The Aultman & Taylor Company

Estimated output of machines for 1897 was as follows: 10 17 x 28
Dixies, 20 20 x 32 Dixies, 28 23 x 36 Dixies, 24 27 x 40 Dixies, 25
30 x 44 Dixies, 25 32 x 48 Dixies, 66 30 x 46 Columbias, 65 33 x 50
Columbias, 65 33 x 56 Columbias, 25 42 x 64 Columbias, 10 #2
hullers, 75 #3 hullers, 25 #4 hullers, 35 Galland stackers, 65
Netherly stackers, and 50 Harvey feeders.

The Harvey feeder was built solely for the firm’s clover
hullers. They had left over from 1896 35 #3 and #4 clover hullers,
which gave the company a total of 145 hullers to sell that year.
Aultman & Taylor planned to produce that year a total of 353
separators, 100 stackers, and 50 Harvey feeders. Provision was made
to increase the production of Harvey feeders if necessary.

In June of 1897 it became evident that the firm’s output was
not sufficient to meet the demand. So the company increased the
production of Dixie separators as follows: Six of the 17 x 28
model, 10 of the 20 x 32 model, two of the 23 x 36 model, and four
of the 27 x 40 model. That was a total increase of 22 Dixie
threshers. At the same time the superintendent was instructed to
order all of the material necessary for the construction of 25
Columbia separators. When all of the figures are combined, the
company built a total of no fewer than 400 separators during
1897.

In 1897, Aultman & Taylor planned to produce 22 Columbia Jr.
16 HP straw-burning traction engines, 10 Eureka Jr. 8 HP simple
traction engines, 35 Eureka 12 HP simple traction engines, and 20
Hercules 16 HP simple traction engines. In addition to the 87
simple engines planned for 1897, the company planned to build 42
compound engines, making a total of 129 engines for that year. The
officials of the company were also instructed to provide material
and have ready the wheels, cylinders, and such other items as
required to prepare for an increase of 15 Columbia Jr. compound 20
HP straw-burning traction engines. Also in 1897, the company
planned to produce 75 horse powers.

In 1898, the company planned to build 12 Baby Elephant 6 HP
portable farm engines, 20 Standard Jr. 8 HP portable engines, five
Standard 10 HP portable engines, eight Samson Jr. 12 HP portable
engines, zero Samson 16 HP portable engines, 20 Ajax 20 HP portable
engines, 30 Hercules 16 HP simple traction engines, 76 Eureka 12 HP
simple traction engines, 28 Eureka Jr. 8 HP simple traction
engines, five Cyclone 14 HP simple straw-burning traction engines,
five Hercules compound traction engines, and 15 Columbia Jr. 16 HP
simple or 20 HP compound straw-burning traction engines. The
company had on hand from the previous year one Standard, two Samson
Jr., six Samson, two Ajax, one Eureka, one Eureka Jr., one Hercules
compound, and four Columbia Jr. engines. In summary, Aultman &
Taylor had 18 engines on hand from 1897 and planned to produce 224
engines, for a total of 242 engines to sell in 1898.

In 1898, Aultman & Taylor projected the building of 10 17 x
28 Dixies, 40 20 x 32 Dixies, 40 23 x 36 Dixies, 40 27 x 40 Dixies,
50 30 x 40 Dixies, 35 32 x 48 Dixies, 85 30 x 46 Columbias, 70 33 x
50 Columbias, 100 36 x 56 Columbias, 10 42 x 64 Columbias, 10
19-inch Special Mexicans, and 10 of an unspecified size of
Mexicans. To this output of threshers were added 17 separators
carried over from 1897. In summary, the firm planned to build 215
Dixie, 265 Columbia, and 20 Mexican separators. The company also
built during that year the following clover hullers: 20 #2, 150 #3,
and 100 #4, making a total of 270 hullers.

There is no record of the automatic stackers that the firm built
during 1899, but there was a good demand for them. They were
expensive to build, and the officials of the company did not
consider it wise to push the sales of those stackers. Due to the
cost of manufacturing them it was felt that they would be unable to
realize satisfactory returns. Those stackers were built by the
thresher companies for only a few years, when they were replaced by
the wind stackers.

During 1899 the firm built no clover hullers since 93 were on
hand from the previous year, nearly all of which were #3 size. The
company had sufficient stock to build 110 to 115 hullers in the
event that the trade warranted their construction. It was stated
that the #4 huller could be set up at once, if there arose a sudden
demand for them. In any case the record shows that, during 1899,
the firm sold 64 hullers, which left 29 on hand to be carried over
to the next year.

In 1899, Aultman & Taylor planned to build 75 plain engines,
140 simple cylinder traction engines, and 49 compound engines, with
24 engines carried over from 1898’s production plans and with
65 engines on hand. The company projected the building of 264
Dixies, 309 Columbias, 18 Mexicans, and 18 experimental ‘New
Centuries,’ with 18 threshers carried over from 1898’s
production plans. The firm also planned to build 37 wind stackers
for hullers and 116 wind stackers for separators, with 34 of both
types carried over.

In 1900, Aultman & Taylor planned to build 10 10 HP
portables, eight 12 HP portables, 10 15 HP portables, and five 20
HP portables, for a total of 33 portables. The company projected
the building of 50 12 HP Eurekas, 50 16 HP Hercules, and 25 20 HP
Columbia Jr. engines for a total of 125 simple traction engines.
The firm planned to build 25 compound 14 HP Eurekas and five
compound 20 HP Columbia Jr. engines for a total of 30 compound
traction engines. As of Dec. 31, 1899, the company had 65 engines
on hand at the factory.

In 1900, the company planned to build 50 25-inch Dixies, 50
27-inch Dixies, 20 30-inch Dixies, and 40 32-inch Dixies, for a
total of 160 Dixies. The firm expected to build 50 30-inch
Columbias, 100 33-inch Columbias, 10 36-inch Columbias, and 10
42-inch Columbias, for a total of 170 Columbias. On hand were 141
threshers. The Mexican machines were already provided for either on
hand or being built. With respect to the New Century machines and
the changes to the Dixies with which the company was experimenting
during 1899, neither was in shape to be recommended for manufacture
in anything but an experimental few.

In 1901, Aultman & Taylor planned to build nine 20 x 32
Dixies, 44 27 x 40 Dixies, nine 30 x 44 Dixies, and eight 32 x 48
Dixies, for a total of 70 Dixies. The company projected 12 30 x 46
Columbias, 22 33 x 50 Columbias, four 36 x 56 Columbias, and 10 42
x 64 Columbias, for a total of 48 Columbias. The firm planned to
produce 15 20 x 32 New Centuries, 25 23 x 36 New Centuries, 35 27 x
40 New Centuries, 50 30 x 44 New Centuries, 35 32 x 48 new
Centuries, 20 36 x 56 New Centuries, and five 42 x 64 New
Centuries, for a total of 185 New Centuries.

With reference to the engines for 1901 the president recommended
that the company start with 75 Hercules and 50 Eurekas. That along
with other sizes and those carried over gave the firm a total of
300 engines to sell in 1901. The records give no breakdown with
respect to the types of engines that the company built, but the
catalog for that year carried advertisements of all of their
engines, including the simple and compound engines. It is fair to
assume that the output of engines for that year included all of the
types built during previous years.

The estimated output for the season of 1902 presented to the
board of directors by the president was approved. With the
exception of the 32 x 56 Model, the output of New Century
separators was increased 50 percent. This is not too meaningful,
since no figures are available for their output of threshers and
engines for 1902.

In 1903, Aultman & Taylor planned to build 30 23 x 36 Mew
Centuries, 66 27 x 42 New Centuries, 30 30 x 46 New Centuries, 200
32 x 56 New Centuries, 185 36 x 56 New Centuries, and 40 42 x 64
New Centuries, for a total of 551 New Century separators. Material
was to be provided for a possible increase of 25 percent on all but
the 42 x 64 separators. The actual output for 1903 amounted to
about 500 separators and 150 clover hullers. The last Dixie
separators were built in 1901, and beginning with 1902 the company
produced only New Century separators.

In 1903 Aultman & Taylor planned to build six 6 HP plain
engines, 10 8 HP plain engines, six 10 HP plain engines, five 12 HP
plain engines, five 16 HP plain engines, and four 20 HP plain
engines, for a total of 36 plain engines. The company projected 10
Eureka Jr. engines, 10 Eureka Jr. compound engines, 10 Eureka
engines, nine Eureka compound engines, 75 Hercules engines, and 10
Hercules compound engines, for a total of 124 bevel gear engines.
The firm planned to construct 35 25 HP spur gear engines, 20 20 HP
spur gear engines, and an unspecified number of 14 HP spur gear
engines. Also, 32 tractions of all sizes and 16 plain engines were
carried over from the previous seasons.

In 1904, the firm planned to build 20 25 HP spur gear engines,
50 20 HP spur gear engines, 10 16 HP spur gear engines, and 10 14
HP spur gear engines, for a total of 90. The company projected 10 8
HP Eureka Jr. engines, 20 12 HP Eureka Jr. engines, and 40 16 HP
Hercules engines, for a total of 70. As soon as was expedient, the
officials were instructed to order boiler plate to build such
further numbers of 14, 16, 20, and 25 HP engines as might be needed
to satisfy the demand.

No figures are available on the output of separators and hullers
for 1904, but the company’s projected goal was to build 600
separators and 150 to 200 clover hullers per year.

In 1905, Aultman & Taylor planned to produce two 6 HP, four
8 HP, seven 10 HP, 10 12 HP, 25 16 HP, nine 20 HP, and five 25 HP
plain engines, for a total of 62 plain engines. The firm projected
the building of six 8 HP and five 12 HP bevel gear engines, for a
total of 11. The company also planned 50 14 HP, 50 16 HP, five 16
HP straw-burning, 75 20 HP, and 50 25 HP spur gear engines, for a
total of 230. That there was a market for increased power is shown
by the fact that the 16, 20, and 25 HP engines were in the
strongest demand. It is also true that there was a dramatic
decrease in the number of bevel gear engines that the firm planned
to construct. The committee on output for 1905 submitted its
report, which was discussed and accepted with the exception of the
32 x 50 New Century separators. It was deemed advisable to increase
the production of that size from 100 to 120 machines. During 1905,
the firm planned to build a total of 490 separators, 10 hullers, 25
Sattley stackers, and 121 baggers. The company also made provision
for material from which to increase the output of separators by 25
percent, if the trade warranted it. Even as late as 1905 there was
still some demand for horsepowers. The company estimated that it
needed to build that year 40 horsepowers in sizes 10, 12, and 14
HP.

The firm also built during that same year the following water
tanks: 50 #1 (10-barrel), 20 #2 (12-barrel), and 30 #3 (15-barrel),
making a total of 100 water tanks .

At the directors meeting in June of 1905, Kalmerten brought to
the board’s attention a separating beater for the New Century
thresher. It was recommended simultaneously by three of the
company’s customers, one of whom had put it to practical tests.
The company experimented with the new device in home territory
during the season of 1905.

Still another device of a secret nature was mentioned. It was
stated that it would tend toward radical improvement of the
firm’s separator. Its construction was advocated by Louis
Snyder of Hastings, Ohio. The president and secretary were
authorized to enter into an agreement with Snyder for the use of
his device.

No information is at hand to indicate whether those devices were
incorporated in the building of the New Century separator. However,
the above information is significant, in that it suggests that the
company was constantly alert to any improvement that could be made
on its separators.

In 1906, Aultman & Taylor planned to construct 50 20 x 36
threshers, 40 23 x 36 threshers, 60 27 x 42 threshers, 75 30 x 46
threshers, 120 32 x 50 threshers, 150 36 x 56 threshers, and 55 42
x 64 threshers, for a total of 540 threshers. The company also
planned to build 10 #2, 30 #3, and 160 #4 clover hullers, for a
total of 200. The firm projected the need for two 8 HP and two 12
HP, making a total of four bevel gear engines, eight 8 HP, 18 12
HP, 50 14 HP, 85 16 HP, 75 20 HP, and 65 25 HP, making a total of
301 spur gear engines, and six 6 HP, five 8 HP, 10 10 HP, six 12
HP, 25 16 HP, 10 20 HP, and 10 25 HP, making a total of 72 plain
engines.

On Nov. 6, 1906, the superintendent was instructed to build and
complete the following engines in the order mentioned for the trade
of 1907: 10 14 HP tractions, 10 16 HP plain engines, 15 16 HP
traction engines, 10 20 HP traction engines, making a total of 45
steam engines for 1907.

On Jan. 20, 1910, the officials were authorized to purchase the
White separator patents at a price of $10,000, which included
royalties for 1909. No explanation was given for the purchase of
the White patents.

On Nov. 1, 1910, the directors approved the action of the
executive committee requisitioning 385 separators. They were
authorized to call for 500 additional separators in such quantities
as necessary to keep the shops running economically until the time
of the annual meeting of the stockholders. Clover hullers and steam
engines were requisitioned in the same manner.

On Jan. 19, 1911, the executive committee was authorized to call
for gas engines in lots of 25 from time to time as conditions
required; to build no more than 200 steam traction engines in sizes
such as the trade required; and to requisition such numbers of
hullers, sawmills, separators, and attachments as the conditions of
the trade demanded. During 1912 the company built 250 separators
and presumably about the same number of steam engines and tractors
as in 1911.

No figures are available for 1913 and 1914.

The company’s output for 1915 was as follows: 750
separators, 110 hullers, 25 to 50 bean threshers, 290 steam
engines, and 160 gas tractors. Sawmills were to be built as the
need developed, and attachments were manufactured as the trade
required.

The output in number for the year 1916 was similar to that of
1915, with the exception of the company’s tractors. Aultman
& Taylor built 64 more than in 1915, or a total of 224 for
1916. That same year, the firm produced 98 fewer steam engines, or
a total of 112. As might be expected, these figures reflect the
decline in demand for steam engines. However, during the same
period of time the figures show a marked increase in the demand for
tractors.

The company’s output for 1917 was as follows: 800
separators, 125 hullers, 25 bean machines, 50 sawmills, 175 steam
engines, and 300 tractors. The executive committee was authorized
to increase or decrease the output according to requirements as the
season advanced. It was their intention to increase their sales of
separators. They felt that the output and sales were not
sufficient, and they intended to take steps to offer inducements
that would produce increased sales.

Much of the preceding data has been presented in lieu of more
reliable figures. It must be emphasized that the figures that have
been given are for the most part estimates of the company’s
annual production. Obviously those estimates were altered from time
to time in concurrence with changing demands. As will be indicated
later, Aultman & Taylor built 9,393 steam engines. It is also
fair to state that the firm produced no fewer than 44,000
separators.¹

An amazing fact emerges as one contemplates the large number of
separators built by this company: Only a relatively small number of
them are in existence. The ravages of time have taken their toll,
and most of the Aultman & Taylor separators are gone. It is to
be regretted that they were not accorded better care.

Notes

1. Record Book, Minutes of the Meetings of the Stockholders and
Directors of the Aultman & Taylor Machinery Company.

Next issue in Chapter 12: A detailed look at Aultman
& Taylor’s 45-120 HP engine and other unique machines, in
the September/October issue of Iron-Men Album.