The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1874-07-09
Autobiography Of a Cotton Bale.
IN TWO CHAPTERS.
Oft HAPTER T.

LIN j.
was raised in Wake county, North Caro-
lima, by farmer Of moderate means. AT all
early age learned from conversation between
Che farmer and a neighbor that I and the land
on which I was raised were mortgaged to
Baltimore firm, who had furnished fertilizers
for the soil, and also to a Raleigh merchant
who had sold supplies of Western bacon and
corn for the support of the field hands, and
Northern hay and oats for the mules. The
farmer complained that necessity had forced
him to pay very high rate of interest for the
use of the capital invested in the above men
toned fertilizers and farm supplies, and that
he had in addition to pay heavy fee tor draw
ing and recording the mortgage securing the
commission merchants.
noticed that the mules on the farm were
poorly fed, and that as they passed the lot gate
they eagerly nipped few punches of luxurl-
ant clover which had sprung up from seeds
dropped out of the Northern oats The farmer
said as the mules passed on, "I would SOW al
acre in clover, but I need all my best land for
cotton"
1 have nothing very remarkable to tell you
concerning my youthful days. l observed that
the hands employed in the field were poorly
clad. Most of them were coarse cheap North
ern made clothes, shoes and hats, and from
their rude talk found that they had very little
education. The wives and children of these
farm laborers frequently came to the field, and
I saw that the women wore Northern calico
dresses, and that the children were growing
up in ignorance.
After being picked and packed was taken
to Raleigh. The commission merchant said to
the farmer "Cotton is fiat to-day, but we
expect it will 20 up soon." The farmer sighed
and replied: "Well," I guess I went into
large new brick store, and accidently heard
the merchant say to the clerk: "Insure this bale
of cotton and charge Mr.. A. with insurance
and storage" I remained shut up for some
time, when the farmer came one day and the
merchant said to him. "Cotton is no better,
but I am compelled to have some money. [
will ship your bale to Baltimore and do the
best I can with it."
A dray soon came up, and as / was hoisted
into it, the merchant said: "Have this bale
Insured and directed to W. & H., Baltimore.
They will pay the freight and insurance"
was hurried over the railroad to Norfolk
and thence by steamer to Baltimore. was
then stored for some time, when [ was sold to
an agent of Rhode Island manufacturer. AS
1 passed out heard the merchant calculating
how much was due him as storage and commits
sion on my sale. My purchaser was also busy
in getting out his insurance on me and arrang-
ing to pay freight on me to Rhode Island.
Nothing occurred on the route to my desti-
nation worthy of remark. When l arrived at
the factory l found several thousand friends
raised in North Carolina. noticed the women
and children seemed cheerful, but none of them
wore Southern made shoes or Southern made
boots or Southern made clothes, or ate South
ern bacon. The dray horses were we'll kept,
hou
owner of the factory, they said was very rich,
and had made his fortune manufacturing cot
ton cloth for the New York market.
was hurried through the factory and came
out bolt of nice, smooth cloth. was hurried
into bale of cloth for New York wholesale
house, and as went out over heard conver-
sation of the owner of the mill. He said he
was realizing handsome profits from his factory,
and besides he was giving employment to
hundred families, and was one of the largest
taxpayers in the State.
then went to New York to the establish
ment of one of the merchant princes, and was
delighted to hear him say to clerk, "send this
bale to Messrs. Tucker, Raleigh" AS | had
passed over the route before, it was not new to
me aud arrived safely in Raleigh in less than
week. By chance I was put on the bottom of
large pile of cloth, and having nothing to do,
entered into little calculation. 1t was as
follows:
I have changed hands often. First the
Raleigh merchant realized his profit and stor-
age. Then the Insurance agent. Then the
Railroads got their freights. Then the steamers
got their freight. Then the Baltimore mer-
Chant got his storage and commissions. Then
the Northern Insurance agent got his per cent.
Then the manufacturer got his profits. The
New York wholesale merchant got his per cent.
Then the railroads and steamers got their re-
turn freight and the insurance man got another
per cent. Messrs. Tucker must have a per
cent. and
Here a clerk reached down and pulled me
out with jerk, and 10 and behold ! my old
master the man who raised me, said he would
take me, chat he wanted some norrard home
spun" and was bundled and am now at my
old home in Wake, expecting shortly to be cut
up.