1615 San Francisco St. San Antonio, Texas 78201
A hearty Thank-you, Anna Mae, for publishing my bit of
information to J. Gordon Thomson, so that he could identify his
engine as a ‘Rawleigh’. It is found on page 14 in the
September-October 1969 GEM, beginning near the top of the second
column. Because of you publishing this, I and the rest of GEM
readers, got some much needed additional history on the past
‘Rawleigh-Ziegler-Schryer’ set-up, and this comes from
Virgil Gerdes; his portion is found on page 33 in the
November-December 1969 GEM. So, thanks to Virgil. I’d suggest
all readers, who have assisting answers to problems and requests,
have such information printed in an early GEM, like Bennie Dodyk,
on page 24 in November-December 1969 GEM writes. And, if you have
read my articles, you’ll recall I have always asked this be
done. This getting what you want, but keeping it to yourself, will
not help GEM get bigger and better, you know.
This scene is taken from an old picture taken April 15, 1916 at
Makoti. John Boss farmed south of Makoti, while Henry Clare farmed
near Sanish. These were the two men that bought the two Pioneers
shown in the picture. The picture shows the steering device and
also the plow.
Two of the men on the picture are still living. Ed Heise is
second from the left and John Hoist is fourth from the left.
Of the three men mentioned in the story ‘The Pioneer
Tractor’, Max Dobrinski and his wife, Pearl, still live on
their homestead. He was one of the men that bought one of the three
Pioneer tractors in 1915.
The two towns of Van Hook and Sanish mentioned in the article
are now covered by the waters of the Missouri River called Lake
Sakakawea since the Garrison dam was constructed. These two were
moved to what is now New Town.
The Pioneer 30-60 tractor in our show here at Makoti.
As you realize, I haven’t been able to send in articles for
publication of late. Many readers have sent me their requests,
direct, which came too thick and heavy for what time I had. You
see, working for the other fellow, out of town, away from home
base, a week at a time — you all know what this will do to
one’s plans and projects. It has been right at seven years
since I started up a newly-restored engine of mine; just don’t
get much time to work on one. And, I must try and make this
presentation short — can’t do much ‘digging’
either.
That cover picture of September-October 1969 GEM is a dandy
scene, a real interesting I.H.C. hit and miss, gasoline, portable
engine with a nice size clutch-pulley. The picture is not very
clear, so I could be wrong in one or more points; but, that engine
is not a 25 hp. size. It is, I’d say, a 15 hp. size. To check a
few points — the 25 hp. portable has truck wheels 30 and 38 inches
diameter with 8 inch wide rim. The next three smaller size
portables have same diameter wheels but 6 inch wide rims, which I
believe is the size wheels in the interesting picture. The 25 hp.
engine has 8 studs holding the cylinder-head on. The flywheels on
the 25 hp. are 4/4 inches wide; the flywheels in the picture look
like 3 inches wide. The 20 hp. flywheels are 3? inches wide.
Please, N. A. Kruse, I’m very proud of such a fine nostalgic
picture presented to we readers; mine is only constructive
criticism and numerals in that serial number. Thanks for the fine
picture!
‘What is it?’– The small machine on the ground in front
of the Titan? We purchased this in the mountains of North Carolina
and was told that it ground oak tree bark to make tanic acid used
in making leather from cowhide. Subsequently, we were told it was
for grinding corn and grain. Does anyone have a picture of how the
wood is attached whereby a horse can rotate the grinder? Patented
1879 by Star Mfg. Co., New Lexington, Ohio Star No. 1.
And, on page 3, same issue, due respect to Verne Kindschi for
his very well written and illustrated article on the Fuller and
Johnson Farm Pump Engine.
Appreciation to Arthur DeKalb for sending in, for publication,
the illustration and information that 1, for one, needed so much on
the newer T & M line of engines, as found on page 12 in the
September-October 1969 issue. C. M. Knudson, on page 30 in the
September-October 1968 GEM was asking for help in identifying his
engine. I think I am entitled to say I had the hardest job towards
the identification; that of working with the nearly
‘washed-out’ decal on the cooling-hopper of C. M. s engine.
Arthur DeKalb, I’m sure glad you came up with that fine
advertisement and description, because I never in my life saw such
an illustration of the real engine before this.
Page 25, same GEM, is R. F. Somer-ville’s fine, illustrated
article – we’re grateful to him for his good story.
Now, back to the November-December 1969 GEM, page 3. There is a
nice helpful article on the Webster magneto. Through the kindness
of Leo W. Haynes; but, just one point at bottom of the first
column, page 3, namely: ‘the points must be closed only when
being tripped’. This does apply when using battery and M &
B coil for spark, in case the Webster does not produce current any
longer. In this case, the ‘bumper-screw is screwed in far
enough to hold the points open while the magneto is at rest to save
battery current.’ But for the usual Webster operation, the
instructions state: ‘Checking adjusting screw. It should be
adjusted so that it opens the contact points by striking the tail
of the push-finger when the magneto is tripped and so that it
barely touches the tail of the push-finger when the inductor
springs are in a horizontal or at-rest position. If the screw is
turned in too far, or not far enough, it will cause a weak spark,
or no spark at all’.
An old-time threshing picture taken at Hope, North Dakota. A Mr.
Joseph Rodgers is the middle man in the grain box wagon. Mr.
Rodgers is the grandfather of Mrs. Leslie (Sandra) Enockson of
Makoti. Mr. Rodgers passed away a few years ago. This looks like a
‘Peerless’ steam engine made by the Geiser Manufacturing
Co.
On page 5 in the November-December 1969 GEM is a picture of a
half-size I.H.C. Mogul Type ‘C’ 1 cylinder hit and miss
tractor, made by Milton Deets. Congratulations! Milton, that is a
good looking job, very real!
On page 16, same issue of GEM, middle of the third column,
Howard G. Turn-bull asks what is the running speed of a 36 inch
circular saw. It is 1000 rpm.
The engine pictured on bottom of page 18 is a Hercules-built
engine. The Jaeger Machine Company, builders of concrete-mixers,
used Hercules engines.
Fordson tractor owned by Ronald Sevart of Girard, Kansas and
displayed at the Pioneer Harvest Fiesta, 1968.
Photo by Myrl Hix, Pittsburg, Kansas.
