The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1888-10-10
COTTON BAGGINa AND BALINa.
No Definite Action on the Exchanse-A
Commu nication.

In the matter Of the substitution of som
new covering for cotton in the place of tn,
regulation jute bagging no definite actor
has yet been taken on the Cotton ex
change, though the subject is continue
Iourco OF discussion among the members
Mr.. Edward Atkinson, OF Boston, has
plan for baling and covering cotton, whicl
he is anxious to have adopted, and which
he has outlined in communication to tn,
Cotton exchange, through the chairman o
The committee on statistics The salien
points OF the communication are rs follows
1.-The excitement now prevailing
throughout the cotton States in REGARD
TO the so-called bagging trust may make
this good opportunity to remedy some
OF the inherent faults in the present sys
TEN and method OF making up the com.
mercial bale OF American cotton. This is
subject TO which have in former years
sndeavored TO call the attention Of the
Southern cotton growers, but without sue.
tess. At this time they may be willing to
listen.
There is no article OF great commercial
Importance within my knowledge that is
so barbarously treated from the time the
fbcr leaves the gin until it reaches the
door OF the factory warehouse. This bad
Treatment depreciates the market value of
the staple, and the grower of the cotton
pays the cost; but he appears TO have been
profoundly Ignorant Of this fact up TO this
time, and TO have been under the great
delusion that by using heavy bagging at a
email cost per pound he was selling the
bagging TO the manufacturers at the price
OF cotton. None are more fully aware OF
the FOLLY OF this view OF the matter than
the dealers in cotton and the members OF
the Cotton exchange.
Follow the bale OF cotton from the gin.
Before compression the bale Is in better
condition to resist the effects OF the bad
weather TO which it is exposed than il is
after it has passed through the great COM
press, and yet far better would il be II,
instead OF being exposed TO the weather,
rolled in the mud and subjected TO every
kind OF indignity il were carefully bound
and protected from the start The un-
compressed bale OF cotton will not absorb
moisture to any great extent when covered
with bagging OF open texture. The objec-
ton TO bagging OF close texture, is that il
the bale is submitted TO the ordinary
treatment the water may penetrate under
meath the baguDg, whence il will not
readily evaporate, and the staple will he
deeply injured. This, however, is well
known to all dealers in cotton.
whether the objection will apply to
some OF the proposed substitutes Tor ju;e
bagging, | am not aware, rs | have not
seen them, with the exception OF some
very loosely woven cotton fabrics made in
New Orleans, which would probably DO
free from this objection.
"But IL is manifcs.ly impossible 10 pro.
vide bagging made Of cotton at the pres
eni price rs substitute for bagging nade
OF iuie, jute butts being worth only from
1iG2 cents pound. As soon ms tho
present jute bagging trust goes to pieces,
MS all such combinations do in few
months rs a rule, the bagying made Of
cotton suitable to cover a bale OF the pres
ent dimensions wonld surely be cxpuscd
10 fuinOus competition, and the capital
expended in that direction would be .oSl
or impaired In value. II is probable that
no substitute can be found which will, in
the long run, compete with blgging made
rom juic butts under the ordinary coudi-
tons OF competition. Had the trust been
anticipated Tor a sufficient period, rs IL
will b. next year, unless the combination
is broken before the next cfop Is ready,
ute bayging could have been imported in
large quantities from Dundee aud else
where.
Following the bale Of cottun from the
field, where il will have been exposed, To
the compr, ~, We there find u subjected 10
q compression which brings IL, | believe,
10 a density Of about twenty-five pounds to
the cubic foot. This squeezfs ont the en-
Trapped air and renders the bale subject TO
damage by water, which will penetrate
rapidly In compressed bale, while IL will
be shed from the surface Of au uncom-
pressed bale. The extra barging having
been taken OF, the bale il then cut Tor
samplng, torn in the process Of loading in
ships or upon cars, aud sent TO lbs final
market in very dilapidaied condition.
tho end Of al the
bad treatment and bad method l., ~ you
are well aware, that all American cotton ~
subject 10 heavy tlrr IN Grcat Britain and
10 allowance for extra ropes and bands.
This fare cnieu into the question q price,
and ~ the price Ut the crop is determined
by what tWo.tlirls ul 10 Wlll bring N Eu-
rye, the cotton which il cold to
the American manufacturer ut grOls weight
Is, nevertheless, sold ut ~ much lover
price ~ to compensate the domestic man.
anco ior tsrc. The abuse Oi the bale bHing
very great, the allowance Tor iarc aud other
los, 90 waste In .nlnuiac, uring b. Put ut
the maximum, auu thu producer pave ilr
The entire lili % waste IN DO. lower pricg
which be obtains iur his cotton than he
woald Otherwise get Tor %. such beng
tn conditions, may not the opportunity
BE- taken 90 promote o. complete change in
tn method Of blIins and packing cotton ?
"Ihpfc are now, as ] ans informed, Va
yiC'y ui presses which could not Dee made
u.s. Ui IN immediate connection with ihc
cotton g.n iUT putting cotton into small
hailItcssyl la.vs. compressed Tap 10y Top
10 lie density ul about forty pounds 10
tn cubic loot, thereby reducing the space
occupied by each forty pounds Of cotton
vcay greatly as compared 90 iho present
ba.b. The cotton delivered from those
pr,-ss Is wirci upon the bale each Of
thtp small bales, weighing l2j 90 $50
pound, may then Boz covered With light
burlals, With cotton osnabury-, or put into
co.ion bags made us meal bags are, at
tn loa,st price, Ia great quantities, sub
feet 20 Doe used perhaps several times be-
for being worn out These bales would,
OF course, be easily handled, readily
hacked, either In ears or vessels, and
would ~ necessity b. kept under cover
aud Lc Tree from the blrbarous treatment
10 which the present bale h. subject; or
u desired four small balca could u,