During this time I heard much said of the extreme
difficulty of ginning Cotton, that is, seperating it from its
seeds. There were a number of very respectable Gentlemen at Mrs.
Greene's who all agreed that if a machine could be invented which
would clean the cotton with expedition, it would be a great thing
both to the Country and to the inventor. I involuntarily happened
to be thinking on the subject and struck out a plan of a Machine
in my mind, which I communicated to Miller (who is agent to the
Executors of Genl. Greene and resides in the family, a man of
respectibility and property), he was pleased with the Plan and
said if I would pursue it and try an experiment to see if it
would answer, he would be at the whole expense, I should loose
nothing but my time, and if I succeeded we would share the
profits. Previous to this I found I was like to be disappointed
in my school, that is, instead of a hundred, I found I could get
only fifty Guineas a year. I however held the refusal of the
school untill I tried some experiments. In about ten Days I made
a little model, for which I was offered, if I would give up all
right and title to it, a Hundred Guineas. I concluded to
relinquish my school and turn my attention to perfecting the
Machine. I made one before I came away which required the labor
of one man to turn it and with which one man will clean ten times
as much cotton as he can in any other way before known and also
cleanse it much better than in the usual mode.
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