The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1895-03-06
COTTON BY THE CUBIC FOOT.
Ocean Freight by Space Instead of Pound
Rate Preferred

Ocean Freight by space Instead OF fouhu
Rate Preferred.
AUGUSTA, Feb. 27.-The decision of
the convention now in session, of cot
ton shippers in New Orleans in favor
ofa standard bale of the same length,
the same density and the same
number of ties fer every bale
of cotton shipped is generally APPROX
ed BY the cotton shippers here. The
Orleans resolutions declare in favor
of a bale 56inches in length, 25 pounds
density to the cubic foot and with
eight iron bands. The shippers propose
to secure the adoption of this standard
through the efforts of the
cotton exchanges, the railroads
and the comprises, by taking
such action as to make the bales which
do not come up to the standard prac-
tically understandable or rather
make the difference in the cost of ship
ment such as to make it to the interest
of the producer to conform to the
standard.
Mr.. J. M. Barnard, Jr., of Richard
son &Barnard, of Savannah, has given
this subject considerable attention.
Mr.. Barnard's idea is that if a change
in the method of determining ocean
rates were made so that the rate be by
the cubic foot, and not by the pound
as at present this would eventually
result in the general adoption of the
standard bale.
He says: Ships are now chartered by
the ton, on basis of 100 cubic feet to
the ton. On this basis we have to cal
culate pound rate. If the bales run
according to the average we come out
all right in our calculations. If they
are poorly pressed and of odd lengths,
we fail to get as much into the ship as
we had calculated upon, and lose ac-
cordingly. We never know what we
are going to get until after the ship is
loaded. If the rate were based upon
the cubic foot of space, we would be
able to make much more equitable
rate. Knowing how much space we
had, we could tell exactly how many
bales of standard measurement we
could get into the ship, and would be
calculated accordingly. The advant,
age, of couase, would be in favor of
the standard bale and the tendency
would be in favor ola conformity to
the standard.
Where does the difficulty now lie
in bringing about a standard bale?'
Mr.. Barnard was asked.
"The difficulty is with the country
presses where the cotton ia ginned and
baled. There is no attempt at regular
Iity in packing cotton into bales,
and it is in the country that the re-
form must begin.
Can this be easily done at small
expense?"
1T can" was the reply. "An ex-
pense of $2.or SO at each gin would be
sufficient to make the majority of the
boxes conform to the standard length
would only be necessary to nail in a
few inches of boards to shorten the
box. When the requirments were
known it would be very simple mat
ter to pack the cotton so as to give the
proper density to the bale. The COM
presses would do the rest. 1t would
be easy to find some means to make
them comply with the standard re-
quirements. A heavier rate would be
charged for poorly compressed cotton,
and if this did not bring about reform
a refuse to accept poorly compressed
cotton would soon have its effect"
The action of the convention will
be brought to the attention of the Cot
ton Growers Association, which
meets in New Orleans next week.
To show how easy a reform can be
brought about by the ships it is only
necessary to refer to the change that
was wrought in the manner Of bailing
sea island cotton. This kind of cotton
was packed in round bales. The
ships charged a much higher rate ot
freight for round bales than for square
bales. The result was that in one sea-
son change was affected from rounc
to square bales.-Chronicle.