The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1898-07-20
STANDARD SQUARE BALES.
MATTER OF IMPORTANCE TO COT.
TOY GROWERS AND GINNERS.
Bales Of Uniform Size Demanded.
Reason Why all Cotton Bales
Should Be of 'sStand-
ard Sizes

JHE NEWS puDlSheS the following
letter, which has been addressed to the
cotton producers and ginners of the
south by j. H. Sloan, the we'll known
cotton merchant of Augusta, Ca, and
commends it to the careful considera-
ton of the farmers and cotton ginners
of southwest Georgia:
AUGUSTA, GA, July /, 189S.-Dpar
strive take the liberty of calling
your attention to the Importance of
exerting all your efforts in favor of the
standard size cotton bale, which IS a
bale made in press box measuring on
the inside 24 inches wide by 81 inches
long, and deep enough to make a bale
weighing about 500 pounds.
The complaints made by the trans
pOrtation companies and the foreign
mills about the difficulties of slowing
different size bales, and the damaged
condition IN which the American cot
ton is received, are so numerous that
we are sure great discrimination will
be made against our cotton next season
unless there is change made and
a universal size bale adopted and en-
forced.
Alter number of experiments with
bales of all the different sizes it was
found that the best results could be
had from those made in press boxes "a
inches wide by "a inches long, and this
size has been adopted as the standard
by all the cotton growers associations
IN the western and gulf states; also by
the convention In Atlanta, Ca, last
May.
This size (24x5D was found to press
TO a greater density, and When pressed
at the compress the bagging usually
placed on bale of cotton would then
cover the bale completely and prevent
any damage.
1t is we'll understood that the more
cotton that can be slowed IN a steamer
the less the.frelght, and consequently
the more the cotton grower will re-
ceIye for his crop. 1t naturally seems
that few inches in the size of bales
would make no difference, but a few
inches running 1rregularly through an
ocean steamer amounts to great loss
VI space, and in slowing bales of irreg-
ular sizes they are SO screwed into odd
shaped spaces as to often break, and
nearly always are torn and twisted out
of shape by the time they reach the
foreign ports. The lost spaces also
form air passages, and In case of fire
the damage is much greater, cOnse-
quently the insurance is higher than it
should be, The same complaints are
made by the railroads, and by the mills
when they put their cotton in ware.
houses.
We think we have fully explained
the reasons for this change, and it is to
your interest to do all that is in your
power to have every one make this
change by next season. AS a general
rule the press boxes will have to be
made smaller, either one way or both.
This can be done with very little ex.
pense by lining the inside with boards.
one lining on another where the size is
to be reduced several inches. Then the
follow block can be sawed off to fit the
box. The cost of making this change
In most cases will not exceed SIS.
This amount is too small TO spare, and
thereby continue to suffer the loss
caused by determinations in the past.
as we'll as additional ones that will
surely follow.
The European mills use about three
fourths of our cotton crop, and, of
course, they have great deal to do
with the price of cotton therefore it is
TO our interest to see that it is shipped
IN the condition they want it, and by
reducing the damage and the cost of
transportation the grower will get
Jhat much more for his cotton.
we have received letters from ma
Jority OF the ginners in our territory.
and they promise to alter their press
boxes TO the standard size. We respect.
Iully solicit the cooperation Of an
growers, ana those interested IN the
oottoa crop, TO urge upon the ginuers
Jhe I'D porJance OF making an bales OF
the standard size as the success of The