Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1889-12-26
rnn oaAnrIoN = u.K ns.
Alo w John "a. Macy Made the Ear
of Corn Fly.


alo w John ia. Macy Made tns Ear
of Corn Ely.
In recent issue the Nsw York Sun
told as follows of big days. work in the
corn field:
There was o rustIing In the corn stacks
in John Duryea's corn field in Uniondsla
near Hampstead yesterday. Mr. Dury'a
says il his man, John h. Macy, can't do
an thing else he can husk corn. Some
time ago he backed him for 300 to huss
100 bushels of corn in seven hours, the
man to take the corn as it stood stacked
in the field. He way to pull down the
stacks himself and tie and set Up the
empty sheaves. The bet was taken up
by number of persons who considered
the task an impossibility. Macy's own
confidence in lis ability was only limited
by the extent OF his pile. as q number OF
the farm hRnds in that vicinity can now
testify to Their sorrow. The match was
to have taken place some time ago, but
was postponed on account of the weather.
The sun rose bright and warm yester-
| day morning. big crowd soon gath
cred about Mr.. Dueyna's barn in Union.
dale. They spent their spare tins I'D.
miring Mr. Duryes's famous horses shat
have taken the first premium every year
ut the Queens county fair and looking at
the stacks Of corn in on adjoining three.
acre field. Nine o'clock was the hour set
for the huskipg to begin. Edgar Duryea
was timer and Uncis David Fowler was
Judge. Unols David is more than 80
| years old. He has husked m my hushel
Of corn in his life snd witnessed many q
husking match, but lie now aays he never
| saw so good man as Macy. Macy is
/ tail, big boned and about 35 years old,
with big bionie mousiacho. He looked
like bnslnass IL slouch het and flannel
| shirt ind with his oysraili tucked in his
boots. He was equipped with an iron
| husking peg OF hls own Invention. II WAS
sharp on both sides and hid slight bend
in the blade nssr tbs handle.
Tho corn stood lust as it ives stacked
up after GEtting IEcra were Sc hills in
each stack and between two and Que,
quarter and two and ons half bushels of
ears 70 the stack. Az Tho word Macy at
| tGched tho stack that stood nearest hin
| In the three-acre lot. With one stroke
of his hrsksr he ripped the bands that
bound the stack. Then he pulled the
corn down, and getting on his knees
began to make the ears fly. he made
oniy three movements in huaking an ear.
4 BE caught the ear with his left hand near
the middle. With Lia right hand he
drove the husher in through the middle
Of the husk, ripping it loose from the car
twist OF his hands and the naked ear
went spinning in the air. AS soon as he
got an srmiul of stalks he bound and
stood them up in jitfy. He left white
and yellow wake OF corn behind him. AT
first Mr.. Duryes put OILY one man to
pick up after tue hulker. Macy soon
left him 80 far behind that Mr.. Duryes
put another man to help him. It made
their backs ache to keep up with Macy.
UnoIa David said he thought Macy could
husk corn almost as fast as mai ma.
chime could tarn out nails Maoy husked
the tirst eight stacks in So minutes. They
contained l9s bushels. In hours
minute aud 40 seconds he husked "a
stacks, making 55t bushels. AT the end
OF ioura 70 minutes and Sd seconds lie
had husked 46 stacks, making 1O2 bushels.
This gave him tho match with two.
bushel margin and 80 minutes 8 seconds
to spare.
This, il is thought, beats the record Of
the world in husking corn. II Is said he
could have finished the 100 bushels II
minutes sooner il he had tried. When
he got through every stack waB done uI
neat and strong, and not an ear OF corr
remained on any stalk he he'd gone over
Three single wagon loads and ore double
wagon load OF corn was hauled Of IT,,
field. Macy was apparently as fresh q
, the end as he WAS 1T the start Tho chi,
mark on his hands was whore h. go
aCrntnha1 in takiDn Irury, tim last Z
Ha challenges any person in the Unite
, States to husk corn. He SAYS he is viii
ing TO put up from $lO0 TO $500 that II
can hu9k m ear of corn every second 10
five minutes. This would be $40 ears j,
all. The corn he hnsked yesterday
knowa as Duryea's Fayorite.