The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1890-06-14
STORY OF THE oorroN-eIn.
I., Lad

veiop an Immense Industry.
| The effect OF Whitney's invention
upon the production of cotton was inn
mediate and striking. 1 have already
said that cotton was an unimportant
factor in colonial productions. In 1856
attention was called to the possibility
Of raising cotton for the English market,
and more vigorous efforts were made. In
1901 tile South produced 1000, 600 pounds,
of which 1s0,3l6 pounds were exported.
The following year, however, the ex-
portation was only $4,000 pounds So
difficult, in fact, was the process of
ginning that tobacco indigo and rice
babe fair to be the permanent products
of the Southern States In the winter
Of 1928 came the invention of the cot
ton gin. Encouraged by the hope of it's
success the planters, during the follow
ing season UT03), raised ., 00O 900 pounds
of cotton and sent 4ST, 900 pounds to En-
| gland. During the following year the
use of the cotton-gin became more gen
eral in Georgia and South Carolina.
1t is not surprising, therefore, to find
a product of S,0O0,00 pounds in 1894,
and an expectation of over 1,600, 900
pounds. Year after year the area of the
| cotton producing country, the number
of planters and their slaves, and the
amount and value of their crop showed
rapid growth. In 1900 the product was
$4,000, 600 pounds: in 1910, 5000. 900: in
1870, 100, 900, 900; in 1880, $50, 900, 900; in
1910, $50, 900, coo; and-to omit the inter-
vening decadcs-in 1880, the crop was
5000, 600, 600 pounds. The debt which
the nation and the world owe to Eli
Whitney is proclaimed by the eloquence
of statistics. They indicate that Robert
Fulton was not wrong when he said that
cartwright, Watt and Whitney were
the three men who did most for man
kind of any of their contemporaries.
Nor was Lord Macaulay too extravagant
in saying: what Peter the Great did to
make Russia dominant Eli Whitney's
invention of tho cotton-gin has more
than equaled in its relation to the power
and progress of the United States"
A few months after his gradua tion, ir
the autumn of 1902, Whitney was en-
gagged as tutor by gentleman from
Georgia. During the journey from New
York to Savannah he enjoyed the COM
pany of Mrs Greene, the widow of the
famous revolutionary General. and her
family. Their friendship proved to be
of inestimable value. On arriving in
Georgia he found the position for which
he had been engaged already filed.
Without resources or employment. he
gladly accepted the invitation of Mrs.
Greene to remain at her house while he
was carrying out his project of studying
law. Under her hospitable roof he re
mained for several months.
The first opportunity for employing
his peculiar skill was in making a tam
bour frame. Mrs. Greene complained
that the one she was using was imper-
feet, and tore her embroidery. Anxious
to please his kind benefactor, Whitney
quickly constructed frame SO superior
to the one in use as to excite the wonder
and delight of the whole family.
This exhibition of skill was still in
the mind of Mrs. Greene when a party
of revolutionary officers who had served
under her husband came to pay their
respects. Many of them, if not all, were
planters. In discussing the state of agri-
culture and their needs they lamented
the lack of a machine for separating cot
ton fiber from the seeds. With the press
ing demand in England for raw cotton
this was the only obstacle to their pros
perity. BY happy inspiration Mrs
Greene remarked: "Gcntlemen, apply to
my young friend, Mr.. Whitney lie can
make any thing" Whitney protesting
against the praises of his friend, removed
what hopeful expectations the most
ardent may have had by calmly reply
ing that he had never seen either cotton
or cotton seed.
Mrs. Greene's object in her friendly in
was to attract the attention
Of her influential visitors to the promis-
ing young man whom she was befriend-
ing. The conversation, however, had
IN unexpected result. The young law
student threw aside his books, and soon
set off for Savannah. There he wan
Tered about the wharves, in and around
,he store-houses, seeking sample of
cotton. After long search he returned
With small parcel. A work-room in
he basement of the house was set apart
or his use. He made the tools neces-
'ary for his task, drew his own wire, e,and
proceeded to construct gin (''engine"
S the full form) for separating cotton
iber from the seeds. His purpose was
livulged to no one save Mrs. Greene.
The winter of 1929 was nearly over
when his mysterious task was fully and
completed. Early in the
spring the cotton-gin was set up in
she'd and prominent planters from all
over the State were invited to see it
work. 1t was successful from the start.
Tho machine for which there had been
such clamoring for many years was at
ast provided by the ingenuity of Yam
zee student.-Edward Craig Bates, in
New England Magazine.
TERPtRl NyEhDOM