The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1888-06-07
THEY FEEL COMFORTABLE
THE PRESENT COMPRESS COMPANY
ABLE TO MEET ANY RIVAL.
General Manager Montgomery Gives the
Status of His Enterprise, and Tells
What viii Be Done to Meet the De-
mands OF Next Season.

posed rival OF the Merchants Cotton Press
and Storage company, which was formally
organized Tuesday afternoon. Meeting
MIR. Stoney r. Montgomery, general man
ager OF the old company, an APPEAL re-
porter asked that gentleman what he
thought OF the new concern and its me-
mace to the business of his company.
81 see that charter has been applied
for, said Mr.. Montgomery; 'ior the pur-
pose OF organizing another compress COM
pany. Beyond this | know very little as
TO the amount of money to be invested,
the purpose Of the charter. or as TO its
stockholders.
at has been alleged by the friends
of the new movement that your company
is unable, with your present facilities, to
handle the compress business of Mem
phis, and hence the necessity for increas-
ing the compress facilities. Is this the
fact?"
81 think the gentlemen are mistaken,
but TO justify my opinion, brief review
of the company's facilities for handling
this business is necessary. The entire
| plant OF TIE company, by careful valua-
ton Of the COMPRISING and storing bust
ness Of Memphis, is in the neighborhood
of Sl,700,000 about one-half OF which is
ievested in the grounds, congresses and
buildings for compress uses Of the COM
pany. We have now six large congresses
for active operations, and extensive yards
for its handling located rs follows One at
each Of the depots OF the Memphis x
Charleston, Mississippi q Tennessee,
Louisville, New Orleans 4 Texas, and the
Kansas City, Memphis & birmingham
railroads, and three presses in the navy
| yard, which are used rs cotton depots for
the Louisville K Nashville, and Chcsa-
peake x Ohio railroads, and the
river lines. The combined COMPRISING
capacity Of these presses is 10000 bales
! per day, or considering twenty-five work
ing days to the month, 260,OO bales per
month. Taking the months OF October
November, December January and Feb
ruary rs the active cotton moving months
of the year, IL can be readily seen that our
| present preparations for the coming bust
ness will easily compress over 100000
bales OF cotton In that period, which you
| are well aware il more cotton than Mem
phis can expect 10 handle for the present
AT least, but in order 10 provide against
any unforeseen accidents in the way Of
brcakdowns or fires, we have arranged TO
put up an auxiliary press Of large capacity
and 80 located rs 10 meet any possible
eNigencies that may rise during the sea-
SON"
"But, Mr.. Montgomery, notwithsiand-
ing your capacity and facility for handling
! the business. is II not a fact that your
presses have been frequently blocked dur
ing the past two or three seasons
"Ncs, II Is fact that We have been
partially blocked ut some Of the outlets
occasionally. This, however, did not, rs
nj inst may appear, result from our in
| ability 10 compress and bundle all the cot
ton offered for shipment, but rather from
the fact that II frequently happens during
the cotton season that one or more line,
are able TO quote a much lower rate than
other lines can. This result Is that all tho
cotton seeks the outlets offering the lowest
rates, and for this reason the line oi
lines offering the lowest rates become much
crowded and IL frequently occurs that ",
are largely crowded nj one outlet while nj
the others our presses are idle. But any
number Of comprcSsos, no matter what
their capacity, could not obyiato this diff
iculty. The facilities for the trangporia'
ton Of cotton out Of Memphis are ample,
should they be employed. but the diili.
Guilty in the past has been in one line all.
sorbing at a time the entire cotton move.
mcnt out Of Memphis, aud largely beyond
their carrying capacity"
"What amount OF compressed cotton,
ready for shipment, Is your entire plan
capable OF taking care Off
about 5000 bales at Il time"
"Mr. Montgomery, from what you have
said, IL seems that your company's com
press facilities are ample, then Why Ia u
that some complaints are heard TO the
contrary?'
'In reply. would say that in tabulat
ing the facilities Ol the company, ! hav,
included the two presses which were de
stroyed by the fire OF November II, nov
being replaced, which disaster deprive,
us OF the use Of two large plants with I
COMPRISING capacity Of $500 bales pei
diem. and yardagc capacity of about ~,
600 bales Of compressed cotton awaiting
shipment. This fire, following the de
strrction Of the large warehouse Of Brooks
Neeiy d Co, a icW weeks previous, and
coming as Il did nj the hightoi the cottoi
season, was great misfortune 10 the cot
ton trade Of Memphis, a. well n 10 thi
company, and created many difficulties II
the handling OF the business"
els Il true that YOU have exclusive con
tracts with the transportation lines out q
Memphis 81 do their comprca~ingi'
eyes, We have tcn.ycar contracts With boil
rail and river lines 10 receive aud compress
all the cotton that they may desire 10 hay
compressed nj Memphis, which contract
We will abide by, and We are fully assure
that the transportation lines will carry on
their part Of the contracts In good iaitll
and We arc prepared 10 meet any rate 10
COMPRISING, etc, that any other compan
or organization having equal facilities ma
make"
"what increased facilities will McmphI
enjoy next season Tor handling c0tiony'
"a least four new warehouses, with
capacity Of handling 10000 bales durin
the season, and two additional compress
being erected by this company, which "
think will be ample 10 take saiisiactor
care Of all the cotton that comes 10 Men
phis."
"In conclusion, | would say that tli
Merchants Cotton PRES. aud Storag
company, during the entire period Of u
organization, has from year 10 year mat
rally increased liz facilities and inycs
monis In this business for the purpose
establishing Memphis a. the great inleri'
cotton market of the country, aud will !
continue 10 pursue il past liberal pole
In this direction"
Tlcgrrs for the Monte Sano Excuric
l. Al. ...I -