212 Memoir of the Life of Eli Whitney. 
struction and performances of the machine. “It is about a year 
(says he) since* I first turned my attention to constructing this ma- 
chine, at which time I was in the State of Georgia. Within about 
ten days after my first conception of the plan, I made a small though 
imperfect model. Experiments with this, encouraged me to make 
one on alarger scale ; but the extreme difficulty of procuring workmen 
and proper materials in Georgia, prevented my completing the larger 
one until some time in April last. ‘This, though much larger than my 
first attempt, is not above one third as large as the machines may be 
made with convenience.—The cylinder is only two feet two inches 
in length, and six inches diameter. It is turned by hand, and requires 
the strength of one man to keep it in constant motion. It is the stated 
task of one negro to clean fifty weight, (I mean fifty pounds after it is 
separated from the seed,) of the green seed cotton per day.—In the 
same letter Mr. Jefferson assured Mr. Whitney, that a patent would 
be granted as soon as the model was lodged in the Patent Office. 
In mentioning the favorable notice of Mr. Jefferson to his friend Steb- 
bins, he adds, with characteristic moderation, I hope, by perseverant’s 
I shall make something of it yet. 
At the close of this year, (1793) Mr. Whitney was to return to 
Georgia with his Cotton Gins, and Mr. Miller had made arrangements 
for commencing business immediately after his arrival. The plan 
was to erect machines in every part of the cotton district, and en 
gross the entire business themselves. This was evidently an unfortu- 
nate scheme. It rendered the business very extensive and colle 
plicated, and as it did not at once supply the demands of the cotton 
growers, it multiplied the inducements to make the machines i viola- 
tion of the Patent. Had the proprietors confined their views to the 
manufacture of the machines, and to the sale of patent rights, it is probe 
able they would have avoided some of the difficulties with which gd 
afterwards had tocontend. The prospect of making suddenly an 
mense fortune by the business of ginning, where every third pou? 
cotton (worth at that time from twenty five to thirty three cents,) 
eir own, presented great and peculiar attractions. Mr. Whitney 5° 
turn to Georgia was delayed until the following April. The pit 
tunity of Mr. Miller’s letters written during the preceding par 
urging him to come on, evinces how eager the Georgia planters’ J 
to enter the new field of enterprise, which the genius of Whitney 
* This letter is dated Nov. 24, 1793. 
