521 5th Ave., Exist Alexandria, Minn. 56308
As a subscriber to Gas Engine Magazine and also the Iron-Men
Album for some years, I will say-they are very interesting
magazines. Even if I am 73 years old and retired, I still like to
read what other gas engine and tractor and steam engine men are
interested in. I worked around threshing machines just about all my
life.
My father bought his first threshing machine in 1887, a J.I.
Case 32 x 52, hand-feed and run by horse power, with twelve horses.
When I was about nine years old, my father put a box on the foot
platform for me to stand on so I could reach up to the feed table
to cut the bands on the bundles for him to feed the machine. As I
remember, this was a very dusty job. Then in 1908, I started
pitching bundles into my Uncles Minneapolis steam rig. In 1912 I
hauled water and in 1913, I was fireman on the Minneapolis steamer
and in my spare time, I built my homemade tractor. In 1914, I went
out threshing with my own rig, a 20 Hp. Witte engine on 16 Hp., old
steam engine wheels and 26 x 46 Case machine. Also, in 1914 my
father bought a 6 roll Appleton Corn Shredder and a 9 x 30 in.
Roller Feed Mill which I ran with the homemade tractor for eight
years.
In 1922, we bought a 16 x 30 Oil Pull tractor which was for
custom threshing until 1967. So, you can see I have to go to the
Threshermans shows at Rollag and Dalton, Minnesota to smell the
smoke and dust every year-otherwise, I don’t feel too good.
As my hobby is gas engines, I must tell you I sold gas engines
for the Witte Engine Works for Kansas City, Missouri getting 10% on
all orders I sent in. When my neighbors and friends had old engines
to trade in, I took the old engines as my commission and rebuilt
them and sold some, but in 1930 when the REA electric line built
in, the engine business was out.
I had about thirty used engines in my sheds until 1960 they
started selling good. I’ve saved about half a dozen to take to
Dalton, Minnesota to out Threshermen’s Reunion Show.
16-30 Hp. Oil Pull owned by Peter Bitzan. Bought from Alfred
Evavold and used on the Bitzan farm for lumber sawing. I sold it to
David Hansen and will be at the Show about the middle of September
every year at Dalton, Minnesota.
Fifty year old homemade tractor, owned and operated by Peter
Bitzan. In 1913, he used 16 Hp. Minneapolis steam engine wheels and
a single cylinder 20 Hp. Witte gas engine. Used in the Millerville
area for threshing, silo filling, custom feed grinding, corn
shredding and some lumber sawing. Still in good running condition
and is at the show each year at Dalton.
