The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1900-05-17
ROUNDLAP BALE ABROAD
Compress Agent Hamilton Tells Of It's Grow
ine Popularity with Spiunefs.
Extracts from His New England ana
European Letters 60 HIS Employer.
MIR. G. q. Hanson.
Baltimore, May lo.-The Manufacturers
Record publishes the following:


Record publishes the following:
MIR. NJ. b. Hamilton. who recently re
turned from a trip through the spinning
districts OF New England and Europe IN
the interest OF the so-cslled standard
square bale, delivered an address before
the Alabama Compress Association in
birmingham. April rs, 1900, which, in
view OF the macs OF first-nand niormatiC,,
to the contrary in MIR. Hamiltons possess
sion, contained some remarkable state
mcnts
In the course of his remarks Mr.. Ham
ilton SAID Now you are accused IN
certain quarters Of INSCRIPTIONS methods
in trying to influence the farmer and gin
ner by bringing to their notice the monop-
oistic features Of the ound-bale comps
MES" He then continued "Will hey
sell their gins? (meaning presses). No,
Is their bale open to purchase on the
market except through their own com
psny? No. In nearly every instance do
they buy out the country glnner. and theS
themselves operate the plant2 Yes
Every one OF these assertions. 20 far as
they relate 10 the conduct of the Ameri.
can Cotton Co.'S business. Mr. Hamilton
should have known to be unfounded.
Open 10 Competition.
The fact has been widely advertised tn
Southern newspapers that this company's
presses are on the market for sale to any
glnner who chooses to buy. Every bala
put up by lessees on roundlap presses is
open to the competition OF every respon
sible cotton buyer In the South, aud
can be bought by any cotton buyer at the
premium paid by the American Cotton
Co.. and handled through to the mills with
u good margin OF profit. Neither is #
true that in nearly every instance the
American Cotton Co buys out the country
ginner and operates the plant" The vast
majority OF the 400 roundlap presses in the
South are leased by ginners on rental
which is repaid in the premium at which
roundlap bales are sold.
| In another part Of his address Mr. Ham.
ilton said "a make the assertion that In
most instances round bales have sold in
Europe at figures under current prices for
square bales" This is no more in az
cordance with the facts than Mr.. Hamil-
toms other assertion that the great majo--
lily or spinners who have tried round balee
were not satisfied. land say they will
not use round bales"
mr.. Hamilton's Travels.
Some Of the square bale men who retail
transformation about the round bale may
be pardoned on the ground that they get
their data at second hand. Mr.. Hamilton
cand hardly plead that excuse. He was
gent through New England an3 European
press interest whose empioye he is. fos
the especial purpose OF learning what
progress the round bale has made at tho
mills and to talk up the so-caled standard
square bale. Having made an investiEa-
ton extending over several months during
the busiest part of the cotton season, II
would be strange indeed If Mr.. Hamilton
did not acquire some correct information
on the subjec. OF his quest. And so he
tn Mr.
Hanson. secretary OF the Alabama and
Georgia Compress Association. and him,
self the manager OF a number OF com.
presses In those states,
Boston Favors Round Baies.
In a circular letter sent out December
II, 1899, MIR. Hanson quotes letter from
Mr.. Hamilton written in Boston about De
cemher 6 to this effect; Boston is with
out doubt. In favor OF the round bale sys
tenn, and am told by many large buyers
of cotton that the spinners are well
pleased with the American roundlap pack.
age"
$50 far, Boston has used 100. 900 so,lrd,
lap bales, that is to say, this number
OF round bales have passed into the hands
of splnners."
I'm some instances premium Of one,
quarter cent per pound has been paid
here for round bales over square bale
prices. | have yet to meet a man whg
says the roundlap bale has proven unsat,
istactory to spiuners.''
In another circular letter. dated Decem
Der H. 1890, Mr. Hanson quotes letter
from Mr.. Hamilton written in Boston un.
der date Of December = as follows: "My
trip to the mill using the American Cot
ton Co.'S roundlap bale was most interest,
ing and Instructive. The treasurer and
superintendent at Taunton devoted thre-
hours TO ME. and I beg leave to give below
my experience and impressions
Saw Roundup Bales UnInp.
''The warehouse was first visited. On
one side were stored irreguar-s'zC
(squarej bales. AID must admit III.
poorly covered, ragged bady-compressed
Gotten was a discouraging sight. On the
other side were round bales in tie SAME
condition as when turned out at the gin
. standing one upon another, compactly
stored. and a saving Of 30 per cent was
claimed by the treasurer should say
mot over 90 per cent. The superintendent
stated that the labor OF one man was
saved in weighing round bales as com
pared to square. Loss In weight on the
: round bales is very slight.
I'VE then went TO the picker-rooni.
! Three round bales were quickly stripped
of their covering and a small iron Tcf
was run through tile center They were
> then put on the apron which has stand'
, for four round bales, the ends Of tn'
rods fitting into an axle, The machine :
Z was started, and to my surprise the bale
turned and unlspped as perfectly rs the
lap nj the GIN, and rolled oh IN regular
: layers. passing into the breaker and mix
err The breaker was opened for me
: and saw steel fingers tearing the layer
. OF he three bales into loose cotton an
mere perfectly m'xiag them tran ,9l
he done with careless human dngers. The
objection. therefore made by some spin
ners as to mixing round bales is don't
D away with by this ingenious device, anc
: four bales can be mixed By machinery a
, the time they are being GIened. Their
We're no .rd cares in thu bales ] SAY
: worked. The covering on he round bals
weighed three pounds waste.
square Bales Great waste.
: "a square bale was then opened III
: bagging weighed fourteen and one-hai
pounds, ties eight pounds--equai 10 twen
Iiy-two and one-hali pourds Wafte.
asked what they obtained for the haggin
and ties. and was shoHn contract 70
e a year at one-balf cent per pound 10
n tagging end thirty cents per zoo p5unG
fer ties. The cotton from the square bai
IS mixed by hand and then thrown on 70
= apron. THE unlapping Of the round pal
I saves opening and picking.
i "Mr Swazey, treasurer Of the Eliza
|. beth Poole Mill told me he gave one-quar
ter OF cent per pound premium TOT "a
American roundlap cotton
Ts this not remarkable language, cam