Heppner gazette. [volume] (Heppner, Morrow County, Or.) 1892-1912, 1906-05-10
sHEER,.G ny MACHINERY.
Morrow COunty'S First Plant Now
In Operation.

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on the first of the month is attract.
ing considerable attention and is
being watched with interest by
Morrow county sheepmen. This
is something new to the sheepmen
of this county and naturally is the
cause of considerable comment
both favorable and unfavorable
While some of the sheep growers
are not inclined to favor the new
method, still a majority are Of the
opinion that the machine will
ultimately take the place of hand
sheariDg which must give way to
the advantages of modern machin
cry the same as in other lines OF in
dustry.
Since starting up Mr.. Whet-
stone has been working at disad-
vantage, owing to the fact the
shearers are inexperienced with
the machinery and meet with dill
Guilty in operating the machines.
Last Sunday number of Hepp-
ner people went out to Mr.. Whet-
stones place to watch the opera
tion of the shearlng machines.
The plant consists of II machines,
power being furnished by a five
horse gasoline engine. The ma
chine is simple arrangement ar
ranged on the plan of ordinary
barber's clippers. The knives are
operated through long arms com
ing down from the main shaft
which is driven at high speed.
The arms to which the knives are
attached are arranged with two
joints making them flexible 80
that they can be easily adjusted TO
the different movements necessary
in getting over the surface of the
sleeps body. The plant was in
stalled at a cost of about 200.
The shearers while they are all
experienced men with hand shears
have not been able to turn off as
many sheep as they could by hand
owing to the fact that they are not
acquainted with the work.
In speaking of the operation of
the machines, Mr.. Milestone said
II have for some time been i'm
pressed with the machines. The
proposition cannot help but be a
success. When a man once learns
to operate one of these machines,
he laughs at the idea of hand
"There are many advantages
over hand work. The machine
takes practically all of the wool
from the sleeps back, doing better
work in tagging and in every way
than is possible to do by hand. 1t
is more humane and is easier on
both man and sheep. Working
right down next to the skin every
tick is killed and it takes off the
best and heaviest wool which is
nearest the body of the sheep"
Mr.. Milestone gets IL cents per
head for shearing the sheep. He
furnishes everything with the ex-
ception of the sacks and the corral
tenders. The shearers are paid
seven cents per head for operating
the machines.
Mr.. MILESTONE is we'll prepared
with sheds and has everything ar
ranged we'll for convenience in
operating the machines.
Practical tests have proven that
the machines take off fully one
pound more wool than can be
taken off by hand. This amount
of wool this year would more than
pay for the shearing of the sheep.
Jack Edwards of the Baldwin
Sheep and Land Company, who is
one of the best authorities on
sheep in the country in converse.
ton with R. F. Hynd, of this city,
recently stated that after about 20
years experience with machines
both in Oregon and Wyoming,
that he would not ALLOW his sheep
10 be sheared by hand if the shear
,rs would do the work free of