The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1900-02-04
TWENTY-SIX PAGES
THE ADVANCE IN COTTON.

Nov that cotton hes reached the a-con
mark, and with tho strong statistical situI
alton made apparent to even the mosI
ardent Nelll follower. tho New Yorl
brokers and spectators are advising thu
South not TO sell tho remnant OF It's crod
at present prices. but to hold for highei
values.
There Ia GO little unsold cotton left I'D
the country that It seems rather absurd I'd
see the market manipulstors going into
quite possible that those who are giving
tho South advice !ust now are not alto
gether dsnterested. It would be the
height OF folly for any farmer or country
merchant who has held his cotton this
long, and who is In need OF money, to re-
fuse present prices for the staple. Eight
cents Is tho hlghes. quotation that has
been recorded H. the cotton markets for
many yearg. II Is C. splendid prioe for the
farmers product and is cents a pound,
o. slb per bale more than he received at
one time last season. The present valua-
and big demand. and It is quito possible
that even higher prices may be seen be-
fore the summer ends. When Il Ia re-
rnembered however, that there has been
an advance Of u OF q cent In less than a
month, the conservative man will atop Ia
consider II this rapid gain In values is moi
partly due to manipulation, and to wonder
whether a further upward movement Just
at this time might not put the market In
a dangerous position.
The Post does not advise any man "a
sell the cotton he may now own. for every
man should decide such q matter for him
SELF. II he has thoroughly informed him
self OF the situation. and feels confident
that there will be such scarcity of the
staple few months later as 10 max. n
command much better price, and II his
financial position makes it possible for
him to hold without any Inconvenience. he
may well take his stand for what he con
'iders Just valuation OF cotton under
present circumstances. When one takes
into consideration. however. that the
smallness OF the worlds cotton supply
may not be fully apparent until the frat
or June. and that 1t will cost about "a
points, or y OF a cent, to carry the staple
In warehouses for the next four months
no Is likely to conclude that holding for
s& or cents per pound may not be worth
inc trouble. the expense and the anxiety.
II Is to be regretted that Scent cotton
mas come 40 late in the season, when COM
paratiysly few OF those who own the
staple can profit by the advance. The ocn-
oitions that are now go apparent to every
one we're known by tho South months ago.
but spectators and spinners refused to be-
lievs the short crop stories that were told
Tnoss manufacturers who are without an
adequate supply OF the staple have had q
rude awakening aud are paying dearly for
their reliance upon Mr.. NELL and his kind
Inc farmer has won the victory this year,
ana Nsillism IL doubtless at an end.
anpf no one was Injured, The create.
crash came when the Congress avenue vain
fell, the cornice and brick being seattereS
across the street, covering the hose and
cutting several sections OF H.
As soon the danger overhead had been
removed by the falling Of the walls the
men were enabled to work closer in ON
the flames and they stood in the doorways
and fought the creeping tongues OF FIRE as
they licked the ceiling overhead. All
night they were kept at the work, and as
soldiers on firing light. fought hard 10
keep back the advancing foe, SO did the
defenders OF the clty's property stand be-
fore the advancing flame ard hght hack
the greedy are which craved for morn
property TO devour. Hose wagons were hur-
ried here and there to get equipment for
The contest, and men and horses were
taxed 70 the limit OF endurance.
Those who like to watch pretty nre
say one, although its beauty vanished
when the citizen began to think al the
property which was destroyed. Flames
leaped heavenward. and billows az smoke
rolled across TO the east. while popping
timbers gave forth fireworks report.
The beauty Of large IRE Is forgotten
shen the citizen now looks at the yacsnt
corner where but yesterday wholesale
sssfhc n M small proportions was IN.
pYeerets.
M, JAKE Kciler was seen By ! rsporser
81 Tho Post during the progress Of he
~ Ha ssld that three weeks ago ii,