The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1896-01-08
A New Era in the Cotton Industry.

Perhaps no feature of the exposition
impressed southern visitors more than
the American cotton picker which was
successfully operated day after day in a
cotton field behind the Manufactures
Building.
Thousand of farmers Witnessed the
work of this machine, and the general
verdict was highly favorable.
1t is claimed that the machine will 40
the work of forty human pickere. All
that it requires is two mules and driver.
1t picks 81 per cent. of the cotton on tho
plant without injuripg it, and the cotton
is cleanly lifted out Of the bolls without
the trash which good, fast picker would
get. AS a rule the planters who saw 1t
agreed that it is an invention fully az I'M
portant as the cotton gin. The machine
was operated in typical cotton field
under the eyes of experienced planters
from many States, who would have been
quick to point out defect II they had
been able to find one.
The special committee appointed by the
board of directors to witness the operation
OF the picker reported that they had seen
It pick upwards of IS per cent. Of the
cotton on the plant without injury to
leaf, bloom or green boil, and that the
sample was as good or better than the
average hand-picked cotton. a special
gold medal was voted to the American
Cotton Picker Company, of Plttsburg,
Pa, and the committeee expressed the
opinion that it was of the utmost impor-
tance that the fact Of the presence of q
successful and practical cotton picker at
the exposition should be made widely
known throughout the cotton belt. The
report was unanimously adopted.
Of course, we do not assume the re-
spouslbility of declaring that this cotton
picker is perfect machine. It interests
US because it seems to 60 far toward
theoretically and practically solving
great problem, and it gives us rea' on to
believe that this machine or one similar
will in the near future revolutionize oar
cotton industry. Picking is the great
item of cost in the production OF cotton,
costing in some localities half the amount
received for the staple in market.
Roughly estimated, the value of the crop
in 1894 was S225, 100000 and it cost over
800, ,00U, 600 to pick it.
II we c,n get satisfactory machine
which will do the work of forty men liz
picking cotton it will be seen that an I'M.
mense reduction can be made In the cost
of production,
Tne idea of q cotton picker is not new
one. 1t has teen worked on for years,
and the inventor of the present machine,
Mr.. Angus Campbell, of Pittsburg, has
been experimenting with his invention
for ten years. 1t does not matter whether
this machine answers the purpose or not.
The point is simply this-is the cotton
picker something feasible, practical and
s1tisfarsorr2 Answer this question In the
affirmative and human Ingenuity will do
the rest. If the exposition has done
nothing more than to bring such an In
7ention to the front and make it evident
that 1t will be factor in the near future,
it will be the browning glory of our great
show. When we get machine that will
oheapen the cost of cotton production
nearly one half, our planters will be on
the road to weatb.-Atlantd Constitution.