The Pickens sentinel. [volume] (Pickens, S.C.) 1871-1903, 1881-01-06
Letter from Texas.
PITTsBURG, CAMP COUNTY, Texas,

December 20, 1880.
EDITOR PICKENs SENTINEL: have recently
made an extensive tour through Western Tex
as, prior to my reaching this place, where
am now resting from the fatigue Of the jour-
ney. And, indeed, am canddly constrained
TO say from what have seen Of the numer
Gus railroads in successful. operation, and
those progressing towards completion. which
are 80 well calculated to develop the latent re-
sources Of this young giant State, that the
Texans have every reason to be proud Of bor
position, and accumulating improvements and
great internal wealth. The railroads in very
brief period will traverse almost every avail
able portion Of the State, comprising the cot
ton, sugar, cereal, wool and mineral regions
not to mention the horses, cattle, hogs and
| sheep, which annually bring so largo an
amount within her confines.
| discovered the cotton sugar cane and corn
| crops were Ononly favorable, which will
amply rcnumerate the tillers Of the soil for
their time md labor. The mast for fattsning
hogs, and thus saving the feeding corn, was
never more abundant. The citizens in gener-
| al, learned, were out Of debt, and seemed
from their cheerful looks to be in high spirits
| Tasteful farm houses, and in many instances
| elegant buildings were in n condition Of erec-
| ton impressng the mind Of the transient
| traveller Of the refinement and common pros
| pcrity Of the country while my observations
predicaed on calm reflection lead me 10 the
conclusion that in u very few years hence the
State Of Texas will DO one Of the foremost in
the Union,
The Eastern part of Texas, with her appar-
emily inexhaustible pincrics and fertile soil
which has been long overlooked, is now ap-
preaching into general notice since the COM
pletion of the railroads that nrc extending
| through in every direction. If you glance
| over the wide and almost illimitablc expansion
Of prairie which weary the natural vision rs
| you gaze upon ii, that will eventually demand
| the timber for buildings and fencing, then for
moment pause md reflect on the limited
territory of The pinerieS in Eastern Texas; it
certainly requires no prophetic inspiration to
toretell that the land in the latter place will
soon bccCme the most valuable in the State.
Among the many things which attracted my
attention none filled me with more astonish-
ment than II so saw cotton gin in succcsstn,
operation, ginning 500 pounds of cotton in the
short space OF one hour from ,450 pounds of
seed cotton, also cleaning the seed well and
making the largest possible turnout as we'll rs
n superior sample. 1t requires 40 per cent.
less power to gin the same amount Of cotton
in the same length of time than is required il,
any other gin, and what is still more remark
able, no possible irregnlnrity Of feeding can
ever choke il or break tho roll, us personally
witness cd and had il fully and satisfactorily y
dcmonSh ated Ivy the inventor and owner, MIR
H. u. Horn, who resides few milcs from
Galloway Post office in the Western par, OF
Upsher County. To satisfy visitors of the
genuineness of its performance, Mr. Horn
hrld stick on the roll until it was thor.
! oughly brok, II bu rs soon rs tie stuck wa!
withdrawn. ii mendcd i,scll without any ns
slstnnce. This is IL Texas invention. patented
ny NV. l.. q. Horn, August 3th, 1879, hu
from want Of means TO make il generally
known 10 the public this is he only gin bui
with this decided Improvement, and has no.
yet ob'"in' Il any n"torcty: but c,nnol bu
mink II VIII from its simplicity, chcnpn"ss
durability, utility AMI rrnctcal efficiency il
the progress Of time draw the attention of 9
closely di cr;nlinatng public to its cydonl,
great merits.
/ will attempt 10 give you nh i,lca OF ia
r construction. The g,n is huit the same d.
others usually nrc EXCEPT the breast. I'll.
instead OF The PECULIAR shrrci box made Of
plank with stationary plankS. or cast irol
beads, rs huih on all gins with The exception
of fraiLs revolving .hra,l has an anti rrici. i
breaSt-a roll box surrounded by the roller.
which rcvolve freely on Journals passing
through cast iron stationary heads These
: ,ollcrs placed nt distances OF about | s. @
m inch apart form two scgncnis OF circles o
different diameers, which make the area O
the interior space OF the roll box AMI nrt
connected with and receive their motion from
, the same Shalt, and rcvolve each on its OWL
Journals easily and rapidly with the peri iphery
Of The cotton roll box, receiving their motive
} power from the saw shaft, and moving anu
propelling each other, and thus producing the
smallest possible friction. The mouth OF
, opening to receive cotton separates tho two
segmeuts Of rollers, each Of which is covered
Or housed in on the outside with sheet iron
The whole forming q neat, cheap and durable
roll box and breast, that contains the usua
number Of gin ribs of peculiar shape and
construction adapted to the use of the rcllers
which constitute the roll box, and is similarly
attached to the breast III general use hy
, hinges to the common form and make Of gins
. An examination Of this very desirable, use.
full and valuable improvement on the cotton
gin will richley repay the passing traveller
or any one else who feels an interest in the
Improvement of machinery, $50 much needed
in handling and preparing the great staple oil
the South for market,) for n visit to its hos.
pitable inventor and owner. 1t is unoues
tionably by far the greatest stride on the i'm
provement on the cotton gin ever made since
its original invention by Mr. Whitney.
GILBERT LEROY,
Principal Pittsburg High School,
Camp County, exas.