The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1886-10-20
TWO COTTON MIRACLES.
THE MASON HARVESTER AND Till;
MASON GIN.

AhE :'EAeSs t:NNh r. l t.H hND i
MASON GIN.
An ln,e.cstin: Exhibition oI the NsN Machine
at Sumter lrsterday y-p:ckins Ywo TiiOnsaD
Pounds Fay.
n rs ard Courier, October H.
A practical test Of the Mason Cottol
Harvesting machine was made IN Sumte
Yesterday before committee Of tire
from the New York Cotton Exchange
and committees from the Charleston
Cotton Exchange, the Agricultural So
c;ety of South Carolina, the State Agri
cultural Society and the State Board O
Agriculture. The committees were &C
compan;ed by the board OF directors O
the Mason Cotton Harvesting Company
The New York committee arrived a
Sumter at ( a. m, by the Wilmington
Columbia and Augusta Railroad, and the
other committees arrived at $50 a. M.
by the Central Railroad of South Caro-
lima. About 10 o'clock the whole party
drove out to the shops Of the Maso1
Cotton Harvester Company, which ara
located about half mile from the hotel
On arriving at the shops the committee:
and other guests passed half on houl
pleasantly in examining the tools anG
machinery with which the shops are
equipped, and in having explained tc
them the several processes employed II
turning out the wonderfully ingenious
mechanism which is used In the harvest
ing machines.
Everything being in readiness one Of
the Harvesters was pulled out OF the
shop, two horses were hitched to it, 8
cotton field negro jumped into the seat,
ard the machine, followed by the visit
ors, started for the cotton field, about
one hundred yards off.
TO an observer of the machine. who
had never seen its mode of operation, il
would seem absolutely impossible tc
carry it over the cotton plants without
tearing them all to pieces. Consequent
" when the machine was driven into the
field and started down a row of cotton
plants, the faces OF the visitors showed
how much they were surprised IN seeing
that the plants passed through the ma
chinery without injury, while at the
same time they saw a constant stream oi
cotton pouring into the bags which arc
suspended at the back Of the machine.
After running it over the field for some
time it was suggested by the committees
that the operation Of the machine be
timccd in order that they might arrive
at an idea OF its capacity. This was ac-
cordingly done, ant, as fast as the bags
were filed others were substituted until
a halt was called. Tie cotton was then
weighed in the presence o. all present
and showed a picking capacity OF 1900
pounds day. The cotton plants from
which this cotton WIS picked were not
fully fruited and it was the general op!n.
ion that in the rich fields Of the fal
South and Southwest the capacity could
be counted upon to be much greater
The machined-picked cotton was then
taken to one OF the Mason Cylinder
Gins, which was in running order on the
place, and was ginned out in the pres
encc of the company. The Gin worked
superbly, and everybody present was de-
lighted with its capacity, with the beau
tiful condition of the lint cotton turned
out, and with the perfect safety to tho
ginner with which it can be operated
Several members of the different com
mittees bundled up samples to take home
with them, that they might show the
cotton which they had seen in a few
minutes picked from the field by one o:
Mason's machines and converted into
such beautiful lint by Mason's Gin.
Ar hour or two more was spent at the
shops examining other Harvesters O.
varying styles and in different stages o:
completion, when the party drove bach
to the hotel.
At I o'clock the party all dined togeth
er at the Jervey Hotel. Among those
present was Mr.. ". L. Langley, of New
York. This gentleman, who is a me
chanicsl engineer, and hearing that s
committee from the New York Cotto1
Exchange had been appointed to come
South and witness a practical field tes
of the Mason Cotton Harvester, came
down also as the representative Of North
Elm capitalists who own large plantation
in Texas, and who for many years have
been endeavoring to secure a practica
cotton harvester. In response to toast
Mr.. Langley took occasion to say tina
he had been more than pleased Will
what he had seen; that he had neye
seen a new machine tested with such sue
, cessful results, and that he was prepared
to report favorably to the gentlemel
! whom he represented. He was satisfied
! beyond preadventure that Mr.. Masol
t. . had discovered the correct principle, ant
! that he believed that he had solved tn
problem that cotton could be and woult
be in the future picked by machinery.
: The visiting committees were invited
to stay over at Sumter and witness tes
of the Cotton Harvester by moonigh
in order to show them that the machin
can be utilized at night as well as b
! day. The committee, however, found
! impossible to remain over.
The Mason Cotton Harvester and tn
:. Mason Cylinder Gin will be exhibited q
! ! the State Fair of Georgia, commencin
at Macon on the 9th inst, and at tn
; Alabama State Fair at Montgomery
commencing on November Sth.
THE HARVESTER AND ITS HISTORY.
:, The exhibition at Sumter yesterday {
j the Mason Cotton Harvesting Machine
: before committees appointed to invest
i gate its practical operation and repol
+ Unon IFS success and usefulness, is