The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1892-03-04
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A RACE FOR COTTON.


How the Crop in Charleston Was "C0r-
nered' in the Day of Sailing Vessels.
Edward Knight Collins was = great
naval architect as well as shipping mer-
chant, whose career YVES, on the whole,
moro noteworthy than that of any man en-
gagged anywhere in similar pursuits. This
public spirited citizen, son Of Captain
Israel G. Collins, the owner and commander
of ship that traded between the United
States and England. was born on the 9Th
of August, 1902. His mother, Mary Allan,
niece of Admiral Sir Edward Knight, Of
the British navy, dying ten days after the
birth of her only child, the infant was
reared by his aunt, Mrs. Elizabeth Small,
of Truro, Cape Cod, whose kindness and
affection Mr.. Collins remembered with
gratitude to the day Of his death. In his
fifteenth year, after course of study at
Sandwich, Cape Cod, and Elizabethtown,
n. J., he entered as clerk, at Al South
street, New York, the store Of Messrs.
McCrea 81 Slidell, the latter gentleman a
brother of the Confederate minister, John
Slideu, who was captured on board the
Trent by naval officers Of the country he
had disowned.
Five years afterward Mr.. Collins was
making trips 10 the West Indies as super
cargo for John T. Delaplaine, sharing in
the profits Of the ventures of his new en-
ployer and experiencing several hair,
breadth escapes from pirates and two disas-
trous shipwrecks On the coasts of Cuba and
Florida, so that when in 1875 he became
the partner of his father in the fra of
Israel g. Collins & Son, on the north cor
ner of South street and Buriing slip, he
was fully equipped for a notable CONNER
cial performance which may be called the
foundation of his subsequent prosperity.
The ship Canada, regular Liverpool
trader, had arrived in New York. after
short passage, with the news of d great rise
IN the price Of cotton in England and
number Of spectators forthwith combined
TO buy all the cotton they could find.
Several merchants, also seized with q
similar purpose, determined to send an
agent to Charleston, and at l o'clock
on the day OF the Canada's arrival pro
ceeded to the Office Of /. O. Collins 81 Son,
and asked the junior member OF that firm
10 act in that capacity. \ few minutes
reflection was enough to enable him to
accept the appointment, and in reply TO
their question, How soon can you start?"
he said quietly: AS soon as | can charter
pilot boat and ship provisions and crew
about three hours. l viii be ready to
sail at o'clock this afternoon"
"But the regular Charleston packet
leaves at that hour, and the spectators
viii go out by her and get there before
you"
Gentlemen" was the reply, 'I viii go
in the way have named or not at all"
Enough said. Atpreciseiy4 o'clock, from
the pier at BuriinZ slip, the packet hauled
in her hawsers, and the pilot boat, under
command Of Z. K. Collins, cast loose her
moorings, the vessels proceeding down the
East river together, much to the amuse
ment of the spectators on board the
packet, who mercilessIy chaffed the boy"
as they called him, for his temerity in at
tempting To beat them. But Collins, being
an accomplished navigator, and sailing in
boat of so light draft that it could
keep close to shore and take full advantage
of tides, currents and land breezes, was
soon out Of sight of the merryanGrews, |
and reached Charleston long enough in adj |
vance of them 60 buy all the cotton in that |
city and on the Cooper and Ashley rivers, |
TO arrange his exchanges, make out his in |
voices and set sail for New York in his |
saucy little craft.
She was crossing tho bar homeward
bound, with her whip at the main, when
the packet and the spectators hove in
sight, and as the two vessels passed each
other within speaking distance, an eye
witness relates that the would be cotton !
buyers on board the bigger one laughed |
this time the other side of their mouths. |
That was certainly a splendid start for |
young business man of twentythree years. |
George w. Sheldon in Harper's.