Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1881-09-01

account began to come forward. The
cleaner grades, already getting scarce,
were taken up as fast as they we're put
on the market, at full prices. Du-
ring the third week frosted and
weather stained cotton came in freely,
and sold generally at &c per ID below
white grades. The month closed
With an extremely active business, and
bOuyancy had prevailed throughout,
prices tending gradually higher, clean
cottons in lively demand, and quota
tons ! to 3e above those ruling at the
beginning Of the year. North Texas
was visited by a frost early in October,
and the weather proved generally in
clement throughout the cotton belt.
Despite these drawbacks, however,
prospects began to indicate a heavy
yield, though it was admitted on all
sides that clean and high classed cot
ton would be scarce. The prospects
Of Eastern spinners we're less favora-
bic than the previous year atthe same
time. The price of cotton ruled | to
10 higher, wages were also higher,
while goods were lower. Yet all mills
were busy and enjoying profits, though
the margins we're small. During
September Northern spinners had
taken 1879 bales, a decrease COM
pared with the previous year Of 1919
bales. They had, however, began the
season with a larger supply on hand
than the year before.
The month of November was marked
by succession of bad weather from
the beginning. Killing frosts occurred
everywhere by the end of the second
week, and two inches Of snow fell the
middle of the month here, laying on
the ground several days, the Their
mometer dropping to l6o. Under the
stimulating influence Of an active de-
mand for home consumption and for
eign shipment, prices advanced be
tween the first and the close Of the
month to 1c per lb on middling and
lower classes, and Ito per lb for the
better classes, which continued to grow
scarcer. In New York middling cot
ton rose 10 l2c per ID, and in Liver
pool middling uplands stood at 6
l5-l6d. The latter market appeared
slow to catcu the idea Of a probable
short supply of clean cotton, but Sc
we're cold weather in the South, with
ice and sleet even to the guilt coas',
sharpened the wits of spectators in
New York, and a heavy business was
transacted. The picking season was
reported to be the worst ever known,
aud from a third to half Of
the crop remained ungathered at
tie close.o Of the month Receipts at
the ports continued liberal, the total
from September LIST to December LIST
being 2,44S, 1856 bales, an excess over
the previous year to the same time Of
155, 298 bale. The market here
closed with prices ruling higher than
at any previous time during the sea-
son, and above anything touched since
then on the lower classes Of cotton
The month Of December proved an
extremely active period. Prices tluc
tuated very slightly, with a declining
tendency, and sales we're heavy. The
consumption of Europe had risen to
10000 bales per week, an unprece-
dented quantity, England using &c,
600 bales and the continent $4,000.
Prices closed steady in Liverpool with
the month at 65d for Orleans mid
ding a decline of I'd from opening fig
ures. In New York middling closed
At II 3 Ice, a falling offs IF Ice. Re.
Ceipts at the ports showed a marked
reduction in volume because Of cold,
bad weather, snow having fallen all
over the South. The total from Sep
TENDER 1st reached 3,454, 099 bales, an
increase over the year before Of 333,-
1872 bales. Prices in this market
slowed a decline from opening figures
of / to tc per ID, and were 10 above
figures at the opening of the season
Total receipts for the season here at
the end of the month reached $50, 600
bales, and A, 900 in excess Of the year
before at the same time Aboat the
middle Of the month estimates Of the
total crop were made by the Agricul-
tural Department at 5.7l9,290 bales,
and by the Cotton Exchange at 8 ,300,-
O0,neither ofwhich were worth much
at the time, either for compilation or
surmise. Northern %spinners had
taken for the four months ending
with December 92O,84O bales, a slight
decrease over the previous year, yet
they continued to be free purchasers
in this and all the markets of tie
South. With the interior movement
there had been marketed 1923, 567
bales ofthe new crop, which, with in
terror stocks, made the quantity of
cotton 10 sight at the end Of Dacem
Der in America 4,ll7,5G7 bales. OF
this, 2,OO7, 1863 bales had been sent
abroad. Much cotton still remained
unpicked in the fields, something un-
known for many years before. The
heaviest stock Of the season was re-
corded here December q, when ii
reached SO, 59 bales.
During January fluctuations in
prices of cotton were neither wide nor