New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-10-22
Cotton Spinning
Boom in Russia

Russia is in the midst Of boom in
cotton spinning very nearly as in
tense as that in the war munition in
dustry. The town Of Oryekhova. about
sixty miles from Moscow, with a popu-
lation Of about 10000. Is almost en-
tirely given up to the manufacture Of
cotton textiles, and is ono Of the larg-
est centres Of the industry In the
empire.
Notwithstanding repeated advances
in wages, which, according to "The
American Wool and Cotton Reporter
have amounted TO rs per cent since
October, 1915, the mills are making
enormous profits, Market values OF
cotton mill shares have been rapidly
soaring and are now In some instances
double what they were year ago
The great gain in profits has been ac-
complished Notwithstanding continu-
Gus advances In wages and very much
higher costs for fuel, which is three
times what It was a year ago, and
for dyes, which are about sixteen
times the ante-bellum prices.
Although the employees are Obliged
to contend with the constantly increas'
ing cost Of living, their position as re-
CARDS difference between cost Of living
and wages is % per cent better than
before the war, and their savings have
increased about 500 per cent since the
war started. The loss OF men en-
ployes of military age has been met
by increased employment Of women
and children. The law forbidding the
employment OF children under fifteen
wears Of age has been relaxed.
The mills producing textile goods are
Obliged to sell AZ per cent OF their pro
duction to the government. The IN
crease In costs incident to the produc
ton of cotton goods include labor cost
which has risen from about sO.52 pei
day before the war TO 5000 at present
Leather betting for rollers has gone W
from SO to 100 rubles per pood (s5l.3'
to s22s.17 per 100 pounds). The cos
of peat used for fuel for power pur
poses, formerly 10 kopecks per poof
(s2.85 per short tom, has risen to 8;
kopecks per pood (s9.98 per tom. The
most serious advance has been in the
cost of dyes, which before the war cos
about 10 rubles per pood (s2S5.2o pei
tony. but which can now be obtained
only with difficulty at 5000 rubles pei
pood (s4,57l.S0 per tom.
The cost Of cotton itself has no.
gone up proportionately to the ad
vance in the textile products, and TINS
fact accounts in chief measure for the
increasing profits Of the mills, not
withstanding the other heavy costs IN
cident to production. The Moscow
Cotton Committee has limited the sell
ing price Of Russo-Asiatic cotton to "a
rubles per pood (Sl71.1o per 6oo-pound
bale) American cotton sells in Moscow
for about 80 rubles per pood (s213.9O
per bale); its cost depends upon the
American market, plus the increased
cost Of freight and the increased duties
On application of the Moscow Cotton
Committee TO the Credit Chancellory al
Petrograd. pounds sterling can be OBJ
tanned for financing cotton purchases
at Liverpool at specially favorable rates
of exchange lat present 120 rubles for
$40, or about $50 rubles to 81. Every
mill has the right to purchase Ameri-
can cotton to fill its reasonable re-
quirement at this rate Of exchange,
which is much lower than that which
can be obtained from less favored COM
modities. The Russian mills appear to
be making a fairly liberal use OF
American cotton, In spite Of the trans
portation difficulties incident to Its i'm
portation. Practically all the American
cotton used in recent months has come
via Vladivostok, frequently in a some
what wet condition, so that it has to
be used Immediately to prevent de-
terioration.