A small park, this is actually referred to on a plaque in the park as a garden. The centre of the park is defined by a circle of pavement surrounded by sections of grey pavers. In the centre of the circle is a circle of gravel, in which sits an old sulky plow. On one of the operator's levers is a metal plaque with a dedication to one of the pioneers of the Hythe area, community builder and businessman, Merv Staggs.
Behind the circle stands a windmill, representative of the homesteads which eventually surrounded the town, each one with at least one windmill pumping water for both home and livestock. One one side of the windmill's tail vane is the word
SAMSON, while on the other side are the words
T. EATON CO. WINNIPEG, indicating both the manufacturer and the distributor. A large sign mounted on the windmill,
HYTHE HOMES for SENIORS, indicates that the park was established in conjunction with the seniors care home behind the park.
Made by the Stover Manufacturing Company of Freeport, IL, Samson windmills were made for many years, becoming a common site throughout North America. They made many models in many sizes, most of which were quite similar. As a result, we wouldn't hazard a guess as to the model or the year of manufacture of this particular windmill.
Samson Windmill History
The Samson is one of the most common of the open back geared windmills found anywhere in the US. It is a twin open back geared mill manufactured in a wide range of sizes that was placed on the market just at the turn of the century. It remained the most prominent steel mill from the Stover Manufacturing Company and later Stover Manufacturing and Engine Company until the introduction of the firm's first self oiling steel mills in the mid 1920's. Even today the open gear Samson mills may be found in service pumping water for livestock and domestic use, although they are not seen nearly as often as the later oil bath Samson Oil Rite mills.
In the mid 1890's, while the Ideal Steel remained a major product of the Stover Manufacturing Company, the firm's engineering staff was at work on the mill which would take its place. About 1898 a preliminary 6' model of this mill which came to be known as the Samson, was constructed and was placed on a tower at the factory, where it ran "day and night for more than a year, doing heavy pumping" in order for the engineers to evaluate its operation. Then in 1899, a larger 20' mill was developed, and several prototypes were erected in Texas over 400 and 700 foot wells operating 4" cylinders as a further test. The first commercially marketed mills were made available in 1900, after which time a large advertising campaign made the general public aware of their availability.
The Samson was marketed at the peak of foreign trade activity by the Stover Manufacturing Company, which became one of the most important American windmill exporters. The export enterprise did require a price, but the efforts of the firm resulted in considerable profits as well as in spreading the name of Freeport, Illinois to the four corners of the earth.
Samson mills were manufactured in 4 3/4', 6', 8', 9', 10', 12' , 14', 16', 18', and 20' sizes. All these mills were available with babbitt bearings from the outset, but by about 1920 optional Hyatt roller bearings had become available in the 6', 8', 9', 10', and 12' sizes. The wheel of the mill consists of curved sheet steel blades attached with sheet steel clips on both sides of the blades to curved bar steel rims. The vane sheet of the mill also is made from galvanized sheet steel reinforced with heavy beaded wire around the outer edge as well as by riveted vertical steel girts. It is then attached to a substantial angle steel vane stem with an additional diagonal angle steel support member. Governing on the Samson is quite simple. A slightly off center wheel turns away from increasing winds. This is a counterbalance by a torsion spring which forces the wheel back to face the wind as the velocity decreases. A band friction brake around the hub prevents the wheel from turning, either when the mill is turned off or when the wind governs it out of the wind.
Manufactured for a quarter of a century and sold in all parts of the US and around the world, the Samson remains one of the most common of the open geared steel windmills. They are remarkably durable, and even may be observed today in operation after many years of use.
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