Tabor City tribune. (Tabor City, N.C.) 1946-1991, 1954-08-18

Commissioner of Agriculture, CO.
lumbia, S. c."
The source referred to by Lewis
gave figures that placed Loris a.
mead of Whiteville in producer and
overall averages.
1T is obvious that both markets
could not lead in prices, and we
have checked and re-checked our
figures and are convinced that
they are correct. 1t is therefore
pertinent to ask your source of
information to the effect that
Whiteville exceeded Loris in the
season of 1885," said Lewis in his
letter to Maultsby.
"Whiteville is the highest in a
three-Sale market in the entire
Border Belt" Maultsby said today
in regards to the charges by Lewis.
The following is Lewis letter to
Maultsby:
Mr.. R. G. Maultsby, Sales Sup.
Whiteville Tobacco Board of Trade
Whiteville, N. c.
Dear Sir:
Your attention is directed to a
news item appearing in The Tabor
City Tribune dated July %, 1854,
at page five, over your name, and
half page advertisement on page
eight of same issue, and signed by
Whiteville Tobacco Board of
Trade. Both your item and the
paid ad. makes reference to the
fact that Whiteville is now" The
Worlds Highest Tobacco Market"
The paid ad. does not qualify this
statement, but, your item specifi-
cally quotes a figure of 1884 at
tanned by the Whiteville market
in 1883 as being the basis for this
conclusion.
The North Carolina Dept. of
Agriculture in their report of De-
cember 1858 quotes an average of
S59.44 as made on the Whiteville
market for the season of 1853. It
is therefore assumed that your
quotation of 1884 is the overall
average for all producers as we'll
as reSaleS.
! 1t is assumed that before arriv-
ing at the point of claiming world
leadership in prices a careful ex-
animation of official, figures as
published from official sources by
the departments of agriculture in
all flue cured states would be
made. 1t is difficult therefore to
understand how one could have
overlooked page 10, 1853 South
Carolina Tobacco Report, issued
by Mr.. ]. Roy Jones, Commission
er of Agriculture, Columbia, S. c.
This report clearly states that
in the year 1858 Loris sold tobacco
for producers for an average of
$59.82, and for an overall average
Of $58.97.
Referring again to the Decemb-
er 1858 report of the North Caro-
lima Dept. of Agriculture, it is not
ed that the Whiteville average for
producers only in the year 1852
was S53.37. Page II of the 1852
report from our commissioner at
Columbia states that for the year
1852 producers selling tobacco in
Loris averaged $53.76.
1t is our understanding that many
other methods of advertising such
as radio is being used by the
Whiteville market currently, with
the theme that it is the worlds
highest tobacco market.
Referring again to 1853 report
Of the North Carolina Dept. Of
Agriculture for December 1853 it
is interesting TO note that for the
season of 1853 Whiteville average
of S59.44 was equalled by Rober-
sonville N. c. and exceeded by
Greenville, Tarboro, Washington
and Williamson N. c.
1t is clearly stated in the news
item on page five of Tabor City
N. c. Tribune for July %, 1854
that this world leadership was at
tanned by the overall average of
$58.94 in the year 1853. 1t is OBJ
vious that both markets could not
lead in prices, and we have check
ed and re-checked our figures and
are convinced that they are cor
rect. 1t is therefore pertinent to
ask your source of information
to the effect that Whiteville ex-
ceeded Loris in the season of 1858.
1t has always been the policy of
the Loris market to publish only
official averages, and, when and
IL our little market attains belt
leadership we feel that we are
damaged by claims from other
markets, which on the basis Of
official reports, must be in error"
We are therefore taking the lib
erty of forwarding a copy Of this
letter to the editors of the Tabor
City Tribune and Whiteville NJ
Reporter with the request that
they be published, also, a copy TO
Mr.. Fred Royster, president,
Bright Belt Warehouse Associa-
ton.
We also request that your asso-
citation take steps to correct this
| mistake and that xs,a ~ .<s..t.-a