New-York tribune., 1899-06-13
COTTON BALE FIRE TEST.
THE AMERICAN COTTON co. VS. THE
PLANTERS COMPRESS CO.
THREE METHODS OF PACKING COTTON PUT ON
TRIAL AT LowELL-GREAT INTEREST IN THE
RESULT IN MANUFACTURING. INSURANCE
AND FINANCIAL CIRC1.Es-coTToN
BALES UNDER BOTH FIRE

UNDER BOTH FIRE
AND WATER
state-st and the w-Engand cotton manu-
facturers have been unusually stirred the past few
DAYS by the trial on Thursday at Lowell OF the
merits Of the two leading modern forms Of cotton
bale when subjected fire test. The American
Cotton Company OF which John f. Searles Is
president and Congressman Lowering vtoe-presi-
dent has claimed that II had an ideal underwriters
bale that would not be dangerously expanded un-
der water and could suffer fire test with greater
salvage than any other form OF cotton bale. The
form Of this companys bale is that Of round lap.
and in appearance II resembles roll OF carpet
Both the American Cotton Company and the
Planters Compress Company are building presses
covering the South with agents. and preparing TO
install cotton packing plants by the hundred
II is rumored that these cotton companies VIII
be competitors at various points In the South not
only in respect 10 their baling machines but as
buyers OF cotton for the purpose OF securing sup
plies for their plants and TO demonstrate the su-
perority OF their bang systems over the old form
OF cotton bale by the higher price paid for cotton
In the new form OF bale by the European and
American spnners and also the reduced freight
rates at which the bales can be handled.
Both companies are said to have millions Of cash
behind them as well large trust company and
banking interests. and whatever Is the result be-
tween them the old form OF American cotton bale
The official report on the fire test at Lowell last
Thursday will be Of far-reaching importance.
For this test the Lowry bale of the Planters
Compress Company. the round lap bale OF the Amer
lean Cotton Company and an ordinary square cotton
bale were last Thursday afternoon subjected to
nre trial at Lowell by the Associated Factory
Mutual Fire Insurance Companies Of the United
States for the purpose Of determining the relative
fire hazards Of the several methods OF bsling cot
ton.
Two small frame houses exactly alike. had been
constructed about hfty feet apart on Ffrst-st oval
Each was built at elevation OF two feet from
the ground The space beneath the houses was
filed with dry boards and cotton waste. over which
ten gallons OF kerosene oil were poured In one
house eight American round lap bales and one
square bale stored, in the other eight Lowry
or Planters Compress bales and one square bale
The combustble material under the houses was
lgnited at l35 p m. The flames burned furiousiy
for one hour. making as hot fire as cotton couIo
well be subjected to- and entirely consuming the
houses. Sprays OF water were then turned on and
the flames put out
Nearly all the wires the Planters Compress
Company bales burned of and the bales elongated
from feet inches 10 8 and 10 feet. This exposed
the cotton in the Lowry bales to the flames. which
were eating into the bales at all points when the
fire extinguished
Il had been agreed that the fire should burn for
two hours and the Hon. william c. lowering vice
president Of the American Cotton Company, OBJ
jected TO the extingushment at the end OF one
hour. But the response was made that the value
OF the demonstration and comparison might be
lost II the full two hours burning was allowed.
Mr. Lowering conceded that. as this was the In
surance companies test and comparison II might
be conducted In any manner the insurance com
panies representatives desired.
Whatever cotton is saved from the fire VIII pc
carefully picked over. and the salvage accurately
determining
recovery will be considered This cost, IN the case
OF the Planters bales will be greater than in the
case Of the American bales. as actual tests have
shown that It requires several times as long 10
pick cotton burned in Lowry bales as In American
unrolled extended in length and only the outer
surfaces exposed 70 the flames were burned
The representatives OF the American bale were
very well satisfied over what they termed another
for this bale had previously demonstrated its SUI
periority where exposed to either fire or water
When the building which contained tne Ametio
companys round lap bales - collapsed. the
and rolled out OF reach OF the hre In order tnat
the Lowry bales should be tested under the same
conditions the square bale whiGn was oeing ys9 sup
One square bale having been removed. ana the
other having removed itsell IN the hrst stages OF
great heat the bales were not considered to
have undergone any test est ., -. ,.,ss :, ,,a
various stages OF the burning and Mr. G H Phin-
as asy the cotton car be- dried and picked over
Mr.. Phnney also supervised the previous hre test
lIOVry
pany and the American Cotton Company's lap bale
which was made at Nashua, y. H., In the yard
Of the jackson mills on April II At this test the
percentage OF good cotton saved was 63 lS per cent
for the Planters bale and M per cent for the
American bale.
Notwithstanding the fact that the Planters COM
press people claim that the previous test was not
fair exhibit for their company, because their bales
were not strongly enough wired II is believed by
those who witnessed the fire test that the Amert-
can Cotton Companys bale Will stand as well,
relatively. from yesterdays test as from that at
Nashua, y. II.
II was learned ror the first time among the un-
derwriters representatives present at the fire test
yesterday that secret test had previously been
made concerning the ability OF the two competing
cotton bales 10 withstand the action OF water. No
report far be learned. has ever been
made public concerning the water test. but II was
reported among the spectators that the wires on
the Planters Compress Company's bales had also
burst when submerged In water. No comparative
report made II said. because no cotton
from the Planters compress bale was recovered
from the water test The American Cotton Com
pany's bale came intact and wet only AT the
exterior. which moisture very soon dried out
(From The Boston Herald.
NAV FTPOPT STATEMENTS