Arizona republican., 1922-03-16
TALMAGE DISCUSSES
COTTON CONDITIONS

NEW BEDFORD, Mass, Mar IL
| (SpeciaD Considerably more active
| interest in extra staple cotton is re-
| ported in almost all quarters of New
| England during the past week but
| the actual sales have not reached any
very heavy volume and have been
usually in small lots mostly of spot
| cotton,
| Price has seemed to be the big
factor and the competition for the
| business the mills have to place has
been SO keen among the various
brokerage firms that 1t has been
comparatively easy TO play one offer
against another and thus to force the
price down to abnormally low figures.
! There is enough selling pressure be-
| hind various small odd lots to make
| it possible for the mills TO get the
| small quantities, that for the present
is all they require. for a price that
would be wholly out of the question
had they any considerable quantity
to buy The general market levels
on extra staples, meaning the quota
tions from shippers for round guam
titles, have been remarkably steady,
despite the unusually small volume
of sales.
The inquiry from the mills has not
been wholly confined to the higher
grade staples during the week though
much Of the interest did concern that
kind of cotton. There was also some
demand for the medium and lower
grade staples, however. though this
came from different quarters than
the high grade interest, and was con-
tingcnt on vigorous discount from
the high grade price figures. Inch
and an eighth, full style was wanted
in small lots both in middling and in
strict middling, while some mills
would take strict low or even low
middling carrying slightly more
greyish caste than the government
grade box, provided the prices asked
for it were down around the 2O-cent
level. Likewise three -sixteenths was
inquired for and an outlet for a fair
ly good quantity of 1t existed at one
particular New Bedford mill which
wanted to buy strict middling for n
to 2S cents and would not consider
middling unless the price was we'll
under rs cents. The mill succeeded
in getting quite "a little cotton at
those figures, too. although the lots
were small individually. The general
market level was at least two cents
pound higher. In other quarters Of
the market strictly low middling
white was selling around % to z3
cents for three -sixteenths and around
"a to % for quarters. while the same
lengths in low to strict low carry
ing some greyish caste were quoted
around 20 to 21 cents
In one particular quarter there was
inquiry for full five-sixteenths in
strict middling but this kind Of cot
ton could not be bought under 3S to
80 cents from the Delta, though some
parts of Carolina offered il as low as
36 cents. Three -eighths cotton In
strict middling could be had in very
limited quantities and was usually
priced from 40 to 45 cents.
Providence particularly was said to
be buying lower grade staples in
some quantity during the week, and
there was one rumor that sales to
the extent of several thousand bales
had been made. though this could not
be definitely confirmed One or two
of the Rhode Island mills that have
not been affected by the strike are
said to be in the market, and even
some OF those who are involved in 1t
and have their plants closed down
were disposed to snap up any re-
markably cheap offerings OF staples
Sales in that quarter included both
full eighths, flat eighths and three
sixteenths in grades ranging from a
full style of low middling carrying
some greyish tone to middling white
The prices ranged from is to 10 cents
to 20 cents depending on grade and
staple length.
There has been some movement OF
short cotton both in the high grades