THE OTTO TRACTOR

By Staff
Published on September 1, 1968
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Courtesy of Verne W. Kindschi, Route I, Prairie Du Sac, Wisconsin 53578
Courtesy of Verne W. Kindschi, Route I, Prairie Du Sac, Wisconsin 53578
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Courtesy of Verne W. Kindschi, Route I, Prairie Du Sac, Wisconsin 53578
Courtesy of Verne W. Kindschi, Route I, Prairie Du Sac, Wisconsin 53578

Route I, Prairie Du Sac, Wisconsin 53578

The comments on the Otto Gas Engine in the past issues of GEM
have been very interesting to me. I feel that someone should write
an article about them for GEM. Certainly there are a number of
fellows who could do this, including T. H. Krueger. I’m sure
such an article would be of great interest to those of us who do
not know much about the Otto.

I have run across several pictures of early Otto Tractors in
some of my old magazines. Picture Number f was taken out of the
July, 1935 Farm Power Magazine. There was no other explanation
about this picture than what was written below and on the
picture.

The American Thresherman. Besides what was written below the
picture they included this short article.

The First Tractor Built in 1896

Sometimes the year 1901 is given as the dale when the first gas
tractor was built. However, this picture shows that such is not the
ease. The original gas tractor, made by the Otto Engine Works, was
constructed in Philadelphia in 1896. This motor was used around the
yards in Philadelphia for switching and hauling. A year later this
company built motors of a slightly different type. These were
shipped out to Minneapolis, one going to Hope, N.D., and another to
some town in Minnesota. Perhaps some other reader will remember
having seen these Otto tractors, which were naturally a great
curiosity to farmers of the west.

The Otto tractor required about 22-horse power on the brake.
This was considered remarkably good for that period, as the tractor
had only one cylinder and operated at the relatively slow speed of
375 R.P.M. The picture shows that this machine was very heavy for
the horse power which it developed. Compare it to any 10-20 tractor
of the present day if you doubt this statement.

I have always been under the impression that Hart-Parr built the
first tractors, but guess this proves differently.

The above represents a tractor made in 1896. It shows one of the
very first gas tractors built. It did a fairly good job of belt
work, but was of little practical use for plowing.

Otto Gas Tractor, Made in 1897 at Philadelphia, Was Shipped to
Hope, N.D.

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