The Irish standard., 1913-02-15
CYRUS MCCORMICK
inventor of the Reapins Machine Wa.
Born In Virginia.

The introduction Of the reaping
machine has proved one Of the great
est boons to civilization which human
genius has contributed during the past
century, famous for its inventions.
Though this invention was suggested
by the ancient Romans, the first ex-
periments toward practical results
were made in Europe in the latter part
OF the eighteenth century and the
early part Of the past century. The
sickle formed, as it still does over a
great part OF the world, the main I'M
plement used in harvesting tho vari-
out descriptions Of grain.
With the progress of Improvement
in agriculture, as III other arts, the
idea suggested itself Ut cutting down
crops by lneans OF a machine, and
thus effccting ID great saving both of
time ana exasasss .:.' al at#t nalc,l-
ines, however, Which attained to much
efficiency were those perfected by Cy-
rus Hall Mccormick. lie was born lin
Walnut Grove, Va, on February 15
1909. He was educated at the CONS
mon schools and worked fol his faith
er, who was a large owner of mills
and machine shops. AT the age Of
twenty-one years he invented two new
and valuable plows. AS ea,ly as 1916
his father had attempted to construct
, a reaper. but failed.
A few years after he again tried to
invent a reapins machine. This time
he succeeded, but he did not succeed
in perfecting it. This important re-
suit was accomplished by his son Cy-
rus in 1881, when with his own hands
he built the first practical reaping
machine that was ever made. He pat
ented his reaper in 1884. In 1s45 he
again improved upon it., and in 1s47
improved upon it SO tnut it was re-
sarded as the most perfect of any
farming implement of the age.
In 1851 he exhibited his lrachinc at
which exposition he received a gold
medal. 1t had Il sickle edged section
| al knife, reciprocating by crank move
ment with The bearing and drive crank
wheels; there was a reel, and Il di-
WIDER was used OH each end of the
platform, having q. scat behind ii. The
grain was drawn forward 20 the mach
inc by an apparatus OF revolving bars,
and there cut at the root by an os-
cillating straight horizontal edge,
which acted as saw upon the sew
eral parcels Of standing corn included
between the proiectin, teeth
In 1S45 Mr. Mccormick moved to
Cincinnati, Ohio, and patented various
improvements. In 1S47 he removed to
Chicago, where he built large works
for the construction Of his inventions.
Mr.. Mccormick was awarded nuner-
! GUS prizes and medals Tor iis inven-
tions. and in 1873 received for the
third time, for his reaping and bind
ing machine, a. grand prize Of the
French Exposition, and the rank OF
officer of the Legion Of Honor was
conferred upon him. lie was also, at
that time, elected corresponding
member of the French Academy of
Sciences, "as having done moro than
any other living man."
In 1859 William II. Seward said :
lowing to Mr.. McCormicks invention
the line of civilization moves west
ward thirty miles each year. The Nc
Cormick reaper has already contrib
uted an annual income to the whole
country of s55.0O0.0o0 at least, which
must increase through all airne." Hav-
ing made a large fortune from his in
ventions, Mr.. Mccormick used his
wealth Literally in the caus. of edu-
cation. He died at Chicago on May
13, 1854.