Lexington gazette. [volume] (Lexington, Va.) 1871-1962, 1907-07-10
Mccormick Reaper First Tested
Near Lexington

81 The first public trit of the Nc
N Cormiek reaper was made nes
At Lexington in 1888, and was wit
messed by number OF residents o.
u the community, among the spec
d TIA ors being the late Mayor John
b W. Haughawout, who used often
1t to speak Of the initial performance
g OF the then crude machine.
h The following report of this
r trial and description of the opera
a non of the reaper was published
in "The Union" the predecessor
OF The LEXINGTON GAZETTE, in it's
issue of September Ia, 1888. The
editor was Mr.. Charles P. Dorman.
Two years later, July II, 1885, the
title of the paper was changed to
the present name, which has since
been retained. THIS change was
made while Mr.. Cornelius c..
Baldwin was editor.
The article will no doubt be
read with interest just at this
time, because the inventor was
resident of Rockbridge and be-
cause the first trial was made in |
this county. The article appear
ing in the midst Of wheat harvest
will lend additional interest to the
story. The description of the
reaper as published was written
by Mr.. Cyrus H. Mccormick him.
self. The article is as follows:
owe have omitted until now to
furnish our agriculture, friends
with an account Of pachine for
cutting grain, inveT.ed oy one of
our ingenious and respectable
county men. Mr.. Cyrus II. Me-
Cormick, and which we witness ed
operating in field of gain dur
Ing last harvest ii the neIghbor- \
hood Of this place. A large crowd
OF citizens were present ut the s
trial of it, and although tire mt @
chine lit icing the fist was ret
as perfectly made as the plan is i
susceptible Of, yet we believe it \
gave general satisfaction. We
have been furnished with some b
certificates from several of our In s
telligent farmers, which we have
appended to the following des- v
,ription of the invention: y,
"This machine is So constructed q
AZ to leave long or short stubble,
% operate alike well on tall or il
hort grain. 1t is drawn by one 81
iorse walking by the side of the >
5rain in shafts--just behind is
|. wheel about two feet three inch b
s in diameter, which runs on d'
he ground, by which the machin. CT
ry is operated-having a cog NJ
Wheel with 40 cogs screwed to it. OF
here is a small wheel with nine b
ogs) working in that, having an
lher on the same shaft with %, j..
'aich works another small one, VIZ
lrhiDg small crank, behind the la
heel and flom this crank the knife tn
,ceives a vibratory motion. 1t ie
bout Al feet long, with an edge To-
'mewhat like that of sickle Sa
having teeth), straight and pro- ha
citing into the grain at right da
lgles to the horse. Behind the
life is an apron or 6 feet long,
thin plank; and this frame con- 4
cts with, and is Tade fast to the oI
anne which supports the main ny
leel-having a slide, or small Dr.
heel under it to SUPP ort 1t, say "
out 5 feet from the main wheel. All
ongside the apron, by the point ma'
the knife, and extending soma 'ni'
stance before the knife, is Vne
sed partition of cloth for the surI
rpose of dividing and keeping MIS-
)arate the cut grain from that ""
ich is left standInr. There is
eel, as it is termed, which il 4
)ut 6 or Z feet in dian eter,
/ the same length Of the knife. MAJ
is is made BY framing arms in
III end of a shaft, say s, the -,
nts of which are joined togeth. W
by pieces, called ribs, parallel "
The shafts. The reel 10 revClved ia
the machine advances by Az
ID from the main wheel to ont ~
its shaft, the object of which is no
draw the grain back to the II"
fe, which will be done whether I Plact
light or tangled, upright OF nersC
ling, unless below an angle can 8
8 degrees, and to throw it oil OF tn
apron, When sufficient &c III
huly sha'i h"'e nave oeeh W fer 81
ed for sheaf, the hand whit 50 Sc,
nds it, draws it off the apron hardl
! a rake. The grain is pre- 4nIut
ed from slipping viii the edg, recon recon-
be knife by pieces of wire pro box
ing before it within enc or two used [
es of each other" not'c'
achin
CERTIFICATES streng
Gritty that having used one of Mr.. n r,nt ~ ~