The North Shore country has always struck my fancy. The Twin
Ports area is certainly a fascinating tourist region, enroute to
Canada or the Great Circle Route via the North Shore drive. The
picturesque Skyline drive over Duluth, the Enger tower, the
Long-fellow zoo and numerous city parks merit any travelers time.
Seeing the ancient aerial lift bridge or crossing the new twenty
million dollar Hi-bridge to Superior are a must. Here too can be
seen ore boats and ocean going vessels both foreign and domestic,
freighting grain and other commodities. Fortunately in Duluth can
be found several large stationary steam engines, not the least of
these is a 150hp. Twin City corliss driving a compressor at the
brewery. In this same engine room is a standby smaller Twin City
corliss and a slide valve Chuse engine shafted direct to a
generator. Regulations almost prohibits visitors but there was no
objection to picture taking. I was fortunate to go with NICK BLATIE
who is acquainted with the power house Superintendent.
At nearby Proctor on a hillside is spotted a 2-8-8-4 DM and IR
mallet no. 225. Its past was hauling ore from the iron range and
Via Proctor to the loading docks in St. Louis Bay. This a symbol of
power, second to none.
On Nov. 4 it was my pleasure to take a steam train trip from
Cloquet to Saginaw a distance of eleven miles. This run is made
week days on the Duluth and Northeastern Ry. and primarily hauls
pulp-wood, lime and other material used by Cloquet Paper Products
Co. This railroad still has five steamers on the roster ready to go
and used daily to make the said run and in switching operations. At
the depot about 8 AM I met NICK BLATIE and NICK WATRY from Duluth,
who were also scheduled to make the trip to Saginaw. The fare was
84cent, and we rode in the caboose with the crew, where we were
permitted to ride in the ‘top story’ to take pictures. It
was heated by the traditional pot bellied stove using coal for
fuel. The locomotive on this trip was a Baldwin built 2-8-0 number
16. This enjoyable trip tasted like more so the following Friday at
5 AM I again took off for Cloquet. With me this time were two local
fans, namely ERNEST ALDEN and RONNIE GJERNING. On this occasion
they rode the caboose and I drove on ahead to get pictures of the
train where it crossed highway No. 33 and 2. Not too surprising. I
met up with two other rail fans in the pursuit, one was from St.
Paul and the other from Willmar, Minn. The guy from Willmar told me
this was his 6th trip to photo this steam line. Pictured coming
down the track is No. 16 closing up on crossing highway 33. This
picture taken Nov. 8th ’63 and it is evident the fireman was
aware of us shutter bugs. Perhaps it was taken too far away, but
from my vantage point, I still had to pick up the slide camera for
a shot, and then run some movies before it passed by. Try it
sometime; and I should have had a tape recorder too. In the
locomotive picture the engineer is stepping down for a snack lunch
while still at Sawinaw, prior to the return trip. The young man on
the ground is Nick Blatie. To think this railroad has stuck to
steam all these years and only a hundred miles from my home. Sad to
say something in the wind has it that a diesel will be on the
roster in the near future.
Wife: ‘Wasn’t it disgusting the way those men stared at
that girl getting on the train?’
Husband: ‘What train?’
We had the pleasure of ESTHER and HARVEY OBRECHT from Thor, Iowa
visit us a couple days. From here they were going to take that
steam ride out of Cloquet, Minn. As far as Harvey is concerned any
vacation that includes a steam locomotive is tops for him.
DENNIS ANDERS and his father WILLIAM, together with NORMAN WATRY
and his father NICK from Duluth drove in about mid Ocotber. We were
to initiate my 24′ wood Huber thresher and must say it
performed beyond my fondest expectations. Powered by my 10-20 Titan
we threshed a load of oat bundles as well as the load of sunflowers
which I raised for winter bird feeding. By the time we finished the
threshing Dennis had my 50 Case ready to run my International
stationary baler and after completing this job. Alide had lunch
ready for us. Thanks boys.
I was indeed happy when a group of ‘boys’ from the
Duluth area decided to have a steam show in ’62. They done a
marvelous job, and even better this last October. This group has a
lot of potential with some very rare and unique equipment still to
be restored. Pictured is OLIVER HALTLI’s 18 hp double
Minneapolis steamer No. 4086 working a 28′ Case thresher. Here
was a cross mounted 25-45 Case tractor belted to a wood Huber
thresher, hand feed and slat stacker, steadily working threshing
oats. A complete A very rig consisting of a 12-25 tractor and
‘Yellow Kid’ threshere were busy on a different oat
setting. This latter outfit belongs to MILTON WATRY, 3160 Fairfield
Rd., Proctor Br., Duluth 10, Minn. At the time he found this rig
the shed had blown down and thus necessitated some technical work
on the thresher. On a side hill near the lunch stand was a 30-60
Aultman Taylor No. 4166 belted to the sawmill making lumber out of
local timber. Nearby was a M-H 4 WD belted to the shingle mill. One
lad accumulated enough shingles for a doghouse, or perhaps more
likely a tree house. DAVE RICHIE’S 7 hp F & J was steadily
buzzing up wood. It was evident the bachelor living on the site of
the show got his winters wood sawed for free. Several other gas
engines were popping away and there was a display of some early day
horse drawn equipment. A 28-50 Hart Parr No. 71223 was pulling a 4
bottom plow over the hills. Included in the line up of other
tractors were a Model D and GP John Deere, a 5-10 Avery, 12-20
Case, Fordson, Rock Island and a 4 cylinder front wheel drive
Ideal, with a swivel hind wheel and steered by clutches. Among
items being restored for the next show is a 1915 9-18 Case cross
mounted by Nick Blatie and a Howell drag saw being rebuilt by
Dennis Andres. Here is a chance to take in a good show when
visiting the Duluth area. For buttons or further details contact
Milton Watry.
