Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1901-09-16
COTTON GINNING.
Interesting Facts Collected for ,bs
First Time by the Census Bureau.
tNew York SUM-

'-'N'F AC4 n
The census bulletins have ,b,,s 80
been devoted To the statistics Of our
population. This branch Of the work
IS now completed. and with bulletin 70
the publication Of Industrial facts has
begun. This bulletin Is devoted 10 cot
ton ginning and is the first report of
its kind ever made by a United States
census. The reason for this innovation
in our methods OF collecting the Stats
t'cs Of cotton production t. interesting
For many years practically the entire
cotton crop reached the markets
through the transportation lines. The
result vas that close approximation
To the actual crop was obtained from
the returns Of these carriers. In recent
years. however. there has been a randi
development Of cotton manufacturer by
mills situated near cotton fields. Many
thousands Of bales that never touch
transportation line are consumed BY
these mills in the South which in 1889
manufactured 1875 per cent. Of the total
crop and 3g.g per cent. Of the total
American consumption As il is no
longer possible to get an idea of the
amount Of the crop from the returns
pr the transportation lines the last
census has collected the statistics Of
he amount Of cotton ginned.
81 course everybody knows that prior
NJ the invention Of the cotton gin BY
Til Whitney in 1894 the separation If
the seed from the lint had to be done
by hand. the task being four pounds Of
int per week for each head of a fam
~, working at night in addition TO the
usual field work. 1t took one person
:wo years TO turn out the quantity Of
,otton contained in one average stand
ard bale. At the present time one ms
chine will gin from three TO Is bales
per day.
Thus one machine does the work of
thousands of men. In 1890. before the
cotton gin was dreamed Of. our pro-
luction was $3.50 bales Of average
weight of 225 pounds. In 1899, the pro-
duction was 9.345,S bales of an aver
age weight Of 800 pounds. These latest
statistics were obtained by collecting
the amount Of cotton ginned.
The report shows clearly the impor-
tant changes that have occurred in the
areas of cotton production. Stimulated
BY the high prices following the CivI
war. the cultivation Of cotton was con-
Quoted to some extent in California.
illinois. Indiana. Nevada. Utah ana
West Virginia. With the advent OF low
prices cotton culture gradually disap-
oeared from these sections not Pc
culiarly adapted to it. The loss in the
states lying along the northern border
Of the cotton belt is, however, more
,han offset by the increased produc-
ton in the territory west ana SOUTH
west of the Mississippi river.
In 1889 IS per cent. OF the enire AMER,
can crop was grown in that region. "
1909 the same territory produced 45 per
cent. OF the whole crop. This ilcrease
IS practically confined to Texas, me ~
iian Territory and Oklahoma. ie ,I.
alone produced y per cent. of the ehtl,e
cotton cron. being first in the list OF col
ton producing states, her nearest conPsl,
tors being Georgia and MISSISSIPPI easn
Of which produced 1872 per CEN. VI rs
total crop The crop of the lndlah s LII ~,
tory has grown in 10 wears from S 20.
bales TO 1i3.60S bales. and that OF oha
homa firm 40 10 Il ,9S5 bales j, q,
While the increase in the culture u 90
Island cotton has not been SO lap nmrss.
hat of upland cotton. the recent PIE ,ha
N the production of this long s4aHe, r.
incst in the world.nris roteWofths e.
was believed for long time that tl's s, r.
.ands off the coast Of South Catoi', ns,3Ssc-
sessed a natural monopoly 'of ne p,Su ~
ton of the finest of this Cotton IN bs
has been found that a good graut sS.
crown in some Georgia counties eos sots,
,rably removed from the COAST. , ne mo.
rumher Of bale, Of Sea Island colion n
iuccd in 1899 was 91.2,9 ,,s,,cS Of
The bulletin contains the s'ausu ,Ss
cotton production by counties in al us us
sottun states.