Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1902-04-17
THE OIL MILL INDUSTRY.


There Is no southern industry which Is
attracting more local attention, and which
: on a more general boom" at the pres
sut time. than the cotton seed oil and meal
Industry Both foreign and local capital
are being largely invested IN the rapid
extension OF the business from one enc
Of the cotton belt 70 the other. Nearly
hundred millions Of dollars have been In
vested IN oil mills by two synoicates
within the mast year or two. Small mills
operated BY local capital all over Georgia.
South Carolina and Alabama, were
bought I'D BY the Virginia and Carolina
Chemical company last year, almost as
fast as deeds could be written. money pa1o
and the transfers from original owners
could be made. II was the general inn
preston that. through so extended scope
OF the oil mill industry BY the company
above referred 20. a check at least for
some tine 70 come would be put upon
any further investment OF local capital in
such enterprises. That the people would
be slow 10 90 up against the so-called oil
trust which with its millions OF money.
might easily crush out any kind OF local
opposition. The two big companies, the
Southern and American Cotton OIL COM
bine. doubtless thought 70 sweep the field
at q single stroke but judging from pres
ent activity among the people in building
new plants. the oil mill fever has reached
an impetus into which renewed activity
has been injected. The growth OF the
cotton seed oil industry during the past
quarter Of a century has been the most req
markabie OF any other southern enter
prise. One OF the pioneers IN the oil mill
business said TO me q short time ago that
when he sent an agent among the farm
ers for the purchase OF their seed. that
IN one community IN ascounty in Missis-
sippl. IN which state the first mills were
located. his agent barely escaped being
lynched BY the Infatuated farmers who
would listen 10 no proposal for the pur
chase OF their seed. The fight between
the mills and the producers was kept up
for several years. with the mills steadily
gaining. until now seed are sold In large
quantities az every important local point
where cotton Is purchased. The enormous
increase in the demand for commercial
fertilizers. stock food. and the different
uses 10 which the oil can be placed has
made the industry q necessity, and the
time Is not far distant when every cotton
growing county in the south will number
among Its useful enterprises cotton seed
of mill. which viii supply local demands
for meal. hulls. and fertilizers. and con-
tribute 70 the foreign demand for oil.
Cooperative Mills.
The most popular plan now for the cree
ton OF oil mills IN local communities is
on the cooperative basis. building mills OF
such capacity as viii only require the
seed grown IN such communities and as
viii be used to supply the local demand
for meal hulis and fertilizers The oil
NH az the present and for the future.
which can be made absolutely Independent
% any kind OF trust or combine. is the
small mill run on the cooperative plan.
and controlled by stockholders who pro-
duce the cotton. There are two important
elements OF strength which constitute the
independent position OF a small co-opera-
tive mill The first Is found in the owner
ship OF the stock. or at least a large part
Of Il. By the farmers OF landowners whose
lands produce the raw material which
feeds the mill erected IN their local COM
munity. The second element OF strength
Is found IN the fact that those who supply
the raw material also furnish the market
among themselves for all the products OF
the mill except the on. There can be no
corner made on the market for oil. be-
cause the demand for II Is too wide
spread and there are too many large in
dependent refineries in the field bidding
for the crude oil from the small mill.
Their are now being erected in this state
by q new firm four large refneries at i'm
s portant centers. which viii give renewed
activity 20 the oil industry next season.
/ know OF a number OF instances where
farmers IN different communities are get
ting together for the purpose OF erect
Ing a joint cooperative ginnery and oil
mill Some OF these small plants are al
ready In process OF erection while others
are busy subscribing TO the stock and
making the purchase OF machinery. For
tunately for the producers. the oil mill
business can be as successfully operated
on a small investment OF capital in a To-