The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1910-09-23
MILLS ARE HARD HIT.
Mill Men Are All Anxi0uSly Hoping
for Better TimeS-Machlnery
Standing Idle.
Anderson Mail.

7inues and local mill men say they
do not see much prospect of a change
for the better in the immediate 1u-
ture
All the mills in this section closed
down for two weeks during the sum-
mer, in general agreement to cur
tail the output OF goods. Most OF the
mills have been running regularly
ever since, but as matter if fact few
if anv of the mills have had all OF
their machinery running at one time
in months. Other mills have run all
their machinery for four or FIVE days
in the week. and stood idle for the rest
,af the time. Nearly every mill in this
section that is running on apparently
full time has part of its machinery
standing idle.
The curtailment in this manner has
been from ten to thirty per cent, anu
there is no prospect of change IN
conditions soon.
The mill men all say the price OF
goods is lower than is warranted oS
the price of cotton. They have oeep
unable to find a market for goods at
a profit based on the price OF ra" co1-
ton. The mills manufacturing the
heavier grades of goods, both cloth ana
warns, have been the ones to be haro-
est hit.
The Gluck mills, which manutac-
lures a. fine grade of cloth from long
staple cotton, has been able to sno"
some profit, but few if any OF the
mills running on short staple cotton
have been able to make a pront IN
months. Some, it is frankly admitted
have lost money. This condition is
general It is not confined to any par
ticular mill in any particular LOCALITY.
Mill men say that the average mill
could break even if cotton were SELL
ing at 12 cents pound and the price
Of goods should go no lower. But cot
ton has been selling for more than Is
cents per pound for months, and there
seems no prospect for lower cotton
anv time soon. The present crop, 1t IS
aereed now, will not be large one.
The only thing the mill men hope for
is rise in the price of goods, and tnls'
thew think, will come sooner or later
though it does appear to be a long
time coming. But the continued cur
tailment of the output will gradually
reduce the surplus stock Of goods, the
mill men believe, and this will make
for better prices.
Some of the mills have been running
without a profit for year or more
and of course the stockholders and Of
ficers are getting tired OF this sort OF
thing. It would have been better, from
a. purely money standpoint, if some OF
the mills had shut down six months
ago, but they have been kept running
on part time in the hope that condl-
tions would change. The officers hg-
ured that it would cost about as much
TO close down Indefinitely as to keep
running, for when the mill would shut
down the operatives would leave and
the organization would be lost, and II
would be very expensive and trouble
some to collect a new force OF opera
t;ves again if conditions should get
better. 1t was this consideration alone
that has kept so many of the mills run-
ming.
The local mill men all admit that
conditions are bad, but they think this
State of affairs can not continue for
long, and they are as optimistic as
could be expected under the circun1'
stances. At the same time they are
watching the goods market with q
great deal of anxiety. They are watch
ing the goods market with more an
xiety than they are watching the co..
ton market.
Several of the local mills have had
part of their machinery standing idte
for some time, and this is true OF
practically all the other mills in the
South. The Riverside and ToxaNay
mills ran full time for only part OF
last week. The Toxaway mills start
eG up at noon today, after standing idle
for several days, and will run for part
or perhaps all the week. The Ri~er-
side mills, it was stated today, would
start up again in a few days. The mills
will have to run, in order to fill con-
tracts that have been made. and in
order to give the operatives as much
employment as possible. About the