The Forrest City times., 1911-09-08
THE FIRST BALE.
cotton Opening and Hustling Farmers Engaged in Friendly Rivalry for
 First Bale HOnors.

ih St. Francis county, has arrived, and also the second, and a part of another. All of which is an index 10 the fact that what little cotton is left In the fields after the rayages ol worms, bugs, drought, overplus of rain, and other unfortunate circum- stances, is beginning to mature, and Will soon be put on the market to replenish the purse of its owners this latter fact being good news and bringing cheer to the hearts of those Who have toiled throughout the long, hot,sultry days of summer to produce It, or have their means invested in it With the hope Of reasonable gain; and the former fact, that of the damage, being borne with stoie fortitude and hope-that great boon to mankind - that they may yet be rewarded in some measure at least, for their labor and risk.
 Tom Williams, an industrious and hustling colored farmer living on a farm belonging to MT. R. ]. Lanier, manager of the Caldwell Mercantile & Gin Company, of Caldwell, at whose gin 1t was ginned, has the honor and distinction of having gathered the tirst bale of the 1911 crop of cotton in this county. This first bale was gin ned as above on last Friday, sent to Forrest City, and sold to Russell Ora ham-Alderson Company at .1305. It weighed 502 pounds, ,classed middling, and brought S65.5l. The buyers im- mediately shipped it by express to The Stewart-Gwynne Company, at Memphis.
 We congratulate MT. Lanier and his faithful helper, Tom Williams, and wish them great prosperity. If he will furnish his address we will send Tom The Times one year as a premium.
 On Wednesday morning early, MT. W. T. Smith, who is farming the Pearson place short distance out northeast of town, and who recently brought us the first open boil of the season, came in with load of cotton and informed MT. Jim Wolfe, of the Forrest City Gin, that he had a bale to gin. MT. Wolf had his gin in fine order, ready for any kind of rnsh. and with his usual promptness and characteristic dispatch, had the fires lighted, and got up steam in jiffy, but when the load of cotton put in it's appearance, he discovered that he had been unintentionally misled by MT. Smith, who, in the exuberance of his joy, and with energetic and hap py confidence supposed that he really had a bale-and the first bale at that. But when it was put on the scales it was found that he had only about 700 lbs. of seed cotton, not nearly enough for even small bale, so it was sucked into bin there to await developments.
 A few hours later. however, MT. !. l. Brown. superintendent of the Planters Gin. was notified that bale was enroute to his gin, and with his usual promptness soon had the smoke stack emitting cloud, and the steam gauge creeping around to the proper | figures which indicates ready for business. y
 Allen Jackson an industrious col l ored farmer on the Anderson place belonging to Pettus x Buford, soon arrived, wearing broad grin of sat isfaction and happiness, and had the distinction of having the first bale of cotton ginned and sold in the l Forrest City market from the 1911 crop. Allen brought in a wagon load of seed cotton that weighed 1900 pounds, and the finished bale weighed 575 pounds. The bale was ginned free of charge, classed middling, was sold to Pettus x Buford, and by them to
 MT. Johnnie Hughes, representing the
 Newberger Cotton Co.,, of Memphis, at
 l5c pound, or a total of sS6 9, and the seed at rate of Sl5 per ton The
 bale was expressed to Memphis We'd
 nesday night over the Iron Mountain
 Ginner Brown, who has charge of the
 Planters Gin has his outfit in fine shape, and made quick work of the
 first bale brought in.
 Jackson is hustler and also
 owned the first bale ginned by the
 Widener Gin Company. It was gin
 ned early yesterday morning
 And so the cotton year was ushered
 in here, and "crops" is the most alb
 sorbing topic of discussion.
 The Times is optimistic, and though
 it is fact that the damage is great
 it could be worse, and we hope every
 farmer in the county will garner
 sufficient for his needs and have some
 to spare