The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1897-05-06

Bannon of New York. representing the Ma
tional Provisioner; G. T.. Allen, represent
Ing Pratt 4 Whitney of Hartford. Conn,
aud James +. Mitchell. superintendent of
the Foos Manufacturing company OF
Springfield Ohio
A paper was then read by Air. Louis X.
Bell of New York on "The Handling and |
Care of OIL Products" as follows
Mr.. President and Gentlemen: The pub |
Usher whom | represent on this occasion |
ana whose journalistic relations to the cot |
ton seed Industry extend over the whole !
period OF It's great development, appreciates |
fully the compliment you have paid our
publication in asking that its representative |
he present at your convention and address
YOU. AT the Negy outset OF my remarks.
let me say that We are well aware that
you do not expect practical suggestions
uDon cotton seed crushing from us who
have only to do with the finished products,
and whose familiarity with the making OF
cotton seed oil is gained from, at the most.
very brief inspection OF an occasional
mill. We have learned, and some of us
TO our financial cost perhaps. that while
the theory of running a cotton oil mill is
simple enough. yet tho problems which con-
front the mill superintendent every day.
and upon the solution of which may de-
pend the measure OF the mills profit. have
to be solved from practical cNperieuce-not
from books; not from theories.
do not mean to undervalue the sug-
gestons which you may obtain from any
source; hut there are few industries where
constantly changing conditions have made
practical experience and sound personal
Judgment more essential to success than
they are in cotton seed crushing. taking
one yenr with another, and these qualities
are quite as essential in the superintendent
ms in any other official connected with a
mill organization.
II is possible for an impractical super
| intendont TO bring to naught the best laid
| plans OF the owners and managers, and IT
| is equally possible for a practical and ju
diciCus superintendent to make mill show
profits beyond the most carefully formed
eNpectations OF those above him.
The commercial interests of which the
Oil. Paint and Drug Reporter has for so
many years been the exponent. will appre
ciate the disposition TO take into account
In your discussions the trade requirements
| fer your products, which your association
| has shown In inviting from the representa-
| ttv, Of that journal suggestions upon The
/ Handling and Care OF OH Mil Products
and Their Commercial Value" II was not
| until after the close OF the war and the re
| ViVal of agricultural and industrial activity
| at the South that cotton seed crushing at
| tracted considerable attention. and in Oc
| toher. 1871. when the Oil. Paint and Drug
Reporter was established the crop for the
| 600. 600 gallons, although the number OF
mills had then reached thirty, nearly all OF
| them being located al the South. Earlier
| in the history OF the business. mills az New
York and Providence We're comparatively
| lGige producers but the manufacture near
or the Gotten field with the attendant saw
| ing III transportation upon the vast amount
| of waste material which comes with the
kernel. was n necessary feature of the
growth of the industry. IT was one of It's
misfnrtuncs. as well ms one Of the crcum
stances that forced the growth Of the in
dustrv. that cotton seed oil mill could
be erected and operated AT any pon, where
IA moderate amount of seed was available,
with n small Investment Of money The
| misfortune OF this was that the mills were
erected With very imperfect equipment by
men wholly inexperienced in the business,
whose knowledge of it, In fact, was gained.
in many cases. almost wholly from the
arguments Ct our convincing friends in the
machinery business. ! am not prepared
to say that these gentlemen did not mean
| all they said, nor that all they said was
| not true at that time. hut in the light OF
| what practical experience has taught the
mill superintendent since then, much Of
the theory. and more OF the practice. In
mill oporation twenty-fv years ago would
fail TO stand the test OF competition in
| these end Of III century times. when the
| number Of mills Is something like 900 and
II is not more than thirty years ago that
cotton seed oil had no field OF its own.
its chief use being as an adulterant of or
substitute for other ellis. It's quality was,
therefore less severely tested, because II
hgd no established standard. But as it's
intrinsic merits became known to the world,
and It's supply grew in volume, the mer-
chants upon whom devolved the task Of
making for this product distinctive place
among tho oils aud other fats of com.
mercc forced II into new channels and
| thus increased the eXactug demands upon
| the producer for higher standards OF quail
| ity The average quality of the cotton
| seed oil produced IN the United states has
| doubtless improved ycirly all things con
| sidered although there was just as good OIL
| made twenty five or thirty years aeo ms il
| made today and | am not prepared to say
| that there Is not some just as poor oil
| made today AS was ever made But, OF
| course. YOU Will understand that none of
| the last named sort is made in Texas
The improvements in manufacture which
| have been made in all these years lave
| undoubtedly resulted in more uniformity,
aud. as | have before said. in better
average quality of all products, but they
| have probably done more toward economic
| ing the cast Of production and bringing the
| cotton seed mill 10 the higher place which
| it occupies among the INDUSTRIAL establish
| mouis Of the country than in any other
|
While there are occasional defects tina.
merit criticism, there is no general COM
| plaint Of the quality Of American cotton OIL
| either from those who buy the crude for
| refining or the consumers OF the refined
product Undoubtedly much that Is de-
| f,ctivc in the former Is corrected by the
careful refining although there are defects
| which can not thus be overcome anil which
viii he apparent in the refined oil In
other words. while the rcfiner may sue
ressfnlly contend with lack of uniformity
In crude. If the quality Is rood. he can not
make a good product out Of rude from
| sood that has been spoiled before crush
ing. or that has been badly handled. N
This way the effect OF mixing even small
nroportlon of inferior crude with lot that
,yould have refined wei, viii result IN the
,ntiro run coming out of quality This
fact is known to you ALL no doubt, but II
is apnarently overlooked at times by the
| men whose more careful selection OF soed
| would add both to the reputation OF the
mil and TO its profits, OF course we reeog-
| nlze that the crusher has to o0ntsih WIN
great variations in conditions II every sea
son's crush. but the commercial end oil
| Tho business. and therefore. the profits Oh