San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1923-08-08
With Short Crop, Clothing
May Come Consider
ably Higher. ~
LUMBER SLUMP SEEN
Let.up in Building in Mid
West Declared Re-
ss.,s sponsible. :.SB
BY j. c. ROYLE.


New York. Aug. S.-Every either
of the United States and of most OF
1.-The other civilized countries Of the
world is going to be affected by wna-
the weather and the boil weevil do to
the cotton crop in the next few
months. The amount of American cot
ton in existence the world over, or
carry over" as it is called, on the
first of this month was the smallest
in history. 1t amounted to 2,513,OOO
bales, according to reliable authorities.
This compares with an average carry
over for the. last six years. Of over
100000 bales.
The present. carry-over. added 10 the
coming crop which is estimated by
the government experts at 1l.J16.OO0
bales points to a possible supply of
14,0S9. 900 bales for the current sea-
son. This must last this country and
the world for over full year from
this date. but the amount may be even
less if the crop does not come up to
the official estimate.
Crop Shrinks Rapidly.
A year ago the government predict
ed crop Of II, 10000 bales and the
indicated supply, including the carry
over for that year of 4.S79,00 bales.
was 16,32S,000 bales. The crop after
that prediction. shrunk rapidly owing
to drought and bool weevil ravages and
turned out 10 nearly 100000 bales
less than expected. The actual supply
was reduced by that amount. This
was the principal cause for the high
prices Of cotton. At the opening of TIE
last season a year ago the first re
ceipts brought an average of S111.SI
bale and the price advanced stead
lily until March of this year when an
average of $157 90 bale was reached.
The total consumption was 12,361 .OOu
bales Of which American mills used
6.991 900 and foreign mills SO, 900.
The. amount used by the American
mills increased 10000 bales but the
output of the foreign mills, especialts
those OF Great Britain was sharply
curtailed and consumption abroad fed
off 955,000 bales.
15rhere is every indication that
aA1erican consumption will continue
foiucrease in the next twelve months
lf9thei American demand goes up. al
the rate maintained in the last .ysa's
and the foreign demand returnsyto its
levels of two years ago, 14,366,00O
balesswould be required, or 241,006
bales more than this country will have
available in the season of 1923-24 un
der the most favorable condition. Even
if consumption shows no increase the
margin between the amount which
will be consumed and the amount
available will be 100000 bales undel:
the normal average.
~. Public Is Affected.
It can readily therefore be seen
what the hot weather and the boil
weevil do must affect the price of cot
ton products used by every man, WON.
an, and child in the country.
Enough land was planted in cotton
this year TO have raised crop OF
100000 to 22,000.000 bales before
the boil weevil reached this country
from Mexico. That pest has cut the
,South's cotton crop 56,000.000 bales IT.
the last five years, according TO II. g.
Hester, secretary Of the New Orleans
cotton exchange. involving a loss in
dollars of S30.000,000 year. rating
cotton at only Is cents a pound.
A distinct slump in the lumber pro
duction of the Pacific coast was pre-
dicted today by Charles II. McCor-
mick. head of large western lumber
and shipping interests. This would be
due. he indicated. to a showdown in
building in the Mid West and eastern
states. - e.-
'Intercoastal lumber shipments al.
ready have shown considerable de.
crease since July 1 over those of the
first six months of the year" he said.
1T is impossible to predict the future
but i do not look for the volume OF
intercoastal trade the latter part o.
1in6 year that was handled in the first
= Two quarters. The lumber trade RICH.
now is in fair condition, but it has
been going at too great rate. From
present indications it is reasonable, TO
assume that it Cannot hold up"
The coastwise lumber trade in the
first part Of this year was the largest
in history. All lumber carriers oper
ated to capacity