The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1919-07-17
nOWIAe MACHINE
INVENTOR ufO POOR
DAVIS W Enrrfkce S<swscs Eoy~lty
~ SEE or Es6A Novice.

Kesrea Seua~e rs JAY ls.---
DAVIS w~ r~s-4ssS. ~se Ssea a: his
fserse se~t 3sss Mo-ssy IN Ass ninety
/ se~rsA *~s~, WAS ssr inventor Of tAe
r-ss r-saaS~s machine sa successful
ase II ass S~saEt~y. Ara In ssei or
sNe *~~s se~Se- 4-tVe- mower used IN
sAe wo~s3 X MAS rlcre than sixty
.we wears ago fsst Mr.. Entr.ken In
vented 4 harvesting machine. and ne
Clio hts work SO well that the prin-
e4pses ne utilized st that early day are
SILL found or all The mowers made
ssrce.
The heavy Yield Of the Pennsyl-
wants hay fields IN the vicinity Of
Philadelphia brought 20 the farmers
the problem OF harvesting their crops
N good condition. in the face OF what
even then was regarded as a scarcity
OF hands" and the high wages paid
20 men In the harvest fields. So at
the opportunity of a large mum Der
Of farmers who knew OF Mr.. Entri-
ken's mechanical skill. the young ma
chiafst. then just thorugh his appren-
ticeshfp to a crossroads country agri-
cultural implement renairer, under
took the big task ~ breaking the
com bine OF the harvest workers
He had studied the need Of the
farmers and had picked out tho
shortcomings OF one or two inventors
who had tried TO meet the farmers
harvest needs. SO he was in a sense
ready for the task.
Through an analysis Of the cutting
power of a razor he found his Arst
clue to the mower. He then soon dis
covered that he must add saw teeth
to his grass knives, and 1t was logical
that there must be cutter-bar
wherein the knife could be operated
iaterauy at rapid velocity with
guards. on his bar TO protect the
knives and give them an object
against which they could cut he had
solved the problem. The velocity of
the knives was readily obtained
through cog gearings on the drive
wheels
The young inventor worked long
hours. for while at the mower he did
other jobs that came to his shop He
showed his cutter to several farmers
and, with the same experience Of
other inventors was assured that
grass could not be cut except by. in
some way. initiating the sweep of the
old hand scythe. He, however, was
Sot in the least dissuaded and In less
than ten days he had rugged up a
rustic looking continuance that was
heavy enough to require the services
OF three horses to draw 1t through
the hay field There we're great
many farmers TO witness the first test
OF the mower which. to everybody's
delight and the inventors satisfac-
ltion, went Off like a tried and proven
tool and the trial was no. ended until
! the whole field Of grass had been cut
down
Later a Joint was put IN the cutter
| bar so as to make that portion semi
| mobile. enabling the operator to raise
! or lower the knives from the drivers
! seat and To swing !; upon the tongue
OF the machine when II was desired
| to haul over the roadways or through
! gateways
| 1t was Mr. Entrikens Intention to
| give the device to the farmers, not
realizing that he had made a machine
almost as important to agriculturists
as was the cotton gin to the Southern
| planters, He. consequently. did not
| take out any letters patent and in a
sh TT time 1t had been seized upon by
! all the manufacturers OF agricultural
| implements. The real inventor soon
| found himself unable to cope with
manufacturers with larger plants. and
| he was literally driven out OF business
| by his rivals, who used his invention
| in all moving machines and eventu-
atlr for reapers
| The mower attracted the widest In
| terest In all farm ommunities Of the
country, and Mr.. Entriken. who rare
| ly spoke of the experience. stated that
| at the outset he had been offered a
, royalty--the equivalent OF $40 for
| each maehine-which in the ensuing
quarter OF a century would have net
ted him at least $40. 100000 How
ever, on this point the inventor never
| complained, His only disappointment
| lay in the fact that the farmers for
! whom he had invented the mower
| were obliged to pay more for the ma
chimes than he had hoped,
| Mr.. Entriken was Friend and be-
gan his education a. the Quaker
school at West Chester, and the
teacher to whom he first recited was
sixteen years old. Friend Green con-
tinued for three vars to guide and
switch" his young pupil. and ever
l after maintained most active inter
/ est in the welfare of his old boy He
still lives near the site OF the old
| e. hool. which eighty years ago he
deserted for dentistry He practiced
! his profession until very recent Pc
Rod. and is now living retired. ex-
cept for the circumstance that he is
| still . member OF the West Chester
Il II COMPANY, SERVING dS secretary
| and treasurer, post he has filled
| for seventy -flve years
Tho fire company included IN its
earlier membership all the men of
substance and social position In the
town. Even the judges In DR.. Jesse
c. Green's time adjourned court while
the bench" donned toys to fight the
fires.
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