Fresno scraper

The Fresno scraper is a machine pulled by horses used for constructing canals and ditches in sandy soil.

Working with farmers in Fresno, California, he had recognised the dependence of the Central San Joaquin Valley on irrigation, and the need for a more efficient means of constructing canals and ditches in the sandy soil.

In perfecting the design of his machine, Porteous made several revisions on his own and also traded ideas with William Deidrick, Frank Dusy, and Abijah McCall, who invented and held patents on similar scrapers.

Porteous bought the patents held by Deidrick, Dusy, and McCall, gaining sole rights to the Fresno Scraper.

They played a vital role in the construction of the Panama Canal and later served the US Army in World War I.

Fresno Scraper (Patent Application). The front drawbar is pulled by two horses, and pulls the scraper proper behind it, while the operator walks behind controlling the depth of scrape with the handle
Fresno scrapers in use building the Miocene Ditch near Nome, Alaska
Fresno scraper