The Lexington dispatch. [volume] (Lexington, South Carolina) 1870-1917, 1899-08-30
The Rourdlap Bale Press.
Benefits to Farmers and Ginners
Demonstrated in Operation.

11l l.. w. iotts VI hoh1''''A>'
Ala, is president of the West Hunts
vile Cotton Mil, and operates at the
same place one of the largest ginning
plants in the country. He has been
using the roundlap bale for two
years, ard expects to put up 5000
to $4,000 bales of SEQ pounds each
during the coming season. Mr..
Pratt has also organized companies
for building two very large roundlap
bale plants at Tuscaloosa and Dem
opylis, Ala, and estimates that be
will handle at these two points this
year 10000 to 10000 bales of 250
pounds each, or the equal of $4,000
to 10000 square bales. In a letter
to the Manufacturers Record, giving
his experience with his Huntsville
plant, he says:
1--WE are einners and cotton manu-
facturers, and operate ten 10 saw
gins and four presses. For two
years we have operated roundlap
bale presses Ct the American Cotton
Go. The first year we handled 2,200
5)0-pound bales, aid the second year
5,l0O 500-pound bales. This year
with good crop in this vicinity, We
expect to put up 5000 or 10000
bales. Our experience has been
most satisfactory, both from a gin
ne1's and manufacturers stand
point, and the fact that we have so
largely increased our business is
ample evidence that the planters are
we'll satisfied. The universal opin-
ion expressed by all customers is
that they are more than satisfied.
Aud why should they be otherwise?
We gin and compress for 81 and pay
the planters one-eighth centpremium
On their crop, or if We buy in the
seed, as is now the rule here, we pay
them on this basic, and they sell
their load and get spot cash for ii,
thus saving much labor formerly
necessary. Under the old process
they paid So for ginning, made q
trip to the gin with their load, gen
orally had to leave it and wait several
days for ginning, and then made a
second tip for the cotton and seed
and another trip to market. In the
! spring we furnish them seed at the
same price We paid when ginning
was done, and they are then sure Of
getting good seed for planting, and
only what they want. Hence there
is no waste. Any planter who has
dealt with US will certify to the fact
that he can better afford to hsu
cotton twenty to thirty miles to oul
gins rather than gin near home, with
the extravagant old-fashioned method
He can not only save time, but make
money by so doing, and gets paid fol
all the cotton he brings, whether he
sells at once or holds his crop. He
also appreciates the saving in having
the bale sampled once instead Of
many times, and he further under,
stands that he gets better grade
than he does on the old country gins.
owing to the superior machinery
used for cleaning, etc. So much fol-
the planter
"Now let US see how the ginner
stands. First, he can gin, cover
and compress 500 pounds of lint in
eight minutes, using good outfit OF
FIVE 70-saw gins to the press, and can
do better with a larger battery. This
can be done at cost not exceeding
forty cents all told, while the old
process costs him not less thar 81 Is,
including bagging and ties. In case
the ginner wants to buy and sell
cotton on his own account, most of
the railroads of the South will allow
him compress fees of eight and ore
half cents per hundred weight, or
forty-two and one. half cents per bale.
If be wants to sell his cotton to the
American Cotton Co., it allows him o
premium Of 1925 per bale over the
value of the same cotton in square
bales at his locality, thus giving him
81 25 net after paying royalty Of
twenty cents per hundred weight for
the use Of the press, maintenance OF
the same and regular inspections.
The gin plant can be run with less
cost of insurance than the old system
and if cotton is stored, four times as
much can be placed in the same
room.
"There is no chance OF mixing
bales or samples, owing to the per-
feet system in use, and no chance of
losing cotton by country damage, as