The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1907-01-02
CLOSER BALTNG
OF OUR COTTON SUGGESTED BY
THE sPINNERS.
1t Would Bring About a Great Saw
ing in Ger and Ship space
in Shipping.

roads Of the country to do something
to relieve the situation In regard to
the shortage Of cars is soon to be one
OF the important matters before the
interstate commerce commission, q
solution OF the problem may be at
hand in the suggestion made few
days ago by q. W. McAlister, chair
man of the Lancashire cotton inVes.
tigation committee. BE came Gc this
country early in November to make
further inquiry into the methods OF
baling and transporting cotton. he
says that this Is one Of the most seri
ous matters that copfronts the bust
ness men Of the country today and
that it is not confined to any one
State OF section, but that al are alike
| affected. In the South it Is cotton
that Is unable to move, in the West
it is cattle. and in other sections diff
erent commodities, but that the same
shortage is felt everywhere. To the
railroad companies he says It is equal
ly as serious 3 matter bY reasc1 Of the
elormous capital that would have to
be expended to supply the deficiency
In cars.
Mr.. NcAhster further says that
the only cure for the present condition
Of affairs is the initiation Of scheme
to effect an Improvement in the bsHng
Of cotton. 1.-The form Of the bale OF
cotton made at present." he says, lis
80 irregular and it's density so light
that 1t ocoupiesitoo much space. A
standard freight car will under pres
ent conditions carry twenty. five bales
from the gin to the point Of discharge
at the compress, and after compres.
sion the same car will carry fifty bales
to the chipping port. I advocate the
establishment Of presses at the gin
they are capable OF baling cotton to a
density Of thirty five pounds per cubic
foot and Of making the bale Into such
8 form Of standard dimensions as will
enable . freight car to carry 100 bales
Of cotton instead Of tie nunbsr above
stated.
THE saving TO the railway comps
MES in capital expenditure, upon
freight cars, in depreciation (,enewal
Of pla7t, IN cost Of repair in shorter
trsins, in the reduction Of cost in the
matter Of delays In having to unship
cotton st compress points, and to re.
ship the same, in the reduction In the
number Ct short hsul TRAINS and in
an increase of "long hauls," In the
number Of locomotives used to move
standard lengths OF trsins all these
can cnly be calculated by men versed
In railway management.
"It Is admitted generally tnst there
Is no crop 10 the country OF such value
which is treated so badly in the mat
ter Of exposure to weather IS the cot
ton crop, and attention was dawn to
this at the meeting Of the cotton
spsnners and planters that took place
In Washington last May. The mem
hsrs OF the Southern Cotton Associa.
tion and others expressed their inten-
tion to tske measures TO remedy the
evil by building warehouses. II the
question Of saving space is considered
In the light OF the comparative space
occupied in freight car above indi-
Gated, the saving OF cost In warehouse
accommodation must be patient to all
concerned.
1.-THE same conditions apply to own.
erS Of steamships. A vessel whose
present capacity is, say, 5000 bales OF
cotton, would Gerry 1900. These
savings in the aggregate would amount
to millions Of dollars annually, snd
every one connected with the trade:
from the producer to the last consu1n'
er, would benefit by the change"