The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1905-09-12

New Orleans, September S.-Secre-
tary Testers annual report was issued
in full today. He puts the cotton crop
for 1904-O5 at 13,5G5,SS 8 bales, all in
creas of 3,554,511 over that of 10000.
He says that compared with last
year, in round figures Texas including
Indian Territory has increased 100000
bales.
The group known as other gulf
states, consisting of Louisiana, Ar
kansas, Mississippi, Tennessee, Mis-
soul, Oklahoma, Utah, and Kansas a
increased 100000 and the group of At
1antic states, Alabama, Georgia, Flori-
da, North Carolina, South Carolina,
Kentucky and Virginia has gained l.
741,OOO.
He puts the average commercial
value of this crop at $46.31 per bale,
against $61.6S last year, and the total
Value of the crop at $62S, 195, 1853
against $617,5O ,54S last year and
- h',-C- thC SNbl "
Referring to values he gives details
of prices showing that taking the cot
ton belt as a whole, the highest figure
for middling was II 3-16 cents per
pound at the opening of the season in
September, and the lowest 6 1-2 cents
on the Doth of December, but says that
the crop as q whole averaged strict
1biddling, and that the average value
Mound Tuac - OO-1On non+c cnnl-
pared with II 15-1OO last year.
In reference to weight he puts the
average per bale at 515 $500 pounds,
showing Il gain over last year of 1885,
100. This crop, he says, is the heaviest
i'll weight per bale of any recorded, the
best previous having been 513.96 in
1889, the year of the largest previ-
Ously reported crop.
Mr.. Hester remarks that while every
crop has had it's distinctive features,
the story Of none is fraught with cir
CumStanceS so peculiar and interesting
as the one just marketed. 1t is not to
be wondered at that when in Deem
Der last the agricultural department
put forth an estimate pointing to more
than twelve and Il quarter million
bales, Il feeling akin to panic was felt
in every section of the cotton growing
states.
Mr.. Hester recites the manner in
which this monster crop has been han
died: how it has practically all been
marketed. avoiding a crash which
seemed at first inevitable, will remain
Il lasting monument to the cOnSeryat-
ism and cooperative power Of h
Southern people. In this great econo-
mic struggle, all elements Joined in the
victory.
Mr.. Hester makes the actual growth
for the season 13,S0O,OOO and says h
the recent report of the census bureau
of cotton ginned does not the en-
tire growth: that all of the years
growth a not been ginned, or il gin
ned. full returns therefor, have not
been made. Mr.. Hester pays high trl-
butte to the census bureau methods,
saying that it affords a mass of lnVal-
liable information to the cotton world
superior to ~ that has ever been put
forth, and that he is quite certain from
his own private information and con-
suItation with Director North that in
another season the bureau viii be able
to give almost an exact showing or the
actual growth.
He puts the spind&es in the south at
J,-OO,JtJ dSdl1SI C,oS~sooc IaS1 ~
The net gain in the number of south
ern mills over last year has been nj
teen. making the nunlber III. OI
these 100 have been in operation dur
ing the year, So are idle and 30 are IN
course of erection, 10 old and out or
date concerns, which ceased business,
having been crossed off the list.
In reference ito the general cotton
manufacturing industry in the United
States, Mr.. Hester says that American
mills north and south have had the
most active season on record, but While
the totals shows an excess in the num-
Der of bales of American cotton con-
sumed by domestic factories of $4,000
oyer last season, bringing the aggre-
gate to an amount never before reach
ed, it is more than $4,000 bales less
than it would have been with favOra-
BILE labor conditions. In the south the
growth of spindles continues on a
large scale, those in active mills haV-
ing increased S23, 1913, and there are
new mills in course of construction
and additions being made to old condl-
lions, embracing $4,000 spindles.
Mr.. Hester makes the consumption
of American cotton by Northern mills
lin round figures) 100000 bales,
which together with 2,164,O0O bales by
southern mills, makes an aggregate Tor
the United States of 4,364,OOO against
1,950,OO0 for the north last year and
100000 for the south, a total of 81