Code of Fair Competition for the Cotton Textile Industry

%xmlchars; ]> mss00093 Guide to the Ralph L. Biggerstaff Papers, 1921-1933 Processed by: Terra Kridler in June 2005;machine-readable finding aid created by: Terra Kridler in June 2005 North Carolina State University Libraries, Special Collections Research Center 2005 Machine-readable finding aid derived from xml authoring program Finding aid written in English. Guide to the Ralph L. Biggerstaff Papers, 1921-1933 MSS 00093 North Carolina State University Libraries Special Collections Research Center Contact Information: &ncsuaddr; Processed by Terra Kridler in June 2005 Encoded by Terra Kridler in June 2005 Descriptive Summary North Carolina State University Libraries, Special Collections Research Center Ralph L. Biggerstaff Ralph L. Biggerstaff Papers, 1921-1933 MSS 00093 0.1 linear feet, 1 folder Ralph L. Biggerstaff (1906-1999) lived in Fall River, Massachusetts. He maintained correspondence with industries in North Carolina and gathered information on textile mills. The collection contains information on wage, tax, energy, and other costs of operation of textile mills in Fall River, Massachusetts and various cities in North Carolina between 1921 and 1933. For current information on the location of these materials, please consult the Special Collections Research Center Reference Staff. English Information for Users Restrictions to Access

The collection is open for research; access requires at least 24 hours advance notice.

Acquisitions Information

The collection was received from the North Carolina Divison of Archives and History in December 1976. The Division received the collection from Alamance Technical Institute.

Preferred Citation

[Identification of item], Ralph L. Biggerstaff Papers, 1921-1933, Special Collections Research Center, North Carolina State University Libraries, Raleigh, NC

Processed by Terra Kridler in June 2005

Encoded by Terra Kridler in June 2005

Biographical Note

Ralph L. Biggerstaff was a native of Rutherford County, North Carolina. He graduated from Duke University and Harvard Business School, and moved to Fall River, Massachusetts. Biggerstaff maintained correspondence with industries in North Carolina and gathered information on textile mills. He retired as president of Alamance Builders, Inc., and lived in Mebane, North Carolina until his death in January 1999.

Scope and Content Note

The collection contains correspondence, statistics, tables, and other records regarding wage, tax, energy, and other costs of operation of textile mills in Fall River, Massachusetts and various cities in North Carolina between 1921 and 1933. While it is uncertain why Biggerstaff was collecting the statistics, the collection offers information to provide a representation and comparison of textile mill costs in the locations surveyed.

Organization of the Collection

The collection is composed of one series: 1. Ralph L. Biggerstaff Papers, 1921-1933.

Online Catalog Terms Biggerstaff, Ralph L. Textile factories--North Carolina. Textile factories--Massachusetts. Textile workers. Wages--Textile workers. Separated Material Three spreadsheets are currently stored in oversize flat files MSS 00093. Detailed Description of the Collection Ralph L. Biggerstaff Papers, 1921-1933

Included in the collection are final drafts of the National Association of Cotton Manufacturers' Code of Fair Competition for the Cotton Textile Industry, conditions of approval, and a newsletter presenting arguments concerning the code. There is information on the costs of operation for liquidated textile mills and those still in operation as of 1921 and 1932 in Fall River, Massachusetts, including number of employees, wage rates of various mill positions, spindle and loom counts, and total capital stock and bonds. There is also information on the costs of textile mill operation in various cities in North Carolina, including employee wages, power costs, and taxes. Several newspaper clippings and articles are included, which help explain the implications of the statistics to the textile industry. Dates for the statistical figures range from 1921 to 1933.