The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1899-07-12
Cotton and Cotton Mills.

Cotton and Cotton Mills.
cotton ID the mainstay OF Shreveport.
| and as an inland mart Il IS rapidly get
ting TO top figures Last year there were
more than l6s,oOo bales OF cotton handled
In the city and this years receipts are
expected to reach 900 bales. Situated In
the centre OF cotton belt that produces
100000 bales there is no reason why
| Shreveport should not handle every pound
OF II within a few years. With greater
railroad facilities this crop OF 600 oo0 bales,
| togs sther With the natural increase IN pro-
| duction Is certain to be marketed IN
| Shreveport. The cotton handled Is the
very best that is grown In the famous
districts OF louisiana, Texas, Arkansas
and Indian Territory. The growth In cot
ton recsipts is reflected In the reports for
each year from 1854 In this year they
were 1000 bales, and In the years to 1896
they ran from 5000 TO 5000 bales In
1896 they were 1oi,i37 bales. and last year
10000 bales. The great increase OF the
last few years has been due TO the splsn-
did facilities for handling cotton which
have been Installed and tho very favor
able handling charges which have bsen
made or the cotton brought 10 Shrcve-
port last year $4,000 bales came by rail.
over 10000 bales were brought on wagons
and moro than H. 900 came by steamer.
fEOlu shreveport lt IL bnlppeQ 10 new
orleans, Port Arthur and Galveston for
export.
Four compressors enable cotton to be
rapidly and chsaply handled In Shreve-
port The storage capacity OF the ware
houses is more than sufficient to caro- for
oil the cotton coming TO tho city. Two
years ago Shreveport had only two COM
pressors OF 100 bales per day total ca
pacity, These were driven with business
at rs cents per bale. with an additional
charge OF 10 cents each way for drayage.
Then q new compress was built and
charges cut down greatly. TO Shreveport's
advantage. The nav compress was fitted
with a modern hydraulic and steam ma
chine of a capacity OF 1900 bales In IL
hours, and Shreveports cotton handling
capacity was doubled. Thirteen nreproof
enoe charges fully 90 per cent, and the
building OF sidetracks from railroads did
away with 20 cents per bale drayage.
This, with reduction to so csnts per
bale for compressing, cut the cost Of
handling cotton In two and greatly In
creased the city's receipts. This big com
Of 500 bales per day capacity ane thus
has a daily capacity of 230o bales II
has an electric fire alarm eleven hydrants
supplied by six-inch mains
Another monster compress handles 1900
bales per day OF IL hours in Its new plant
In addition TO operating one or the old
This plant has Increased shreveport's
business by some further reduction in the
cost OF handling cotton. There are no
drayage charges; insurance Is low and
there are no commissions for selling cot
ton. The plant covers a large area be-
tween two trunk line tracks and has side
the platforms l20 cars can be loaded and
unloaded at the eafne time.
Shreveport has one organized cotton
mill and with the advantages II Is pos
Drenarpu
Cotton is q and ll-l6 cents per pound,
or $40 per bale cheaper than In many
pared with Northern mills Il has an ad
vantage OF 81 TO S. per bale, fair profit
on a large capitalization not considering
portant t to cotton. Is very cheap in
Shreveport Steam coal is laid down at
from s1.60 TO $3.50 per ton and tho first
figure could undoubtedly be shaded TO
$50 on large contracts governed by mar,
ket conditions. The saving on coal would
be from 81 TO $50 per ton as compared
tant saving amounting to 2 and 2ls per
cent. Is on taxation. Shreveport Is pre-
pared 10 ofrer the very best terms In this
ssspeet factor So. which aTSe foT m
goods, which is to be had In the district
OF which Shreveport is the metropons;
with goods made in other places. This
selling agents Commissions and a saving
n freight rates OF 50 to 20 cents per hun
dred pounds.
An expert computation OF the econonii-
cal advantages which slOOWo mill IN
Shreveport would enjoy Is here giveni
Coal, 4o-horse power at SIC per an
num morse power. ....s........ .''... sS'o"V
Cotton 2oo bales, sS.4s&. saved on
Freight on 1000 900 pounds product,
W cents per hundred saved.......... 1000
commissions al Per cent on 1.oOoocO
pounds worth $4,000. 0................. 1900
Taxes ..........,................ 100
Total saving .s26 200
Ihese ngures show clearly and accu-
rateiy where the dividend payments
would come from aside from the manu-
Iscturing profit on the goods. Labor is
plenty ana intelligent in Shreveport, and
climatic eonditlons ana reduced cost OF
Hving enable operatives 20 wefk-atiew
rates OF wages.
General Manufactures.
AL other things being equal, centres OF
production are the best locations for
transportation facilities. and its sources