The museum calls itself the "Miracle of America Museum". Outside, at the rear of the museum, is a huge and eclectic collection of things mechanical, such as howitzers, stationary engines, farm implements, industrial equipment, cars, trucks and tractors. In front of the museum, as grabbers, are several pieces of machinery which may be viewed anytime, free of charge.
This Advance Steam Tractor is one of the pieces in the front of the museum. Made by the Advance Thresher Company of Battle Creek, Michigan, this steamer was not terribly large, as steamers go. This specimen is likely a 30 HP model. You'll notice it's missing the operator's platform at the rear. Given the Engine Number (3671), it was apparently built in the latter part of 1896.
Interesting Advance Thresher Company History
This company was organized March 1, 1881, and is now capitalized at $1,500,000. The entire plant covers about 60 acres and has a total floor space of about 570,000 square feet. The capacity, working ten hours a day for eleven months in the year, is 1,000 engines, 1,800 separators,1,500 straw stackers, 2,000 feeders, 2,000 grain measures, loaders, etc.,600 corn huskers and 700 water tanks with a total value of about $4,000,000. The number of employees varies during: the year, but will average 575. Their wages for the year amount to $360,000 exclusive of office help and traveling salesmen.
The plant is operated throughout by electricity supplied by a modern electrical equipment of 1,500 horse power. Scattered through the shops are 40 individual motors, 2,000 incandescent electric lights and 180 arc lamps. They have their own inter-communicating telephone system with 30 telephones, and in addition their private telegraph wires. Two watchmen are employed with 100 stations to visit and they record the time of each visit on a time clock. Alarms of fire may be turned in from 12 stations on their auxiliary fire system and the alarms are registered on a tape at the fire department so they know which building to visit.
Their shipping facilities are complete, three railroads passing directly past the plant with 7,020 feet of side tracks in their yards, giving plenty of room for switching and making up train loads. Their product is marketed all over the world, but their chief exports go to South America. They have 19 distributing warehouses scattered over the grain districts of the United States and in addition numerous dealers and thousands of local agents.
See the entry for Aultman & Taylor. This company sold a circular sawmill, but it was likely an OEM arrangement with manufacturer Aultman & Taylor. Information sources: 1901 catalog; 1910-11 yearbook.
Manufactured Portable Steam Engines (ca 1880's) & Steam Traction Engines (ca 1890's-1920's).
From Vintage Machinery