As may be seen from the above list, the cordage industry, even in those comparatively recent times, was largely confined to towns either on the coast or in close proximity to the seaports, for those were the days when the great demand for cordage was for export pur poses, or for the direct use of ships temporarily located at the American ports. Later, such fac tors as the decline in American shipping; the substitution of wire for hemp standing rigging, and the increased demand for binder twine, so altered the conditions of the industry that the location of factories became a matter of second ary importance. Thus, they began to multiply in the interior, especially in the Middle West, such cities as Akron, Peoria, Xenia and Miamis burg, becoming a new centre for the industry.
In 1843 the total quantity of manila hemp that was manufactured in the United States amounted to only 27,820 bales, or 7,511,400 pounds. To realize the ridiculously small pro portions of such a product, it is only necessary to remember that any one of several of the large mills in this country could now manufac ture the same quantity of hemp in less than 50 days, by running day and night, or that a similar quantity of hemp could now he brought direct from Manila in about the same length of time by the use of two steamers. So rap idly did the industry expand, however, that, by 1863 it had increased in size to no less than five times, while the period of the Civil War cre ated such a demand for cordage that the fac tories in the North were utterly unable to comply with it. The profits of one Eastern factory alone, during that period, amounted to more than $500,000 a year, and this was no exceptional case, for everywhere manufacturers were fairly inundated with orders that they simply could not fill. It was about 1860 that the first sisal hemp was imported into the United States. Purely an experiment in the beginning, less than 200 tons having been used during the first year, the product was so favor ably received by the trade that it soon became one of the great factors in the cordage industry, a fact which fully accounts for the rapid in crease in importations from the paltry 200 tons to the amount of our present imports, a quantity that is greatly in excess of 80,000 tons.
During these years no action had ever been taken to regulate the price of cordage. Busi ness had extended until the American product was accounted a factor in almost every part of the world. To meet these ever-widening de mands, factories had increased, both in number and in the importance of their output, but no effort had been made to fix the price of the product. As the result certain abuses had come to prevail among the firms engaged in the busi ness, and it was to meet this situation and better, if possible, the condition of affairs, that the first meeting of the cordage manufacturers was held early in 1861. The result of this meet
ing was an agreement, which was perfected and signed, on 23 February. Thereafter weekly meetings were held by the manufacturers, at which trade conditions were not only discussed, but any complaints were considered, and regu lations were effected respecting the standard of prices. From time to time the agreement of 1861 was amended, and in July 1874 a complete revision was adopted, the manufacturers pledg ing themselves, "as men of honor and integrity,". faithfully to observe all its provisions. In April 1875 a still stronger agreement was made, but as complaints about underselling were still made, and as, in the absence of any specified penalty, it was necessary to accept any reason able excuses, the manufacturers finally decided to adopt what has since been known as the "pool According to this system, which went into operation 1 Jan. 1878, the business of the country was divided among the various manufacturers in what was deemed just propor tions. When the business of either of . these concerns in any one month exceeded the pro portion which had been assigned to it, it was compelled to pay a certain amount per pound on the excess to the treasurer of the "pool,' while the concern that fell behind the specified production received a gratuity to a correspond ing extent. The novelty of the plan acted in its favor for a time, and, although it did not en tirely put a stop to the custom of cutting prices, it worked so well that the scheme was con tinued from year to year. The percentages ranged from 1114 to 1 per cent.
In January 1880 the amount of the pool was reduced, by stages, from 2 to Xs of a cent per ponnd, and in January 1881 it was abolished altogether. By 1882 conditions had become so unsatisfactory that it was found necessary to re-establish it and, on 28 June, new propor tions were agreed upon. These remained in force for a period of three years, when the new con cerns that had been formed were taken into the (Fig. 1); but some of the types must have greatly resembled Araucaria smbricata (q.v.). The larger species even as far back as the Devonian vied in size with both of these mod ern climax forest makers. Some of the strap leafed types must have had the appearance of the screw pine. Large leafed forms like that of figure 2 branched less freely or were simply columnar. The leaves are of linear to broadly elliptical form, and vary rather more than in the modern conifers. Smaller species are no more than 10 centimeters long; but a leaf length of two metres with a width of 20 centimeters is sometimes reached.