Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1871-07-06
Grand Reaper Trial!
THE MOST EXTENSIVE TRIAL.
EVER HAD!
az Al iN IN REPUDIA TED

Last Friday afternoon, June 30,) over a
hundred of the farmers of this section path.
cred at the farm of Mr.. John Palmer. about
one mile north and two miles east of War.
ren, to witRess trial of Reapers that had
been announced, The following Machines,
fresh from the manufactures, were on hand,
adm operated as follows:
The kirby-Mr. Dick Ransom, of Chicago.
The Advance-Mr. c. II. Russell of
Mineral Point.
John ?, Manny-Mr.,A Nanny of Rock
ford, assisted by Jones & Palmer.
The Burdick-Mr. Dick Ransom
Little Champ pion-Jones Il Palmer.
Marsh Harvester--Mr. H. Woodmanse,
Of Ereeport, assisted by Mr. John T. Sharpe.
lHE KIRBY AND BuRpIcK.
Machines are both manufactured by Messrs.
d. W. Osborne q Co., Auburn, NY, but they
are not to be confounded in their working,
as the Kirby is a combined Reaper a Mower.
and the only prominent one can be used AS
self or hand rake, as desired, while the
Burdick is made expressly for Rcaping and
not a combined machine. He might in.
cidentally mention, also, that D. NJ. Os.
borne X Co manufactures seperate now
ing machine, called Kirby two-whecled
Independent mower.
1t was understood before the trial that
it was to be Of combined machines, and
consist of both rcaping and moving, but
Tor some cause it was decided to have only
n reaplng trial. The Kirby men came pre-.
pared with a combined machine, proposing
to change it from reaper to mower, to
show the farmers how easily the change
could be made, while the Mccormick men
came with two Advance machines one set
up as reaper and one as mower. Mr.
Ransom, Of the Kirby, insisted upon
changing the rcapers to mowers before the
farmers present, but the objections made
by the Mccormick agent prevailed, rs he
was prepared with the two machines, as
mentioned. Hence the moving trial was
postponed until the next day. Not to be
beat, however, after the reapng trial Mr..
Ransom went at the Kirby with wrench and
screw driver, and in eight minutes had
changed it from perfect reaper to IA per.
feet mower.
The reaping trial took place in a field Of
Rye, containing about five acres. Tho
grain averaged about five feet in height,
and afforded good variety in condition
for testing the machines, being very thick
on the ground, in places standing straight,
and in other places badly lodged and twist,
| cd
! The following gentlemen, all farmers,
were appointed by the farmers as a com
mittee to pass upon the work of the ma.
chimes, viz: Messrs. j. Chapman, NJ. W.
Richardson, Curtss Sawdy, J. f. Beard and
Poul Wet2ell, with Mr.. c. Eastman as sec.
retary. The committee decided that each
machine should cut twice around the field,
the committee following each one in its
rounds. After this had been done, and
after thoroughly inspecting the work, the
committee decided that the best work was
! done,
First by the KIRBY. ard
Second, by the LITTLE CHAMPION.
The draft of the different machines WAS
not tested by any scientific appliance, al.
though We understand that there was a
/ Gibbs Patent Dynamometer, for testing
! the draft, on the grounds, but on account
of objections raised by the agent of the
| Advance, the Committee did not call for
its use. Had this appliance been used, we
! heard many farmers express n decided opn.
ion that the Kirby would have proved to
be the lightest draft machine. A gentle.
man present timed the different machines
on the last round, with the following result.
Advance, s minutes, Kirby, minutes,
John p. Nanny II minutes, Little Cham
/ pon, Z minutes, Burdich, minutes, Marsh
| Harvester. 5 minutes. From tue Warren
Sentinel.