Imperial Valley press., 1914-09-29

purposes have brought representatives
of the cotton interests Of the Impe-
rial Valley to Los Angeles for a con-
ference this forenoon at the Chamber
Of Commerce. Attention will be Civ
en- first to the marketing of this sea-
sons cotton crop of 10000 bales, val
ued at s4,500,000. The next move
will be a campaign to interest capi-
tai to establish cotton mills in Los
Angeles, San Francisco and San Die
20 to take care of all future cotton
crops in the valley.
The outlook for accomplishing both
objects is regarded as favorable by
men who arrived yesterday from the
cotton district. The presence of at
least three cotton buyers, one each
from Chicago. Memphis and Japan,
will give interest TO this mornings
conference.
An informal preliminary conference
was held yesterday morning at the
Hollenbeck by John Foster Manning,
secretary of the Imperial Valley
Chamber of Commerce; E. P. Riggle,
secretary of the Imperial Valley Long
Staple Cotton Growers Association,
and w. Compton of the First Nation
al Bank of Seeley.
w. f. Whsle of FL Centre, pres
ident of the Cotton Growers Associ-
ation, and about six other large cotton
growers from the valley, are expect
ed TO be present at the meeting to-
day. The visitors will seek to inter
est the Chamber of Commerce in their
cause at once.
"The buy-a-bale plan is working too
slowly to relieve the acute situation
in the valley" Mr.. Manning declared
yesterday at the Hollenbeck. "Our
purpose is to interest eastern buyers
to take our present crop. The cotton
crops of the South are moving. We
are having trouble for the reason that
our output is not large enough to at
tract buyers to our isolated location
without extra effort.
''Finest i'm the World.
Imperial Valley cotton is the fin
est ir the world. Our product has
the United States records and won
the $1,000 Silver Cotton Trophy in
New York. We have been encour-
Jagged by receiving kilograms from sew
eral eastern buyers, who said they
would be present to attend tomorrow's
meeting"
Mr.. Manning said that one of the
principal objects of the present gath
ering of representatives of the cotton
interests of the valley is to urge the
necessity of establishing cotton mills
in Los Angeles, San Francisco and
San Diego, and of enlargfng the mil
at Oakland, the only one in Califor-
Inia. He explained that the growers
are seeking, not only temporary re.
lief, but a permanent market for theil
product near at hand.
'The question of moving this year,
crop, while serious, will be a bless.
ing if it results in the establishment
of az least three mills on the Pacifi,
Coasr," Mr.. Manning continued. "ThC
only logical solution of the problem
is to establish mills near at hand e
supply the millions of dollars worth
of cotton goods now consumed on the
Coast, the cotton for which travel.
10000 miles.
"UEder normal conditions Imperial
Valley and Baja California could fur.
Inish 100000 bales of cotton whics
could be manufactured and placed t.
the fands of the purchasing public
Saving at least S1,O0O,OOO a year over
lgoods brought from the East.
| "San Diego is little bit ahead OF
Los Angeles in its interest in cottor
mills. Three acres of land have beer
donated by the southern city. Will,
this is not sufficient, the offer con.
stitutes definite move and shows an
Interest in the project"
Great Demand Here.
| According to Mr.. Manning's figure.
there are 106 large department store.
in twenty-one of the more importan.
cities on the Coast, the largest cs.
Establishments being in Los Angeles
San Francisco, Oakland, San Diego
Sacramento and Fresno. These con.
Germs buy millions of yards Of cottor
goods, which are brought from th-
East. This enormous demand could
well be supplied by local mills, usina
Imperial Valley cotton, in the opinion
of the delegates of today's confer
ence.
"The war in Europe is stimulatinu