How Your Hobby Started PART XVI

By Staff
1 / 9
Courtesy of Belvina W. Bertino, Culbertson, Montana 59218.
Courtesy of Belvina W. Bertino, Culbertson, Montana 59218.
2 / 9
3 / 9
Courtesy of Belvina W. Bertino, Culbertson, Montana 59218.
Courtesy of Belvina W. Bertino, Culbertson, Montana 59218.
4 / 9
Courtesy of Kenneth Jones, Route 2, Box 149, Vale, Oregon 97918.
Courtesy of Kenneth Jones, Route 2, Box 149, Vale, Oregon 97918.
5 / 9
Courtesy of Ralph Smith, Glenford, Ohio 43739.
Courtesy of Ralph Smith, Glenford, Ohio 43739.
6 / 9
Courtesy of Carl Coburn, 3211 Betlou James Place, Baltimore, Maryland 21207.
Courtesy of Carl Coburn, 3211 Betlou James Place, Baltimore, Maryland 21207.
7 / 9
Courtesy of Bob Johnson, 718-2nd, Jackson, Minnesota 56143.
Courtesy of Bob Johnson, 718-2nd, Jackson, Minnesota 56143.
8 / 9
Courtesy of Earlene Ritzman, 808 Wertzville Rd., Enola, Pennsylvania 17025.
Courtesy of Earlene Ritzman, 808 Wertzville Rd., Enola, Pennsylvania 17025.
9 / 9
Courtesy of W. C. Pelesky, Box 580, Leoti, Kansas 67861.
Courtesy of W. C. Pelesky, Box 580, Leoti, Kansas 67861.

390447th Avenue, S., Seattle, Washington 98118

The sad news of the demise of Rev. Elmer L. Ritzman, comes to me
in a letter from Anna Mae, as I was starting to write this
installment. Living as we did, on opposite shores of our country, I
never had the pleasure of knowing the editor of The Gas Engine
Magazine personally. From the beginning when he said–‘Well we
made it’–you feel the sort of emotion you would enjoy when a
friend comes for a visit. And you gasoline engine collectors will
agree I am sure, when a new issue of G.E.M. arrives at your home,
it is like a visit of a friend of your hobby bringing more good
information regarding the pleasure you enjoy together with a lot of
interesting reading.

Having succeeded in his chosen lite-time work, Elmer undoubtedly
had a very deep desire to broaden the scope of his hobby for early
steam farm power by including the small gasoline engine that took
care of every day chores when the fires were out and boilers cold
on the big threshing engines.

His intentions have been well publicized. The engineering
details of so many makes of gasoline engines have come to light in
the columns of his magazine, making it possible to write a history
of a topic few other writers have accomplished. Much has been
written and many books published about the automobile, but had it
not been for the inventors who created the first internal
combustion engines, we still would be riding bicycles and getting
much exercise in walking.

Aside from all the complicated detail of the engineering of our
subject, your editor brought a more fundamental principle to the
front in both his steam and gasoline engine magazines. This is the
close friendly feeling of good honest people getting together to
enjoy their hobby at reunions . . . Helping one another with the
dissemination of knowledge concerning this or that tractor or
finding a missing part for an old rusty gasoline engine that their
friend is restoring and adding to the historical collection of more
antique makes of engines.

Many of our customs are changing. Some are passing out of
existence for lack of interest, but here in this hobby the interest
in these antiques parallels the popular enthusiasm found today in
the pursuit of collecting most anything collectable.
‘Gas-Ups’–Reunions–Gas Engine Meetings–Old-time
Equipment Shows and Museums are spreading all across our country
and the ‘putt-putts’ are heard more and more.

From the collection of Hartzell Cope of Cadiz, Ohio, I am
indebted for the literature on the New Holland Gasoline Engine to
give you the following history of this manufacturer.

Not only does Hartzell have a good library of engine literature,
but he also has in his engine collection of all sizes of the New
Holland ratings from ? to 5 HP.

A popular make of engine which has had much publicity in G.E.M.
and a favorite of all collectors of this hobby was the Pennsylvania
made line of New Holland engines. Possibly because of the origin of
these engines in a town by the same name, and the fact that in
1895, A. M. Zimmerman started in the general repair business at
this location, these engines were named for the town. It has been a
lasting tribute and a fine civic gesture that such a dependable
engine should represent this community.

Being an agricultural district, Mr. Zimmerman, aside from
repairing farm machinery started building sandstone grain grinding
mills. The first unit was a 12 inch mill that was operated by a
horse sweep power. During the three years the business grew and
larger sandstone mills were built and sold.

About 1899 the company was repairing gasoline engines for their
customers and selling the Columbus line of engines. This was an
engine by this name manufactured by the Columbus Machine Company of
Columbus, Ohio.

Mr. Zimmerman became well versed in the operation of these early
engines and during the next year the company expanded by building
windmills and corn grinders. Their early experience with sandstone
grain mills opened a new market and a demand for this type of farm
machinery. Further experiments with burr type feed mills and
developments in feed and grain handling and sacking attachments
improved their business to such an extent that in 1903 the company
was incorporated for $50,000. Stock was sold to finance the cost of
building new factories.

By this time they had also designed and experimented with
gasoline engines. In fact, in 1901 they had built their first
engine and shortly afterwards had placed it on the market along
with such items as pump jacks and many types of feed mills.

The company with Mr. Zimmerman as President and General Manager,
Paul B. Hess, Secretary and Treasurer, with directors Eli M.
Marten, E. L. Sutton, David M. Wenger and H. K. Landis, continued
for the next decade adding more sizes of engines and feed grinders
to their line of equipment.

This threshing scene was the ‘real stuff’ in the early
days as may be judged from the horse-drawn grain wagon and immense
strawpile. The separator, however, is no longer powered by a steam
engine but by the latest, at that time (the 1920’s), in gas
tractors. Such scenes, which bring back happy memories to many
oldtimers, are duplicated each year at the Culbertson, Mont.,
Threshing Bee, to be held Sept. 25-26 this year.

Photo cutlines – This 1910 or 1912 20-40 Case, Serial No. 541,
is ‘on loan’ to the Northeastern Montana Threshers and
Antiques Association from Mrs. Anna Nyquist of Glasgow, Mont.
Completely dismantled, the Threshers hope to have it fully restored
in time to see action in the annual Threshing Bee and Antique Show
Sept. 25-26, 1971, at Culbertson, Mont.

In 1906 they made a contract with Fairbanks Morse and Company of
Chicago, Illinois to sell their feed grinders. This was a
successful agreement for both companies and the New Holland feed
grinders were built in large quantities to meet the sales
demand.

In 1910 the company completed their design of a 5 HP gasoline
engine which completed their range of sizes. The originality of the
design of the New Holland gasoline engines stood the test of time
for over a quarter of a century. Their outstanding features were
designed after years of knowledge of the working mechanisms of many
different makes in the repair shop of A. M. Zimmerman from 1890 to
1901. He tried to improve on the mechanical features of competitive
makes by building the New Holland engines with as few parts as
possible and simplified the adjustments and operation.

These pictures are of a vertical Sandwich engine. It has 2 hp.
at 700 rpm. and was patented in 1926. The gas tank, carburetor and
manifold and the ignition system are not original as they were
missing when we acquired the engine. On the end of crankshaft
opposite the flywheel that does not extend out of the crankcase,
there is a pitman or crank and 4 holes where something possibly a
vacuum pump has been mounted. We would like to know for sure — and
also anything else about this engine.

We also have an engine with approximately 25? inch flywheels
that has Gray Motor Company of Detroit cast in the side of the
water hopper with the governor weights missing. We sure need a
picture showing just what is gone.

The lever action on the valve and igniter mechanism was operated
from a cam on the timing gear. The governor control lever mounted
on the side of the crankcase cover, operated a visible speed
indicater pointer which also was part of the governor setting on
the later models. The air intake throttling lever on the right side
of the engine was built into the fuel system. The simple mixing
valve was set so the suction was in the main fuel tank under the
cast iron engine base. The filling cap of the fuel tank is mounted
in front on the lower sub-base of the engine. One of the main
selling features of these engines was the design of the water
hopper cobling system. Having originated in a country where engines
were required to operate in cold winter weather, Mr. Zimmerman
wanted an engine with a frost proof cooling arrangement, one that
could freeze without doing damage to the engine. The distinguishing
feature of these engines is the outline of the wide flared water
hopper. From their looks, they can be picked out of any number of
makes once you are familiar with the general appearance of the New
Holland. It is this wide expanse of space in the water hopper that
permits the cooling water to freeze without doing damage to the
engine.

The engines were of the four cycle horizontal single cylinder,
open crank-case design, with vertical valves, which operated by a
push rod off the lever action. It was necessary to remove plugs
inside the water hopper to take out the valves. The igniter was
also placed in an odd location, as well as the valves.

Standard equipment with the engine consisted of dry cells, coil
and igniter. A magneto could be supplied at extra cost. One of the
choice engines for collectors is the small ? HP New Holland
engine.

Very few companies built a horizontal stationary this small.

The specifications covering the New Holland engines are as
follows:

SEE CHART A

The New Holland Company has continued in business and today it
is a part of Sperry Rand Corporation. This company has an
interesting background. In 1873 Christopher Sholes of Milwaukee had
E. Remington and Sons build his invention of the typewriter. In
1913 this company became the Remington Typewriter Company. Sperry
Corporation incorporated with Remington Rand Corporation in
1955.

Previously Sperry Corporation purchased the New Holland Company,
the Sperry Navigation Equipment Company, Univac data processing
Company, Vick-us Hydraulic Company and Remington Rand Office
Equipment Company. This is how the New Holland Company is
continuing in business.

One of our Pacific Northwest gasoline engine collectors, Carl O.
H. Neitzel of Rt. 5, Box 244, Port Orchard, Washington has
furnished me with a No. 61 catalog of the Challenge Company of
Ba-tavia, Illinois on the Challenge Gasoline Engines and to whom I
am indebted for the information for this make of engine.

The Challenge Company started in -business in 1870. Their first
products were windmills, windmill towers, pump jacks, deep well
pump heads and feed grinders. About 1898 the first Challenge
gasoline engines appeared on the market, and they found good
acceptance to operate pumps as stand-by power to their
windmills.

This picture of this A gas tractor was taken before 1910. It is
the first gas tractor I ever saw. It was used for baling hay. This
scene was taken on the W. K. Snider farm, about 3 or 4 miles north
of Somerset, Ohio. The man at the steering wheel was Mr. Owen H.
Mechling, also owner of the tractor. The other man was his son,
Luke B. Mechling. The man seated on the baler was Thurman B. Smith
of Somerset, Ohio; my brother. The other men were Ivan Mechling and
Mr. Lafe Swinehaft. All are deceased.

Owen H. Mechling and his son, Luke, were great gas engine men.
They ran this baler with a screen cooled International Portable
Engine before using this tractor. Luke Mechling was the first man I
ever saw plow with a tractor, using a Titan 10-20 and a three gang
plow in 1919. They later had an Advance Rumely 12-20 in about 1924,
although I never saw them run it, but saw it in a shed, with a
Moline Universal tractor. They last had an Allis-Chalmers. W. C.
Luke B. Mechling still had this at his death. Owen had one of the
first Delco plants here in town in about 1917. The baler was a
Steel King.

The history of this tractor may be found on pages 155 and 156 in
the book, ‘The Century of the Reaper’ by Cyrus McCormick
and published in 1931.

These engines were built in sizes from 1? HP to 16 HP in the
conventional horizontal style, single cylinder four cycle. Hopper
cooled units in ratings of 1?-2-4-6-8-10 and 12 HP and closed
cylinder cooling in 8-10-12 and 16 HP.

The cast iron base of the engine carried the main bearing shells
and the timing gear. The crankshafts were forged from a solid
billet and turned and finished by a special machine. Babbit
bearings were used which were replaceable in the cast-iron shells.
The connecting rods for 1? to 6 HP were of the ‘I’ beam
type of cast steel with bronze bearings. The rods of the 8 and 10
HP were made of forged steel with bronze bearings. The wrist pins
were keyed to the rod and the bronze bearings in the piston were
designed so as to permit adjustment with the piston in place. On
the larger size engines the connecting rod bearings were separate
from the rod and the bronze could be taken up to cover any
wear.

Cylinders were cast separately and the head was water-cooled.
The suction valve was in the head. Being a hit and miss governed
engine, provision was made to hold the intake valve closed, while
the exhaust valve, being located on the side of the cylinder was
held open on the stroke that did not produce power. The igniter was
operated from the valve push rod and located at the side of the
cylinder near the head. The governor weights on the 1? to 6 HP were
pivoted on the flywheel, while on the larger models the fly ball
governor was used. Operating speed could be varied from 300 to 600
RPM.

The smaller units took the fuel from the tank by suction into
the mixing valve which was a simple fitting with an air intake and
a needle on the fuel entry to control the amount of fuel as
required. A pointer also was used to show the proper opening for
the needle valve. A clean-out was provided at the bottom of the
mixing valve. A fuel pump was used to deliver the fuel to the
mixing valve on the larger size engines. It was also provided with
a hand lever to pump a prime for starting the engine. Battery
ignition with a coil is used and Columbia multiple waterproof
batteries were supplied as standard equipment. Wizard magnetos
could be supplied at an extra cost.

There were different types of power units available, such as
portable engines on hand trucks and horse drawn steel trucks on
which the larger engines were made portable.

Smaller engine sizes from 4 to 6 HP were on hand trucks while
the sizes from 8-10-12 and 16 HP were on the horse drawn trucks.
The 8 and 10 HP had hopper cooling, while the 12 and 16 HP were
closed cylinder construction which used a circulating water pump
through a cooling water tank. Special types of carburetors were
used when gas was used for fuel, and another type mixing valve for
burning alcohol.

Some of the distinguishing features of these Challenge engines
were a rather high reatangular water hopper with a filling flanged
opening. There was a cover over the crankcase for safety and a hand
fuel pump at the crank end of the engine.

The Challenge trademark was quite significant of the
Company’s name. It was in the shape of a plaque with a picture
of an ancient warrior in a coat of armor with a shield and a drawn
sword over his head and the word ‘Challenge’ across the
lower part of the scene. This was on the side of the water hopper
on the engine.

The specifications of the Challenge Gasoline Engines were as
follows:

SEE CHART B

During May we enjoyed a visit with Mr. and Mrs. Claude Knudson
and their son, Forrest, at our home in Seattle. Claude has a very
large and interesting collection of engines of some 200 different
makes at their home in Gully, Minnesota. He has such rare types as
the 6 cycle air-cooled Litchfield and a very early model of the
upright Hart-Parr and also a Scheichner-Schumm horizontal
engine.

Claude has loaned me some of his fine engine catalogs which is
much appreciated so that I might give you a report on the Ottawa
Engines, made in Ottawa, Kansas. Very few engine manufacturers were
locatedin this state.

This company was founded in 1904 with George E. Long as
President and Manager. S. F. Barnes was Secretary and W. P. Kapp,
Treasurer, E. E. Watts, assistant to Mr. Long and Alvie Hudson
factory manager. John Blume was foundry production manager. The
company was well financed and made very liberal guarantee of ten
years on their engines and they were sold direct from the factory
to the customer on a three months trial basis. If the engine was
not entirely satisfactory, they would refund the purchase price and
take it back. They built 15 sizes of engines in over one hundred
different styles.

The Ottawa was a sturdy engine with heavy flywheels, built on a
cast iron sub-base with separate crank base casting to which the
cylinder was bolted. They were a very simple engine as far as parts
were concerned. Horizontal four cycle, single cylinder open
crankcase with flywheel hit and miss governor. A governor sleeve
was fitted to the crank-shaft to operate the cam mechanism which
controlled the push rod to hold open the suction valve and trip the
igniter. There was a protective hood over the crankshaft to give
safety protection and prevent oil being thrown from the
crankshaft.

I have been given an old garden tractor which I would like to
restore. I read your magazine, but I don’t subscribe to it yet.
A friend of mine gives his to me to to read. Since I couldn’t
find any information on my own about the tractor, I thought that
maybe some of your readers might be able to help me. The company
who made my tractor is the Beeman Tractor Company of Minneapolis,
Minnesota.

I wrote down information so that it might help anyone who may
have some more data on it. It is a one cylinder, about a 2 hp.
3?’ bore and 5?’ stroke, water-cooled head; Eiscmann mag.
type GS 1 edit. 2; brass carburetor; brass priming cup; radiator is
gone; 3 prong cultivator which belongs to it; double 14′
flywheels located in the center of two 26′ drive wheels.

The patent dates are U.S.A.-Oct. 30, 1917; Dec. 24, 1918; June
17, 1919; Dec. 9, 1919. England, 115690. Canada-Oct. 30, 1917 and
July 29, 1919.

Any information on the above picture will be greatly
appreciated.

(I am one of the younger interested gas fans — 17 years
old.)

The engines were hopper cooled with a water cooled head. The
intake and exhaust valves were located in the head. The main
bearings in the crankshaft were offset below the center line of the
piston providing a long power stroke and a short return stroke.

The engines could be supplied with either a hit and miss
governor which was standard, or a throttling governor. A choice of
Webster oscillating magneto type of ignition could be furnished to
operate the igniter. There was also a jump spark ignition system of
high tension coil and spark plug that was available. The company
recommended the igniter instead of a spark plug because they
claimed the spark plug in those days was not very dependable.

For cold weather operation there was a 1? and 2 HP air-cooled
engine for small power units to pump water and do other small
chores.

Geo. E. Long, Pres., who designed and built these engines sold
them direct as he liked to have direct contact with his customers.
The success of their sales program gave the user confidence in the
company and their long guarantee on the engine. The mixing valve
was arranged on the top of a positive feed fuel supply at the head
of the engine, and it was located over the exhaust muffler. A
simple fuel pump maintained the proper fuel level at the mixing
valve. There was also a duel carburetor to permit these engines to
be started on gasoline and then changed over after the engine came
up to operating temperature, to the use of kerosene for continuous
operation.

Ottawa engines were painted a dark maroon red on the major parts
of the cylinder, base, hopper and flywheels. The crankshaft cover,
connecting rod and crankshaft were painted deep green, as well as
the mixing valve and exhaust silencer. A decal was on the side of
the water hopper in an oblong design with the name ‘The
Ottawa’ across the top of the design and under it was Ottawa,
Kansas.

The catalog was very colorful and complete, as it was the only
contact the company had with their prospective customers. Not only
did they give complete engine specifications, but also delivery
time to all parts of the nation and the freight costs, so their
prospects could figure the overall price at destination. Time
payment purchased plan was offered with one half down payment with
the order and the balance extended over one year.

Ottawa Gasoline Engine Specifications:

SEE CHART C

To analyze the above ratings, it would seem that some of the
units could have been combined under one rating and still have
ample overload capacity to meet any demand for that size engine.
Hand portable models were made in ratings of 1? HP A.C.; 2 HP A.C.;
2 HP; 2? HP; 3 HP; 4 HP and 5 HP. Horsedrawn portable engines were
made in 5 HP, 6 HP, 7 HP, 10 HP, 12 HP, 16 HP and 22 HP. Saw rigs
were made in sizes of 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 10 and 12 HP.

From Broken Kettle Book Service, I have a copy of catalog C150
from which the following information on the New Way Gasoline Engine
provides this report.

A snapshot of a Sieverkropp engine owned by Ed Sirovy of our
town. It is the smallest water-cooled engine that I have seen. The
connecting rod is on the outside of the piston. Does anyone know if
these engines were made for some special purpose? It is so small
that it must develop only a fraction of a horsepower.

I hope someone can give me some information on this small
engine.

I subscribe to your magazine and enjoy it very much. I am
restoring a Monitor upright pump engine at the present time.

In a small wooden building in Lansing, Michigan, the city that
saw many ‘firsts’ in the stationary gasoline engine
history, The New Way Motor Company started manufacturing air-cooled
engines in 1905.

Undoubtedly, the design of these engines were much ahead of
their time with such features as entirely closed crankcase,
automatic splash lubrication, a successful air-cooled engine that
could be operated in temperature extremes all over the world, and
with a high tension ignition system using modern spark plugs. The
cooling air arrangement was patented giving them exclusive rights
in building this kind of an engine.

Both horizontal and vertical models were manufactured. The
larger sizes employed an opposed horizontal cylinder
arrangement.

The crankshaft main bearings were replaceable and the closed
crankcase vented to prevent oil leakage. The gasoline tank was
placed in the base so the fuel supply was by suction from the main
tank and doing away with the necessity of a fuel pump on
models.

Cylinders were of cast semi-steel and flanged mounted by bolting
to the crankcase with a long apron extending into the crankcase for
piston travel. Special radial cooling fins were around the cylinder
with ventilating holes around the fins. Also there were tie rods
running through the fins. The cylinder was partly covered by a
metal housing to direct the cooling air from a belt driven fan
which was driven by a round belt off the rim of the flywheel.

The valves were in valve cages and set in their respective valve
openings in the cylinder wall. They were easily replaceable for
maintenance. The exhaust valve was operated from a push rod from
the cam inside the crankcase. The intake was automatic. The flyball
governor was of the hit and miss type and on later types a
throttling governor was used. Bosch and National high tension
magnetos were used for ignition. Portable units on hand and horse
drawn

trucks were offered and small engines and pump jack units were
available. Engines were built in the following modifications:
Horizontal units in 1-1?-2?-3? and 5 HP and sold under the trade
name of ‘Jewel’ engines. The New Way standard was a 6? HP
horizontal. The larger size of 8 and 12 HP were opposed cylinder
horizontal machines with mixing valves at each cylinder head.

The New Way slogan was: ‘Goes and Goes Right’.–

1928 Rumely Oil Pull on rubber, owned by E. J. Cornett,
Leesburg, Virginia. Picture by Dave Egan, R. D. 5, Mechanicsburg,
Pennsylvania, at Berryville, Virginia 1971.

A 30-60 Aultman Taylor tractor 1917 model, in excellent
condition. Used for belt work only. Gearing is not worn and motor
is like new. This tractor has been driven in many parades since
1956.

The first tractor I owned was a 1912 Parret Gas tractor and
since then I have owned many makes of tractors including a Huber
light four, which was almost an exact replica of the Parret
tractor. Now I only have the 30-60 A & T.

SEE CHART A

RATED HPHP DEV.BORE & STROKER.P.M.WEIGHT
??2 & 5 eighth’x3?’400-600125
?23?’ x 6′150-340450
234’x6′250-500500
455’x7′240-480850
56?5?’ x 7?’250-500950

SEE CHART B

HPBORE & STROKE INCHESRPMSHAFT DIA. INCHESFLYWHEEL DIA. INCHESWEIGHT
1?5001 & 5 sixteenth16275
24×54501 & 3 eighth20400
45? x 84001 & 7 eighth26850
66? x 83502321150
86? x 113002?422200
107? x 132802?483200
128?x 132503523400
169? x 152303?564400

SEE CHART C

HPMAX. HPBORE & STROKEFLYWHEEL DIA. INCHESR.P.M.WEIGHT
1? A.C.1.83& 5 eighthx 3 & 7 eighth16550235
1? W.C.1.83& 5 eighth x 3 & 7 eighth16550235
2 A.C.2.83 & 7 eighth x 518500400
2 W.C.3.34×518500425
2?3.84? x 520500450
34.754?x622490585
45.45×624450750
575 & 1 eighth x 928450985
69.66×8294501080
812.16?X 10333601220
1014.47 x 8?344251590
1215.67?x11403601950
1619.18? x 13443252980
2227.69? x 14502903890
  • Published on Sep 1, 1971
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