Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1882-11-20
The Worlds Cotton EXPOSITION.

III Llllle hOCks AIh.s gIduu OOtVOu EA-
position of the world was to be held in
1884, and that the principal Southern
cities would be invited to compete for
the honor of being the location of such
Exposition. In another column this
morning an official invitation to
Savannah to enter into this com
petition is published, and the award will
be made by the Executive Committee of
the association on the 1st of January
next.
We have heretofore dwelt at length on
the superior claims which Savannah can
put forward to this honor. Our excel
lent fresh water harbOr, which places
this city in easy and direct cOmmuni-
cation. by means of the largest vessels,
with all the ports of the world, and our
railroads which render tributary to her
the richest section of the cotton belt,
have already made her the first cotton
port of the South Atlantic, and will make
her an exceedingly eligible candidate for
the location of the Worlds Cotton Ex-
position. All things considered, she IN
doubtedly possesses advantages for
this superior to any Of her cOmpetl-
tors-advantages, too, which will be
greatly increased by the time the Exposi-
ton is to be held.
These are. briefly stated, the practical
claims which Savannah can advance to
being selected as the location for this
exposition. Our city has, however, ever
since American cotton first began to be
produced, been intimately identified
with the culture and expectation of the
| great staple, and numerous "reminiscences
of the early days of cotton planting can
be recalled which must prove of unusual
interest when told in connection with
| this proposed worlds fair. In a little
book published in 1S48, called Census
of the City of Savannah, together with
Statistics Relating to the Trade, Com
merce, Mechanical Arts" etc, of the
city Ito which work allusion has already
been made, it is stated that
cotton, even then one of the largest
items in the exports of Savannah, was an
article which was almost unknown in
commerce until the close of the last cen
tury. Of the two kinds cultivated IN
the United States, the black seed, or long
staple cotton, was first produced IN
Georgia about the year 1856, and the
green seed, or short staple cotton, not
until some years later, although it had
been raised in North Carolina and Vir-
ginia in a limited way prior to the
revolution. Its first cultivators in this
State were Messrs. Josiah Tattnall, Mich
oIas Turnbun, James Spalding and Rich
ard Leake
The first bag exported from Georgia
vas grown by Alexander Bisset, of St.
Simon's Island, and was shipped from
Savannah by Thomas Miller in 1888. Mr..
Miller was still living in Camden county
in 1S4S, and was one of the first who
ever engaged in the purchase of cot
| ton in the Savannah market, where, for
long time, he was the only buyer. He
used to purchase it by the pound in
small parcels, and with his own hands
assorted and packed it for market The
Industry and interest he displayed in his
business, added to the fact that he was
the pioneer in cotton buying in the
South, gave him the name of Cotton
Miller, by which he was long and gen
orally known.
In 1892 the growth of cotton was SO
inconsiderable, or deemed of so little
value as an article of commerce, that Mr.
jay, in his treaty with England, nego-
jiated that year, stipulated that no cot
ton should be exported from America.
The United States Senate, however, re-
fused to ratifY this article. In 1892 the
entire crop Of the country was only -four
hundred and fifty bags, and in 1874 an
American vessel that carried eight bag;
to Liverpool was seized on the ground
that it was impossible for 50 much cotton
10 be produced IN the United States.
In 1874 the invention of the saw gin
by Eli Whitney, of Connecticut. gave 8
powerful impetus to the culture of cot
ton, and regarding this most useful in
vention very interesting incident is re-
lated, which we believe has never here
tofore appeared in print 1t seems that
Mr.. Whitney conceived the idea of the
gin while he was employed as tutor by
Mrs. General Nathaniel Greene, at Mul
berry Grove, Chatham county, on the
Savannah river, and set about carrying
his idea into effect. He constructed g
Gin, and when he thought it was per
feCted invited certain persons from this
section of the State to see it IN operation.
Among those present was Mrs. Greene,
who manifested much interest in
the invention. While looking on al
the working of the gin, however, it sud
denly became clogged from some cause,
aud Mrs. Greene took a comb from
her hair and placed the teeth of the
comb lust in front of the roller of the
gin. so as to unclog the machine, and
the cotton began coming out beautifully
This little act suggested one of the most
important and useful Improvements Of
his invention to Mr.. Whitney. He i'm
mediately adopted it, and then for the
first time really perfected his gin. This
anecdote was told to Mr.. John M
Guerard, of this city. by Mr.. P. NJ. Night
ingale, of Brunswick, grandson of Gen
eral Greene, who vOuched for its truth
It will be seen, then, that Savannah
has always played most interesting ant
prominent part in the cotton trade eve
since the earliest infancy of the culture
and expectation of the great Southern
staple, and this, apart from her superio
natural advantages, which we hav'
mentioned. would make it eminently
appropriate that she should be selected
as the location for the proposed World
Cotton Exposition. 1t is to be hoped tina
her claims will not be overlooked, anC
that they will be industriously pressed
since such an Exposition in our clty