CHAPTER V.

AGRICULTURAL BUILDING.
The Great Resort of Farmers— A Beautiful Structure— The Spirit of Agriculture Grandly Personified- Blandishments of -Field and Farm— Bewildering Avenues of Extremely Unique and Ornamental Pavilions— All the Industries Picturesquely Shown— Nineteen Acres of Exhibits— Novel Exhibit of the Association of American Experimental Stations and Agricultural Colleges— All the Essential Products Derived from Agriculture are Attractively Shown in the Galleries— Grasses and Grains Varied in Colors and Beautifully Blended— The Exhibit of Ontario— The Monster Cheese Weighs Eleven Tons— It is the Largest Ever Made— Little Cheeses That Only Weigh One Thousand Pounds Each— Elaborate State Exhibits— Burdett-Coutts' Stable Exhibits— Many Things from Foreign Lands— Mowers, Harvesters, Thrashers and Plows by the Acre— Sketch of Chief Buchanan— Live Stock Exhibit— Dog Shows and Carrier Pigeon Flights— Bovine Blue Bloods.
LL mankind is interested in the products of the field, not only the farmer, who produces, but the consumer, which is the world — and this accounts for the vast crowds that throng the beautiful Agricultural Building daily. The main build, •ing is 800 feet long by 500 wide, and cost $800,000. It covers p3 acres, including its 3 8-10 acres of annex, quite as large las some little farms "well tilled." There has never been p.nd probably will not be again for twenty years in this jcountry such an object lesson for the agriculturists and all other bijead winners who live from the products of the husbandman.
r In style :of architecture the Agricultural Building is notably bold and
classic. ' It is located on the main basin of the lagoon, and as its north • facade faces jth.e administration court, the outlook from that point is mar- vellously grand. As regards ornamentations the building has many mural decorations by celebrated painters depicting the spirit of agriculture, and the staff work and statuary iof the structure is in keeping with its interior magnificence. Twenty-nine States and Territories have pavilions on the main floor, as have most of the foreign countries where agriculture is a feature. These pavilions all display in their decorations devices pertaining to field products, many of which are extremely ornamental. I Quite a number of the pavilions cost between $8,000 and $20,000 to erect. 'In nearly all of the Statejexhibits the displays were collected by State agricultural agents, and are fully descriptive in character of the soil products of all parts of the country. Pennsylvania, Ohio, Illinois, New York, Missouri, Iowa, Wisconsin, Michigan, the Dakotas, Nebraska, California and Indiana make especially fine exhibits in this department.
The scene upon thefloorof the building is particularly beautiful as the difter- ent colored grasses and grains that form the ornamentations are varied in color and
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HISTORY OF THE WORLD'S FAIR.
striking in their contrasts. On the floors of the annexes are shown nearly every type of agricultural implement in existence. The apiary department, the exhibit of dairy products, and the exhibit of the wool industry are also complete and striking. A novel exhibit is that prepared by the Association of American Experimental Stations and Agricultural Colleges. This display occupies 8,000 square feet and rep- resents the entire work of agricultural experimental stations such as are supported by the National government and the different State governments. The tobacco in- dustry, the sugar, confectionery, canned goods, soap, oils, chocolate, and innumer- able other industries having their essential products derived from agriculture are shown in the galleries of this building.
It is conceded by many that the Agricultural Building is one of the hand- somest— as well as one of the largest — of the many imposing structures on the grounds and is especially rich in its outlines and in its ornamentations. Its height of cornice is 65 feet and of its dome 130 feet. In its construction there were used 2,000,000 pounds of structual iron and 9,500,000 feet of lumber, including the 2,000,- OOO in its annexes. Its main entrance is 64 feet wide, adorned with Corinthian pil- lars 50 feet high and 5 feet in diameter. The rotunda is 100 feet in diameter, and
is surmounted by a great glass dome. It is worthy of note in this connection that agriculture, and its kindred in- terests of forestry, dairy and live stock, has exhibi- tion space under roof of 69 acres, the buildings costing $1,218,000. The Agricultural Build- ing, the Live Stock, Dairy and Fores- try buildings are all under the direc- tion of Hon. W. I. Buchanan, of Iowa, the Chief of Agri-
MUSIC HALL. culture, who is well
regarded as among the foremost executive minds of the Exposition chiefs.
Ontario (Canada) has an exhibit that is worthy the good name of our il- lustrious neighbor. It may be that the summers of Canada are somewhat shorter than those of that section of the United States adjoining it. If so, then the hardy husbandman of the Dominion "makes hay while the sun shines," and does a great
HISTORY OF THE WORLD'S FAIR. 267
ueal besides. Ontario seedsmen have acquired such a reputation that they are known the world over. Ontario peas, especially, are sold by all the big seedsmen of the United States.
Ontario farmers do not confine themselves to peas, however. Their pavilion — a fine one, too — is tricked out with all manner of grains. Some people think Ontario cannot raise corn, but there is some as fine corn in its display as may be found even in the Iowa section.
The grain show has a triple classification; there are jars of the threshed grain, wheat, barley, rye, oats, about 200 jars of each; there is a great variety of grain in the straw artistically arranged. Then there are sheaves bound to show how things grow up north, timothy that is six feet high and wheat oretty nearly as tall.
But the pride of the Ontario is not in the Ontario section at all. The big cheese, the biggest cheese of all, is right across the aisle to the west. It is an Ontario cheese, though made at the dominion experimental station in Perth, Lanark county. A good deal has been said about this cheese, how much it weighs, and how it broke the floor down while it was being put in place. Everybody ought to know by this time that it weighs over eleven tons, but it is not so easy to understand just how big a thing eleven tons of cheese all in one cake may be. Ten thousand cows collaborated on that cheese. Each gave one day's milking. The total weight of the milk ueed was 207,200 pounds. The cheese is 6 feet high and 28 feet in circum- ference. It is worth between $4,000 and $5,000. The man who made this cheese, J. A. Ruddick, of Perth, is exceedingly proud of it. It is his masterpiece. Mr. Rud- dick is a slender young man and exceedingly modest withal. He watches with great solicitude over this pride of Ontario. About once in ten days he carefully turns it over. Of course he does not do all this himself, for the cheese is a trifle bulky. It is incased in a vat of riveted steel boiler plate, and this boiler plate rides on a heavy wide-wheeled truck. There are strong oak uprights, securely braced, on this truck, and between these the huge cheese box is suspended in wrought-iron stirrups. It may be revolved in these by a system of screws. The reason why it has to be turned is because it is a young cheese and is still "curing."
Mr. Ruddick says twelve of the biggest cheese foundries in Ontario contrib- uted the curds to make the cheese. Each factory pressed its contribution slightly, loaded it into cloth-lined milk cans and rushed it by train to Perth. There the cans were dumped into the boiler plate vat, the curds broken up, and then the pressure of six. giant jack screws was put on through heavy oak frame work.
Everybody who goes into the Agricultural Building stops to look at this monu- mental cheese; on one side of it is a high pyramid of Canadian bottled beer, and not far away is an exhibit of crackers — an highly enticing combination. On one occasion an aged person with gray-colored hair, an abundance of beaver hat, and new store clothes stopped to take a look at this monster cheese. He appeared as if he might have come from Kokomo or Ypsilanti, or some other such place. He walked carefully all around the cheese, spelled out the placard, on it, spat vigor- ously, and said:
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HISTORY OF THE WORLD'S FAIR. 269
"Gosh! Ef the skippers ever get into that thar cheese they'll grow as big as rabbits."
But this is not the only Canadian cheese in sight. It is flanked all about by big and little cheeses. There are six of them that weigh 1,000 pounds each. There are cheeses from Quebec, Ontario, and the maritime provinces. Canada beats the world on cheese. "Cheese it" is not a slang expression in Canada.
In the classification adopted by the Exposition, Agriculture, or rather the Agriculture Hall, is made to include food-products as well as the plain outgrowth of the soil. To distinguish between the two, the former have been relegated to the gallery and the latter occupy the floor. One of the handsomest show-cases in the Agricultural Building at present is that brought from England for Crosse & Blackwell, the well-known preserve and jam manufacturers. It is made of solid mahogany, without an inch of veneer, with plate-glass windows backed by mirrors. The cornice of the case is made of embossed leather, and is surmounted by an or- nate metal railing.
Directly opposite, occupying another section of the center circle of the build- ing is Iowa's miniature corn palace. This pavilion is- probably the prettiest on the main floor of the building.v It is located almost in ., tfte center of the building on the main aisle running east and west and directly acfoss from the Illinois pavilion- Its architectural design does not belong to any particular school, but its decorative features are purely' lowan. Grasses and corn ears have been used profusely. Clas- | sical figures have been worked out with these materials by the commissioners and the tout ensemble of the work looks dainty as well as picturesque. The grasses used include oats, wheat, rye, blue grass, corn stalks, and leaves, etc. Each of the four pyramids at the corners is elaborately set off with jars containing seeds and grains, the agrticultural products of the state.
The Illinois pavilion is striking in the originality displayed in the use of the materials of which it is composed. Corn cobs are used effectively in the entrance way. which are set off by tassels of millet. Within, cases, showing the cereals of the State, and plants in bloom are displayed, with other features of interest. In all 125 different varieties of grains and grasses are shown. A register is kept, which will be preserved, with its list of names of people of all countries.
The Iowa exhibit differs from, all others in that the red color of corn cobs is employed to give a distinctive appearance to the pavilion. The decoration is ornate and elaborate. Grains are shown everywhere, and the soil that produced them is exhibited in long glass columns. •••
. The Minnesota and Wisconsin exhibits, like' most of the others, display cereals in profusion. The Minnesota pavilion has a series of arches decorated with wheat; while long spears of grain are exhibited in cases. In Wisconsin's booth grains in bottles are shown.
Pennsylvania's exhibit is beautifully displayed. A feature of interest is a chair wholly composed of corn fodder, there being 3,000 pieces in the chair. There is also a Liberty Bell made of products of the field, and a fire-place decorated with
HISTORY OF THE WORLD'S FAIR. 271
corn-fodder. An interesting feature of this exhibit is that of the silk industry of the State.
The Connecticut exhibit is largely of cereals, tastefully displayed in a booth of the old colonial type of architecture. An interesting feature is an old fashioned flax break, mortar and spinning wheel. In the center of the platform is a tent made of ears of corn. The tobacco exhibit of Connecticut is in the gallery of the building.
Michigan nas a splendid exhibit, figures dressed in grains being one of the prominent features. Nebraska's specialty is beet sugar, shown to splendid advant- age in great glass columns, which are also used to exhibit cereals. Kentucky's ex- hibit is noticeable for the display of tobacco, which is worked into the decorative schemes of the exterior and interior of the building. The long gray moss at the South gives a peculiar effect to the whole. Utah tastefully displays grains and bales of hay and straw. The State of Washington's exhibit is made prominent by the use of sacks of flour. North Dakota displays some, at least, of her forty-six kinds of spring wheat and 390 varieties of grasses. New Jersey's pavilion, beauti- ful in white and gold, contains corn, sweet potatoes and other things in profusion, A plow of 1790 is shown, and other old-time fan ting implements. A booth at the north end of the pavilion is hung with curtains of tree moss, and decorated with acorns, beans, etc. A figure of the farmer and minute man of 1776, flint-lock in hand, guards the entrance.
The Ohio pavilion is of simple lines but rare beauty. It is in the form of a Grecian temple, the columns being of glass filled with grains, etc
In the center of the Missouri pavilion is a fantastic pyramid, capped by a globe showing the continents in grains. A case of birds is placed in a booth. The tobacco exhibit is very fine.
Colorado attractively displays her grains and grasses in frames, making in- vestigation easy. Landscapes in oils are also exhibited.
Oregon's pavilion, fashioned like a Grecian temple, contains a fine collection of grains. Kansas makes a display in which corn predominates, although sheaves of wheat are to be seen. Cereals are shown in bottles. The Wyoming pavilion is reached through a beautiful arched entrance in white and gold. Within is to be seen a splendid collection of the products of the soil.
South Dakota makes a splendid exhibit. The large pavilion is reached through arches inclosing a porch of corn and wheat, resting on columns formed from tree trunks. Some of these have sent forth fresh sprouts, the effect being very fine. In 1892 South Dakota produced 9,265,000 bushels of wheat, an average of 100 bushels for each man, woman and child in the State. New Mexico's exhibit is con- tained within a fine pavilion, decorated in white and gold. Native woods are shown, among other things, and grains. New York covers a large space with specimens of products of its soil. Grains, hops, and maple syrup are artistically displayed.
The Louisiana pavilion is unique, being divided into three distinct deparc- ments. One, of Japanese design, is devoted to the display of rice. As rice was introduced into this country from Japan, it was thought the form of the pavilion
272 HISTORY OF THE WORLD'S FAIR.
should correspond to the architectural type of that country. Cotton is displayed in the central division of the pavilion, while cane and molasses and sugar are shown in the third division, which is patterned after an Egyptian model.
The West Virginia exhibit is chiefly of grains and grasses, corn being prom- inent. The Indiana exhibit is simple, but a fine showing of the resources of the State is made. California occupies a large space. Prominent in the exhibit are enormous beets, gourds, and potatoes and all the cereals.
Oklahoma makes a splendid showing for the youngest and smallest of all the States and Territories. Opened for settlement but four years ago. practically alj grains raised elsewhere are now grown, wheat running sixty-two bushels to the acre, oats 125, and corn 70. Sixty cotton gins are now in operation in the territory. The display shows the products named and the tallest corn, broomcorn, sorghum and weeds grown anywhere. Milo-Maize from France and Kaffir-corn from South Africa are exhibited. The mistletoe is emblematic of Oklahoma, and, therefore it is exhibited. During the watermelon season of the Territory, Lymon Cone, who erected and has charge of the pavilion, cut melons free for the million.
This limited survey of a large field no more than prepares the way for those who would derive benefit from its study. In many( of the exhibits showings are made by the respective agricultural colleges. Statistics are to be had in abundance and full explanations of methods.
North Carolina has an attractive exhibit of cotton, tobacco, and peanuts, Maine shows some ' fine potatoes. The Massachusetts exhibit is largely cereals. Not much is claimed, for the soil, excepting when artificial fertilizers are used. Then, it js claimed. Massachusetts produces the greatest number of bushels of corn per acre of- any of the states. A case of birds is shown, of varieties fatal to the
gypsy moth, a pest on which the State spends $200,000 per year in efforts towards extermi- nation. In another part of the main floor New South Wales men have built a court with arches of wool bales, which are neither small nor light, but very effective. A typical Aus- tralian wool-wagon stands near, half filled • with bales. It is natural that the great wealth of the country should be thus well represented. In the French section are wonderfully real flowers made of candied blossoms, toothsome sugar plums, chocolate confections, and truffles, and mushrooms and pate de fois gras to tantal- STATUARY. ize the epicure. Up on the galleries, there are
exhibits of interest to all, be he farmer or not. The entire west gallery is occupied by the brewery exhibit, while the east one has case upon case of honey. A monu- ment of soap, a design of interest, is at the right, and an old mill and water wheel belonging to a flour exhibit, is at the loft of the main aisle. Farther along is Maillard's colossal statue of Columbus in pure chocolate. From the central aisle
HISTORY OF THE WORLD'S FAIR. 273
the ornamentation of the entrance is best seen. Here art designs have been worked with colored corn over an immense space of the ceiling. Then come the extract booths, where great ten-foot bottles are the central feature.
It is said that one could almost satisfy himself with the many samples of eata- bles and drink that are gratuitously furnished the visitors to this building. Canned, desiccated and compressed soups served in tiny bullion cups, snowy biscuit and loaves made with this or that excellent baking powder or yeast, prepared table jellies, assorted crackers, maple sugar and butterine rivaling the pure dairy pro- duce; breakfast oats served with cream and sugar by demure Quaker maids, spicy and piquant pickles, catsups, pressed beef, improved macaronis, and prepared pud- dings, cornstarch deserts and even chewing gum. Then of the liquids there are the condensed and evaporated milks and creams, beef extracts, cocoas and choco- lates, compressed coffees, foreign teas, -root drinks, cordials and liqueurs and every mineral water on hotel menu or to be found anywhere. In all there are nearly 300 exhibits of good things to be seen [and perhaps tasted] in the gallery alone to say nothing of the displays made by the various big packing companies of bacon, hams, salt pork, corned-beef, pickled meats and the interiors cf refrigerator cars lined with quartered beef, loins of pork, spring lamb, mutton and fine veal.
Lovers of horses and anything pertaining to the saddle will find an interest- ing model in the center aisle. Mr. Burdett-Coutts, M. P., sent from England a model of his famous Brookfield stables, wherein he has bred more good horses than most men can remember. They have taken prizes in England and America, and placed their owner in the front, rank of breeders. The stables, though formed by a natural process of accretion, one part being added to another as required, are as perfect as any to be found in England. On entering^ the gates into the front stable- yard, the stud groom's cottage .can be seen, connected with which is the office where all the clerical work is done and the service registers, etc., are kept by the secretary. . The buildings hear, this are devoted to the harness department, which is under the control of the "head breaksman." Passing through the gateway at the side of the office, the^ visitor arrives at the covered yard:, loose boxes, main harness stables and messrooms for the employes. At the far end of the stables are the strawyard and stallion boxes. A little further on is the riding school. Beyond this are the granary, large sheds and the show grounds. The buildings represent stabling for about seventy-five horses.
One wing of the Agriculture Building has a display which will make all future county fairs seem dull and insignificant, and which has received compliments from the farmers, such as the art palace never received. There are clover hullers and threshing machines which are as handsome as pianos. The plows are nickel- plated and all the self-binders and mowing machines are drawn by wooden horses wearing silver harness. In this department you will meet the old gentleman who remembers the time when all grain had to be cradled and it took a good man to beat him. Many a day he swung a flail and thought his back would give out be- fore night. After that they had a "thrashing" machine that you had to drive around all the time because the gearing was attached to the wheel. One of the
HISTORY OF THE WORLD'S FAIR. 275
visitors said one day that a certain self-binder tied a good knot, but he thought it threw the bundles too far. "All I care for is a machine that won't get out of kelter," said the man with him. "On a hot day when the flies are bad and the hosses get restless I don't want to get down in the middle of a round and crawl through the insides of the blamed thing." Then they passed on to an array of culti- vators with flowers painted on the double-trees. The first speaker said he liked a certain cultivator for straight rows, but he was afraid that it would cover up some of the second planting.
Principally an agricultural country, Argentine has a splendid exhibit in the Agricultural Building, consisting of cereals, fibrous plants, medical woods, wools and other like products.
It is certainly worth the while of every farmer to make a long visit to the implement annex to Agricultural Hall, where a greater part of the implement ex- hibit is made. We append a list of some of the more prominent firms making ex- hibits, together with the articles shown:
The Sandwich (111.) Enterprise Co. — New Champion force pumps, Enter- prise pump standards, Aerating cistern pumps, New Champion spray pumps, En- terprising brass cylinders, Enterprise float valves, Enterprise pipe vises, Enter- prise ratchet die stocks, Climax four-shovel riding cultivator, Rose disk riding cultivator, Climax walking cultivator, Enterprise walking cultivator, Eagle Claw walking cultivator, the Winner cotton planter, Dean ear corn slicer, Enterprise windmill with tanks and pumps in operation, Sandwich Perkins windmill and Air King steel windmills. Whitman Agricultural Co., St. Louis, Mo. — Belt power bal- ing press, full circle steel horse baling 'press, New Departure horse baling press, Hercules hand power baling press, railway horse power, ten runner press grain drill, Magic feed mill, Monarch corn and cob mill, Young America corn and cob mill, St. Louis two-hole corn sheller, Derby two-hole corn sheller, Crown one-hole corn sheller, Tornado broadcast seed sower, Cahoon broadcast seed sower, Amer- icus Senior cider mill, Americus Junior cider mill, horse power and drag saw com- plete. U.S. Wind Engine and Pump Co., Batavia, 111. — A thirty-foot geared mill on loo-foot steel tower, operating a feed mill, corn sheller, two large pumps, feed cutter and wood saw. Also Halliday Standard, U.S. solid wheel, Vaneless and Gem steel windmills on short steel towers, and a complete exhibit of haying tools, pump stands, pump cylinders and accessories. Sattley Manufacturing Company, Spring- field, 111. — Six Sattley walking plows of different kinds, two Hummer three-wheeled plows, one regular cultivator, one Cyclone spring tooth cultivator, one Banner \vood beam tongueless cultivator, one Victor combination beam cultivator, one New Imperial spring trip cultivator, one American parallel beam cultivator, one Sattley adjustable lever harrow, one Capital City automatic straw stacker. D. S. Morgan & Co., Brockport, N.Y. — Triumph No. 4 moving machine, Triumph No. 3 self-raking reaper, Triumph No. 8 steel frame binder, Morgan self-dump hay rake, Morgan lock lever spring tooth harrow, Morgan spading harrow, style ''A," Mor- gan spading harrow style "B," Morgan horse grape hoe, Morgan spading cultiva- tor. Skandia Plow Company, Rockford, 111 — .Farmers' choice corn planter, Dandy
18
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HISTORY OF THE WORLD'S FAIR.
sulky, jGlobe cultivator, Monarch gang, Royal cultivator, S. B. combined lister, four bar two section sixty-six teeth iron lever harrow, two section, five bar, steel frame lever harrow, six different kinds of hand walking plows, one Western Queen rod breaker. Hayes Pump and Planter Company, Galva, 111. — Hayes' check row planter, £teel frame, Eclipse planter, steel frame, one-horse drill, Boss shoveling board and Daisy shoveling board, besides a railing of pumps. The S. Freeman & Sons Manu- facturing Company, Racine, Wis. — Hand cutter, hand and power cutter, ensilage cutter and carrier, farm fanning mill, warehouse fanning mill, pole saw, Freeman broadcast seeder. Elkhart Carriage and Harness Manufacturing Company, Elk- hart, Ind. — Wagonette with glass sides and ends, milk wagon, light Brewster wagon, end spring, leather top buggy, single seat phaeton and double seat, extension top phaeton, besides a line of harness and saddles. N. P. Bowsher, South Bend, Ind. — Six different styles and sizes of Bowsher's combination feed grinding mills. The Nordyke & Marmon Company, Indianapolis, Ind.— Portable corn mills, hominy mills, portable wheat mill, portable grain mill, corn mill with cob crusher, and mills for minerals, drugs, etc. Eclipse Manufacturing Company, Middlebury, Ind.: Three Eclipse seed grading machines, operating on different kinds of grain. The Hydraulic Press Manufacturing Company, Mt. Gilead, Ohio— Hydraulic cider press complete, Ohio apple grater, hydraulic (double) belting press, hydraulic tank- age press. J. E. Porter, Ottawa, 111. — A full line of hay carriers consisting of both wood and steel track. The Joliet, 111., Strow-
Pl bridge Company — Champion wagons, Cham- ^^- I pion endgate seeders; Champion, Peerless and JBi ^^^o, I Climax broadcast sowers; Peerless feed grind- er. R. Lean & Co., Mansfield, Ohio — Set of three-section Diamond Lean all steel harrows, and set of three-section Zig Zag Lean all steel harrows, adjustable tooth. E. A. Porter & Bros., Bowling Green, Ky. — Roller corn and cob crusher, crushing corn with the shuck on, and cylinder feed and ensilage cutter. S. L. Allen & Co., Philadelphia, Pa.— A full line of flexible flyers and flyer' coasters, and a full line of Planet Jr. goods. P. K. Dederick & Co., Albany, N. Y. — Two presses, a steam power and a horse power machine. Duane H. Nash, Millington, N. J. — Acme pulverizing harrow, in two, three and four sizes.
"If I had the privilege of seeing only one World's Fair department," said a gentleman,
"I would choose the Agricultural. In no other building can one come so near the people of other lands. In the Agricultural Building you are close to the soil, to that which gives sustenance. As a matter of course the life, habits and cus-
CHIEF BUCHANAN.
HISTORY OF THE WORLD'S FAIR.
277
toms of the people are shown in a more direct way. The Agricultural Building is the place to study the world as the world is."
W. I. Buchanan, chief of the Agricultural Department, came originally from the State of Ohio, where he was born 1853, at Covington, Miami County. He spent his youth after the manner of most country boys, going to school during the winter months and in the summer working on the farm. At the age of 18 he moved to Rochester, Ind., and lived with his grandfather, who was a farmer. The following year he learned the trade of making edged tools. Mr. Buchanan embarked in various mercantile enterprises, until in 1872 he was appointed engrossing clerk in the Indiana House of Representatives, which office he filled for two terms. In 1881 he emigrated to Sioux City, Iowa, where he has since been prominently connected with many of the city's leading enterprises. He was instrumental in establishing the celebrated "corn palace" at that city in 1887, and successfully managed the Peavey Opera House since 1888.
SWIFT'S UNIQUE REFRIGERATING EXHIBIT, IN THE AGRICULTURAL BUILDING. A Glass Railroad Car, holding produce in patent cold storage.
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THE McCORMICK HARVESTING MACHINE COMPANY.
T was while at Paris in 1878 that the late Cyrus Hall McCor- mick was elected a corresponding member of the French Academy of Sciences on the ground of "having done more for the cause of agriculture than any other living man." Since then Mr. McCormick has left these busy scenes of earth, but through the vast industry founded by him he continues and will continue to exert an influence throughout the length and breadth of this and every land as long as grass grows green or grain is burnished into gold. In asserting that Mr. McCor- mick had excelled all others in contributing to the agricultural interests, the French Academy referred to the fact that in him they recognized the inventor of the reaper and that the value of the invention, in its particular sphere, was without a parallel. It will there- fore interest our readers to know something more specific relative to the man and the business established by him.
In the manufacture and sale of harvesting machinery millions upon millions of dollars are annually expended by the various firms, but for the reason that Mr. McCormick was the inventor of the first successful machine in this line, and because of the position held by the McCormick Harvesting Machine Company to-day, we have selected this institution as a representative one and on page 286 will be found a view of their very attractive exhibit at the Exposition. We say attractive advisedly, for these McCormick machines are beautifully finished in gold and silver plate and in all other respects evidence the high degree of scientific and mechanical skill possessed by the artisans of the McCormick works. The standing of this com- pany and the high esteem in which their machines are everywhere held is another illustration of what may be accomplished by the concentration of energy to a single purpose. Pope puts it neatly when he says:
"One science only will one genius fit; So wide is art, so narrow human wit."
The McCormick works are devoted to the manufacture of harvesting machinery exclusively and in their exhibit are seen machines that are well known and highly endorsed by the agriculturalists of two hemispheres. Among these we may mention that celebrated grain harvester.the "Machine of Steel." Its peculiar vir- tues are in its matchless steel frame and the McCormick "simple knotter," the former contributing to its well-known durability and the latter to its unfailing accuracy in grain-binding. Besides this, two other types of binders are shown, the "Open Elevator" — specially designed for handling long, heavy grain; and the "Bind-
HISTORY OF THE WORLD'S FAIR. 279
main wheel as in the ordinary type of harvesters. Next comes the McCqrmick Rice Harvester, the Daisy reaper, and that king of grass cutters, the McCormick No. Four Steel Mower. In addition to these machines there are shown the follow- ing models: Reaper of 1831 (the original); Reaper of 1851 (winner of the Grand Council Medal at the First -World's Fair, London, 1851) ; Reaper of 1867, which was awarded the Grand Prize at the Exposition Universalle, Paris, of that year; first twine binder; wire binder, winner of Grand Prize and Object of Art at Paris in 1878; No. 4 Steel Mower and the "Machine of Steel," both winners of the highest awards and medals all around the world. In this connection it should be remembered that McCormick machines have been awarded the grand prizes and highest honors at every World's Fair ever held. These trophies are a part of the company's exhibit. We refer to them in corroboration of this broad assertion. Should the World's Col- umbian Exposition awarding committee find higher merit in some other line of grain and grass cutters, and bestow the honors elsewhere, it will be the first break in this remarkable chain. There is not, however, even a remote possibility of this. Of the many manufacturers of harvesting machinery having exhibits at the Exposi- tion, the McCormick Company was the only one to accept the committee's invita- tion to participate in the competitive tests of grain binding, thus demonstrating their claims for superiority; and with one exception, the McCormick mower was also the only one to prove its worth by cutting grass in the field.
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