The Savannah morning news., 1900-11-03
TRIED TO BURN SEED COTTON.
ENPERINENT ~ COMBU~TiON ~
THE CENTRAL RAILROAD YARDS.


President John VI. EEan and Mr. g..
a. Hanson Conducted the Expert
ment-Shtpprrs Want "a Reduced
Rate for seed Cotton Loose tn
Gar-Nr. EEan on "a Committee 90
Look Into C"mbusttbiiits - ott"n
Would Hurn oni, on the surface.
Itrr thtrf aud Engine at Stand 60
Guard Against the Loss OF the car.
a garlosd ~ cotton was set or IRE >s=-
terdly morning near tae entrance 90 the
central Ralroad freight yards. President
John ~ Exam of the Central and Air
G. Hanson tss-ee az che Central
cotton compre-ses desired 90 experiment
with tle cotton Co ascertain its comhus-
uBllity ard BE- was Cor this reason tha'
they were 81 free with their fire.
chief liaFuire OF t1e fire department
and one ~ tte chemical engines were on
hand 20 zee thar no Joss other 'han tlat
of the cotton. possibly might result from
the experiment SIR Exam had uo desire
Co burn up one Of the roads best freight
cars iust for she sake Of aseer.ainlng
whether or not q load ~ SOD cotton would
burn
just what cnoct upon tho rates for the
trsnspo- alton OF cotton 90 the seed the
experiment would have SIR Ezan wa nor
prepared 60 say. az b. felt that be- should
report ;o tae Southeastern Freight A--7-
citation directly but a wa demonstrated
beyond peraiveuture that the cotton
would not burn
The car was rigged up with number
u glass Window So that the progress Of
the 1smes miRhl b, noted a lighted cigar
WIS thrown DO. the cotton being loose in
the car. Greater eucouragentnt than that
wae needed however. for the riEtr only
went out Then lighted match war
touched 60 the cotton. and very thin up
per layer began 10 burn The FIRE spread
until 10 hal covered the entire surface Of
the cotton. Then IL went out
The doors were thrown open 30 give the
flames nir " there were any left. but
even with this encouragement the cotton
would no burn. II was again set on fire.
rnhurred portions being raked up. and
the doors We're LEFT open. but again 10
would not burn more than the surface
For some time tho experiment was watch
"a by Mr. Egau Mr. Hanson ana the fre
chief and finally as the cotton showed
no disposition 90 burn. man was left on
watch and the others deserted the scene.
All the afternoon the watchman remained
AZ his post bar tho cotton showed no evil
dcuce OF combustion
The experiment was made 10 investigate
a demand made by shippers of cotton iu
che sod for lower rates than are Paid
for % Nheu bakd Application for the
reduction was made 30 the Southeastern
Freight Association some months ago and
a committee wns appointed 60 investigate
the com bu~tblhty ~ cotton IN that form
and report TO the association. The com
mittee made - investigation in Alabama.
but the report was not accepted. Mr.
Exam being one Of chose who protested
Mr. EEan was then appointed a member
n another committee 20 investigate che
matter and the experiment iu she Cen
trails yards was Ia pursuance of tine work.
imposed upon him. the other members OF
tho committee not being able 70 appear
Mr. EEan senf report 81 the experiment
20 another OF the committeeman Second
Vice President W " Finley 81 the south
crn Railway Hc also mailed fancifu
comic drawing of the experiment. IN
which Mr. Hanson was the central ng-
ure. with a stream Of water playing on
the car. the artist being a young man in
the engineers Office
The giuneries located along railway lines
desire the reduction ~ the rates on cot
ton To- che seed. 10 b. their desire to have
che cotton hauled In that form 80 their
gin houses. avoiding thereby the long
trips over rough country roads bv mule
teams. The railroads did MOI care 20
grant a reduction 90 rates n 81 should
be- the case that cotton SO chat form were
too combustlh.e TO b. handled without
greater danger than balee 81 lint Il Is
not known whether the experiment con
Quoted hy Mr. Egan AMI Mr. Hanson VIII
result In the g1nnerics getting the reduc-
ton
In discussing the matter. Mr. Hanson
said Il would doubtless be "a distinct ad-
vantage 10 the large ginneries 20 have q
reduced rate. but that ~ would be- hurt
ful 60 the small gin houses. as the latter
would boz forced out of business hy the ex-
ceptonal advantages enjoyed hy tho
larger concerns Ia having sheir rail rates
and their heavier business. the volume Of
which would admit Of their operating a
considerable less expense than the small
or giuneries.
go