The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1896-08-19
WORKING THE WIRES.
COL. DUNCAN TALKS ABOUT The
NEW COTTON TIES.

WV w ! Wv 49,
He thinks the Problem Has Been Solved
and the Trust Can ge Crushed in the
Long Run-The Present oatlook.
COLUMBIA, S. c., Aug. 13.-It is be-
| ginning to look as if the farmers OF
the State are going to be winners in
their fight against the steel cotton tie
trust, which was inaugurated by the
State Alliance. Certain it Is that they
are all holding back and are not yet
purchasing ties.
Col. y. p. Duncan, the manager OF
the Farmers Alliance exchange was
seen at the Alliance exchange Office
yesterday and asked about his recent
trip to Charleston in the interest OF
the wire and fiat iron cotton tie con-
test. Colonel Duncan remarked: "As
the public are aware, was appointed
| by the State Alliance meeting held in
this city on the 22nd of July to look
into this matter Of some substitute for
the flat iron cotton tie, the price of
which has been advanced 100 per cent,
by what is called the cotton tie trust.
Ny idea was to use wire and made
the suggestion to the State Alliance.
As soon as the first bale of new cotton
arrived in Columbia, l purchased it
and had the flat iron ties replaced by
No. 10 galvanized steel wire. I found
out by ray trip to Charleston that
had used too small wire, although
up TO this time it has held the bale all
right.
Il had the bale shipped to Charles
ton to Messrs. Sloan & Sons with in
structions to have it compressed and
put to any and all tests that the eI-
porters desired to make. Monday ev
ening concluded to go to the city and
witness the COMPRISING myself.
Il desire now to publicly make &C.
acknowledgement Of the courtesy I re.
ceived in Charleston in this matter as
the representative of the farmers of the
State Alliance. On my arrival in the
city Mr.. Sloan informed me that
while there was no cotton beIng COM
pressed, the manager of the Champion
Cotton Press had offered to get up
steam for the purpose of testing the
wired bale. President Frost OF the
Cotton Exchange kindly called togeth-
er such members Of the exchange IS
were present in the city, also the cot
ton exporters and pleasant informal
meeting was held and the merits of
the wired bale discussed. The gentle
men all expressed their entire sympa-
thy with the farmers in this fight, al
though the president Of the exchange
called our attention to the fact that
this was matter of very material i'm
portance to the entire cotton export
trade of Charleston, and that there
fore the exchange would have to make
very thorough test of the matter be-
fore they could act officially, all of
which we appreciated and return
thanks to these gentlemen for their
kind attentions.
Now as to COMPRISING the bale.
Would the wire hold2 Would it cut
the .bagging2 Could it be done as
quickly as when compressed with the
flat iron tie2
The wire held the bale perfectly
after it was compressed. One or two
of the exporters thonghtit cut the bag
ging in one or tE el.c.--. In this I
think they were mistaken, for the bag
ging on the bale was of a very poor
quality and was rather torn in hand
ling than cut by the wire. and this was
the opinion expressed to me by the
superintendent of the compress. The
superintendent Of the compress said
that we ought to have a larger wire
and better way to fasten the wire or
he could not compress the cotton as
easily as with the hoop tie. He
thought the size wire I had would cut
the hands of the pressmen.
81 think now we have the question
about solved if our wire friends stand
by US.
Il shall recommend that we use No.
Is annealed wire, which will double
the size and weight of the galvanized
wire l had used, will be more pliable
than it to handle, to use seven to the
bale, (all the congresses use seven)
these seven wires will weigh 8 3-4
pounds, against 9 pounds that the six
fat iron ties weigh. The wire will
be put upin bundles Of 35 wires; seven
wires to the bale, packing five bales to
the bundle. These 35 wires will weigh
A pounds and will cost Is to 80 cents
per bundle. This as against 80 fiat
iron ties in a bundle weighing As
pounds and costing now $L45 per bun
die. These 80 ties are used to pack
FIVE bales of cotton. This is the infor.
nation I haue today and I think in
few days will have the arrangements
completed to furnish these ties in any
quantities. State.