Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1901-12-26
Why Immense Cotton Fires Take Place

Why Immense Cotton Fires Take Place
The terrific destruction Of life and
property at Hoboken. n. J., In 1900, start
ed from fire In cotton bales.
News comes today OF the finding OF
bale OF cotton, just about TO be loadeo
on a German ship for ocean transporta-
ton, containing a lot Of matches ana
cannon crackers imbeded inside the cot
ton bale. It was one Of eighteen hundred
bales and the chances are that the nre
would have certainly started from these
matches and cannon crackers in the hold
OF the ship. and which would have oe-
stroyed vessel and contents.
Ii must be a diabolical mind whlcn
would lay such a fuse to destroy life ana
property-in such style as this.
II the incendiary could be traced, hang-
ing would be too good for him.
Cotton Is very infiammable, know, ana
requires care TO preserve IL from sparks
and other accidents OF similar kind-put
there are entirely too many mysterious
cotton CONGREGATIONS in this country on
shipboard to be explained away by mere
accident. -.
II those cannon crackers and matches
had not been discovered before the cot
ton was slowed away In the hold OF the
vessel. the chances are there would nave
been a strange smell Of smoke and after
awhile an abandoned vessel In midocean.
II no loss of life followed. as a sequence,
IL would have been a mercy.
Insurance companies then have to pay
out hard cash for these losses; and the
cotton goes up In smoke, except that
which sinks and rots in the water
dead loss. The Liabolical incendiary goes
scott free and is at liberty to pack an
other cotton bale full Of matches and
cannon crackers. and FIRE another Vessel
IL
In my girlhood days 1 heard Of man
who packed a big rock inside bale OF
cotton Almost all ante-bellum farmers
had their own gin houses run by horse
power The bale of cotton was sold, but
there were marks enough on it to track
II to its starting place.
Years and years afterward the incident
would be repeated from lip to lip, and
that mans integrity was vastly damaged
by that big rock inside his cotton bale.
I heard or another who watered the
bulk Of the cotton in some bales, and
covered II over with dry cotton, but the
buyer came back at him In just such an
attitude as caused the cotton money to
be refunded at onces and that story went
along with the mans reputation like the
hat on his head OF the coat on his back
II Is amazing to know how tight such
ugly occurrences will cling to a persons
reputation-through constant and evil re-
port. A rock in a cotton bale or wet
moulded cotton inside will hang on to the
guilty one like a leach, sticking closer
than a bro,ner, II the comparison is adj
Missile.
But as before said, the placing Of
matches and cannon crackers inside this
shipping bale to ignite a vessel load OF
cotton far out at sea, was the act Of a
fend, no matter what complexion or ma
tionality he owned or claimed to belong
TO.
The heaviest penalty allowed by law
should have been laid on the miscreant
when apprehended. and that bale should
have been tracked to fits starting point
until the william was run down and con-
victed, because he Is liable to try the
same game another time and do greater
damage IL possible than he first intended.