Pat Ritter. Books

[patritter]

'Click Go The Shears':

Joe couldn't speak. He couldn't believe Nat's proposal. His mind instantly filled with doubt, 'Ah, thanks Nat for your kind offer, but honestly, I can't take on that much responsibility. There must be someone out there better than me.' Joe explained.
'I don't want anyone else. I want someone I trust and seeing what you did for that other Joe, and now Hannah's cottage. You're the right fellow to be my Overseer. Do you want time to think about it. Time is a wasting.'
'How long before you want an answer?' He asked sheepishly.
'By the end of today.' Nat gazed at Joe with a stern look to show, don't mess with me. I need you.
'I'll need to speak with Hannah.' Joe explained.
'She wears the pants! Does she?' Nat raised his voice and ed.
'No, I want to discuss it with her before I make a final decision.'
'Make it quick because I need an answer before we head back home today. We'd better be getting inside, the women will think we've taken off.' Both men re-entered the house.
'Joe, Pa, are you both ready for Christmas Dinner?' Hannah asked. Everyone took their seats around the kitchen table, Joe seated next to Hannah with her father at the head of the table.
Once Hannah said grace everyone enjoyed their dinner waiting for Christmas Pudding which was the highlight of Christmas. In every Christmas Pudding were threepenny pieces enough for one each. Each pudding covered with hot custard. One needed to be careful not to swallow a threepenny piece by mistake. By the end of eating Christmas Pudding all threepenny pieces were accounted for.
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[patritter]

'Click Go The Shears':

'Joe, after what you've done. Yes, I think you should take the job. I'll always be here waiting when you come to town. This is your home too.' She hugged and kissed him on the lips. 'Congratulations.'
They returned inside. Joe shared his news with the family, 'welcome to my world,' Nat shook Joe's hand, 'I'm delighted you agreed. We'll make a great team.'
They agreed Joe celebrate New Year with Hannah and start his new venture at 'Kahmoo Station' in the new year. His time with Hannah became special because he had no idea how long he would be away. Nat told him before he left once building the new machinery would increase wool production.
Shearing a sheep would never be the same again. Joe was given an opportunity to pioneer a new method of shearing. Dunlop Station in 1888 became the first station in Australia to use machines. Although at the time the method was an experiment it proved machinery method far exceeded the present hand shear method. Almost a decade later Joe would become the first shearer to use a machine in outback Queensland.
Saying farewell was hard for each of them. Hannah knew Joe needed to work with her father and succeed at building these shearing machines. She knew Joe would work from daylight until dark until the job completed. She allowed him to ride Joker stating before he left, 'look after my horse.'
Joe would work to finish the first job as soon as possible so he could return to Hannah, having no idea on how long the job was going to take. His mind focused on returning to her as soon as possible.
Their loved blossomed. They didn't want to be apart and would miss one another until Joe returned to Hannah.
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[patritter]

'Click Go The Shears':

Chapter 14

Shearing machinery began in its infancy in outback Queensland when Joe took charge to alter the shearing shed on 'Kahmoo Station'. Much work needed to be done. Nat hired two offsiders to help. First the shearing shed needed extending to accommodate ten stands instead of seven. Timber cut to extend the shed.
Joe busied himself with his two offsiders cutting sufficient timber to make the extensions. Nat insisted Joe live at the homestead. Joe had different ideas, 'I'm much happier at the quarters. I can come and go when I like. I'll eat here with you if I get a chance but I think we'll be sleeping, working and eating.' Joe finally agreed after arguing with Nat he was employed as an Overseer and not a shearer.
'There is a difference between an Overseer and shearer. I can't have my Overseer camping with the hired staff.' Nat told him. Joe disagreed.
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[patritter]

'Click Go The Shears':

Within three months the extensions completed with three extra bays. The efficiency of machine shearing, as compared to hand shearing, provided more sheep would be shorn in less time thus making the shearing much more efficient. Joe understood this development and hoped his work would be seen as a benefit rather than taking work away from the shearer.
Overhead equipment produced by Fredrick York Wolseley who founded the business in Sydney where he manufactured the equipment hired Herbert Austin to overseer the operational side of the business. Herbert transported the equipment from their Sydney factory to 'Kahmoo Station'. This journey took six months by bullock wagon. Herbert went to help install the machinery and show Joe how it worked.
Other alternations needed to be made to the shearing shed on the side where the machinery to be installed. Before, when the shearer finished shearing the sheep it was released and sent into a paddock. With the installation of machinery, each shearer after they finished the sheep, pushed it into a Shute to slide down a ramp into a holding pen. Therefore ten Shutes needed to be built along one side of the shed with holding pens to house the shorn sheep.
Joe with his two workers soon completed each Shute ready for the installation of the machinery. He saw in his mind's eye the finished equipment and eager to be the first to use the new machinery. Less strain on his back, more mobility with his hands, and quicker time to shear a sheep.
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[patritter]

'Click Go The Shears':

Finally Herbert Austin arrived with a wagon load of equipment. After they greeted one another, time to knock off for the day and start at daylight the following morning. Herbert and his men stayed with Joe in the Shearing Quarters to get an early start.
After Joe helped unload the machinery from the wagon surprise showed on his face. 'Don't be so surprised. We wouldn't have come this far if I wasn't confident.' Herbert told Joe.
'Don't worry, you don't need to convince me, I'm way ahead of you. From the plans you sent us on where to cut the Shutes and the extra thick timber fastened to the ceiling, I'm convinced. The Boss is the man you need to convince. Not me.'
'When he sees everything working with the machinery for ten shearers instead of seven. He'll notice a huge difference. This machinery has worked efficiently at Dunlop Shed for almost a decade and had no problems, touch wood.' Herbert touched the side of his head and shared this news with Joe.
Together they worked side by side for two weeks, from daylight to dark until the final fixture completed the overhead machinery. Joe stood back to admire the work completed. 'We'd better get some sheep so I can see how this contraption works.' Joe said.
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[patritter]

'Click Go The Shears':

'I'm ahead of you Joe.' Nat called, 'got half a dozen wethers in the yard to try.' Nat soon herded the sheep into a catching pen.
'Here goes,' Joe said and clipped a hand-piece into the socket of the shearing machine. 'Kick the engine to get this thing going.' He called to Herbert who immediately cranked the handle and the motor spluttered into action. Like a well oiled machine the mechanism of pulleys, drives and finally the hand-piece started. Noise from the overhead machinery startled Joe because hand shears were silent.
Instead of hand blades, this latest equipment used combs to shear the sheep. Instead of squeezing the hand shear, one comb on top of the other, top comb smaller, cut through the wool with fine sharp teeth. Thus using less pressure by the shearer to remove the wool.
Joe entered the pen where the sheep stood, grabbed one by the front leg and rolled the sheep onto its back. Dragged it to the board, grabbed the shearing hand-piece, pulled a cord to start the hand-piece and drove the shears into the belly wool removing it clean and quick. 'This is much easier than using hand shears,' Joe complemented.
He shorn the first sheep in half the time it would've taken him to shear with hand shears. Continuing until he'd completed all six sheep, he stood and felt fresh. 'Nat, what do you think?' Joe asked pulling the chord to stop his hand-piece.
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[patritter]

'Click Go The Shears':

'I told you it'd work.' A huge smile spread across Nat's face. 'This is time for celebration. Drinks are on me.' Nat left and soon returned with beer. 'Here everyone, get this into ya. You deserve it.'
After the celebration died down arrangements were made between Nat and Herbert to purchase and transport the next assembly of overhead shearing machinery to his other properties. Shearing season only being a month away before it began he wanted to test the machinery on 'Kahmoo Station' first but he was convinced after witnessing Joe shear six sheep in a shorter time than he would've shorn with hand shears convinced him this was the way of the future. Nat wanted each of his properties to have machinery shears within two years.
On farewelling Herbert and his men Nat said to Joe, 'why don't you take time off to visit Hannah and come back here before the shearing starts. I'm right to do things while you're away.'
'Are you sure. I can stay and help.' Joe explained.
'No! Go and spend time with Hannah, I insist. I picked the right man to be my Overseer.'
'Thank you Nat. I'll clean up and be on my way. Should be in Cunnamulla by night fall.'
Joe missed Hannah, particularly at night thinking about her before he fell asleep. Riding Joker at a quick pace he soon arrived to cross the Warrego River to see Alex's hotel in the distance. Soon he reined Joker to a halt at his stable door, unsaddled, removed the bridle and placed him into his stall.
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