The times and democrat. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1881-current, 1910-10-25
PRICE COTTON PICKER
rs PRONOUNCED A SUCCESS BY
THE DALLAS NEWS.

1t Says Hundreds Witnessed the De.
monstration and Had Their Doubts
Dispeiled.
The Dallas, Texas, News says the
Price Campbell cotton picker, which
was given trial near that city a
few days ago, was complete sue
cess. !. 1t will be remembered that
this picker was demonstrated in
Marlboro. on Senator. John L. Nc
Laurin's farm last fall. and that
Theodore Price and a number Of his
northern friends and associates were
there to see the picker work.
The. News: says the first practical
demonstration of the :Prioe-Camp-
bell cotton picker machine to be held
in north Texas was given yesterday
afternoon on the CaIuth farm. north.
east of Dallas on the Sherman-Qall:
as sinterurban line, where a portion
of w. C. Burdens crop was har-
vested by means of the mechanical
picker
The demonstration was witnessed
by about 500 citizens of Dallas and
the immediate vicinity. The opinion
of those qualified to know was that
the Price-Campbell picker is a great
success and that one of the great
labor problems that confronts the
cotton growing belt to-day has been
solved. -
|.:tMany of those, who composed the
party went to the cotton field in a
mood most .skeptical and expressions
frequently heard indicated that the
minds of most Of the crowd was fill
ed with doubts as. to the practicable
ty OF any mechanical contrivance to
successfully supplant the: negro cot"
ton picker. Enthusiasm. interest
and belief in the invention began to
grow by leaps and bounds, however,
when the motors whirred and Ii
machine started down cotton row.
The cotton fibre. snatched from
the stalks byoa battery OF rotating
metal fingers, was carried upward
land deposited in sacks at the rear
OF the machine and as the waves OF
the ,heecy white, staple flowed into
T the retaining receptacles those who
watched we're changed from, skeptics
to, admirers. Complimentary re-
marks took the place of criticisms
that had proceeded the exhibition
1t was. another illustration, OF the
old time. and trite expression. ''see
Ing Is Believing. ~ Through the med
ium of sight those present realized
that u successful cotton picker was
an. actuality and not an untri"t
scheme
Those who witnessed the. demon
stration. went. to the Caruth farm
upon Invita- on and las guests Of
Theodore H.. Price, the head OF tho
Price-Campbell corporation. -Four
special cars were run over the Dali
as-Sherman interurban line to &
| point nearest the cotton field. Mos
OF the crowd went on the railway
Others made the trip In automobiles
Many farmers. from the; sectior
around the Caruth farm we're pres
ent. The party was composed o.
both men and women, and was per-
sonally directed by Mr.. Price.
To describe the. cotton picker il
its mechanical details would take al
expert mechanician and. such des
scription would probably mean little
except TO one familiar with mechin
cry. -. -.
! The average observer sees gas
oline motor. machine OF ten OF
twelve feet in length. 1T Is equipped
with alternating row Of .lnterlock
ing metal fingers through which .ht
cotton stalks pass. The fibre Is gath
cred into storage bags attached u
the. rear. The differ, or. operator
Occupies. "a seat oyer the Sorwarc
wheels and operates the machine
| much after tbs manner Of driving
An automobile.
In action the cotton picker travels
down the row at the rate OF be.
tween three and four miles An hour
In the demonstration the stalks were
plucked clean Of cotton and an eX
animal ation after the machine had
passed indicated that unopened bolls
and the stalks were uninjured
The picked cotton after being re.
moved fom the machine showeo
about as clean US when gathered II
the ordinary manner by hand. y
few leaves and slight traces uf trash
were to be- seen, but neither WIS
in greater quantity than is ordinari-
ly found.
In the field where The exhibition
| WAS given were shown two bales Ut
cotton. one OF which was harvested
with the cotton picker and I'll" 9th.
er gathered by hand. and it wts
notable that although tho cotton
came from the same field the grade
OF the bale picked by machinery w.ls
better.
According TO the owners. the Price
Campbell machine is not alone q cot.
ton picker but con be converted tc