The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1898-12-02
AFTER sPRUNr & soN


ond to None, 30 Leave Wilmington
We understand that the commercial
and other business bodies of Charles
ton, s. c, are trying to get Messrs.
Alex. Sprunt & Son TO move their enor-
nous cotton establishment to their city
and locate there in future. That We
hope the Charleston people will not be
successful gees without saying. and we
know everyone who is interested in
Wilmington's future welfare are of the
same opinion. Under no circumstances
will We part with such a gigantic and
progressive concern
Last Fridays issue OF The Charleston
News and Courier devotes space OF
over two columns about Sprunt &
Sons business, written by a special
correspondent sent TO this city for that
purpose.
The articles caption gives a synopsis
and is as follows:
Why Wilmington is Ahead. Com
bined capital and good business man
agement. One big, energetic, enterpris-
ing firm the life and soul of the entire
cotton business Of the North Carolina
port. Every charge in the handling of
the staple that can be eliminated or
reduced is eliminated or reduced, and
thus Wilmington can afford to give the
cotton farmer just a little more for
his cotton than its competitors Cfter,
and that is the whole secret. Cotton,
except an insignificant number of
-
sold. Wilmington goes to the farmer
and buys his cotton at his gin, or at
any rate at his local market"
The entire article is interesting and
educational. One of the most notable
portions is as follows:
T begin with Wilmington has AL
eXander Sprunt & Son. The firm has
been tinuouS in the cotton bust
ness since 1866 and it has practically
unlimited credit, which is of no small
consequence. Sprunt 81 Co. have one
hundred and ten buyers employed, and
these are located to the best advant-
age, in the Carolinas, Georgia and Vir-
ginia. They have rec.dent representa-
tiVeS in Europe and are in constant
touch with every market in Europe
wanting cotton.
"Sprunt & Co. practically own and
! operate exclusively for their own use
their own cotton congresses. The mat
ter of COMPRISING is one of the most
| important in connection with the
handling of cotton, the price ranging
! from 80 cents to 60 cents per bale for
the actual cOst-the maximum price
being charged by the Champion Cotton
Press Company, of Charleston, S. c..
Sprunt & Co. do not pay by the bale
fer COMPRISING. They handle, say,
$50, 900 bales of cotton a season, and the
cost for COMPRISING is covered by the
interest on $3.50, 600, (the capital in
vested in the plant), the cost of day
labor, of handling and Of the clerical
force. The cost per bale grows less in
proportion to the number of bales
handled, as the interest charges re-
main the same whether 200, 900 or 400. =
600 bales are compressed, the only adj
ditional cost being for the handling OF
the cotton. Sprunt & Co. do not give
out the actual cost of compressing, and
no one knows what it is, but where
they own the plant, employ all labor
by the day, run day and night, it can
be appreciated that it is lone at a
minimum cost, and whatever profit is
made goes to the profit of Sprunt &
{, Co, and no one else.
"Sprunt does his own ~stevedoring-
so whatever profit there is in the work
goes into his pocket to the general
profit account. All of his labor is day
labor, and no unions or associations
are recognized. Men who are in con-
tfhuOus service receive more pay as
they become more valuable, but moth
ing is paid for by the piece; even the
forty men employed to patch and
! straighten ties are paid by the day.
If ~stevedoring in Charleston is worth
80 cents, it can be done in Wilmington
for less, and Sloan pays only % cents
for it now by day labor, and last year
had it done for "a cents on contract
This may be included in the ocean
steamship rate, but it can be seen that
if stevedOring costs less in Wilmington
than in Charleston or elsewhere the
ocean freight rate is liable to be less
that is business. In this item, again,
Sprunt makes what is to be made
"Sprunt & Co. do their ov
ing Of vessels. They know no brokers'
they sell no space. but they charter
their vessels in the lump sum. If the
ship brokers here make anything:
there Sprunt makes it. The other day
Sprunt had no less than eight vessels
in port under lump sun contracts: the
G%ellivara, Preston. Nord Kyn. Venus,
Hurworth. Chatburn, Widerspool and
Esdale. which was sailing at the time
The Wilmington Compress Company
had the Amaranth and Acacia loading
with j. H. SlOan'S cotton. If Sprunt &
Son get an advantage in loading by
getting in more cotton than is usually
credited to a certain vessel it is their
gain and it is n notorious fact that
Sprunt gets more cotton in a vessel
than almost any other shipper, and al
to his gain.
The marine insurance rate from
Wilmington is lower than from
Charleston. Why, does not seem to be
known, but this naturally operates Z
WilmingtOn's advantage.
$50 much for the Sprunts. They have
their own giant presses running day
and night: they charter vessels ii
bulk: they hire day labor for steve
doring: they have their own foreign
representatives: they have no wharf
age: no transfer and little handling
charges to pay. Count up all Of thes'
advantages and il VIII be seen whert
they stand and why"
A description of Sprunt & Sons larg'
establishment is given in detail. Tha