Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1880-05-21
Threshermen's Hardships and the
Remedy.

Remedy.
ED1ToR's RURAL PRESS "A few more
months will bring around tho threshine
season. I have . few suggestions te
make. which I think, il acted on, would
be Of great benefit to those owning
threshers.
Every year some of us are imposed
upon by those who profess to be engi.
neers and separator experts. Having
no means Of ascertaining their qualid.
cation, in many cases we have to de.
peod upon their statements and our own
judgments and frequently. after ita
costing us hundreds Of dollars in lost
time and damage to machinery, we find
that We have been deceived. Our only
remedy is to try again, with probably
very little better success the next time.
speak from experience, and I presume
that there are but few in the business
who have not had like experience,
The question is: How are we to
remedy the evil? I will present my
views, and If any one has any better
plan to suggest, let them give it Through
the Press. This communication is only
to start the ball in motion, and hope
it will be kept rolling right lively until
something is accomplished.
Let those interested meet in some
central location in each county and or.
ganize thresher's union, for mutual
benefit and protection. Then get some
Trustworthy man in San Francisco, who
is interested in agricultural matters, to
| act as State Secretary, each member OF
the uniCn paying a small amount to re-
munerate him for his trouble. Then
let every machine man in the State re-
port the name of every engineer and
separatsr-tender that he knows to be
competent also the names of those he
knows to be incompetent, to the State
Secretary, stating their peculiarities, as
to temper, dispositions, etc.
Frequently we find men that are
competent to fill these positions, but
they are 80 irritable and contrary
that there is no peace where they are.
But once let them know that their dis
positions will be reported also so that
every employer in the State can find
them out if they will make the inquiry
and We would soon see that they
would be disposed to make a good
record. They would then get paid &C.
cOrding to their worth. As it is now,
the man that is worth less than nothing
gets the same wages as one that is worth
IS per day.
We need to get on some solid basis
of operation. We should also estab'
lish uniform prices and terms of settle
ment in eacn section. Let final Get
Element be made when the job is
finished, either with cash or by note.
Then we could take the notes to the
bank and, by indorsing them, got
money on them to pay our running ex-
penses. In some portions of the State
threshermen have to wait two, three
and sometimes six months on some of
their customers. There is no reason
why q farmer should object to giving
his note without interest, as he is just
as liable On an open account. But we
cannot raise money at bank on an open
account.
Another hardship that the thresher
has to submit to, and which should be
arranged someway If possible, is this !:
As the matter now stands, all the loss
caused by the carelessness of the farm
ers, and all Of his hands employed in
heading his grain. by the leaving of
wrenches, cold chisels, pieces of iron,
ropes, scoop shovels, pieces of chains,
old sacks, and I may say that there is
scarcely an article that is used in the
field, even to plowshares. which are
not found in stacks at some place in the
State. In pitching with derrick.forks
and self feeders they are very apt to go
into the cylinder. The thresher has to
pay all the damage and lose from one
quarter to one and sometimes two days.
Five hundred dollars would not pay
my losses last season caused in this
way, every article being traced to the
carelessness of headermen. Now, if
farmers knew that they weuld have to
pay at least part of the damage, they
would be more careful in future. Sew
eral threshermen have requested me to
write on the subject. I hope others will
give their views. THREsHER.
Chico, Gal.
The subjects proposed are certainly
worthy of discussion, and we invite all
threshernen to submit their views for
publication.-Pacifc Rural Pres.
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