Camden Cooperative Gin to Compete with Elizabeth City Gins, Aug. 17, 1923

A Cooperative Gin for Camden Farmers. . . Enterprise Launched by Camden Farmers May Make Competition for Elizabeth City Gin

The erection of a cotton gin as planned by a group of Camden County farmers at Camden in time to handle the cotton crop this fall may make lively competition for Elizabeth City gins, now that good roads make quicker travel between the two counties.

Ground is being broken for the cooperative gin and the machinery is being selected, according to reports from Camden. The company expects to raise whatever stock is necessary to keep the gin in operation, up to $25,000, and has arranged for trading credits at the Elizabeth City banks.

The Camden farmers organized to promote this gin after Alfred Sawyer, gin owner at Belcross had purchased the Eastern Cotton Oil Company’s gin at Camden. With competition removed, the farmers believed they might not get as good prices for cotton this year.

Among the promoters are Fred Upton and Herman Newbern. Col. I.M. Mee?? (name and subsequent words obscured) for the concern is said to be a stockholder. He owns a large farm in Camden.

From the front page of The Independent, Elizabeth City, N.C., Aug. 17, 1923