Milton, North Dakota
A friend of mine, Mr. Wm. Swanson of Milton, North Dakota lent
me a number of copies of your magazine and I have certainly enjoyed
them. It is surprising to learn that there are so many others who
are just as crazy about steam engines and threshing as I have
always been.
Steam outfits were common when I was a kid, and when I got old
enough to go threshing, I got in on the tail-end of the steam era.
I had hoped to get to fire, or run the engines, but never got
further than to haul bundles.
The last steam outfit I worked on was in 1929, a big Minneapolis
outfit owned by one of our neighbors. A 35 hp engine and a 40 x 64
separator. This outfit was new in 1915. I remember when they
brought it home, although I was only five years old. There were a
couple of steam outfits operated in the area as late as
1940-1941.
I never saw power steering mentioned in your magazine. N. T.
Nelson of Union, North Dakota had a big Case. I believe it was 110
hp that was steered by two levers instead of a steering wheel. The
steering gear was geared to the crankshaft. They called it
‘steam steering’. He threshed for my father in 1915 and
1921. I understand this engine was purchased by an outfit in Iowa
who re-conditions engines for show purposes. This purchase was made
in recent years.
Could someone tell me when the M. Rumely Co. took over the
Advance Thresher Company ? Did they continue to manufacture both
makes for a while before they began to make Advance-Rumelys?