The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1859-10-01

Fawkes' Steam PIow and Farm Engine.
Amongst the many attractive features OF
the late Illinois State Fair. held at Freeport.
the foremost was the Steam PloWf and Farm
Engine of Joseph W. Fawkes, of Penn,
Isylyania. which was on exhibition and trial,
competing for the threee thousand dollar
prize. offered by the Illinois State Board of
Agriculture for the best steam blowing ma
chine.
j The only entry that came within the terms
of the resolution offering the prize was that
fMr. Fawkes. The Executive Committee
of the State Beard sof Agriculture, appoin-
ted Mechanics COMMITTEES to conduct the
!, experiments. consisting of Isaac A Hedges.
/ and A. B. Latta, of Cincinnati. and p. w.
Gates of Chicago. all practical machinists
of great experience and ability. -
Tie final trial took place on the last day.
of the Fair, in the presence of a ooncourse
of thousands of spectators. Before pro-
ceeding to the blowing trial, the Engine
! made a detour of the Fair Grounds for over
a mile with wagon loaded with people at
tached behind, and the deck of the Engine
also heavily frieghted with ladies and gem
llemen. The detour was performed easily
and rapidly. and confirmed the favorable
impressions of the capabilities of the En-
gine Tor drawing loads of grain, etc., over
common roads. G
! At the appointed time the plows were at
tached. and the engine started TO work, but
after going about fifteen yards. the wooden
! pins which held the hooks of the draught
ckalns yielded to an enormous force, and
broke, and the engine being stopped an ex-
i animation disclosed the fact that the plows
had been set for stubble work, and were ac-
tualiy blowing the virgin prairie sod to a
depth of seven inches. Tie ground had
/ become baked as hard as stone almost, by a
three months drouth, and was in such con-
dtion that an old prairie farmer present de-
ciared that it would be barely possible for a
man with team of six horses to pillow
more than an acre and quarter per day.
working from morning to night. The
4 wooden pins are used by Fawkes for jus
such emergencies, SO that if the gang o
plows should strike an obstruction, th,
pins would break before the plows received
, damage. While waiting to have the pins
replaced, smart shower wetted the ground,
which. previously dry, was as if oiled, sc
. that the wooden drum, or driving wheel OF
the machine from which the spuds had
been broken during its transportation from
< Philadelphia-slipped so as TO prevent fur'
4 Their progress at that time. Fawkes thel
accepted an offer of the Executive Commit
tee to adjourn the trial until his return
{ from the Ameaican institute Fair, in New
: York, aid from Virginia subsequent.
S (where county society has agreed to pa,
t him $1,000 and his expenses, to make al
i exhibition. when he will fulfill the stipu
( lations of an offer of the Illinois Contra
a Railroad Company, to have his rlow prac
! tically tested at three different points on tn
:. line of the road, for which if successful b
J. is TO receive from the Company prize Q
il ST, $50. and also the 5000 prize of th
81 Agricultural Society, which the Executiy
h Committee decided not to award until afte
J. further experiments, although the Mechan
: ical Committee unanimously recommend
,fl ed it. ,-s s.#. s- .,-ss.
!, Weextract the following from the report c
1t the Committee of Machinists, showing th
T. caracily of the Engine, and its adaptabilit
for farm work:
First: The weight ten tuns, as reported by M
! Fawkes, -
. 10 pounds, or two bushels and ten pounds of in
> frrior eoa with one-egh tn part of cord of wooG
:, .vorl'ing about l50 gallons of water, and pillow
" i. ing acre in twelve minutes (which include
turEiRgE.
inI The wsod used was mostly of lime, and consd
:. erabIy decayed and would have been elected uI
, 4 ON steamboats,. ~
+. Third: The amount of traction differeI
/, grades of land would be matter difficult to d.
: termine, with the facilities in the hands of til
Is Committee. We had the engine run up the var
y, GUS grades of the Fair grounds, passing into
:" gully, with the plows swung in The rear, who
r struck on one baak as the main roller was raisin
e the other which overpowered the engine. but al
~ on detnehing the pIows, the machine moved OF
.irI without the least difficulty Upon measurement
the grade was found to be one foot vertical to fol
vi on the horizontal line. Steam. by the indicate
er WAS marked at only 60 loo being his ordil
81 aty pressure .4&
'd fourth: The fraction produced by the pressu
en against the shoulders of the axles. instead of
, ing fair on the Journals (which OF less size
ea may possibly make slight waste. of power
lid running across inclined planes. The wear al
!. tear wouIi BE- the with any other steal
u svngine used for locoEsotion.
OF The engine s,f-ly be run across incl
ed plane OF 50 :. b. cause Of ats great breadth
ca base. (six feet)-the principal part of the boil,
Is tn heavy hrebox. and great portion of the IN
chincry, being below the center
:" fifth: We have previously stated that an &C
nd could be pl0wed in twelve minutes; but exal
20 NATION of the fol owing computations will del
~ nnsfr.ate its actual perf,Fnanc a striD of Ian