R. R. 1, Box 182 Boyd, Minnesota 56218
This photo is of one of the rigs owned by the Frederickson
brothers of Dawson, Minnesota, taken around 1910. The engine is a
Garr-Scott, and I haven’t been able to figure out the
separator.
My dad, Elmer Romsaas, went to work for the Fredericksons at the
engines.
My earliest memories of threshing were at the age of four. My
dad took me over to a neighbor’s farm to see one of the last
steam rig operations in our area. It was owned by Hjalmer Vane of
Dawson. This would have been about 1933, when gas tractors were
taking over powering the rigs.
My dad passed away in 1971, but never lost his love of steam. I
think the biggest disappointment of his life was to see a
neighbor’s like new Port Huron steamer cut up for scrap iron
during World War II. It was owned by Louis Foss and was in A-l
condition! He had purchased this machine shortly before the gas
tractors started taking over, and it had been parked for a number
of years. The machine’s engine had a high pressure boiler,
compound cylinder and enclosed cab.
I feel we are fortunate that some of these engines were saved
from the scrap drives, giving all of us the opportunity to attend
the fall shows and watch them go through their paces.
I look forward to receiving my Iron Men Album and reading about
the old days.
