Galveston County, Texas is currently tearing down a series of old cotton
warehouses to build a new criminal justice center. The work has
uncovered two enormous steam cotton presses, one of which is largely
intact and seen here:
http://web.wtez.net/r/h/rh61158/CottonPress/DSC04276Small.jpg
Other pictures here:
http://web.wtez.net/r/h/rh61158/CottonPress/
Note that the photographs don't give a clear idea of the scale of these
things -- they're at least 35 feet high; an adult can walk through the
pressing cage at the bottom without stooping.
A preliminary skim of the history of the site indicates that these
presses are older than the c. 1920 construction of the warehouses,
having been bought second-hand from another firm. How much older is
unclear at this point.
Do any HISTARCH members (1) have an idea of the date/manufacturer of
this press, or (2) know of similar presses that have been preserved?
References to works on similar machinery would also be appreciated. This
tremendous artifact is a little outside of my usual area of focus.
Thanks,
-------------> Andy Hall, MA
-------------> Texas Historical Commission Marine Steward