The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1910-10-19
DOES The WORK
cestoa Picking Machine Invented By az
Augusta Boy Said to be
A WONDERFUL SUCCESS

Be Equipped With Electric Lights
For Work ut Nieht-To be Made
in Augusta.
II is here al last The Augusta
Chronicle says. the Fourche- cotton
picking machine. ;ha; marvellous
creation OF inventive genius by
bright Young Augusta boy. WAS given
ia practical demonstration n the
presence OF a mum Der OF cotton grow
ers and business men in q nourisAinS
cotton field on the farm OF MI kout.
Fleming. four miles from the city.
All who witnessed the demonstration
agreed that Fourcher cotton picker
is the invention 0! the age. and that
Srea; ;nture awaits the machine
and its maker
The new cotton picker is the IN
ven;ion OF MIR. Harry F. Fourch"r.
OF Augusta. Four years ago he con-
ceived the idea that machine could
oe made 10 take the place OF the
slow and. 100 often. unrelia BILE negro
! cotton picker. upon whom, the south
ern farmer depends 70 harvest the
worlds greatest staple. Mr.. Four
cher began 10 work quietly and said
nothing OF his efforts unit! he nad
! his machine patented and ready for
operation. In the meantime cotton
picking machines were Invented and
some were actually put on the oar
ke;. But none were built upon the
Fourcher plan. and he WAS enabled
, &c continue his work indisturbed by
the fear o: having his ideas stolen.
Early in the summer Of 1909 Mr..
Eourcher exhibited his invention
The cotton picker was very crude
/ affair. but the idea was there. and
his friends were confident that he
would some day achieve success. The
machine was given several tests dur
ing the following fail and. although
IL picked cotton. the invention WAS
sill! in the rough" Since tha; time
Mr.. Fourcher has busted h!mscl! i'm
proving upon his original idea. and
now he announces that the cotton
picker is about COMPLETE.
The cotton picker used for the de-
monS,rs;ioa IS only rough model OF
wha; the finished machine will be.
Other imp-oven en;s have been made.
and the machines that Will b. put
on the marke, will be lighter and
more compact.
The Fou:cher cotton picking ma
chine is very simple and very p-ac-
,ical. 4 little narrow wagon gears a
small gasoline motor which operates
a tiny electric generator. This in
turn applies the power which works
the picking machine carried IN the
hand by the laborer. Upon the little
wagon is frame from which flexible
wires connect the generator in the
wagon TO li.,le dynamos carried on
the backs CT the men who operate
the p:ckers The little dynamos
| weigh about two pounds each. and
are attached by leather straps 10 the
| backs OF the workers The pickers
carried IL the hands Of the men. are
operated by flexible shafts connected
with the dynamos on their backs.
| The picker Is a small simple little
device 4 little metal box with re-
vo!ving burrs snatches the cotton out
0, the boil without any injury 70 the
{ line and throws it back into the
cotton sack. 10 the mouth o. which
the machine is attached. and which
the worker draws along behind him.
TIE picker will not gather leaves or
tras, and the cotton is remarkably
clean. Each picking machine may
be equipped with apparatus for eight
pickerS. Only one picker was used
il the demonstration. and no effort
was made 20 show the capacity o! the
machine. as green negro who had
never picked 4 boil OF cotton in his
HE handled ;hc picker.
| AS the pickerS work two In each
row. with full! force OF eight pick
ers attached 20 each machine. The
little wagon is drawn By hand down
| the middle row. The wagon is light
and can be easily moved over ;he
! aeld. When (; is in operation canvas
curtains protec; the machinery from
contact with cotton stalks. weeds.
etc. The machine IS equipped with
electric light. and il is possible
20 attach small incandesccnt lights
70 the hats o: the workers. so tha;
cotton may DC picked at night. just
as coal miners are equipped for their
work in the black depths.
&, was shown hy the tes; that each
picker can easily gather 800 pounds
Of cotton IN each working day OF
10 hours. This means Z capacity o:
i.H0n pounds for the machine. Mr
Fourch.r declares ;ha; his finished
machine. hacd!ed by expert cotton
p!ckerS. can gather 5000 pounds per
day OF 10 hours Tn" complete out
Ats can De sold to- $50 each anG
allow good profit 10 the MAKER.
The :ul! value o: me invention
20 the farmers OF ;hc South cannot
be estimated When the scarcity OF
labor is considered. and The matter
Of convcnieDc. in gathering and mar
ketinS I'll. crop is understood. the
Importance o; III. invention il read
ilv appreciated Mr Fourciicr plans 10
manufacture 10 machines IN Angus
"a. and i; is understood that loca
COMPANY viii bc organized there for
the purpose
MANY LIVES ARE LOST