The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-09-10
THE PRINT CLOTH MARKET.
Great Improvement in Trade Re
ported From Fall River.

FALL RIVER. Mass. Sept 9.-The re-
ports received yesterday at the Offices of
the cloth brokers show a wonderful i'm
proyement in the tone of the local mar
ket. The sales were very heavy, and it
is estimated that they will reach 1.25O.-
900 pieces. the greatest record here in
many a day. This amount includes the
500 GOO purchase OF NJ. c. d. Bord n
early in the week and a lot of 250,CG0
pieces bought yesterday by the Passaic
Print Works. All went at the prevail
ing quotation of 2 rs cents. and. while
the margin of profit is small at that
price. the mill men were satisfied to
sell for they regard the cash as more
desirable than the cloth, now that they
are about TO go into the market for cot
ton The total sales up to Friday night
amounted to 500. 0G0 pieces. and the man
ufacturers were about to call that a
good weeks business. as it is little short
OF the production Of a month. There
was a demand at once yesterday morn
ing and small lots aggregating 40. 90
pieces were disposed Of
Edward E. Poor, Treasurer of the Pas
sale Print Works. then appeared and
bought up $50, 600 pieces. In speaking
of the purchase he said
While the general conditions in the
printed fabric market do not seem to
warrant a price higher than . IL cents
for regular goods, the tone of the cotton
market has been such that print cloths
cannot drop below 2 rs cents" He ex-
pressed a Willingness o buy all he will
require for several mo- his a that figure
1t has been cOntended for some~t time
past by those who had been figuring
closely that a break was due. They said
that the printers were running short and
would soon come into the market, no
matter what the rate. They were right
and NJ c. d. Borden was the first to
make the break. He could see no chance
for lower values in the near future and
made his big deal Other large printers
who had been holding of came in for
the same reason. Many manufacturers
are now willing to unload much of their
cloth at the present rate. but many VIII
hang on to their goods in the hope that
a continuation OF the strong demand will
cause higher prices The fact that there
had been no demand since March goes
far toward restoring confidence. The
slump in cotton and the action of Eng
llsh millmen are regarded as good omens
for business here.
All talk OF wage reduction has ceased.
The directors of two mills met the day
after Mr.. Borden's purchase, and voted
to have nothing to do with the agitation.
The next day the paper being circulated
among treasurers calling for united
action in the effort to secure a lower
wage schedule was withdrawn, and it is
probably buried for a long time. There
may be further curtailment, and this will
depend to a large extent on next weeks
business. There is some talk of indie
pendent curtailment, but it is probable
that if there is any at all it will be by
general agreement. With the margin as
it stands at present, there is practically
no profit in filling orders, and therefore
some favor the curtailment to clean up
the stock and push the price higher All
things considered, the outlook is ex-
ceedingly bright, and there seems no
reason why the mills should not enjoy
a prosperous winter. The market is
very firm at 2 rs cents for regulars.