The Clinton Jacksons

The setting of this old style country home is of unusual beauty,
nestled among the rolling hills, with plenty of very rich farm
land. Mr. Jackson is a college graduate and a real thinking person,
especially about steam engines and other machinery, such, as saw
mills, revamping some of the old thresher engines, putting two
steam domes on an Avery undermounted 22 making a real Hot Rod out
of a 14 Minneapolis return flue, which Mr. Jackson is asked to show
at many gatherings, and most generally gets paid for doing it.

Mr. Jackson has patented and perfected an unusual portable saw
mill which can be set and operated in 20 minutes with but one
person, being head sawyer, carriage man, log turner, saw dust
carrier, in fact he does all but roll the logs and pile the lumber.
This can be hauled down a paved highway at a speed of 50 miles per
hour, is very sturdily built which causes it to produce almost
perfectly cut lumber. He also is a designer and draftsman.

Mr. Jackson has recently patented and is manufacturing what I
call a ‘miracle’. Personally I have had some years
operating a portable saw mill and feel I am qualified to comment on
this new invention. It is a portable saw filing machine. He can
file and swedge a 60′ saw in five minutes. These machines can
be attached to a mill and left on it ready to be put into service
on a seconds notice. In fact it grinds the tooth to a perfect sharp
edge and keeps the two high points square as they must be to do
clean and straight sawing. It beats anything I have ever seen.

Mr. Jackson has a collection of several good steam engines and
has them all cleaned up and painted, and as ready as the old time
steam fire engine, which I think is very commendable. So many of
our so-called hobbyists are a little careless about getting engines
in shape but not so with Jackson.

Mr. and Mrs. Jackson have a very beautiful daughter, who is not
only a capable private secretary, but a good help to her mother and
a good handler of this big Avery 22. She has promised me a ride on
the old Avery. Last, but not least by any means, Mrs. Jackson is a
real mother and helpmate around this fine home. She is a real
hostess and a real housekeeper and also is able to plant several
acres of Wisconsin pines. Mr. Jackson saw an opportunity to get
water pressure to his lovely home without much effort since he dug
his well on top of one of the nearby hills, and also erected his
aerial on top of this same hill, which gives him very good
reception of his TV set. Jackson has a machine shop on his farm
which would have put some of the smaller thresher manufacturers to
shame. He is also a real welder since he understands the handling
of steel and other metals and knows the reaction of certain metals
when put under a great heat.

It is time well spent to visit the Jackson Proving Grounds and
enjoy the real hospitality which is so freely given by all the
Jacksons. In fear that this letter might tire you, Mr. Reader, it
is my personal impression I should bring this to a close, and if
Brother Elmer doesn’t pile this in his cob shed I might try
another time.

I have wondered for many years just how many old timers have
ever told our good friend Elmer just how much we all appreciate his
efforts in getting out his little magazine. Let’s tell old
Elmer. He is human you know.