The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-04-30

cotton market. He told him the cot.
ton picker was perfected. Mr.. Price
had heard this story before. He had
heard 1t from several other inventors
At various times he had put money into
financing inventors.
to see trial of the Campbell machine
the ponderous affair that would pick
cotton. only the oxen that drew II
trampled nearly all the cotton before
the picker got to 1t. Mr.. Campbell sa I'D
his machine was ct Vernon, Tex. and
II Mr.. Price would accompany him
there he would see that tho end so
long sought had been attained at last
Mr.. Price was polite, but said he had
SO much business he could not spare
the time. He had given so much at
tention in former years to cotton-pick
ing devices that he did not feel like
wasting any more.
Mr.. Campbell asked him TO send q
man to Texas to see the machine and
report as TO it's work. Mr.. Price said
he did not think mich Of the Idea. II
"Ohid DS al MitnOuL pro-
mise of much result. Mr.. Campbe ell
said he had 5000. That practically was
all the money he had in the world. II
Mr.. Price would send an expert 10
Texas 10 examine the machine in opera
ton Mr.. Campbell would pay the mans
expenses out of the 5000 This made
Mr.. Price start.
ANY man who has faith enough in
his machine to put his last 5000 to such
a test" said Mr.. Price, certainly is
worth that much for n chance on my
part. Ill send man and I'll pay the
expense"
He sent an expert. and the report
the man made was so glowing that Mr.
Price got busy at once. The report de.
clared that the machine the cotton
world had sought so long had arrived
1t was not long afterth report was
received that Mr.. Price Invited small
party OF distinguished men TO accom-
rnny him to Texas to examine the ma
chine n t work. One OF the party was =
former president of the New England
Cotton Spinnors' Association. Another
was connected with the Carnegie
Technical School of Pittsburg. An
other was the American representative
OF big English cotton house.
They went to Vernon and Travelled
out to the plantation on which the test
, was to be made. MIR. Campbell OUT
wardly serene and confident. but pro-
baby bit excited, stood by the ma
chine which was TO make or break him
When the visitors had taken positions
OF vantage from which to view the
progress of the machine along the cot
ton row. the word was given to start
But the machine would not bulge
Wheels were turned and geer was
adjusted, but not an inch would the big
machine move.
1t was a blistering hot day Mr.
Campbell working rs he never had
worked before, did his best TO get tho
big vehicle started but something was
wrong with the locomotive end of the
affair. The gentlemen invited by MIR
Price only had limited amount OF
beltef IN the machine to begin with
Some Of them. In fact. had none at all
This development and the broiling sun
were not condutive 10 improving their
spirits. but they We're too we'll bred
to express an adverse opinion under
such circumstances. They stood and
waited and suffered And Mr.. Camp.
hcll,who felt that If those men lief,
without seeing the machine work IL
would mean ruin for him, toiicd with
the machinery until he was drippInl;
wet and almost exhausted. He lahored
~ -ithii "tl tiV'ti, anu tHen Sundcnly the
seat of trouble was located, the wheels
began to revolve and the big machine
started.
IT was relief to all to get that much
action Anything to tighten tho ten
sion and divert the mind from the heat
But within a few minutes those calm
conservative men from the North had
forgotten the heat. had forgotten
everything hut tho machine.
II had gone along down the field fol-
lowing tho burrows and had picked cot
ton as cotton never had been picked BY
machine before Tho ripened cotton
had been picked seed and all. N,The un-
opened hollis had not been damaged In
the slightest The plant itself had no,
been bruised a particle. The machine
had operated with almost human In
tclligence And tho secret of II ali
was In that steel finger. with the In
dented teeth. The cotton caught on
the indentations, hut the smooth
rounded surface brushed over the
leaves the unripe bolls and the stall,
without affecting them. The cotton
that was picked was taken from til,
revolving tingersa and carried through
channels on either slide of the vehicle
IN n al ~ k,,v1 tS. I, 4. :