The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1880-10-09

The following letter, addressed 10 MessrS,
Manley X jordan of this city, explains ITSELF
ALTON, H., Oct ID 1880.
MEssRs. MANLEY 4 JORDAN, Ottawa, Ill:
Gentiemen--We have the Ottawa Republican
of Sept. 23d, which you forwarded to us, but
which did not reach us until to-day We find
the article marked Counter Challenge Accept
ed and think it would have been more appro-
prately headed Counter Challenge Refused.
On Aug. DIST. 23d and Oath we held pillow
trials In La Sale county in which we proved to
the satisfaction of three committees, composed
of nine of the best men in the county land all
strangers to uS) and also 10 the satisfaction of
the large crowd of farmers present that our Sui
ky Plow would do better work, carry a man and
run lighter on the team than a common Walk
ing Plow
On Sept. lst the Ottawa agents of the Furst
X Bradley Manufacturing Co. charged that the
trials we held were 1.-THE RESULTS OF THE MA
NIpULATIoNs OF An EXPERT" and that we endeav-
ored to ''HoopwINK the farming community " IN
10 jeiieriag that these trials were "SQUARELY
CONNECTED"
On Sept 4th, in order to show that the charge
against us was false and grew ont of the inahili-
ty of Furst Bradley to accomplish the results
which we accomplished, we offered to prove
those facts in public test
LIST. That our sulky runs lighter on a team
than the best Walking Plow made by Furst n
Bradley.
ID. That Furs Il BradIey's sulky runs heor-
er on a team than our Walking plow
Sd. That our sulky runs lighter than Furst
& Bradley's sulky.
And we offered to pay to charitable institu-
ton 500 for each failure we made to accom-
plish what We claimed if Furst & Bradley would
give 500 for each success we made.
Furst 4 Bradley, knowing that they were
bound to lose on each and every one of the above
tests, had not the courage to accept our offer on
account of the injury it would do their trade
but in order TO deceive the public into the belief
that they had accepted, headed their article
" Counter Challenge Accepted" and then added
to their acceptance many outside issues that
they knew we would not accept.
They make durability, good work and ease of
management of equal Importance to light draft
Now it is no longer disputed that the Sulkies
of all the leading manufacturers are durable
do good work and are easily managed but the
farmers have learned to their cost that these
good points count for little if n Sulky, other
wise good draws so heavy as to kill their
horses.
The Dynamomcter would have settled beyond
controversy THE TRUTH OR FALsITY OF OUR
CLAIMS, and committee could make but one
report, while the points named by Furst x
Bradley would depend on the OPINION of the
committee. which would probably be divided, as
it is fact that some men would think pillow
of CAST iron weighing $50 lbs. would be more
desirable than our light pillow made of wrought
and malleable iron. Some men would think
pillow did the best work which laid the furrow
fiat. while others would prefer it combed. Ease
of management would also be dmatter of opin-
ion in which equally fair men would decide
very differently.
We regret that our friends Furst & Bradley
have so heavy plow-or so little courage-as
we would like to have held the trial and given
you another good send off this season.
Yours truly,
HApGOoD Prov Co.