The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1876-12-08

pil< va tHSrS uVsN A. Sl
deep red color. A little later you re-
cognize the awkward shape Of the sepa-
rators. and the broad-toppsd tunnels Of
the engines. Throngs of people, most
of them in wagons, yet some foot, fol-
low or behind. After . while all Of
these now widely separated troops will
come to a stand-still. They have taken
up their positions for the onslaught up
on the grain fields as deliberately, and
with as much thought, as batteries take
up position for battle.
When one of those corps approaches
its station, header, with Its attendant
wagons, is sent forward to cut clear |
place in the center of the area to be
worked upon that day. The machine is
pressed upon the wheat devouring as it
goes, and then, having accomplished =
certain distance, turns and works in q
circle, cutting out bare spot from three
from which seventy acres of wheat are
to be hewed down, cast into the thrasher,
and sacked for market before sundown.
Then the separator and engine, and all
the teams move forward up the lane and
into the circle. The first comes to .
halt in the center, the second takes up
its position in the rear, and the headers
at once attack the wheat; the 6rst swath
of the encircling grain, the next the
second, a little in the rear. and so on.
| The betting between the engine and
the separator is adjusted, and the engin
eer starts his fires. The shoots that are
to convex the grain from the canvas on
the ground upon which it is pitched
from the header wagons are attached,
and bag-fillers bring up their sacks. All
the lids that cover the inner works of
the great machine are drawn over, and
all is made fast. The wheels are locked
as are those of the engine. Great care
is taken to keep all things on as perfect
level as may be, to insure the proper
economy of force.
The scene even at this time is one of
great animation. The men are all fresh,
are working with ardor; the stimulus of
the noise, the movement and the bright
sun, is great It is impossible not to
feel the pulse quicken even at this early
stage of the play, and one recalls his
old time ideal of harvest field, with its
beribboned reapers and their lorg, curv-
ed sickles, with little doubt of its su
perior grace.
They try the engine. 1t is all right
The separator clatters in tune, and moth
ing is amiss. Now. then, for the grain
In a moment the wagons begin to un'
load. Huge forkfuls are pitched upon
J, the ground, from which it lie borne into
! the recesses of the separator. Their
there comes strange combination o.
: tremendous noises-a sound of grinding
= a sound of brushing, sound of thump
ing and a sound of roaring. The entir'
fabric shivers from top to bottom, ant
out IToh every cIeSlCe sHefS fo"i'
. thin sheet Of dust. The upper par
belches out the waste, hundreds o
pounds and tons of chaff, and a stlfiini
cloud follows it. In a second everything
is on springs The men who fill tn
bags hang them at the edges of TIL
troughs. Ths brown food comes pour
ing down-a stream of clean kernels O
wheat-and the days work fairly be
gins. From the largest separator in tn
field there runs out six sacks. or so
pounds of grain. fit for market, eac
minute. This machine one day in Au
" gust, 1874, threshed 5,779 bushels. II
=, :, owner calls it the Monitor. All the er
gines have names as we'll; Gladiato
= Phoenix, Mars and the like. No on
:. would be mad enough to call one I
- these Ceres, for instance There is n
!, suggestion Of gentleness, or grace, {
poetry in the whole field. All is ingel
uity, precision, order, force. A cry
admiration rises to ones lips time an
!, again, but the sensation is the same tn
7. one feels upon Witnessing string Of te
=. strikes in bowling alley, only thou
~ and times extended.
-. 1t is great to see the headers ke'
- their circles of destruction, hewiI
~ down the fair expanse Of bowling, geld'
>. heads ns a ship hews down the crs
waves, and to hear the smooth, unen
=, ing click -clack of the glistening sick l.
', Even the movements of the ungain
af red wagons that wait upon them ha
an unfalling order that has stran
power 10 please.
Most of the men are dressed in bro
IN canvas jumpers and overalls, and We
broad -brim med hats Of straw or felt
-, Not one of them is idle nor seems
-. wish to be. Most of them are drivi
,.- Some are pitching, few are feeding
~. separator, a few more are filling, sewi
,.;. and carrying away the bags-and so
80. are brushing away the heaps of chaff
T. Early in the day there is plenty of t
~ and laughter, but later on, as the VI
tells, and the sun grows hot, the tong
become silent, and the hubbub of
oros machines alone fills the air.
ver At noon huge van is driven u
near the fields, laden down with dinner
rud- meat, vegetables and pies, all well &C
8 in ed and very palatahls. Farm ha
cut like fishermen, nowadays are epicu
ex. This van is 80 constructed that it's .
time form broad tables. The cooks
:. in serve stand in the body Of the wa
tree and the diners range themselves afo
died the outside. All are sheltered
hing screen OF wooo OF canvne overhead
his A locomotive engineer who had
, and been discharged for some cause gave
irely to his spite, eminently characteristic
had American humor. He said il
rance about time he left the company, any
,rp Of for the sake OF his life. fer "thers
| Al Ia - Al II -.