The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1903-12-09
COTTON GlNNED TO NOVEMBER IL.
important Report Of the Census
Bureau issued Wednesday,
Nearly Three Million Bales
Less Than Last Year.

bureau has issued report on Jhe
quantity of cotton ginned from the
growth of 1903 up to and including
November IA, showing total commercial
bales of TOTO, 427. Of these 6,519, 332
were square bales and SO, 555 sea
island crop bales. There were %, 506
ginneries operated this season up to
and including November Il.
The cotton ginned in 1902, as report
ed by the census bureau, was 1925, 872
commercial bales up to December Is.
Counting round bales, the number this
year is 6,S51, 1872 In this report no
account has been taken of the quantity
of linters obtained by the cotton seed
oil mills from reginned cotton seed
of this years growth, but statistics Of
such cotton will be included in the
final report for this season.
This report will be followed by two
others, showing the quality of cotton
ginned from the growth of this year
to December l3, 1903, and to January
16, 1904.
No estimates are given Of the amount
of cotton remaining unginnad. The
census agents were asked to submit
these estimates, but the census bureau
las not even computed them as return
ed, turning them over to the bureau of
statistics of the department Of agricul-
ture to aid that office in the annual esti-
mate of the cotton crop to be issued
tomorrow. The reason for this, as an
nounced by the census bureau, is that
when the final reports were received a
year ago. it appeared that the esti-
mates of the agents made in October.
we're 6 4-10 per cent short of the actual
crop grown. A margin of error so
large as that, is equal to the difference
between a short crop and a normal
crop, and, under the peculiar condi-
tions existing in the cotton market
today, the census bureau does not feel
warranted in publishing any figures in
which so large an element Of error
may exist again. The policy of CO.
operation between the census and the
agricultural department. is adopted on
the recommendation of Secretary
Cortelyou of the department of COM
merce and labor, to avoid conflicting
reports as far as possible.
The census bureau announces that
it ought to be possible in the January
I6 report, "tc cover practically the
entire cotton crop of 10000, and this
will be two months earlier than we
were able to do year ago. It is to
be regretted, in view of the cotton
siuatiop, that no canvass correspond
ing to the one now reported, was made
by the census Office year ago.
AS to the call for estimates of cotton
unginned in the several counties, al
though it was not intended to use them
in this report, the bureau says: "We
desire to ascertain by practical test,
whether it is possible for the special
agents to make such estimates, at
different periods during the progress
of the harvest, which can be relied
upon as sufficiently accurate to be of
value to the public.
Tt is possible that with their in
creasing experience these agents can
come nearer to the fact than in 1902.
We can definitely asceratin the fact
when the full returns of this season
are received. and The results compared
with their estimate.
The statistics of the cotton ginned
ito November Is, by States:
Alabama 743, 539 total commercial
bales. embracing 69l, 153 square bales
and :52, 1885 round bales, active ginner-
ies:3, ,797; Arkansas 406, 393 total COM
mercial bales, embracing 378, 663 square
bales and ;27,730 round, active ginneries
.2,468; Florida 80, IA commercial bales,
embracing g, 379 square bales and 16,
765 sea island crop bales, active gin
neries ,26a; Georgia 992, e53 total COM
mercial bales, embracing 938, 535
square bales, 1858 round bales and
Is, sea island crop bales, active
ginneries ABB; Indian Territory
G72,T93 total comercial bales, embrac-
ing 132, ,5@ square bales and 40. 199
round bales. active ginneries 485; Kan
sas, no retuacs Kentucky, total COM
mercial bales:.D8, all square bales, &C
tive ginneries 9; Louisiana, total COM
mercial bales 510, ,4944, including 462, ATT
sqnare bales and 48, OH round, active
ginneries 2, 098; Mississippi, total COM
mercial bales 929, $50, including ss8,
3s5 square bales and Al, 345 round, ac-
tive ginneries a1,07; Missouri, total
commercial bales 22,294, embracing
$1,000 square bales and 1886 round
bales, active ginneries 10; North Caro-
liza, total commercial bales 407, 299,
embracing 4o7, 122 square and n round
tales. active ginneries 2,652; Oklahoma
total commercial bales 116, 639, en-
bracing a0o,,399 square bales and le, 24o
round bales, active ginneries ..227 !;
South Carolina. total commercial bales
625, GIL embracing e2l, 306 square and
4,305 sea islaad bales, active ginneries
3,l47; Tennessee. total commercial
bales 163, 1873, embracing l49, .726 square
and Is, 462 round bales, active ginner-.
les 756: Texas, total commercial bales
l, 932, $40. embracing LOO, 072 square
and 232. Al round bales active ginner-
les 4.412: Virginia, total commercial
bales 7,744, all square, active ginneries
Charlotte, n. c., Dec. l.-Cyrus
Don, young white man, was hanged
at Trenton, N. c., today for the muir
der in March, 1901, Of Godfrey WebbeT.
The trap was sprung at l. 10 p. m.. and
death resulted fifteen minutes after