The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1904-03-19
SULLYS SPECTACULAR RISE
DUE TO FAITH IN HIS IDEA.
REPUBLIC SPECIAL.

REPUBLIC SPECIAL.
New York, March 1s.-DanieI ]. Sully Is
considered by many the most spectacular
figure that ever entered the cotton pit in
this city.
He came here from Providence some
thing more than a year ago. His rise
was rapid and in six weeks from being
comparatively unknown man. he had a
national reputation.
1t was not until he had passed his
fortieth birthday that he began his career
OF speculation. He began life amid the
sin uiatlng influences of Yankee atrnos-
sphere. He was born on March 9. 1851.
at Providence. f. 1. Instead of going TO
college, he became a clerk In the ONCE
Of the Providence Coal Company.
He married in 1885 Miss Emma Frances,
the only daughter of Colonel David M.
Thompson, general manager of the cotton
mills of Robert knight. the largest manu-
facturer Of cotton goods in the world, by
big trade in Egyptian cotton. staple
v hich had hitherto been neglected in
American trade. But during M this time
he made modest salary, which at best
never rose above SIS week
CAME WITH AN IDEA.
When Sully came to New York he
brought an idea with him. He spent
months familiarizing himself with condi-
tions and the practice of the pit Of the
ewn account of how the creed came to
him:
Others speculated on wind" he said, not
long ago, but ! speculated because / was
firm in my belief that cotton has been
deteriorating for years. 1t was in Feb
ruary. 1899. that the idea first came to me.
South. 1 observed while riding along the
YaZoo and Mississippi Railroad that great
quantities of cotton were lying out in the
road, exposed to freezing weather. cas-.
traIl II rod hot ref 20
OF this frost on the next cotton crop. The
question kept coming back to me- At last
1 became more interested in 1t than in any
other problem ever encountered.
COTTON SEED FROZEN.
'I knew that the outside layer Of the
seed must certainly be frozen and that the
life In the heart of the seed must inevita-
bly, be affected by the frozen outside layer.
1 knew from long observation that the
planters would not take the trouble to pick
out the frozen seed, but that they would
sow 1t just as 1t lay on the fields and IN
the pens.
Before he sells his cotton staple the
planter has his first chance to get ready
money by selling cotton seed. Makers OF
cotton oil refused to pay SlS ton for @ .ne
seed. Now they pay, ~? Before the taTIn aj
er bales his cotton he hurries on MS Seed 1
to the oil mill and gets cash for it. And
this seed is always from the first picking,
which is the best. 1t is certain tnaL tne
.SThis thing has been going on for years.
IT ia going on at this moment. The cotton
has been deteriorating. 1t will continue TO
dwindle until the Government steps in or
tho nIanters of their own accord save their
hest cotton seed for planting.
s.The demand Tor cotton Is constantly
increa sing Under the wasteful system OF
nianting that has gone on for years our
suInniy falls and will for some time con-
tinue to fail to keep up with the increased
demand. The price. therefore. Is bound TO
rise" ., ooo non
1t was upon this theory that Sully, as
ISOLATED with Colonel w. P. Brown OF
New Orleans and other capitalists. cleared
a profit of more than 100000 last spring.
At that lime he declared that cotton
would reach II cents pound this year, al
though 1t was only II cents a pound then.
How that prediction was carried out is
still fresh in the memory of everybody in
terested IN cotton.
Daniel Sully and his associates had ex-
act crop reports from every cotton-grow-
ing. center in this country. They sent out
trained men to gather this Information
and paid them well for getting 1t.
The Sully residence is at No. 6 East
Sixty second street, which Mr.. Sully pur-
chased last year. 1t was said that he