Spokane, Washington History of the Largest Steam Traction
Engines
I believe Mr. J. M. Anderson of Fullerton, North Dakota, had one
of the largest and most powerful of steam traction engines. This
was a Minneapolis double cylinder, tandem compound and rated 45 hp.
on the draw bar. It had the famous double counter shaft drive but
the drive wheels were side mounted. This engine would haul sixteen
14 inch plows and when used for threshing was hooked to a 44×70
Minneapolis Special separator equipped with a Ruth Self Feeder,
Dakota grain weigher and Fuss ton Wind Stacker. If I were to name
the thresher man of all times Jack Anderson would get all the
votes. His father-in-law was the engineer (Chas. Hanson). The crew
was made up of separator man, water hauler, coal hauler, two cooks,
night watchman, three spike pitchers and 14 to 16 bundle wagons.
Mr. Anderson had more machine and more of everything so I name him
the Champ thresher of all times and I have seen all of the big fast
machines. The record of fast threshing is supposed to be held by
the old Advance Thresher Co. of Battle Creek, Mich., and was
established in 1904 at Grand Forks, North Dakota. Using a 44×70
Special Advance separator built for experimental purposes and
pulled by a 26 hp. Advance tandem compound, this outfit turned out
4,400 bushels of North Dakota hard wheat in a ten-hour day. I think
if Mr. Anderson had kept record, he would have won the medals for
fast threshing anywhere. Mr. Anderson has been a close friend of
mine for the past forty years and if you folks are lucky enough to
meet him, just remove your ‘bonnet’ and address him as
‘howdy champ’. He lives at Fullerton, North Dakota.
14 inch plows and when used for threshing was hooked to a 44×70
Minneapolis Special separator equipped with a Ruth Self Feeder,
Dakota grain weigher and Fuss ton Wind Stacker. If I were to name
the thresher man of all times Jack Anderson would get all the
votes. His father-in-law was the engineer (Chas. Hanson). The crew
was made up of separator man, water hauler, coal hauler, two cooks,
night watchman, three spike pitchers and 14 to 16 bundle wagons.
Mr. Anderson had more machine and more of everything so I name him
the Champ thresher of all times and I have seen all of the big fast
machines. The record of fast threshing is supposed to be held by
the old Advance Thresher Co. of Battle Creek, Mich., and was
established in 1904 at Grand Forks, North Dakota. Using a 44×70
Special Advance separator built for experimental purposes and
pulled by a 26 hp. Advance tandem compound, this outfit turned out
4,400 bushels of North Dakota hard wheat in a ten-hour day. I think
if Mr. Anderson had kept record, he would have won the medals for
fast threshing anywhere. Mr. Anderson has been a close friend of
mine for the past forty years and if you folks are lucky enough to
meet him, just remove your ‘bonnet’ and address him as
‘howdy champ’. He lives at Fullerton, North Dakota.
