The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1879-09-04
Ginning and Spinning.
ANDERSON, s, c., Aug. 20. |

ANDERSON, S. c., Aug. 20, 1879.
At the recent joint meeting Of the State
Grange and State Agricultural Society at
Chester, resolution, introduced by Maj.
Woodward, was adopted to memorialize
the Legislature to offer reward of Sl0,-
900 for the invention OF process by
which seed cotton can be spun into yarn
on the plantations. 1t may not be gen.
orally known that this result has been
this State. I refer to the manufacture of
cotton yarns from the seed cotton by
what is known as tho new process,
"Clement's attachment" combination
of the ''gin and card' in one machine.
In 1876 the late Col. F. E. Harrison, Of
this County, who has since died, attract
ed by the accounts of this new process
of manufacturing, established small
factory on his Andersonville property,
which has been in successful operation
for three years. He was not, however, a
cotton producer to any extent. but pur-
chased by far the larger portion of the
cotton he manufactured. His was an ex-
pertinent in manufacturing simply. But
then few neighboring farmers from
Oconee, of moderate means, pleased with
his experiment, purchased from him a
duplicate set Of machinery, not en-
ployed in his factory, and put it up in q
common cotton or clubhouse on one Of
facture cotton of their own production,
writer last spring that the experiment
had proved entirely successful. They
occupy adjoining or neighboring farms,
own the machinery jointly, and use it
alternately, each, in spinning his own
cotton, employing the same operatives.
The cost Of their machinery did not
probably exceed the sum of 81, 500 put up
ready for use, and has daily average
spinning capacity of about $50 pounds
seed cotton, or 100000 pounds per an
mum.
Here is an instance OF "spinning seed
cotton into yarns on the plantations" by
process too expensive perhaps for each
separate planter, but at cost sufficient
ly moderate to place it within the reach
Of two or three ncighboring farmers act
ing together. One practical experiment
of this sort is Of more value than all the
theories you can devise. And what these
farmers Of Oconee have achieved may be
accomplished by others, and if their OK
ample were generally followed there is
no reason why the State should not in q
few years be dotted over with small CO.
operative manufactures for spinning cot
ton produced on the farms.
1t is not my purpose to speak of the adj
vantages claimed for this process of man.
ufacturing, in superiority of texture of
yarns, the saving in the waste of mate
rial, in machinery, in bagging and ties,
&c. I am not manufacturer, and,
moreover, incline to the opinion it is
only adapted to manufacturing on a
small scale, which takes away from the
profits of tho business, I believe, as a
separate employment.
Nor is it necessary to add ono word to
the much that has been said of the adj
vantages to the South of spinning her
own cotton crops. Suffice it to say that,
by this method, it is estimated that our
crops would be worth 75 per cent. moro
than is now realized from the raw mate
rial. The subject, though of the deepest
interest, is much beyond the scope Of my
letter.
simply wish to call attention to the
experiment of Oconee farmers in spin
ming their own cotton, i'll connection
with Mai. Woodward's resolution. 1t is
worthy the consideration of our State
Grange and State Agricultural Society,"
Correspondent Ne,cs and Courier.