New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1903-12-05
WILL CURT.4ILNENT.
Smaller Output of Cotton Cloth
Trg6d North and South.

r-- Dee THAT a widespread curtailment
~ --r7-ctfo- by cotton mills in the United States
viii be- found necessary in the next few months, on
account II Tie great cost Of the raw material. is
-1-- r-tricr Of leading mill men in this city. The
market for finished material has been unsatis-
factory for months, and prices have not risen
,--res7ouEinEIy with those Of cotton Il Is said
-1s- the greatest sufferers VIII be the owners and
r-----fvaz of the smaller mills. The cotton mills
f- Nav-FnrIsns employ fully I75 900 hands. So 90
m whom mostly in Southern New England, have
accepted cut q 10 per cent IN wages this fall.
and 1900 others viii probably be informed Of a
cat within The next two weeks.
A meeting Of Southern manufacturers has been
called for Tuesday Of next week, and If policy
cf widespread curaiulent is adopted. il viii have
-ruch influence on the future action in large New
England mll centres II is expected that if the
S0utheneTs decide 10 cUTJail II viii induce large
number Of Northern manufacturers especially in
Fan River ard Rhode Island, 10 stop their spindIes
J. no agreement is reached il the South, there is
lirrl= likelihood ~ -r understanding among North
e- uil owners. as whole.
Arnold r. Sanford. president Of the American
Cotton Exchange here. says:
The situation is very serious and the outlook
--S 2. r-e4 go ae-ll- cannot see any thing
fronting -he industry the worst in many years.
i-e mills EIl not manufacture at q loss. They
OH PSI. therefore. rurtsl production and reduce
W1seS This viii result, undoubtedly. in great suf-
Ta- one ,hng TO be done 10 save the situation is
-lr -he nlaHufa e-urers Of New England and the
nd Break the present speculation by not buying
cotton.
seldom in the history Of the business has it been
So tl l- -or The manufacturers their selling
Ec ms ro make terms acceptable 10 buyers and
s-lrtr-. This has been the cause Of the poor de-
r-a-1 and the poor prices Reduced prices and
cle-6 wages seem 10 be The only way TO meet the
situation
Several mill 1reasLrers here to-day predicted
---t m extensive curtailment is inevitable. Dis
patches tonight from Fan River indicate some
r--aasress there and that curtailrnent is feared
II was announced. however, that the goods market
s. somewhat stronger with prices shade higher
fr- Tue cloth.
should no general curtailment in eW-Englaud
D. agreed upon during the winter il is thought
that orly the mills that financially the strong
e-- Will be- able 10 keep all their machinery in
ore ration
There are about 800 cotton mills in the United
States. with nearly 100000 spindles. OF this
ure- $40 mills with nearly 400 600 spindles.
81 New-En-land. About 2Is2O03 tsles Of cotton
consumed annually IN the Northern States
W-=l The mills all running.
Providence. Dec 1.-The apparent uncertainty in
1fe textile industry and continued high prices Of
cotton make general curtailrnent appear in
eEl--rle ln this section this winter With the ex-
cepuol o. one agent the opinion was unanimous
pa would be- suicidal 70 attempt 10 run the
factories when every yard OF the product repre-
seE-- margin Of loss. They said that cousidera-
t"r nv The operatives had kept many mil owners
from closing their "a ctories-