The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1882-02-09
GREAT WEALTH.
Some Facts and Figures Concerning the
valuo'oY Cotton seed.
II. ". G. in Atlanta Constitution.

who desire TO investigate the matter as
TO the cost of cotton seed mills the prob
able profits and methods, I submit the
following:
In order TO give the best information
upon the subject I sought gentleman
in this city who has been connected with
cotton seed mills for years, who 10 now
engaged in selling cotton seed oil, and
who IS vouchcd for rs authority on any
subject that he will give an crinion on.
de is careful, prudent, and with al so
modest that he forbids the use of his
name. In reply to my question as to
what would be the coat of mill with q
capacity of one hundred barrels per day,
he said:
'That is very large mill, and larger
than most Of the inquiries that I have
call for A mill with capacity of fifty
barrels day is what is usually wanted.
Such mill completely equipped would
cost about thirty thousand dollars. This
would give four presses and twenty four
boxes, and would have q capacity of
fifty barrels of oil per day."
What makes the machinery so expen-
sive ?"
"In the frat place the machinery is
most of it built expressly for the puf.
pose. The hydraulic presses which are
used are the most expensive part Of the
outfit. a great deal Of ground and
sheds are needed in order to keep the
seed dy, and these must be fitted with
elevators on which the seed is passed from
one room to the other occasionally 80
that it will get an airing and prevent
heating or fermentation. This is the
first process in making oil. The seed
having been aired and put in right con-
dition for the mill they ere then passed
to the linters. This is very important
process, as an average of three per cent
of lint is taken from the seed right here.
This lint, amounting to sixty pounds to
every ton of seed, is sold for batting, and
the average price obtained for it this year
was 6 cents, making about four dollars
worth Of lint taken from every ton Of
seed. After the seed leaves the linters
1t is then put in the hulling machine.
The hulls, when taken off, are used as
fuel. The hull furnishes more fuel than
Is necessary to work the seed. The resi-
due of the burned hula is called cot
ton ash and contains 16 per cent of pure
potash, and has an Immediate CONNER
cial and fertilizing value. The bulk of
the seeds, after being hulled, are rolled
over series of rollers that press them
into fiat substance without expressing
any of the oil. This is then put into
hair cloth boxes which are themselves
very expensive, and put in boilers.
They are not put in water but are sub.
jected to steam boiling, and after having
been properly boiled are then put in the
press and the oil Is expressed"
'This is the crude oil, is it not?"
eyes, sir, and the process of refining
is entirely distinct from the seed oil mill.
The refina.y is distinct establishment
calling for q distinct set of machinery
for distinct process and is usually un-
der another management. It is no more
connected with cotton seed mill than
cotton factory is connected with gin."
"The machinery and outfit will cost
$4,000 you say?"
eyes, and you can see where the mon
ey will 60 to by running over the ac-
count of the process required"
"Where can this machinery be
bought ?"
"it can De bought piecemeai from va
rious machine works that make it, or it
can be ordered in bulk from persons who
are prepared to fill such orders. There
are two or three such places in the Uni
ted States, all of which are reliable and
have frequently filled orders for mills.
They understand where the best ma
chinery can be bought and the best COM
binations made"
"What working capital would it re-
quire in addition to the $S0,000?"
'"That depends upon circumstances. If
a company is properly organized aud has
sufficient credit very little world be need
ed, but it would be best to put aside
about $4,000 as working capital, ma
king an outlay of $4,000 for fifty
barred mill. You see the work is all
done in the winter, and it is necessary 70
have the capital to command the mate
rial in sufficient quantity whenever it is
wanted to run the mill for the entire six
months"
"What are the profits of the business ?"
II am not willing to state. Indeed it
would be very hard to state definitely
what the profit would be under any Civ
en- circumstances, there arc SO many con-
tingencies This season it happens that
oil the products of the mills-thc cotton
ash, u cotton meal, the lint and the oil
are in ,emand, and bring high prices,
consequently the mills have made great
deal of money. Other years have not
been so fortunate. It is fair to say
however that the southern mills have
been prosperous to very great degree,
and the results achieved have been such
as to induce the building of new mills
with great rapidity. There were four
teen new mills put up in the south last
year. A significant fact is that three OF
the new mills were put up at Memphis,
where four were already running, end
where information on the subject was
the fullest. Without going into details,
I will say that there are few investments
that will pay better than this if it is
properly managed"
"Will the increase be very rapid in
the future 2"
"Undoubtedly. There are two char
ters for mills in Atlanta Companies
stand behind each ready and anxious Ia
build. Two will be built rs soon as 1t is
| thought that enough seed can be pro-
cured to Justify two mills in starting"
"Is the buying of seed great trouble r
really the first point that any one abou!
70 build should investigate. He should
be certain that he can get sufficient
| supply of seed delivered st the point o.
which his mill is to be located. There
is less trouble now about getting SEED
than formerly as the price has risen t.
about fifteen cents q bushel. When thu
price was ten cents to twelve cents, tht
| farmers did not caro- 70 sell but used j
on their farms or wasted it. At fifteeI
cents it pays the farmer to look after |
and see that it is delivered at some mil