STANLEY PETERSON, Shell Lake, Wisconsin has to date eight two
cylinder tractors and one power unit besides several gas engines. A
John Deere power unit runs his stationary sawmill, a model AR on
steel for skidding logs and working in the mill yard, a late model
‘D’ for powering his portable sawmill – two G.P. models
used on the farm of his parents, the AUGUST PETERSONS. He has
re-working an early 12-20 Titan and has an 18-36 Hart Parr to
go.
We spent an enjoyable day at the Petersons, shredding corn with
Stanleys 15-25 Oil Pull type L 688, belted to a 4 roll steel
Rosenthal shredder. He had a good crew and I had the privilege of
feeding the shredder and taking pictures. This Oil Pull was
purchased from the late H. M. Jones at Little Falls, Minn. Jones
was probably one of the foremost retrievers of old-time machinery
in our great northwest. To this day, I’ve never heard of a
dissatisfied JONES customer. ARVID STARK purchased five steam
engines from him and much of this business was transacted over the
phone. H. M. was indeed a willing barterer and ready at any time to
steam up some engine in his year. His passing was indeed a loss to
the Collectors Movement.
Six year old Cathy was looking at a Western on TV, when her
conscientious grandmother suggested maybe they should look at
something more constructive. Said Cathy, ‘If you don’t like
it, Grandma, why don’t you go out in the kitchen?’
Had a nice visit with JOE SCHAD-WEILER from Spring Valley, Wise.
His experiences in threshing and saw-milling makes for endless good
listening. Back in 1919, he worked on a steam rig belonging to JOE
LIFFERLING, east of New Rockford, North Dakota. It consisted of a
35 hp double Nichols Shepard and 40 x 64 Advance Rumely Separator.
Threshing until dark late in the fall, they had to hike
kiddi-corner across a quarter-section to the buildings for supper
and to sleep in the hay mow. Next morning HARRY DAHL the fireman,
was sick and asked Joe if he’d build the fire for him. Sure
thing and off into the early morning fog he went, couldn’t see
fifty feet ahead – walking by – guess something told him he was
about far enough – he decided to take twenty paces to the left and
if he didn’t find the engine, he’d attempt to get his
bearings and take off in the opposite direction. Making about a
dozen paces he almost bumped into the big engine as it seemed to
loom in front of him. Was I ever lucky, he said.
A. L. JOHNSON from Leonard, Minnesota came down with his truck
and picked up the 12 hp Advance I sold him. To load the engine,
backing it on would necessitate taking off the platform and drawbar
so we loaded it the other way first, only to find that his short
wheel-base obliged us to reload it, stripping the platform – doing
things the hard way accentuates learning.
A new owner of a Rambler hung a sign back of his car
‘I’m not as expensive as you think’. Before long his
wife driving down the road wondered why so many men were tooting
their horns at her.
Was up to my nephews, south of Superior and got a Christmas
tree. The snow-laden evergreens mingled with birch trees were
irresistible for a shutter-bug like me and locating a 10-18 Case
cross-mounted tractor made this trip doubly worthwhile.
Seems in a certain congregation there was a wayward teenager and
her pastor was a bit concerned. Shaking her hand after church
services, he said, ‘I prayed for you last night’.
‘Well, why didn’t you phone, I’d come right over’,
she replied.
The Banker in our home town came from Western Minnesota, Cyrus,
to be exact – said he was glad to get away from there – so windy
every day, almost useless to put on a hat. That’s sorta
opposite, of what George Christian was telling – out in Dakota near
Carona, a farmer had put up two windmills, but he had to take one
down, cause there wasn’t enough wind for both.
Branch Number One of Early Day Gas Engine and Tractor Assoc.,
Inc. met at Furuby club-house on December 14. It was unanimously
voted to go on record as favoring the printing of a second
Directory as soon as possible.
While doing chores one nite JERRY ERICKSON dropped in – I was
feeding one of my prize heifer calves, told him her name was Emma.
He sez, Emma who, Emma Meisner or Emma Pangerl?’
In closing, we welcome visitors here anytime – but must confess
as yet our plumbing is rather primitive, that will make you happier
to get back home. Speaking of plumbing – we stayed at the SATER
home for the duration of Midwest Old Threshers. Those are indeed
busy days and even calls for nite shifts, thawing out pies, keeping
Wm. in clean overalls and endless other details. Taking my turn at
the shower in the basement, ya, even me, got nicely started when
what the — that automatic washer started emptying hot grimy water
in my ‘private domain’ forcing me out-well that settled
down the drain and I proceeded my endeavors and without warning
here comes another batch, so I decided that’s it. I’m done.
That sorta put me in mind of a wording I came across, ‘Nowadays
everything seems to be in the modern home – except the
family.’
