The Pickens sentinel. [volume] (Pickens, S.C.) 1871-1903, 1886-10-21
TWO COTTON MIRACLES.
THE MASON HARVESTER AND THE
MASON GIN.

=. MASON GIN.
AN interesting Exhibition of the New aIachincs
at sumter irsterday-PIcking Two Thousand
Pounds n Dny.
IN VS. and Counter, October l4)
A practical test of the Mason Cotton
Harvesting machine was made in Sumter
yesterday be- % committee of three
from the New York Cotton Exchange,
and committees from the Charleston
Cotton Exchange, the Agricultural So
cIety of South Carolina, the State Agri-
cultural Society and the State Board of
Agriculture. The committees were nc
companied by the board of directors of
the Mason Cotton Harvesting Company.
The Now York committee arrived at
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 Mason
Cotton Harvester Company, which are
located about half q mile from the hotel.
On arriving at the shops the committees
and other guests passed half an hour
pleasantly In examining the tools and
machinery with which the shops are
equipped, and in having explained to
them the several processes employed in
turning out the wonderfully Ingenious
mechanism which is used in the harvest
ing machines.
Everything being in readiness one of
the Harvestcrs was pulled out of the
shop, two horses were hitched to it, q
cotton field negro jumped into the seat
and the machine, followed by the visit
ors, started for the cotton field, about
one hundred yards off.
10 an observer of the machine, who
had never seen its mode of operation, it
would seem absolutely impossible to
carry 1t over the cotton plants without
tearing them oil to pieces. Consequent
ly when the machine was driven into the
field and started down o row of cotton
| plants, the faces of the visitors showed
how much they were surprised in seeing
that the plants passed through the ma
chlnery without injury, while at the
same time they saw constant stream of
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
tlmeed i'll order that they might arrive
at an idea of it's capacity. This was ac-
cordlngly done, and as fast as the bags
were filled others were substituted until
halt was called. The cotton was then
weighed in the presence of all present
and showed O picking capacity of 1000
pouAds day. The cotton plants from
which this cotton was picked were not
fully frulted and it was the general opin-
ION that in the rich fields of the far
South and Southwest the capacity could
bc 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
cnoe 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 the
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 q few
minutes picked from the field by one of
Mason's machines and converted into
such beautiful lint by Mason's Gin.
An hour or two moro was spent at the
shops examining other Harvesters of
varying styles and in different stages OF
completion, when the party drove back
to the hotel.
At o'clock tho party all dined togeth-
er at the Jeryey Hotel. Among those
present was Mr.. w. l.. Langley, of New
York. This gentleman, who is me-
chanlcal engineer, and hearing that q
committee from tho New York Cotton
Exchange had heen appointed to come
south and witness practical field test
Qt the Mason Cotton Harvester, came
down also as the representative of North
ern capitalists who own large plantations
IN Texas, and who for many years have
been endeaVoring to secure q practical
cotton harvester In response to toast.
Mr.. Langley took occasion to say that
he had been more than pleased with
what he had seen; that he had never
seen q new machine tested with such sue
oessful results, and that he was prepared
to report favorably to the gentlemen
whom he represented. He was satisfied
beyond preadventure that Mr., Mason
had discovered the correct principle, and
that he believed that he had solved the
problem that cotton could be and would
be in the future picked by machinery
The visiting committees were invited
to stay over at Sumter and witness q test
Of the Cotton Harvester by moonlight
in order to show them that the machine
can be utilized at night as well as by
day. The committee, however, found t
impossible to remain over.
The Mason Cotton Harvester and the
Mason Cylinder Gin will be exhibited at
the State Fair of Georgia, commencing
at Macon on the 9th inst, and at the
Alabama State Fair at Montgomery,
commencing on November 9Th.
TIE HARVESTER AND IT'S HISTORY.
! The exhibition at Sumter yesterday of
tho Mason Cotton Harvesting Machine,
before committees appointed to investi-
gate its practical operation and report
upon its success and usefulness, is O.
signal event in the history OF the deyel!
} opment OF an invention which ranks in
importance with those grcatlabor-saving
! phinpa which bouo p,oro 4bos, III