The penny press. [volume] (Cincinnati [Ohio]) 1859-1860, 1859-09-23
The Detroit Steam Plow.


We avail ourselves Of Thuraton's descrip-
ton Of the steam plow, exhibited at Chicago
by Mr.. James, Waters, Of Detroit, Michigan;
Entire length of engine, tender and plow-
ing arrangement, fifty-hse feet; the engine
eighteen iost. A horizontal tubular boiler
nine feet is Suspended with the machinery
between two lfamn1oth wheels of boiler-iron
rirhs and two smaller wheels in front. The
water-tanh is situated under, the boiler, and
holds five barrels of water. Whole weight Of
engine seven. and half thns. II has 3our
cylinders FIVE and three. fourth inches in di-
aneter, twelve-inch stroke, making twenty 1
four fe4osutions to one OF the driying-wheel.
The leaditg wheel, arc i;Ye fest diameter,
thirteen inches tresdj the DRYERS ten feet
diameter ana twenty-six inches tread. o.
liquely across the idee of the 9riying-wheels
are riyeted plates Of corrugated oeller-iron,
being elevated two inches. These glye the
wheels firm hold upon the ground, so thstno
reasonable traction would cause them to slip.
The tender consists Of o square box sus-
pended between two wheels seven feet IN d.
ameter, eight inches broad, The water.tank
is situated underneath, and has q capacity OF
fifteen barrels. Coal or wood IS deposited
over the ,water-tank to the amount OF atun OF
Still in the rear of tho tender and attached
to it are two gangs Of Fyss ploWs, six IN one
| gang and seven in the other, supported BY four
Wheels, each three feet il diameter, two of
eisht.ineh, and the balance Of eight-inch
! tread, the rim band Of iron. The plows are
destitute Of the usual land side, cutting seven
teen and O, half inches each. The depth Of
blowing Is regulated by hand screws turned by
levers, which control the entire gangs. The
! first piey point is about fifteen feet in rear Of
The an gino or twenty feet from the tread Ofthe
dr;ve.wheel on tho ground The rear plow
follows at distance Of thirty-eight feet from
the same point of traction. .r. su.,
The swo gangs are attached separately to the
two ends of an eyener or large wElhetree, the
hind gang, being connected to ono spd py
sossuc Of wood. ....f...
ence to strength Gnd hghtness, the spokes be-
ine wrought 'ircs rods standing in suoh a pU-
sition as to give the greatest amount OF braeing
and sustaining power. 800. ,.s.n,
1t is IMPOSSIBLE to give minute description
of this large and extended machine witnopt
full drawing properly etfsf5d..
AT length Mr.. Waters came, ana being in
formed that the committee desired hinl to start
bis maoEine and see that II was in successful
operation, and that they would soon be at
hand, at twenty five minutes past five O'Clock
they started, turning o strip nineteen feet wide
and Eve inches deep. After ploHing about
twelve rods there was screw loose somewhere
at the rear gang, and lot some Of the plows
down to the depth of afoot. Twsnty men at
tempted to raise them out, and afier much
effort succeeded in getting under way at thirty
minutes past Ave o'clock. Again at thirty -one
rinutss past Ave, all came to stand.still, oc-
casioncd by disastrous accident. This was
occasioned by ono Of the wheels to the rear
gang crippling under and dragging sidswlse.
The men ut the plOws shouted in vain to stop.
On went the engine for some distance, till by
the dragging of the wheel and the deep sinking
of the plows, q strong connecing-rod broke
tho wheel axle gave way and the whole gang
/; was thrown into disorder. The machine wa'
therefore utterly disabled and abandoned Tor
the evening. .a.t 81. -,
, The whole amount plowcd was one-eighth o.
T. an acre, occupying two minutes Of actual run
ming time. A strong feeling OF sympathy was
expressed by the attending crowd, who hat
hoped to see tperform 10 the entire s&usiao
; ton Of oil concerned. ..- l,J'..
Mr.. Fawkes, on being informed Of the disas
ter to his competitor, expressed in mani!
nbras. his sincere regrets. Said be, "Gentle'
/; men, pity .he steam-plow man Who meet
: With an accident his fortune is hard euougi
at best. do sincerely pity Mr.. Waters"
The engine manifested great power, whicl
could only he kept up at large consumption
fuel and water. The drive-wheels did not sliI
until the plows dragged them down BY runninl
at great depth. The damage may he soo'
!. repaired and the plows further tested. Weean
E not sneak with any confidence Of this mode o
/ arranging and managing the plows. o. "a -