Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1889-01-04
American Cooperase.

LoEeSJeU III Tue CuopcISbo lIAuUi hutl huUN' -
ing that Mr. Frank Reed, OF shat city, was
conversant with the business sud kept post.
ed with regard to it, reporter OF the Press
called upon him and met with most ccr-
dial reception. After discussing topics of
general interest, the reporter biarted out the
question
"What is West India coopsrage ?"
"West India cooperage," he replied, lis
the material which, manufactured in this
country, form the hogsheada Used in the
transportation of sugar from the islands TO
our ports. The hogshead is made complete
except hopping then it is knocked down
end bundled, when ii is called shook. In
shipping, it il accompanied by fi.c heads aud
the hoops, 60 lbat the cooIeIs as The lsihifis
have only 10 get up and horp il =
What kind OF timber ls used p
Oak pine, epruce, in the shocks nad h"aGs,
and white oak and hicknIy sapiinss fcr ihe
hoops The timber used, however, Is OF i!iu
lowest grade, and ali kinds Isl uak, such rs
red and black oak, having u1 CONNER iai
valne in themselves, enewer Our purpose
we'll Spruce and pine are used ior heal
ng-only the lower grades being taken"
Then its value consists many in the Ia
Dor expended upon it 2"
Entirely SO on the stump !! Is almost
worthless
What was the extent of the trade before
hcgsheads were displaced by the use Of
English bags 2"
Formerly about 100000 shocks, 10000
900 hoops, ard the corresponding hoadp,
representing 100000 10 20,0o0oO0 feet of
lumber"
"How many men were employed in this
industry 2"
"Probably about 10000, say for eight or
nine months in the year, and IL addition
great humber of horsee, mules, and oxen"
How was this great product transported
to the islan6s?"
"Wholly in American vessels, which By
aid of the freight money they thereby earn
ed, we're unabled to compete @ith the ocean
tramps of other nations, in securing return
cargoes of sugar to the States"
"Then By the loss OF this businesss the
American carrying trade ia seriously in.
jured ?n
''Yes; it is said that eighty American yes
sells have been driven from the trade in the
past two yeare."
"Whet, in your opinion, was the value of
this trade to the country"
tin al it's rsmifcations should say seV.
on to eight millions of dollars"
"How was it lost"
Gas I have before intimated, by the use
of bags made fer the purpose by English
manufacturers The bags are delivered at
q very small cost, and being valued SO low,
the duties imposed by the Spanish govern
ment are mere bsgatele as compared with
the dnties We have TO pay on our cooperage,
which amounts to about 70 cents per hogs
head. Formerly the Spanish government
imposed tonnage tax of $1.S5 per registero
ed ton on all foreign vessels entering the
Cuban ports, but our government finally
imposed the same tax on Spanish vessels
entering our ports. This aroused the Span
iards, aud they remitted this tonnage tax,
but, unwilling to lose the revenue they
enjoyed, they Immediately imposed tax
upon all oargoes Except coaD entering
their port of 81 per thousand Kilograms.
equal to about 81 per ton. thereby saving
themselves from any loss of revenue. This,
bear in mind, is in addition to the regular
import duties. OF course this fell very much
heavier upon cooperage than upon bags be-
cause hogshead which will hold about
ton OF sugar weighs about 200 pounds, while
bags to hold the same amount weigh proba-
bly not more .han twenty-five pounds. So
you see it is against us all the time
"In what section Of our country has this
business been carried on 2"
"In most of the New England States,
MANY of the western Stetep, PennsylVanis,
Tennessee, Maryland the two Virginia.,
and, believe, in Texas also"
"What remedy do you propose to restore
aud protect this industry"
"I should say let the government return
to and adopt those measures of protection
which framed its policy in its earlier days,
and during the administration OF it's hrst
President Gen. George Washington. That
is, to enact that all sugars, when imported
in American hogsheads, and II American
bottoms, shall pay one eighth Of one cent
per pound less than when imported ID pack
ages of foreign manufacture. This, | feel
sure, would sntagoni2e no interest hoGs-
heads are far preferable to the carrier, to
the insurance companies, and are no. OBJ
iectionabe, go for as l know, TO the import
er. This would be the first step towards
the revival of cur shipping interests. see
by the reports of the honorable commission
er of.navigstion that our tonnage is lessen
ing year by year, and the time ID not far dis
tant when our foreign tonnage will entirely
disappear That we ought TO control our
ocean transportation, as we control our H.
ternal transportation, 1t seems 10 me no
thoughtful business mau will deny"
'What proportion of the crop OF sugar
raised On the island Of Cuba is purchased by
our people and how is it paid for ?"
"The United States purchase more than
nine tenths of ell the sugar produced on the
island and pay for it mostly in gold. the tx
ports from this country being very small as
compared with the cost OF the sugar i'm
ported
"You say this trade was practically de-