A Horseless Wagon 1909 1910

By Staff
Published on July 1, 1973
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Courtesy of Harry H. Bonnema, Lemars, Iowa 51031
Courtesy of Harry H. Bonnema, Lemars, Iowa 51031
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Courtesy of Edwin Martilla, Frederick, South Dakota 5 7441
Courtesy of Edwin Martilla, Frederick, South Dakota 5 7441
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Courtesy of Arlo Jurney, F3 Kingsland Tr. Crt., 520 - 75 Ave., S.W., Calgary, Alberta.
Courtesy of Arlo Jurney, F3 Kingsland Tr. Crt., 520 - 75 Ave., S.W., Calgary, Alberta.
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Courtesy of George F. Kempher, 110 Seventh Street, Emporium, Pa. 15834.
Courtesy of George F. Kempher, 110 Seventh Street, Emporium, Pa. 15834.
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Courtesy of Arlo Jurney, F3 Kingsland Tr., Crt., 520 - 75 Ave. S.W., Calgary, Alberta
Courtesy of Arlo Jurney, F3 Kingsland Tr., Crt., 520 - 75 Ave. S.W., Calgary, Alberta
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Courtesy of George F. Kempher, 110 Seventh Street, Emporium, Pa. 15834.
Courtesy of George F. Kempher, 110 Seventh Street, Emporium, Pa. 15834.
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Courtesy of Tom Jensen, 559 Sheldon Road, Palmyra, New York 14522
Courtesy of Tom Jensen, 559 Sheldon Road, Palmyra, New York 14522
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Courtesy of Fred Wise, 264 Woodstock Road, Gates Mills, Ohio 44040.
Courtesy of Fred Wise, 264 Woodstock Road, Gates Mills, Ohio 44040.
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Courtesy of Rudy Gustafson, Karlsted, Minnesota 56732
Courtesy of Rudy Gustafson, Karlsted, Minnesota 56732
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Courtesy of Alexander Mac Arthur, Route 1, Box 204, Algonquin, Illinois 60102
Courtesy of Alexander Mac Arthur, Route 1, Box 204, Algonquin, Illinois 60102
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Courtesy of Gene I. McLaughlin, Route 1, Box 402B Mocksville, North Carolina 27028
Courtesy of Gene I. McLaughlin, Route 1, Box 402B Mocksville, North Carolina 27028
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Courtesy of John Hamilton, 2015 Arthur, Charleston, Ill. 61920
Courtesy of John Hamilton, 2015 Arthur, Charleston, Ill. 61920
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Courtesy of Arlo Jurney, F3 Kingsland Tr. Crt., 520 - 75 Ave. S. W., Calgary, Alberta
Courtesy of Arlo Jurney, F3 Kingsland Tr. Crt., 520 - 75 Ave. S. W., Calgary, Alberta
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Courtesy of John Hamilton, 2015 Arthur Avenue, Charleston, Illinois 61920
Courtesy of John Hamilton, 2015 Arthur Avenue, Charleston, Illinois 61920
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Courtesy of Clarence Denser, Box 183, Austin, Manitoba, Canada ROH-OCO
Courtesy of Clarence Denser, Box 183, Austin, Manitoba, Canada ROH-OCO
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Courtesy of Tom Jensen, 559 Sheldon Road, Palmyra, New York 14522
Courtesy of Tom Jensen, 559 Sheldon Road, Palmyra, New York 14522
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Courtesy of Tom Jensen, 559 Sheldon Road, Palmyra, New York 14522
Courtesy of Tom Jensen, 559 Sheldon Road, Palmyra, New York 14522
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In 1909, this horseless wagon was the talk of Blue Ball, Pa. and
surroundings. It was there that P. E. Shirk, a local innovator,
built it for farm transport work. New Holland engines supplied the
power to make it go.

What a Blue Ball Man Has Done to Make Work Easier On the
Farm.

P. E. Shirk, the well known inventor and machinist, of Blue
Ball, (Pa.), has constructed a new horseless farm wagon. The wagon
consists of a truck eleven feet long and about four feet wide
mounted on 4 wheels. Toward the rear end of the truck a 3 horse
power New Holland gasoline engine is placed. To the rear of the
engine is the drivers’ seat. To the front of the engine is the
wagon bed.

The driving mechanism is so constructed that the driver guides
the machine and handles the forward and backward motion by the use
of only one guiding wheel or lever.

So far as this new device has been tested it has given good
satisfaction. Mr. Shirk intends building larger ones and making
improvements on them.

This auto-wagon will become a handy thing on the farm. It
furnishes its own propelling power and can be used to haul all
manner of farm products, including hay and straw. It can be easily
driven from one part of the farm to another and can be used to
furnish power of stone crushing, chopping, woodsawing and the
like.

IN 1910, this brand new Reo roadster provided summertime
transportation for New Holland President Eli Martin. During the
winter he used a horse.

At left is a tractor I built in 1948. Everything in it but the
kitchen sink. Used it for 18 years. In the center photo is a New
Way, No. 4375, 250 to 660 rpm, 3 to 3? HP. Restored but needs main
bearings. Year? Can somebody tell me? At right is an Arco, No.
215051, 550 rpm, 1? E HP. Anybody know what the E stands for? l
don’t know the year of this engine either.

At top is a 1 HP Titan hopper-cooled engine. I’ve been
corresponding with Walter ‘Doc’ Schrage about this engine
and he writes that if the cam gear has 56 teeth and number on cam
gear is G7484, it’s most likely made in 1911. Are these engines
also called Tom Thumb, Mogul, Titan Jr., Titan Famous?

Bottom picture is a Fuller Johnson, No. 161955, 2 HP, 550 rpm,
1926. Restored by yours truly.

Top left is a John Deere tractor seat with harness homes for
legs, made by Alfred Egbers of Hoober, Nebraska and presented to
me. Top center photo is some of my collection of scale model toys
and reproduced coin banks. At right is a large natural gas engine
owned by Wayne Schmidt of Monroe, South Dakota. This is an engine
that was used in the oil fields on the Rod System and pulled 20 oil
wells. It has a 14 inch piston and 22 inch stroke. The flywheels
are six feet high. It now runs on bottled gas.

Bottom left is the engine owned by Mike Jensen. It is really a
show engine and has a lot of nickel plating on it and is painted a
dark maroon. No one seems to know what make it is — some think it
is a Walters, but nobody knows for sure. Center photo is a small
gas engine owned by Don Hinds of Centerville, South Dakota. It is
on display at the Gas and Steam picnic. At right is a close-up of
some of my scale model toys. The truck in foreground is all wood
except the tires. It is in mint condition. I bought it at a sale at
the High school that was raising money for the band.

My 5 HP Fairbanks Morse engine – it’s a hit and miss, make
and break ignition fired by a Sumter Magneto. The flywheels are
41′ in diameter. The gas and cooling tank are not original.
This engine was on exhibit at the Fred Bruns Threshing Show last
fall.

A 1911 Mogul, 25 HP. Built by IHC. This is a Hit & Miss
motor; has a special cooling system.

A 1920 Twin City, 20-35 HP, 4 cylinder with 16 valves. This is a
powerful engine.

This Westinghouse engine was running just before I took the
picture. I have no further information on it as I received no
replies to my letters asking for more details.

Some of the engines and tractors at the Engine Show held in
connection with the McKean County Fair at Smethport, Pennsylvania
in 1972. This was their first engine show and a huge success in
spite of little publicity and will be an annual event.

At left is a tractor I built in 1948. Everything in it but the
kitchen sink. Used it for 18 years. In the center photo is a New
Way, No. 4375, 250 to 600 rpm, 3 to 3-1/2 HP. Restored but needs
main bearings. Year? Can somebody tell me? At right is an Arco, No.
215051, 550 rpm, 1-1/2 E HP. Anybody know what the E stands for?!
don’t know the year of this engine either.

Simple hot-tube igniter replaces the spark-plug on a small, 30
year old, Briggs & Stratton model WI Engine.

The 14 MM spark-plug was replaced by a 1/4′ by 4′ long
iron pipe. One end is capped and the other end has a special
tapered thread to fit the engine. The center portion is turned down
to give about 3/64′ wall thickness. When the tube is heated to
a dull red, a little above the center, the engine starts easily and
runs without a miss.

A 14 MM spark-plug thread is about the same diameter as that of
a 1/4′ iron pipe but the pitch is 20, not 18, so with a little
lathe work the 1/4′ iron pipe can be made to fit the engine
satisfactorily.

At left is a 10 HP Witte Engine. Center photo is my Cletrac
12-20 and at right is the engine manufactured by O. S. Kelly, Iowa
City, Iowa (about 1903). These are my oldest engines.

1935 10-20 HP English Fordson Tractor.

This Farmall tractor had been in the Warren family since new in
the 30s, until being sold in the 40s. James had driven it while
still a child. He came across it and recognized it in 1970 and was
able to buy it back. He spent about two enjoyable months restoring
it. He uses it to do a little truck farming and takes very good
care of it. His father was the original owner.

A 1925 Case, 25-45 HP, crossmount motor, 4 cylinder. A very good
belt engine.

Shown is my son John Robert Hamilton and our newly acquired John
Deere B tractor 5436. I offered the previous owner $15 for the
fenders; he told me for $25 I could buy the whole tractor. My son
and I have six tractors and several gas engines.

Pictured is a 3 HP sideshaft Root and VanDervoort that sold at a
recent sale at Canton, Illinois. Mr. Andy Kruse of Park Ridge,
Illinois bought the engine. I know we will be seeing this engine at
Northern Illinois shows in the near future.

Above pictures were taken in 1935 at Newton Siding, Manitoba,
Canada. It is a 30-60 Hart Parr and a 40-60 Red River Special
Separator owned by John Denser.

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