The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1899-11-21
REGARDING THE LEAKAGE AS To THE
COTTON CROP REPORT.
THE DEPARTMENT NOT AT FAULT
The Report Given to BOTH Telegraph
Companies Western Union Admits
Its Culpability I'm Delay i'm Transmits
sion to New York Exchange n
Postal ONCE at Washington Gives IL
% other Per-on-when Not Called For
BY Exchange Operator AMER Notice.

New York, November 1.-THE board
Of managers Of the New York cotton
exchange IS investigating the reports
that persons interested in the cotton
exchanges lave received advance in
formation from the governments latest
estimate OF the cotton crop. Superln-
tendent King. OF the exchange, today
made pubic a letter from John HYDE.
statistician Of the department Of agri-
culture at Washington dated Novem-
Der 10th, in which he says:
Il replied at ms TO your telegram
Of h 14th instant, TO the effect that
the supplementary statement issued
that day with regard TO the cotton
crop was given TO the two telegraph
companies at u:55 o'clock a. m. I
might ave added that they were in
formed Of its coming at Least an hour
in advance. If, therefore, 1t did not
reach the cotton exchange until PAS
o'clock .. m. nearly three hours had
elapsed between its being given To the
telegraph companies and its reaching
your office, and nearly fou hours be-
tween the telegraph companies being
informed that the statement was to be
made n such delivery.
THE reason for making the statement
is found, as stated in the circular Itself.
in the fact that the departments pre-
iiminary estimates AVE frequently
been much below the actual facts, and
il was desired that il should be prop
erly understood that the department
fully recognize this fact, and was talk
ing every precaution against its recur-
M u0l tha
itself with letting the statement appear
in the course of a few days, in it's
printed report it might either nave fail
ed to attract attention or ave given
some persons an advantage over others,
by reason of the fact that the printed
report is issued in SO large an edition
hat its distribution extends over sew
eral days. By handing it, therefore,
to the Western Union and Postal Tel
egraph Companies, it was expected
that the most prompt n general pub
! licity would be given to it through
| cotton exchanges.
THE two companies were notified
not later than IL o'clock that a state
| menI would be given to them, and @
11:55 O'Clock their representatives were
in possession OF it.
THE local OF the Western
Union informs the department that the
transmission of the statement was de-
layed by an oversight which seems to
have been in the nature of a misun-
Outstanding between two operators,
while the Postal Telegraph Company
state that they asked their operator
ait the New York cotton exchange Of
he wanted it and receiving no answer
they gave it out elsewhere.
The department does not take
5000, 900 bales as the possible maxi
mum, as some OF it's critics have charg-
ed. 1t merely states that while pres
ent indications do not exceed those
figures, yet in view of the experience
of the past the crop may urn out to
be as large as $500, 900 bales.
In view Of the failure of the state
ment OF Tuesday to reach you prompt
ly, l certainly will advise you in flu
ture when any statement Is to be is
sued aside from the regular statement
on the 10th Of the month and the print
ed statement which follows it, but in
handing Tuesdays statement stimuli
taneously to the two rival companies
whose service on the 10th of the month
is usually so satisfactory it was GER
tainly felt that everything was done
to insure prompt and general publica-
ton Of the statement to every one in
tereSted."
The cotton exchange has received a
report from the Washington branch
of the Western Union Company, which
practically assume responsibility for
the delay in sending out the state
ment. The cotton manage
of the Postal Telegraph Company, de-
MES that their representative at Wash
ington inquired whether the report
was wanted at this end. The telegraph
companies, it is believed, are con-
Quoting examinations on their own &C
oun