The Savannah morning news., 1901-04-21
CUT OFF CONGRESSES
ESTABLISHMENT OF GIN PRESSES
MAY RESULT THAT WAY.
ONE POINT MAY SAVE THEM.
THAT is POSSIBLE DAMAGE To
COTTON BY GIN PRESSES.

AASAACS-At IS auCStAoh
Whether the Fiber of Cotton is In
jured by Being Tightly Compress
ed at Ginneries-If 1t Is Settled
That II Is Not So Injured, Gin
Congresses May Take the Place of
the Great Congresses Now oper-
ated.
The days of the great cotton congresses
in the South are numbered, il just one
point, now in dispute is settled, and it
is established clearly that compression of
cotton at ginneries means injury to the
staple. That is view that might be TAX
en- from an interview given the
Morning News yesterday by Mr.
c. c. Hanson, lessee of the Central
Railroads five congresses and operator
of seven others.
"Of course" said Mr. Hanson, cotton
compressors would not welcome the pass
ing of the congresses, for it would mean
the passing of their business, but it may
be counted upon as certain that the most
economic methods are those that will
prevail. If 1t is cheaper and just as sat
the ginneres, the natural consequence
will be the compression of cotton there,
and the gradual dimnution of the bust
ness of the great congresses. 1t is not
pleasing picture for the compressors, but
1t is boldly in view, and there is no rea-
son why an attempt should be made to
veil it.
las 1 have said, the salvation of the
compressors and of the compress property
in Savannah, Macon, Atlanta. Albany, in
fact throughout the cotton states, rests
upon the establishment of the fact that it
is injurious to the staple to compress 1t at
the ginneries. Now l believe that il does
inJure it, but that is a matter of opinion,
and is only to be settled definitely by ex-
perience. Many contend that 1t does not
damage the staple in the least, quoting
the authority of spinners in support of
the contention, but 1 am personally of the
opinion that the staple is damaged when
1t is tightly compressed at ginneries.
THE tight compression of cotton at the
gins seems to drive all the oil that is in
the fiber out. This oil requires a certain
time to remain in the fiber, and if it is
extracted or forced out before it's natural
time, 1t will cause the fiber to rot or be-
come too brittle for making cloth. Cot
ton can be compressed at the gins to a
density equaling that which can be Sc
cured at the congresses, and this viii
mean that ultimately it will be compress
ed at the gins, If l am incorrect in my
view as to the staple being damaged by
compression at the gins
rs the time elapsing between the gin
ming of cotton and packing it in the or
binary rectangular form and. its compress
sion at the compress sufficient for the oil
10 disappear from the fiber in it's natural
course?" Mr.. Hanson was asked, and his
reply was in the affirmative. At the gins
where congresses have been established,
the cotton goes Immediately from the
saws to the press, and then is. exerted
the power that Mr.. Hanson believes inn
pairs the strength of the fiber.
In the establishment of congresses at
the ginneries," Mr.. Hanson continued,
"if the process is uniform and all sections
are affected to the same degree, the effect
upon the congresses at one place will
be no greater than upon those at another.
Savannah, for instance, will feel 1t no
more than Atlanta. Thus far there has
been no very great strides toward the sup
planting of the old rectangular presses
by new ones capable of producing greater
density. A revolution is to be wrought.
and revolutions are SLOW The farmer
would save money by the establishment
of ginnery congresses, however, as the
transportation rate would be materially
reduced in consequence, and economy is
the power that will cause the passing OF
the congresses, provided, as l have said,
that the staple is not injured by ginnery
compression. The staple is the prime
consideration, and of course that has 10
be regarded in all methods of handling
the crop.
There are twenty-odd processes of
COMPRISING cotton at the gin, including
rolinh-
lap bale and the Lowery cylindrical sys-
TEN. think you will find, though, that
the number of round bales OF cotton re-
ceived at the ports so far this season IS
very little, II any, in excess of the num-
Der received during the corresponding pc
riod of last year.
Excepting the round bale systems of
packing cotton, there are less than doz-
en- of the other systems in operation In
South Carolina, Georgia and Alabama. 1t
is practicable to compress cotton at the
gin in so far as the machinery and the
motive power are concerned Most of the
congresses at the gin are operated with
the same power that is used in packing
the present rectangular bale. The Mallett
Cotton Ginner's Compress only requires
a ten-horse power engine to operate it.
This press turns out a bale exactly 81
inches long. and "a inches wide, with a
density ranging from 26 to - pounds per
cubic foot. which is about as well as the
congresses. are able to get with their
powerful machinery. This would seem to
Indicate that, IL the same result can be
achieved, a ten-horse power system will
supplant one requiring a pressure Of D.
900 tons"
Are these presses sold outright or
leased to operators by the companies own
ing them?"
Il understand that they can be secured
on either basis Mr.. Hanson replied. ut
is rather expensive machinery. and some
Of the ginneries express q preference 10
lease. The square bale companies, however,
show no monopolistic tendencies, as do
those exploiting the round bales"
Besides operating twelve congresses,
Mr. Hanson has number Of ginneries in
Georgia and Alabama, which handle the
product Of the cotton growers, packing II
in the ordinary rectangular bale, in which
shape 1t Is shipped 10 the congresses for
further compression. In q ginnery that
Will handle $500 bales at Pike Road, Ala,
however. which Mr. Hanson has estab-
llshed. there will be a Mallett press used
next season. II IL proves successful and
shows no damage 20 the staple through
Immediate compression upon the cgtton
Leaving. the gin. the system Will probably
be extended by Mr. Hanson TO his other
ginnerics. o. ne Is . man who bows 20
conditions and shapes bis business as pub.
Dc demands dictate.
Ia the rural districts there h being
cofnDafsed . gradual concentration Of me
Industry " cotton ginning ana pressing.