Cincinnati daily press. [volume] (Cincinnati [Ohio]) 1860-1862, 1860-05-28


From the Monroe County Clll.l sentinel
Steam Plowins Trlumphanti-tts First Act
ual Success IN AmeficnI-Scycnty Acres
of Illinois Prairie Broken by steam
The above is no sensation heading to sem
sation article, but a real statement Of facts as
they exist--in three sentences. We visited
Minooka, in Grundy County, last Friday, in
order TO observe the working OF Waters
steam plow in breaking prairie, and Will tell
our readers what we cav there. Un our ar
rival at Mnooka, we learned that Mr.. Waters
was at work. In company with Mr.. L. Smith,
who kindly volunteered to take us to >the
field, we left the station, going north, anu
passed over field of forty acres which had
been broken by Mr.. Waters, with his plow.
This was his first work. His plows not hav-
ing been well finished up and polished, the
breaking in this field was somewhat rough
and broken, but, altogether, was very well
done. The undulations in this field were
considerable, giving both an up and down
grade thus testing the capacity of the ma
chine in this respect.
Passing this ground, and ascending high
roll of the prairie, we caught sight OF the
plow in the distance, travelling gle lelsSHTeiy
across the prairle, drawing IT'S gang OF siA
plows, cutting furrow nine feet in width.
| The scene was grand and exciting. AS we
| approached the machine, we found waters
| quietly guiding it, with none but the neces-
sary attendants about him, and thus practi-
cally testing its ability and power before
seeking TO place 1t prominently before the
public. We noted down the operation OF the
machine whlle we were WIN IL. fIoni
given point it travelled twenty,,three minutes
| stopped six minutes for wood; ran thirteen
minutes, and stopped nine minutes for water
then ran nineteen minutes-making hity-hve
minutes running, time ana htteen minutes
| stoppage, Had the man whose duty u was
to furnish water ana wood performed the
duty ms he should, and could nave done ne
| would have saved at least hVe minutes oil
this time.
Estimating the ground plowed, as nearly
as we could without actually measuring II,
we found that during seventy-two minutes
Including stops) he had plowed o3-iVu
acres. That the machine can plow AT TINS
rate through the day without interruption,
is not to be expected in Its present condition,
The day previous 10 our visit Mr. w. pioweu
twelve acres with 1t. The plows mad been
put to some very severe tests in a Held full OF
small oak and hickory stumps or "gruDs.
These were cut of without injury to the
plows and apparently without effect upon
the engine. We measured one of these hick-
ory roots which had been cut through-its
diameter was four and a half inches.
In this trial Mr.. Waters uses but six OF his
gang of thirteen plows. His traction power
seems sufficient to draw them all, and when
some more convenient mode OF hanGllng and
managing them shall be adopted, he thinks
he will have no difficulty in using the full
gang.
As the machine is now arranged, it requires
one and half cords of wood, a hand team
to supply fuel and water, (the water in thi:
case being half mile away) a fireman, two
men to manage the plows, besides Mr.. Waters
to which add oil, &C., and Mr.. W. says the
cost to him is less than so per day.
James Waters the inventor, deserves more
than passing notice-more than our space
and the data in our possession will permit u!
to give. Naturally very retiring, he ha'
worked quietly and almost unknown. Hi
mechanical talent and judgment are of SUI
perior order. So complete were his PLAN
perfected within his own mind that withir
three months from the time the first blow wa!
struck on his machine in Detroit, he drove il
into the United States Fair Grounds, in thi;
city, amid the shouts of the assembled thou
sands. 1t there demonstrated its enormous