of Oliva, Minn., after reading the story on page 7 of the
May-June 1951 issue of the ALBUM gives his eye witness account of
the event. It is most interesting.
Now somebody ought to find out if this lady is still living and
where
Plowing in 1912 on the Roy Mills farm in Lisbon, North Dakotn.
inch cut. We cut to 12 inches deep with a half mile through. One
fourth of this was virgin prairie sod. It had never been plowed
before. This engine could have handled 3 or 4 more plows with ease
and doing 25 to 30 acres per day. Morris Bowlinge, 1107 Jefferson
Street, Toledo. Ohio.
Here I am writing’ on the article, ‘Young- Lady
Engineer’ in the May-June 1951 issue of the ALBUM.
This article recalls the scene to my memory just like it was
today. I took it all in and if Avery Company did not steal the show
then Miss Mary Meyer did.
When Mary pulled out of the Fair Grounds the crowd came out
too.
The grounds were empty every time Mary pulled out. The following
is an account as it took place.
I saw a lady walking around the plowing engine getting ready to
pull out. The lady was dressed in a nice white dress, white hat but
I don’t remember the gloves. An older man in attendance was
working about the engine, later he gave it the once over with an
oil can.
Mary then made a round, gave the connection, rod a shake,’
walked to the plow, one coulter was turned a little and she gave it
a slight kick, then looked if the clamps were tight.
This made me think, you, young lady handled this baby before.
She walked to the cab, took hold of the hand bar, swung herself in
a very practiced way. She tried the water gauge, started the boiler
feed pump. Let it run very slowly. Then she started the engine to
work the water out of it and warm the cylinders.
After a while the ‘Hi-Hall’ was given, she engaged the
traction, then reached for the throttle, gave it a slight pull with
a clatter to jar it off seat. Giving the throttle a pull, her eyes
glanced to the top of the stack to see how her engine responded.
She then looked over the crowd, reached for the whistle cord and
gave a few of those railroad toots and the show was on.
Mary pulled out–was immense. She had to slow down for the mob
was in the way too. When we came to the field it was a seeding of
tame grass mowed off. Tough to plow. People stood along the furrow
waiting for Miss Meyer to come by. As she came by, her engine
sending up a black plume of smoke, the crowds would wave hats and
handkerchiefs. Mary would smile and give the whistle a slight pull,
just so it could be heard, then the sound of the 8 foot drivers and
the outfit was gone. This kept up all afternoon, no one went back
to the Fair Grounds.
Dear reader, those days were really days of progress.
