Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 34, Number 26, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 29 November 1901 — Lively Husking Contest. [ARTICLE]

Lively Husking Contest.

■ The corn basking contest Monday at the Clark farm, north of town, excited considerable interest especially in the north part of town. The contestants, John Richards, Frank Swartzell and Duke Nichols, finished in the order named.. They each wagered $2 and the winner got the $6 and also the pay at 3 cents per bushel for the corn husked by the three. In the early part of the contest Nichols took the lead, husking his first load, 22 bushels, and 40 pounds, in 1 hour and 3 minutes. He was then almost fagged out, however, and, was well to the rear when the contest was closed. Richards husked 98 bushels, 55 pounde; Swartzell 96 bushels and 35 pounde; Nichols 87 bushels, 20 pounds. The Clark brothers shoveled all the corn. The contest occurred in a poor field of corn, averaging less that 30 bushels to the acre. The teams driven by boys, were kept running a good share of the time, and the buskers were kept panting to keep up. Blood was oozing from the hands of all the shuckers when the hour to finish arrived and all were laying off nezt day nursing sore hands aid stiff joints, and two bemoaning the sacrifice of their cash and labor.