The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1905-10-19
Cotton Picking Day at
Great State Fair.
INTERES! WAS KEEN
MarshaIs Staff Gets Larger and Thous'
ands Throng the Buildings and the
Midway and the Grounds Prais-
ing The BriIIiancY Of the
Great Event.

With Yesterday as an index OF the
crowd for today, the State Fair
grounds are to be jammed to the
rails, and the overflow will have the
woods as background.
But Raleigh has risen to the occa-
sion and the great crowds have thus
far been accommodated and cared for
in excellent shape. The Blu reau of
Information has done good work and
all who apply for board or lodging
are being cared for, while all hotels
and boarding house people are
straining every nerve to take care OF
the crowds.
1T was a great day at the Fair
Grounds yesterday. and the big crowd
was a jolly one. for on every side IL
found things to amuse, interest ana
instruct. In the Fair Buildings the
Jana increased as the day grew Older,
and between two and three o'clock
it was only with a squeeze that one
could make his way through the NOV
ing. mass of humanity studying the eX-
hbits and doing the Fair.
Out on the Midway the crowd grew
gayer as the hours sped, and in the
afternoon there was a feast of fun
making. the comeback balls, the con-
fetti. the beribboned canes and whips
all playing q part. Happy laughter
hoated out on the air, and Jolllty
reigned in all its >nirth and mischlef.
The folks were there and they had
left blue care at home to comfort II
self
The event of the day overshadowed
all others in the interest it aroused
and in the pressing crowd OF lnspec-
tors and investigators it drew, was the
first trial of the latest cotton picker
in picking cotton from set out
cotton field. That men and women
pressed shoulder to shoulder in view
ing the work of the new machine
showed the keen interest felt, and tnat
thew crowded over the ropes and out
INFO the field of cotton was not EVIL
dence of mere curiosity. but the sign
manual of n desire to see ana WnoW
of a machine for which the claim is
made that it will revolutionize the
picking of cotton, become compenSa-
tory balance to the lack of labor in
the fields. and in a different line do
as much for the cotton farmers. as
did the Whitney cotton GIN
The machine is not a complex one
to look at, though it IS made up OF
many parts. To get outside OF technl-
calties il is a machine that presents
to view four sacks of white canvas,
one negro sitting on high directing
the working gear which carries Tor
ward the machine with its wheels IN
two rows between the cotton stalks,
lille near the ground, with feet resting
there sits four negroes VINO hold IN
each hand movable frames or tubes
attached to the machine. each of these
with a revolving belt inside and with
sharp claws, of the 'possum shane on
the belt which as it is pressed against
the boil of cotton picks IT off, carries
il IN the shaft. and partly ridden OF
leaves and trash fans it through tubes
into the big sacks. Not alone from
the stalk does il take the cotton, but
it also picks up that on the ground.
BY twos the four negroes sitting on
metal seat chairs high under the ma
chine. face in opposite directions,
thus allowing one TO clear the cotton
from half an outside row, while one
does the same for row beyond the
middle row, this middle row being
cleared of cotton by two men, VINO
separated as to moving distance by the
length of the machine clear off COM
pletely the middle row. The machine
moves slowly having traction wheels
that pull along the ground, and as the
"Dickers'' are carried along sideways
these put the revolving belt encased in
tho shaft with opening at bottom ane
partly up the side plump against the
cotton. the claws grip it and it is
whirled out of sight and waited by
the fans through iron tubes into the
big sacks.
Is il a success? Is it practicable?
Those are questions | dare not answer
till actual results in the field are op-
tanned, but / do say this, and say IL
after due consideration: The machine
picks cotton With almost human claws
directed by living arms. 1t picks cot
ton clean from the rows and ii packs
it away. The pickers do not have 10
bend their backs. but take an easy
ride, while with their hands they put
the revolving belt at the cotton which