The Marlboro democrat. [volume] (Bennettsville, S.C.) 1882-1908, 1897-02-10
RoUNo corToz GALES.
Intoresting Experlmonts yyhloh seom to
~ ta.4. .!sji Irayor III. =, ifStf 49,

Eave- TlS:s.
( Very interesting experiments hayo
recently been made in st. Louis, de.
tanned from packing cotton into bales
made at ST. Louis, and the object was
to note tho effects OF fire upon bales OF
this kind. Tho judges were from tho
ing from the St. Louis Republic, in.
dicaies that the system Of packing
has many advantages over the old.
The Republic says:
Cotton put up in round bales
won't burn to any great extent. This
fact was proven before the board OF
underwriters Wednesday mornlag by
the American Cotton Company which
operates the round bale system. A
round bale was shown completely
covered, ends and all, with O closel Y
woven cover, and with no cotton
whatever exposed. The "Gast haz.
zard, one of the greatest risk in cot.
ton, is thus removed by the new
method of bailing. 1t was explained
that no cutting Of the wrapping OF
any sort was necessary or permitted,
as ii guaranteed sample of the bale
was drawn in process of making and
properly identified.
AS the objection had been raised
that the bale could not be sampled, it
was demonstrated perfectly that a
sample could be drawn from the
round the same as from any other
bales, simply by cutting it. Then
acter of the winding fully shown.
The bale was then placed upon proper
supports, the bagging still further cut
and the cotton thrown back and ex.
posed, and wood piled under, around
and on top OF tue bale, and coal oil
poured over all OF it. 1t was then
fired. After twenty minutes the fire
died down and tho bale was rolled
out, and it was found that beneath
the outer lawyers the cotton was un
touched, and that it could not pene
trate the ends of the bale, simply
charring the exposed ends slightly.
It was again set fire to, but the blaze
quickly died out.
Meanwhile another bale of similar
character was shown, with an iron
rod run through it and properly sup
ported, and this was unwound clear
down to the core, rolling Of like q
coll of paper in a modern printine
press, delivering the cotton in q
smooth, regular "bat," ready for the
| machinery. There was no hitch in
the unrolling. Then the fire bale was
returned to, and to show thai
water would not penetrate it, as vel
as to put out any little remnants oi
fire that might be left, wator was
poured upon the bale. Then, with
the unrolling Of one single turn il
was shown that under the first layel
the cotton was perfectly dry and not
damaged in any manner. The bale
was then recovered, weighed, and it was
found that it had lost II per cent.
The large number Of prominent mon,
railroaders, bankers, Insurance mon,
etc, who were present, expresse d
themselves as satisfied with the sue.
cess of the test. From this it seems
that the round bale has much the
best Of it, but Of course there are 9th.
or points to bs considered. For ex-
ample, the packing of cotton In this
manner requires change in machin,
cry. Can it be packed at as little cost
can it be compressed as effectively,
and can it be stored in the hold Of 6
Iship or in freight cars with as much
economy of space and handling2 All
of these features must be weighed be
fore the new bale can become the
standard.