The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-02-07
LOSSES BY COTTON FIRES.
NEW ORLEANS GIVES FIGURES TO
KNOCK OUT A FALLACY.

Out of 100000 Eales Received IN
the Crescent City in Ten Years Only
$4,000 Were Partly Damaged by
Fire - The Fire Losses Since 1882
Only ST. in $4,000.
NEw ORLEANS, Feb. 6. - President
Walter c. Flower of the New Orleans Cot
ton Exchange has addressed a letter, which
will be published tomorrow, TO the coll
Iector of the port Of New Orleans in answer
to circular letter Of the treasury depart
ment sent to all cotton ports. calling atten-
tion to the improperly baled cotton and
losses by cotton fires and directing that
report be made for prosecutions of all
viotaters of the law. President Flower
shows that out of 20, 600, 900 bales of cotton
received at New Orleans in ten years. but
81, 900 bales " ere partly damaged.
A TRIFLING LOSS.
He says the cotton fire losses from all
causes since 1882 were only S509, 900 out of
81 900 100000 of total value-equal to 81
in $4,000. IF, says the letter, I'VE take
the Shipping or export value of the $780,
963 bales received it will not
vary materially from $1,000, 900, 900.
A loss of S5O0,0O0 on that value
would be only one-twentieth of one
per cent. and this in the face of Edward
Atkinson's statement, quoted by the British
minister and the Secretary of the Treasury
at Washington. that American cotton is
treated more dangerously than any other
great staple Of any kind or any other cotton
in the world You will observe that l have
given the above fire losses in this port on
cotton from all causes.
BROUGHT LOWER STILL.
"Now, If we separate from the total losses
in warehouse and pickeries 1920 ,225 and
casualties at railroad depots from sparks,
etc. 1882. $780, we have left as losses on ship
ping and landings but $l96.0l6, or in round
figures, 100000 out Of 81 900, ,O0O, 600 of
cotton shipped; equal TO but 81 in 5000,
| and say one-fftieth of l per cent. Examining
further into particulars find That of $780,
0l6 OF Losses on shipboard and landings,
S45. .l4O were during the calendar year 1888,
| and S72 6S9 were In the year 1889, leaving
for eightyears outof ten but S7S, ,1S7, or say to
use round figures, $4,000 out of total
valuation of about $500, 900 900, equal to 81
loss in every $4,000, or TO say one one
hundredth part.
LESS LOSS THAN ON ANY OTHER CARGO. j..
SIS there any other known produce SUBJ
| Ject to insurance that will show such re-
sults9 In truth l am justified in claiming
practical Immunity from fires on sbipboard
| aad landings in tue port of New Orleans,
and this Is not only true as TO the nearly
/ II 100000 Of ten years. receipts handled in
| our own warehouses and congresses, but
even with 100000 through cotton added
These facts nos only relate to New Orleans
as cotton port, but cover nearly
291s per cent. of the aggregate
crops Of the past ten years. For an
article not treated more dangerously than
any great staple of any kind, or than is any
kind OF cotton in the world, and as far as
New Orleans is concerned think l am JUS
tifie1 in saying that the facts make a most
wonderful showing, and that while your
| official letter to the New Orleans shippers is
evidently under instructions from the treas
ury department TO notify all shippers and
ports alike, it cannot apply to New Or
leans.n
| THE COMPRISING.
Referring to COMPRISING, President
Flower says: "In handling such an enor-
nous quantity of so bulky an article it is to
be supposed that there are more or less
exceptions to general good order, but am
| confident that we can safely state that
nowhere in the world is cotton better COM
| pressed and prepared for shipment than in
the port of New Orleans"
The letter concludes with a statement
that even with special men having police
powers under the auspices of the exchange
stationed on the landings night and day
and in the warehouses aud congresses, as
has been the case for many years past, no
effort is being made to improve on the pres
eat excellent showing and asks that the
| document be forwarded to tho Secretary OF
the Treasury at Washington, with a sug-
| gestion that those who have endeavored to
raise hue and cry about fire losses ON
cotton should trace such losses to their
proper sources, for by that means only can
such evils as exist, where adequate protec-
tion is not afforded be corrected or stamped
| out