Weekly graphic. [volume] (Kirksville, Adair Co., Missouri) 1880-1949, 1884-07-18
THE SURVIVAL OF THE
FlTTEST.
Field Trial Of the Acme, Fleming
and pain Hay Hiekers
and Races.
A Contest In Which the Acme was Adjudged
By an Overwhelming Majority to be
the Victor.
A Contest Which Proved Disastrous
to the Dain and Fatal to
the Fleming.
An Interesting Day.

According to appointment the held
trial ofhay rickers and rakes came OH
last Friday, nth on the farm OF MIR.
Frank Gibbs.
No formal challenge had been issued
but the day and place for competl-
tive trial had been appointed by Mr..
Gibbs in order that he and other farm
ers present might witness the work OF
the various rickers and rakes in order
to be better able to judge OF their re-
spective merits before buying.
Invitations were accordingly tender
ed to the Acme, Fleming, Dain and
Champion representatives to be pres
ent at the contest with their respective
machines, all ofwhich came to trial ex-
cept the Champion.
| A champion agent was on hand but
for reasons surmised by everybody but
best known to himself, he failed to en-
ter his machine which was only about
j 1.2 miles from the place OF trial.
The trial day was exceedingly favor
able to thorough test of hay harvest
ing machinery as there was a good
r breeze blowing almost throughout the
d trial.
The Acme was first to appear on the
! field. The Fleming came IN early In
the afternoon and the Dain very late
o owing to the great length of time re-
o quired by its FIVE REPRESENTATIVES,
Q AND EXPERTS for setting it up.
The Acme representatives proposed
that each ccntesting machine be put
in the hands of and operated by the
farmers present. This proposition
met the approval ofthe farmer as be-
ing eminently fair and proper, but it
found no hackers among the Dam and
a. Fleming men.
lie Accordingly the Acme was put by
< selection of Mr.. Gibbs, into hands that
~ fo had never operated either Kicker or
,e rake. while the Dam and Fleming rick
I'd ers were worked exclusively by experts
I of imported for that purpose, and not
once did Dain and Fleming rlckers
st pass from the experts to the farmers
Ii hands for operation.
r. The Acme made the first exhibit,
n and the favor of the crowd was imme-
ne diately won by the beauty and simpli-
n city of the machine, its light draft, ease
of operation and perfect work, notwlth.
as standing the fact that it was being
OF managed by wholly inexperienced
hands,
The Acme was given severe tes
, and never in any point failed to dc
1 satisfactory work.
The Acme's exhibit was followed b!
e that of the Fleming. The latter ma
chine failed to create any enthusiasm
as it made very bad showing, FIRE
quently depositing the hay on th'
RTOuuQ luStSdO VI Oli liz otSiSh uAAS'
the Acme had already begun. Asid
m. from the frailty and cord wood carpen
a. ter like construction OF the Fleming
'ro. the fact that 1t required an extra maj
ND. to operate it and could not be depend
will ed on to put hay on the stack in
slight wind, was sufficient to condem
it in the eyes of the farmers present.
oi The Dain came on the contes
ION ground very late in the afternoon a
ago was remarked before because it coul
De not get there any sooner on accoun
so SO of the great length of time required b
we its f0e representatives and experts to Sc
IN it up. When it began working no
wlthstanding it was handled by e1
the perts it was readily apparent to Ii
:, at farmers present that the Dain was NJ
urth the machine they wanted. The gene
.nor al opinion as to the Dain was, tn;
the compared with the Acme its draft W;
n is too heavy, its construction too compl
Gated.
The verdict of the overwhelmin
e1d majority as near as could be ascertain
s>sA ed as to the three machines was tn
the Fleming was not desirable m
:. .. chine because (I.) 1t lacked substar
orns - tial construction and durability. (2.)
@ sans required an extra man to work II
orse cs pitcher head. e 1t dropped tt
otns ona- many loads on the ground instead
Pc peal on stack. (4.) 1t was too difficult
'eI "a management. g. Itlacked the cap
,eaIa ula city to build high stack or rick
~ ~ The verdict Of the overwhelmil
Nc. ne.e majority as to the Dain, was that tn
1ar . it was not desirable machine becau
.,,sb I (I) Its draft was much too heavy
puD one horse. (e.) 1t was complicat
!. sc in construction, possessing too ma
- ona ~ castings, wheels, castors, pulleys, e
= an ~ (S.) 1t required an extra wagon
set on.
z.hs. she The almost unanimous opinion
:" No. no those present was that the Acme v
,.;on ~ by far the best and most desirable
LII .Ia the field, because
am M () Its draft was light.
,o ,om,, (a.) Simple in construction.
'oA g. Substantially built well-fni
ed and painted.
and (49 Was easily and effectiv
PHO operated.
=. ofI (-N Troxx-:.oJ L.-J. -.