The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1901-04-10
COL. JOHN B. PALMERS,

COL. JOHN Il. PALMERSs
Advice 10 South Carolina AgricuI.
Iural and Mechanical Society at
Its Meeting In April. 1869
The State.
The advantages possessed by the
south over the north in manufacture
ing cotton, may be stated briefly, to be:
~ An abundance of unoccupied
water power in every southern State.
(2) A mild climate. Fire, for heat
ing purposes, is only necessary for
from one to three months in the year,
Resinous heart pine wool can be pro-
cured at very low rates. We pay for
such wood delivered with one mile of
our factory, only 81 per cord, aud our
rotal expenses for fuel for, say two and
one-halt months in the year, is but
one-tenth of one cent per pound, when
charged to the manufactures OF those
months, while in the north it is about
one cent per pound OH the manufac-
lures of at least five months III the
| year.
~ Wages are, and must continue
tc be, comparatively low. The mild
ness of the climate, the abundance OF
lumber, and the cheapness of land. ell
ables the manufactures to provide their
operatives with inexpensive but COM
Portable houses aud large garden
plats. The country being AL agricul-
tural one, we must soon be able to
produce our provisions, while the
manufacturing districts of the north
must always depend upon the distant
west, and, 10 some extent, upon the
south for theirs.
(4) Operatives, Northern men, act
ing rs superitendents Of southern
mills, admit the superiority OF our fac
tory hands, who are remarkably fru-
gal and Industrious, aud who are
easily controlled.
(5) Freights are lower on yarns and
cloths than on lint cotton. There has
ueen q time, within the last three
wears, when a bale of cotton of $50
bounds, worth say $4,000, paid a
freight from Charleston to New York
or Phi ladilphia of $3.50 per bale,
which would be PIT per cent on
value while that cotton made into a
bale of 4UU pounds of No. 20 yarn,
worth say $l36, paid only 6O cents
per bale, or 44-lOO: per cent on value
"a difference is favor of the yarns OF
= IL per cent. The southern manu-
tacturer saver the freight on bagging,
rope aud other waste. This waste
can be manufactured into paper at the
south more cheapIy than at the north
and is consequently more valuable
here than there. Reclamation on
falsely packed or damaged cotton ls
easy and direct, aud we save the
burdensome northern charges for
storage, brokerage, etc.
support the positions by the follow
ing statement Of the actual cost or
manufacturing at Saluda cotton mills
rs shown by our books. 1t must be
reccollected that we have employed
in the manufacture of No. ~ yarn on
ly 1000 spindles Jerks ring
trevelers.) OF course, geater
number of spindles, or the production OF
yarns of lower number, would ensure
less cost per pound.
Labor-Superintendent 81, card
ing .56, spinning, 76 reeling 10 2,44
Repair-Labor and material ma
cninery nearly new } ............. -
Packing, bundling, etc, labor aud
material Observation-Disclosures. -
General eXpenses-Watch .l3,
hauling .32, findings .26, oil
Is, salaries GA, miscellaneous 81 2.O(
Total per pound..................-. 5.2l
Add-L0st by waste 45O pounds
of cotton costing 5000, max
ing but 400 pounds of yarn...... 2.3s
10 per cent. for wear and tear of
machinery, charged to produc-
ton per pound. nd..............."..... La
Total cost of manufacturing
cotton worth 2Oc per pound. VI
: Freights to New York or Phila-
|; dephia .65, Insurance 10 81
Cost cotton per pound ............ 20.0(
Total cost per pound of south
ern yarn (No. 20) delivered
in New York % 81
!, The very lowest estimate | have
seen of the cost of manufacur-
ing at the north places cost la
Dor, repair, packing and geneal
expenses at, per pound............ lo.2
J Loss by waste Cotton at 2Uc III
J Columbia would be OBJ in New
York $50 lbs cotton would
cost $l0l.25, and would make
400 lbs yarn ......................... Is
8 10 per cent. for wear and tear of
machinery OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES.
Total cost of manufacturing in
u the OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES. l4.5
n Add cost of cOtton..................". ia
r. Cost of No. 20 yarn manufactured
C at the rth............."."........ 36.S
+: Showing difference in favor of
r the south of, per pOund........... az
e Both using the same quality OF
cotton.
:. Deduct commiss ions, carriage, etc. -
d And we have net profit to the
southern manufacturers. pro-
vided he sells at the cost OF
northern prOductiOns........" h(
II A manufacturer of cotton yarns :rol
It Manchester, England, after looking
: our books, told ME that we manufa
:, tured cheaper than they did, by abol