Cedar Falls gazette. [volume] (Cedar Falls, Iowa) 1860-1895, 1862-08-08

and no difficulty whatever-was had to carry
the thing through smoothly. The attend
ancc is full all that had been expected by us,
beth in machines and visitors A general
enthusiasm and good nature pervades all
hands. Nearly the full Executive Board are
present, and all labor to make the affair
success and satisfaction to the exhibitors,
and none more SO than the worthy President
Of the Society, w. II. Van Epps. The wealth
er is all that could be desired, and the ground
in good condition outstanding the extra
ordinary rain that has visited the country.
( SECOND DAY.
The second day was set apart for trying
and testing the moving machines of the COM
bined mowers and reapers, and the mowers
that were not ready the day before. Lots
were drawn for the different machines, four
teen were allotted, two Of them not yet on
the ground. Twelve took their places at the
head land as fellows: No. /, Walter a.
Woods combined; No. 2, Seymour & Nor
gan's attachment to the self-rakcr; No. 3,
the Kirby Harvester combined No. 4, the
Cayuga Chief; No. 8, the Curtis combined !;
6 and were not present; No. 8, Balls Ohio
Mower combined; No. Q, the Excelsior COM
bined; No. 10, George Easterly's, Of White
water, Wis, harvester, combined; No. II,
w. II. W. Cushing's combined, Of Ottawa !;
To. -, w. A. Woods, mower attachment
for the self-raking reaper; No. Is, McCor-
mick's combined; No. IA, G. ii. Riggs reap
or combined of Ottawa : fr#&
These machines cut the various width Of
four feet two inches to six feet six inches, the
latter being the Riggs machine, this was
the only one driven before the horses. Each
machine was tested as on the day before by
the dynamometer cutting one swath when
they took their position at their respective
lots. After all had thus been tried, at Civ
en- signal from the Superintendent, the whole
number Of machines started off at one time,
with the instructions from the committee that
they should each cut the grass in their own
way, but one man to operate machine, and
at every stop made to remain until examined
by some member of the committee who
should examine and note the cause and i'm
portancc Of the stop.
The scene was one Of the most anilnating
that can well be imagined, to see twelve ma
chimes side and side each trying to cut their
acre first and do it best. As the lots dwin-
died down to narrow points the excitement
among machine men increased, and when
the first one was out there went up hearty
shout by the crowd who were watching it
and as each successive machine came out
they were surrounded by admirng friends
some attracting much, others little attcn-
ton. The time occupied was various, con-
Stunning from twenty-four to thirty six min.
utes cutting time allowing for stops. All
except one for some cause stopped one or
more times during the time-the one that did
not stop and was the first out, was the Cur
It's Combined machine from Chicago. OF
| the. various machines we will say more here
after, describing them so far as we can Civ
| ing an idea of the construction and adapta-
| ton. After this trial was through, some
mowers that were not on hand the first dav
were tried. The Kirby machine, the first
day, unfortunately losing the bolt holding on
the dividing shoe, consequently the shoe it.
self was allowed another trial. The Cayuga
Chief, No. l and 2, were then tried, going
through the tests of the day before. Some
Of the lots were found to be much more diff.
cult from having had top dressing of ma
nure, among which were many distractions,
interfering at times with the knives and in
some lots the grass was much lodged, one
especially so, that of No. s, cut by the Balls
Ohio machine. - zs.ss.e .eGlsa-nrE.a .
Hay Pitching Mdchine.-During the day
M. II. Buck, of Cottage Hill, had erected m
Mr.. Dement'S barn, near by, one of Boards
lcy's Horse Pitch Forks, which was operated
before the Committee and a large number, oil
individuals with apparent satisfaction. The
machine is constructed somewhat like al
ice-tongs, which by a trip catch can be made
to open at any point and discharge the hay
where wanted. -r-2 -z - - q
| THIRD DAY.
This day commenced tho trial of reapers
| The field was some three miles west of The
town and consisted of field of 100 acres
much of it in such condition that it would
test the capacity for close gathering and say.
/ ing of the grain. There were yet some ma.
chimes that had been entered not arrived on
the ground or in town. The first drawing
was made for
Independent Keepers. There were in this
class six drawinss-Kirby Harvester, d. NJ
Osborn & Co.; the Excelsior, Cline, Sieber.
ling 8 Co., a selfdelverer; Seymour, Nor
gan & Aliens Selfraker, by II. A. Dickson
Walter A. Woods self-raker, by owners; c.
II. McCormick's Sclfraker, by owner, and
the Buckeye, by II. II. Taylor, (this machine
had been delayed till this morning in arriv.
ng.) The ground was surveyed off in lots
of two acres lacking small trihe, each ma
chine to lay off its land so far as practicable
the machines to be tried in draft, quality oil
work done, time required to do it, and the
main points usually observed. The great i'm
portance attached to the self-rakers attracted
many people here to see and observe them
and the crowd gathered about these in par.
ticular.
The first one off was McCormick's, with
six feet six inch cut and four horses. The
rake attached to the machine is made to re.
volve with the reel, and while passing from
the front down, it serves tho part of the
fourth arm Of the reel, striking into the grain
on the platform just behind the cutter bar
and carrying off the grain at the rear of the
diving wheel as usually deposited by the
hand raker, when it continues its revolution
for another bundle. 1t leaves the grain on
the ground the full width Of the platform, OF
perhaps little gathered as it falls to the
ground. 1t accomplished its task in forty.