods are not
30 fine as American. The body of English
| goods Is made equal to ours in weight fire.
quently by the use of clay instead Of cotton.
| England is even initiating our trademarks
| for cotton fabrics to be sent to China, and
| one American house has been compelled to
| copyright its labels in England, to prevent
| this. A greater quantity of very fine goods
| for home trade Is being manufactured now
than ever before, and several large factories
| are working from a. m. to 10 D. m. on fine
| lawns to take the place of foreign goods
There have been recently more orders to
American manufactures for British trade
| than ever before"
| Members of the firm of Denny, Poor & Co.
said: There are finer cotton goods made In
France and England than here, but not for
general American use, most of them being
sent elsewhere. American cotton dress
goods have greatly improved in quality. and
they are taking the place of foreign cotton and
| worsted goods. This Is especially true of the
manufacturers of Pennsylvania, Rhode Is
land. Massachusetts, and Connecticut. With
In three years over 10000 looms have been
| altered, greatly improving piques and light
| goods for spring and summer wear. There
are over 80 different kinds of fine cotton
| goods now In the market which were not
manufactured in this country four years
| ago."
| A Rhode Island manufacturer said: There
is a steady improvement going on in Ameri-
can cotton goods One mill in Rhode Island
is now making Victoria and Bishop lawns
| and iaconets that are equal to any made
| abroad, and British manufacturers have
frankly admitted that they will destroy their
trade. Certain mills in New England are
turning out percales equal to the finest
foreign fabrics that formerly sold largely in
our market, and at a much lower price,"