21321 County X, Cadott, Wisconsin 54727
These four cylinder, gas-powered centipede trucks were built by
the Phoenix Manufacturing Company, of Eau Claire, Wisconsin,
starting in 1905 to compete with the popular Holt tractor that was
replacing their steam powered Phoenix Log Hauler in many places.
They were not only meant for hauling logs, but were to be used in
road building, agricultural use, heavy-duty moving, etc., but
unfortunately this was a very bad time for the Phoenix
Manufacturing Company.
Phoenix was also a builder of saw mill and agricultural products
and building materials. They were having big patent problems and
were about to go into receivership. It seems that a number of their
products were never patented and some other company or companies
were copying these products, patenting them and then accusing the
Phoenix people of infringement. Even though Phoenix had built these
products for many years and had proof of it, it was costing them
thousands of dollars in legal fees. Phoenix did survive,
however.
Very little is known about the Phoenix Centipede Truck, and it
is unknown how long they were manufactured or just how many of them
were built, but it is believed to be less than 50 and none are
known to exist at this time. There are indications that some of
them were in use as late as 1920.
