The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1881-03-31

ANDERS(
sea island long stapled, black seed cotton.
This latter had been, as it is now, ginned
by the roller gin, which would not gin
the green seed. This variety grew luxu.
riantly away from the influence of the
sea breeze, which was essential to the
production of. the long stapled. 1t was,
too, better adapted to domestic purposes,
because it was spun with more facility,
and made, 4 coarser web, and a more en-
during one, and was suited for clothing,
to the wants of the latoring classes,
aud the common uses of the people gep-
erally.s..:
The first mention of cotton to be found
is in the, writings of Hcrodotus, about
45O years before the birth of Christ.
Cotton cloth was introduced from India
into Rome and Greece before the Chris
tian era. It was applied by Vcres, in
Sicily, for the covering of boats, and as
tents, and for the latter purpose was.used
by Julius Caesar. 1t is supposed to have
originated in Arabia, and thence found
its way to India and CHM. This is sup.
position. It seems in some variety or
other to have been indigenous to all
tropical countries. It is certain it was
found in, the West India Islands, and in
aofie varieties, and in South America.
It is q comnion error to stlppose all ere
ated things to have had their commence.
ment in pair or a single creation, and
when we have any one thing in the ami
NAL or vegetable kingdom to point
where it is not first seen or known, we at
once ascribe jts or their origin to that
point or. country, forgetting that the
power to create could produce many as
one and locate these at pleasure over the
globe. a
The green seed cotton was, found grow
ing in the islands surrounding the Car
ibbean sea and on the Bahamas. From
these islands, it. was introduced into the
United States, and in the progress of.its
cultivation many.yarieties have been1inf
troduced from different parts of the world.
The long staple from the 'neighborhood
of Dacus; whence first came to this
country the famous India nuslins, and it
was: first cultivated here with the view of
imitatihg these delicate fabrics in the
production of onr own manufactures.
This however, has never been accom-
plished or in any European country.
In this progress Of the human family,
and especially in America, the necessity
of textile substitute for fax and wool
from which cloth for all its purposes
could be made aud which cheaper andas
enduring become, desideratum. The
green seed. cotton promised!this,. the only
difficulty, was. the separating the lintfrom
the seed rapidlynand without. injury to
the fbet,nrThis necessity stimulated the.
genius of Whitney, which shaped i'm. his
mind the, cotton gin; which grew ninto
practical form under the manipulation. of
his cunning hands. ). .Atsor. about the
same time TIE. Inspiration of the genius
of, an humble barber MAS fashioning an.
other, machine for The rapid spinning of
cotton. ::..,- ..ii:9..loa i d..ts
Robert Peel, the grandfather of the
present Sir Robert Peel, was one of the
first to commence the spinning Of cotton
ID England. !! The process then. in use
was simple, crude and insufficient. There
was wanting great improvements in the,
machinery, aud many were striving to.
effect these, Arkmight, Bristol bar
Der, who was very illiterate, supposed be
could invent and make a machine which
should remedy the prineiple' 'difi calty,,.
thought much and worked diligently.
So absorbed was he that he neglected his
vocation, and incurred the reproof of his,
wife as well as that of his patrons. Still
he worked: in secret in the little back
room of bis shop. His wife complained
that there was nd food for the family in
the house and no ni1 ) money to purchase any,
and unless he gave more attention to his
business the family would starve. He
heeded not her anger or renlonstrance,
but, keeping his own secret and most
confident: of ultimate success, continued
to work on, When the machine was
we'll nigh completed, requiring some
triaing material essential to its final
finish which be had not, hei went out to-
procure ito, =.
This was the angry wife's opportunity,
she went into his room. and finding there
the machine, in wrath she seized it and
crushing tito atoms she threw the frag.
mentsj into the street. Returning he
espied the ruins. and, gathering them up,
I he; accused his; wife Of tho. act and up:
braided, her for!it.. In.yery spite she ad-'
mitted theitruth of the charge and justi-
fed the act.s This was more than the
enraged man could, bear. He multiplied:
no words with her.. but took her by the
arm and leading her to the door threw
her into the street, forbidding her ever
again entering the house. This done, he
closed the door upon her; nor did she
ever again return to the house or him.
Straightway he went again to work,
and in a short time had completed the
model of the spinning sjenney. This he
carried to Peel, who examined itminute
ly, and .saw and acknowledged its utility,
and that it supplied the great want.
Peel was a wise, and prudent man. He
proposed to Arkmight that he should
patent the invention. This was agreed
to, and it was by Peel patented in his
and ArkmightsE name. oThis done, he.
proposed copartnership to ;Arkmightin
the business Of cotton, spinning, and! that
this jenny should-be the capital of Ark
might. This was. accepted, and the ma,
chine put at once into practical use.
About this time there was shipment
Of short stapled cotton to England from
the United States of twenty-five bales.
The cotton gin had proved greatsuc.
cess in America, and the spinning jenny
in England. Then commenced the cul-
tivation of the staple as a marketable,
crop, and very ,soon!its growth exceeded
the demand, and the price went down,
and the cloth from its fabrication cheap
ened, and the imports Of the costly;cot-
ton goods of China began to decline, and
not many years after ceased. entirely, and
now only the. old of the country know,
anything of the Nankin cottons--and
many others Of the cotton cloths once in
universal use in America and especially.
in the South nf the .IInired Stataa