Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1882-04-25
SANDED COTTON.
A Thorough Investigation Of the Charges
Made by English Dealers and Spin.
ners Reveals the Fact That
Planters Are Not to BIame-The Pres
enee OF Sand and Water Due to
Wind and Rain.

NEW YORK, April PA communication
was recently received by President Tanna-
hill, Of the Cotton Exchange, from H. r.
Robertson, president of the Liverpool Cotton
Brokers Association, complaining of the
unusual amount of sand found in cotton
from this country, and intimatiDg that the
cotton was so packed in order to defraud
buyers. At the same time similar commu-
nicatious were received from large buyers
all over this country. With a view TO get
ting al the truth OF the matter President
Tannahill directed the trade committee of
the exchange, com posed OF II. Hentz chair
man; Z. S. Jemison, g. c. Hopkins, E. r.
Robertson, Franz Krohn, C. F. Smith and
Thomas A. Patterson, 10 make an investiga-
ton and frame an answer to the complain
auts. After nearly month of examination
they on Saturday last submitted the follow
ing report
THE ADULTERATIOSS COMPLAINED OF.
The complaints of English spinners about the
adulteratiOn OF this years colt N with sand has
been fully considered and investigated by this
committee, the more so as sim altaneously with
Brokers' Association the cotton trade generally
on this side had noticed from other indirect pub
lie reports. including the official reports of the
United States minister at London and the United
States consul ST Oldham to our government the
the committee is of the opinion that the said adul
teration is not Intentional but is due to other
the subject has not been fairly treated by some
authorities evidently not sufficiently familiar with
IL, the committee deem II necessary in answering
the communication 10 reeapitulate the irregulari-
ties complained Of.
ferent cotton is baled togetheri in hidden manner
with a view of committing Palpable fraud.
Second-Mixed packing, where by earelesSness
or ignorance various grades are put into and
the same bale, but the intermixture not being in
territorial. 1t is generally detected by proper in
spection on the part OF buyers.
Third-Water packing. caused by the careless or
wilfully excessive use OF water in Wetting cotton
the process of packing.
Fourth-Seedy cotton, caused by the imperfec-
tions of the gins employed.
THE REDRESS PROVIDED.
For all of the foregoing cases the rules and by
laws of this exchange provide very explicitly and
the sufferer can by presenitlng duy ana anthenli
his loss and it is perhaps well 20 state that
in most of the cotton producing states it is mis-
demeanor to adulterate or fraudulently pack cot
ton. In fact, it IS ia the knowledge of this COM
mittee that party is now serving a term of i'm
prisoument in North Carolina for placing large
stone in bale of cotton.
ACCOUNTING FOR THE SAND.
Reverting now to The question of sandy cotton,
is almost entirely attributable to natural and at
mospheuc eau-es Tsking the last two seasons,
viz 1SS0-S1 and ISSl-s2 it is a well known fact
that owing to the unprecedentedly wet picking
season of lsSO-sl large portion OF that year 5
crop was exposed on the fields, and gathered sub
sequently to tine OF January, ISL this causing
its quality TO be not only of poor grade, but
more or less sandy and dirty Its equally well
known that the severe drought Of last season was
| so general and protTacted as TO have made the
ground excessively dry. and caused the sand and
dust to be beaten into the cotton in the boil by
every shower or storm of wind. Moreover, the
tionslly small the sand has more easily found IL.
| way into the bolls.
LOW PRICES FOR DIRTY COTTON.
1t must not be forgotten that large proportion oil
the crop of ISS0-SI. being of very low grade, was
sold at runously low prices for the painter, rang
ing from to cents per To- and 21zd to ii in Liv-
erpoOl and that this year also, though the guam
| tity of such cotton is much smaller sandy cotton
| is selling materially below clean, aud it is with
this fact that some compainants not familiar with
the subject of the called adulteration appear to
be acquainted. 1t surely cannot be expected that
! below the standard OF clean "middlingh cotton
! should be free OF certain drawbacks some risk
| of occasional miscaculation or disappointment on
= the part of the buyer, and any argument to main
tain the idea of Intentional adulteration by ignor
ing this fact is hardly fair to the American planter
ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT
In conclusion, it might be stated that in spite o.
! Improvement by planters being made acquainted
with the of complaint and by their using the
| most improved kinds OF gins, fans, beaters and
cleaners. The agitation OF the subject cannot bu
1 recommends to the Board OF Managers to instruct
its delegates in the forthcoming annual convention
of the National Cotton Exchange to draw the
g serious attention of that body to the matter II
being obvious that the planters are the partie,
who most int rested pecuntarily in packing
their cotton as tree from impurities as possible.
Copies OF the rep lrt were mailed last even
| ing to the secretary of state, the president o.
the National Cotton Exchange at New Or
leans and the president of the Liverpool
| Cotton Brokers' Association.