The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1910-06-22
COTTON PLATFORM SITUATION.
Action OH Matter Deferred Till Tues
day 2Sth Inst.

The Board of County Commission
ers met in extra session on Friday
for the purpose Of considering the cot
ton platform situation the warehouse
company having served notice that
the present contract would no longer
be acceptable to them.
Besides the County Commissioners
representatives Of the warehouse, and
the two weighers were present. Mr.
Pitts stated the object Of the meeting,
and expressed the hope that nothing
would be said or done that would in
jure in anyway the Sumter cotton
market.
Mr.. Manning spoke for warehouse
Company and stated that the company
had no intention of going back on the
ten year agreement they have with the
county, but desired a contract with the
weighers that would be fair to all
parties, and the matter should be gone
into in business-lke way. He stated
warehouse company from time to time
that made matters very disagreeable
md annoying, so last September no.
| tice was served upon the board that
| the present arrangement would have
to be changed. One matter that had
been brought to his attention was the
| excessive sampling of the cotton on
| the platform, after the cotton is
weighed This he stated came out of
| the producer, for the limits made for
| this place were based upon the short
age in weights at the other end.
The arrangement with the weighers
| about clerk hire is also unsatisfactory.
When the contract was made there
were three weighers, whereas there
are only two now. The two weighers
now get so per cent more than they
| did before the number was reduced.
| There has been complaint on the
part of farmers at not being able to
find the weighers when they were
wanted.
The contract with the weighers was
what they wanted overhauled and
they wanted that done without fric-
ton. AS 1t Is there is no one respon-
sible for DOSAGE, and about $1,000 to
| $1,000 year is lost in misplaced cot
| ton.
| He stated that the sale of samples
every year amounted to a great deal;
that the party who usually bought
them told him it was a very large
| amount.
Messrs. ODonnell and Levi both
stated that the weighers sampled the
cotton for the purpose of checking up
| the gr-des; that very often they could
| not personally see the bales and in
such cases it was not unusual for the
seller of the bale to use sample from
another bale. The ground was taken
that the weigher had no authority to
do such a thing, as his sphere was to
| decide a difference between the buyer
and seller, and not to act as a detec-
| tive.
The warehouse company submitted
a contract that they wanted adopted
requiring the weigher to check up
and deliver to the warehouse company
every night all cotton on the plat
form; 1t also left out the 5000 for
! clerk hire. Mr.. Reid stated that he
was willing to give up part of the
$500 If the other weigher would, but
| that it was not satisfactory to the 9th
er weigher.
Some confusion arose when the ex-
| listing contracts with the warehouse
company and with the weighers were
read, and after a conference on the
part of the warehouse men it was de-
| cided to defer action on the whole
matter until the 2Sth inst, when COM
mittees from all the interested parties
Will meet and adjust the whole mat
| ter.