The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1919-12-04
The Pot of Gold

the oldest and largest cotton weaving
center, id the United States to this
day.
Several years prior to this-1786
in fad-two Scotchmen erected the
first spinning frame in America at
East Bridgewater, Mass.
All this was many, many years
prior to the incident related in the
beginning Of this story, but has a
bearing because it shows how the
demand for cotton was met
on one hand by greater production
and greater facilities for handling,
and how a certain nuisance" grew,
like Jones's gourd, on the other.
The Extent of Nuisance.
The nuisance was the cotton seed.
The iint inspired poet writer's of
songs, and promulgators Of fiction,
while the seed was a curse; a blight;
a brand of Cain on the industry.
Gnners grew faint of heart and
forseok their plants on account, as
one ginner expressed it, "The prob
lem yof destroying the seed is great
er than a man who values his soul
can SSsand." 1t is a fact that many
ginsswere moved frequently to get
away from the accumulation of cot
ton seed, while others employed
teamsters to haul the accumulation
away and drop it into any convenient
stream or hole.
Legislators bestirred themselves
and passed laws against stream pollu-
ton, and it was then many of our
best ginners abandoned the idea of
ginning cotton for a livelihood.
"A New Fuel"
1t is said that a poor family in
North Carolina, destitute, without
wood or fuel or opportunity to OBJ
tain a supply, yet cold and shivering,
attempted to burn cotton seed as a
last resort to preserve their lives
Much to their delight the fuel sub
stitute burned!
The news of this experiment trav-
eled throughout the Southern States
apd very soon practically every gin
was using cotton seed for fuel with
satisfactory results. Still the cotton
seed was nuisance and was regard
ed by a majority, as the planter de-
clared: "Good for nothing but
planting, and too much for that"
A New Era Dawns.
The last half of the nineteenth
century was characterized by a de-
velopment in science and invention,
that staggers the Imagination, and
it is but natural that this colossal
and ever increasing nuisance should
have attention of the scientists of
two hemispheres.
The story of the development Of
cotton sed industry from this point
to the present time reads like tale
from the Arabian Nights.
Europe first discovered that the
seed had feed properties, and small
quantities were crushed for export,
first in South Carolina, next in New
Orleans and later in Texas.
Strong men were attracted by the
possibilities of the new industry.
They staked their fortunes and con-
secrated their lives to the task Of
and giving to the worlu
the secret of cotton seed. Strong
men they were-strong and unafraid.
And, strong-hearted and visionary as
tn y we're, it is to be doubted if they
that their search would be
like unto seeking and finding the end
of the rainbow and the proverbial pot
Of gold.
The Unknown Secrets of History.
Columbus died without ever know
ing that he had discovered a new
continent and given to the world a
seat for a new conception of liberty
and freedom. CorteZ carried away
many ship loads of gold from Mexico
without discovering the real riches
Of the land he exploited. The cattle
barons of West Texas risked their
lives and fortunes and played for big
stakes, without dreaming that
wealth vastly greater, and endowed
CONTINUED on page 4, column 1.)