The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1899-01-17

A Mister of Mech Monent 20 Cotton
Men-The Ffrse shipment Of Lswry
BaIe~ Of ARF Consequence Made
Through Charleaton-The New style
of Railing Cotton Discussed by BE.
perls
The Charleston News and Courier
OF Thursday says:
The Lowry bales attracted a great
deal of attention on Aeger's wharf
yesterday. and while there seemed to
be a disposition or the part of some OF
the Charleston Gotten. men TO crsfi-
else b new method Of sampling this
package, there can be no doubt that
the new form of packing cotton Will
saye-a great deal in the way Of freight.
both on land and water The four
cars OF cotton. containing 1000 bales
Of $50 pounds each. We're brought down
on the East Shore Terminal tracks to
Adger's wharf yesterday. and at about
IL O'Clock Mr.. Adams, Mr.. MCGOWAN,
Mr.. Cohen, Of the Planters Compress
Company, of Augusta, Mr.. Emerson,
of the South Carolina and Georgia
railroad, Mr.. Belts. agent for the john
son Blue Cross Steamship Line. and a
&O&1eAk iA1AA VA
the city saw h cars opened and in
spected the round bales as they were
rolled out on the wharf. The round
packages, compact n hard as iron,
We're freely examined and the saving
of space in cars and on shipboard was
frankly admitted. Compared with Vn-
compressed cotton the round bales will
pack nearly three times as much
weight in a car, n the comparison
with compressed cotton is altogether
favorable to the round bales. The ex-
ports were interested in every detail
of the shipment and saw some of the
cotton put in the hold of the steamship
Winnie, now loading by the Johnston
Lin for Genoa.
Only of the matter of obtaining sam
pies, which must be from the end, was
there any unfavorable criticism. Re-
garding this the cotton men said that
unless a great IA of time was given
and the bale was stripped of it's COW
ering, the cotton must be largely TAX
en- on faith. The men of the Augusta
Planters Compress Company averred
that it was impossible to mix or false
pack the cotton without running great
risk Of immediate detection. The cot
ton is put into the bales in layers, and
by the close inspection of a few bales
in a. lot any attempt at deception
would be quickly discovered.
The round bales were found to be
very easily managed by the longshore-
men, and, while the packages are very
heavy for their size, the men handled
them with great expedition and very
satisfactorily. Besides saving in freight
room the advocates and promoters of
this style of cotton packing claim that
there will De an immense saving in
waste, stealage and tare. The bales
being packed to a density of forty
seven pounds to the cubic foot, which
is nearly twice that Of compressed cot
ton, will not become damaged nearly
so quickly by fire, water or dirt, and as
hooks are prohibited in handling it is
claimed that there will be almost no
waste from stains or trash.
This will be the first shipment of
consequence in round bales to a for
eign port, and the verdict from the
other side of the ocean will be awaited
with interest by all who are concerned
in the cotton business.
h 1000 bales of Lowry cotton will
all be in the ship by today and the
Winnie will sail within the next day
or two for Genoa. The Augusta. cot
ten men went up to Summerville yes
terday evening n were among the
guests at the Pine Forest Inn last
night, participating in the festivities
Of the military ball."