The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1888-09-26
CAUGHT BY THE COMBINE.

CAUGHT BY THE COMBINE.
THE PLANTERS CAN'T WHIP THI
BAGGING TRUST THIS YEAR.
Pine Straw and Osnaburgs May Take th'
Place of Jute In the Future--A Practice
Test OF Cotton Bassing for Cotton Bales
at New Orleans--A Factors Advice to the
Farmers.
(From the News and Courier)
The cotton-growers of the South have
certainly no reason to complain of the
newspapers of the country, for, without
exception, these have all taken sides
against the Jute Bagging Trust. This
is true of the newspapers North as well
as those of the South. Even in distant
Vermont the Legislature has called on
Congress to abolish the duty on jnte.
The United States department of agri'
culture has interiered in their favor, the
merchants generally are cooperating
with them, the cotton factories have set
to work to produce cloth suitable for
baling, and the underwriters suggest
that more closely woven cotton bagging
is superior to jute and less dangerous.
The News and Courier has been at
pains to describe every substitute for
jute bagging that has been presented
since the outrageous squeeze com
menced, and has also given to its read
ers the result of all the experiments that
have been made. The only two substi-
tutes that have thus far given any
promise of success are the osnaburg
bagging from New Orleans and the pine
straw fabric from Wilmington. AS was
stated in the News and Courier yester-
day, however, there is only one way Ill
which these substitutes can be subjected
to thorough test, and the quicker this
test is made the better for the farmer.
In order to fill the bill bale of cotton
must be able to stand the compress, the
cotton hook and the fire, and obviously
the only way to test it is to try bale OF
cotton baled with osnaburgs or pine
straw.
Abiding to the pine straw fabric, the
Wilmington Star says: can interesting
experiment was made at the Exchange
to test it's irfammability as compared
with Iute bagging. A piece of each was
iguited at the same time with match,
amp left to burn. While the jute fibre
burned freely and was entirely con-
sumed the pine fibre burned slowly, and
finally the fire died out before scarcely
any Of it had been consumed.
This was entirely at variance with the
test made at the Cotton Exchange here,
and the result of which was published
in the News and Courier yesterday. In
this experiment the conditions were ex-
actly reversed. The jute blazed up and
went out at once, while the pine straw
retained the fire which smouldered for
fully fifteen minutes. 1t is proper to
add that the experiment was conducted
by the representative of the News and
Courier, who visited Wilmington last
year, and wrote up the pine straw in
dustry at Comfy.
But, it is repeated, the test was not q
fair one. The Zine straw will doubtless
pass the compress and the cotton hook
requirements. The only question now
is as to its inhammability, and the only
way in which that can be tested IS to
put up two bales of cotton, one IN 'jute
and one in pine straw; call in the under
writer's and apply the match.
OF the Lane Mills osnaburgs the New
Orleans Times-Democrat says: "Ihe
test made of the cottou bagging pro-
duced by the Lane Mills of this city,
proved it to be the full equal in all re-
spects of the jute bagging, hitherto
generally used. It has been expert
mented with until a material has finally
been obtained, which will bear the
roughest handling, can be lerked
around, headed and reheaded and
pressed without danger of any injury.
OF it's other advantages in keeping out
the dirt and water We have already
spoken; while as to price it can and will
be sold cheaper than the jute is now
selling"
The experiment is thus described by
the Times Democrat:
1.-The trial began in the pickery.
There three bales of cotton were shorn
of their jute coverings and covered with
cotton cloth by means Of an old hand
worked press. The bagging was differ
ent from that tried Wednesday. 1t was
composed of heavier cords with larger
meshes, and averages thirteen ounces to
the yard, After being roughly baled in
the pickery it was rolled with hooks on to
a float and carted to the compress yard.
Again the ties were cut off. A bale was
trucked into the jaws OF the great ma
chine. The jaws crunched together with
force of 700 tons. The cotton was
made smaller and smaller, from four
feet to as many inches. Every thread
was searched by anxious eyes for signs
of bursting. There was no injury, and,
as far as the pressing was concerned,
the cloth was effective. But the tests
were hardly begun. The bale was pulled
from the press, rolled, headed, reheaded
almost lifted by sheer muscle OF stalWart
negroes. Where hook was caught IN
the threads alone it at times, but not
always, tore its way out; when the hook
was gripped into the cotton staple, as IS
customary in handling it, the cords held
firm, and and no unsightly tears re-
suited, as is usually the case with jute
bagging. Water was thrown on the
cotton bagging. 1t rolled Oft, leaving
but little dampness behind. Another
bucketful was emptied on bale covered