The Spencer Steam Tractor

Transcription

1 The Spencer Steam Tractor A Wayne County Original Linda Dix Lee Wayne County Historical Society Wayne County, Pennsylvania

2 An Idea Was Born David Spencer 1876 Philadelphia Centennial Pleasant Mount Spencer Farm

3 David Spencer 1854(?) 1944

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5 David Spencer

6 The Search for Parts

7 Collected Parts High Pressure Steam Gauge Set of Artillery Wagon Wheels Teat Axle Set of Extra Heavy Wagon Springs Ash Lumber Differential Gear Single Cylinder Yacht Engines (2)

8 Custom Work Castings Lanesboro, PA 185 Pound Pressure Boiler Spencer Design Shapley & Wells Fabrication Patterns George for Gears and Pinions Spencer Shop, Thompson Blacksmith Frank Work Spencer, Pleasant Mount

9 Site of Blacksmith Shop Route 371, East of Pleasant Mount

10 The Invention is Complete A Historic Day December 15, 1888 Pleasant Mount

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12 A Trial Run. December, 1888

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14 Presentation to the Public. July 4, 1889

15 First Store in Pleasant Mount First Store in Pleasant Mount

16 Presbyterian Church

17 Frank O Neill Pleasant Mount

18 Lourdes O Neill

19 Traveling West on Route 670

20 Intersection of Two Turnpikes

21 Past Meredith Park

22 Through the Village of Pleasant Mount

23 To the North Road

24 Up the North Road

25 To the John Dix Farm

26 And Back to the Presbyterian Church A Three Mile Trip!

27 Some Interesting Statistics Speed about 4 MPH Power about HP Weight 3100 Lbs. Cost - $10,000 Ran forward or backward Wheels: Rear = 60 D; Front = 54 D Required: A fireman and driver

28 The Tractor Was Equipped With A boiler, smokestack & engines (rear) A fire blower An injector (force water into blower) An auxiliary pump Grates for wood or coal Brakes on each rear wheel

29 Facing Reality...

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31 Tractor Needs Major Changes in Design After using tractor to carry logs and thresh oats, Spencer decides to let others carry on his dream.

32 End of An era David Spencer died Feb. 28, 1944 Reached age of 89 Lived to see original idea develop into a horseless age His invention made Wayne County and Pennsylvania History

33 David Spencer 1854(?) 1944

34 The Tractor Changes Hands...

35 Incomplete List of Owners 1944 to 2003 Thomas H. Jones Wayne County Historical Society? Bob Stahr Alan Grieme

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37 And Falls Into a State of Disrepair...

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39 An Idea Is Born

40 WCHS Farm Museum Committee Dave Williams Rod Brown Tom Nebzydoski Paul Liptak Linda Dix Lee, Chair

41 A Visit is Made... November 25, 2003 Stockertown, PA Northampton County

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48 Support is Sought... WCHS Board Meeting January 15, 2004

49 CER TRACTOR BACK TO WAYNE COUNTY OARD OF DIRECTORS inda Dix Lee, Chair DATE: JANUARY 15, 2004 Brown, Committee Member The idea for building Wayne County's first steam tractor was conceived by David ctor eventually found its way from Pleasant ROPOSAL: rice - $3000 max Pallet - $500 e Williams Storage - donated site on-operating condition) Estimated range - $ ,000 ing - Phase I cted before transfer of tractor aid by Farm Museum Committee over a three year period) ng - Phase n he following means: Donations of materials and labor g by the Farm Museum Committee Museum during Fair weeks Future Placement the restored tractor at a suitable site. tim

50 Volunteers are Recruited Linda Dix Lee Overall Coordinator Dave Williams Mastermind of Move Rod Brown Photographs/Help Tom Nebzydoski Found Mover/Help Tim Hall Rollback Truck/Expertise

51 Tim Hall in His Auto Shop

52 A Historic Day The Spencer Steam Tractor Comes Home February 7, 2004

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87 A Generous Offer of a Storage Barn Spencer McBain Pleasant Mount Great Great Nephew of David Spencer

88 A Safe Resting Place

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92 April 24, 2004 Volunteers Meet to Clean Out the Weeds Preserve the Wheels Measure for Wood Replacement Parts Plan for the Future

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101 An Offer of Ash Timber for wood replacement parts is received from owners of 1800 s Earl Kennedy farm where original ash for tractor was cut.

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103 Another Offer Is Received from neighbor Ronnie Peck to saw the timber into boards with his sawmill.

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105 A Loss. David W. Dix, whose Grandmother was a Spencer and related to the inventor, passed away on May 9, David lived to see his dream fulfilled, the return of the Spencer Tractor back to its Wayne County home.

106 David W. Dix A Dream Fulfilled

107 And a Gain. Gifts in David s memory push the tractor fund past the purchase cost.

108 Generous Gifts Pay Cost of Tractor in Full Cost of Tractor - $3,000 Donations Prior to May 9, 2004: $860 Gifts: Memory, David W. Dix: $2235 Total = $3095

109 What s Next? Restoration!!! This... To This

110 Restoration Fund Spencer Steam Tractor Wayne County Historical Society P O Box 446 Honesdale, PA 18431

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