New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-06-12
IHE PRINT CLOTH MARKET.
LsxTEsaRkPH TO THE TRIBUSE.I


ssSu River. Mass. Juns u,-Sales in the cloth
tuas4zsa were Light this week. the fluctuations In
bottom doing much 10 prevent and delay the con-
ruu1Enzflon Of the few trades IN sight The market
b noutaslly the basis OF 81 cents for regulars.
but II any orders were at hand for 2s inch esxs6s
they could be filed slightly lower basis. The
de-aAnd for printers goods OF any kind has amount
az 20 noching practically and they are the only
goods OF which there IS any scarcity.
Yerorts have been current for some time that
large stocks were being carried In this market but
an estimate made here by Trustworthy parties
shows q stock OF less than million and quarter
pieces OF which onehalf consists Of prinrers goods
and corvertibles- The parties referred 20 DO not
think any thousand pieces OF regular goods could
be picked up for .mmeciats delivery, and they say
the stocks OF the ether kinds Of narrow pr1ntsrs
goods have not been allowed 20 aocuur1iate much.
As an instance IN point. II was shown that one
local mill which has been running nearly fun for
three month has not accumulated four thousand
p;eces OF goods and they OF q staple character
Rather than store goods the mills have been
closed, and the only serious accumulation com
planned OF is IN wide goods, for which the demand
has been slow for some time. The expectation Of
manufacturers now IS that after the prices for
staple sheetings and cambrios are made next week.
On q basis much lower than the one which has
been prevailing, business viii become somewhat
steady and trading viii be more active.
The difficulty Of the last few weeks has been that
buyers have not dared 10 touch contracts largely,
not knowing what staples were 70 open az, and II
being impossible 20 discount the influence OF cotton
Manufacturers are not looking now for anything
better than l0-cent cotton IN the new crop, al
though the future board has been lower and IL VIII
be possible trade with them on contracts be-
low t4at figure. and possibly not within cent and
half OF IT,
The problem OF most consequence TO rnanufsctur-
for the moment is how to reach basis Of cost
OF manufacture which VIII permit the mills 10 run
more steadily. For the present some mills which
have been making changes VIII remain closed. but
when they resume operations they VIII start Up on
q lower basis Of cost IN the weaving department.
and possibly IN some other departments In some
nils where these changes have been going m for
a year more the operatives have accepted the
situation philosoplncally, and are becoming accus-
toned 10 allowing the machines to do a large part
OF the work Of weaving. Because OF changes in
methods which have been made IN operating some
mills they have been enabled steadily, and
while The number Of operatives has been l6duced
the wages OF the remainder high those
current IN most OF the neighboring mills. II has
been asserted IN the last week that II some mills
could get their cost down a half cent a pound ie-
low the present basis. they would resume opera
uons IN ilil, and maintain that schedule for the
rect OF The cotton year. The sales are esti-
Islee az 10000 pieces and the market Is quiet. but
'iiih' on q basis Of 81 cents for regulars