Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1873-03-05
AN OX-POWER SAWAILL IN HART
FORD, OHIO

FORD, OHIO
t ED. CHRoNICLE:-I send you ar
account OF an ox-power sawmill bull
in this township by man from Pitts
, burgh. Although fifty years have
elapsed since that period, what s
change! Those noble foIests, which
require centuries for their growth, are
fast passing away. Ere another gen.
Grafton shall have had its history
written, there Will be but little to re-
mind US of those grand old woods and
of those mighty monsrchs of the for.
est which are fast disappearing be-
meath the wOodman's ak; and judg-
ing by the past, like the red man, the
companions of their youth, will soon
exist only on the pages OF history.
1t is true that fifty years is but a
short space in national life, yetit may
be desirable sometime to look back
a little. and learn something Of the
lives our fathers lived, thus enabling
US to better judge Of the march of i'm
provements that has taken place
even in that short period. At that
time steam sawmills were something
in the future, and water mills were
frequently inconveniently remote
I from farmers, who required their aid
in preparing the timber for building
purposes.
The sawmill to which we refer was
intended to remedy the evil here spok-
en- OF, and occupy a position filled by
steam power at later date.
The following account was received
from one engaged in its construction,
and is undoubtedly anthentic.
This mill was built in 1922, after
original plans by the proprietors. 1t
was situated on lot IS, half mile east
of the center, on land now known as
the Tracy farm. The frame was made
Of very heavy timber, and Of the usual
two stories in height. A millwright
named Ezra GOodell superintended
the construction OF the machinery,
making the patterns for the castings.
which were cast at Pittsburgh. The
main driving wheel was about forty
feet in diameter; the shaft was some
sixteen feet long, and two and one
half feet in diameter. In the center
of the shaft-it being octagonal-were
eight arms, six by twenty inches and
twenty feet long, dovetailed into the
shaft. and on the other end Of the
arms was framed piece also, six by
twelve, about thirteen feet in length.
These arms were strongly braced, one
to the other, all around the large driv-
ing wheel. The pieces on the ends Of
the arms made the length Of the wheel
thirteen feet. Between the large arms
smaller arms were framed, with small |
or cross pieces Of the same length. On
the inside OF this driving wheel, and
on the cross pieces st the end of the
arms, hoops were placed, made of
small hickory trees split in the middle
and hewn out about two by six inch
es, and put around this driving wheel,
and pinned to. the cross pieces at the
end Of the arms. On these hoops
were pinned narrow plank thirteen
feet in length, which made floor each
side OF the arms of the driving wheel
for pair of oxen to walk up enough
to make the wheel move and carry
the saw.
The shaft OF the wheel had heavy
gudgeons, and cast iron boxes; one
was placed on a plate of the mill, and
the other on the top of post made
by q white oak tree, about three feet
in diameter, being at the right dis
tance from the mill for the other end |
of the shaft, the upper part of the tree
being cut down at the height oftweDty |
feet. On each eDd OF the shaft was a |
set OF smaller arms, about twelve feet /
long, bound firmly together. On this |
teen feet cast iron wheel was securely |
fastened, which mashed into a cast |
iron trundle- head about three and a
half feet in diameter, to which wss
attached another seventeen feet cog
wheel, which mashed into q smaller
wheel on the crank shaft, on which |
was also a heavy wooden balauce
wheel, about seven feet in diameter,
and the rim foot square.
This sawmill was run with two
yoke OF cattle-one pair at a time
and could saw from one to. one and a |
half thousand feet per day. It was
not profitable to the owner, and 1t
soon went down. The treadmill was
one OF the wonders Of the day. Its |
novelty excited some curiosity, and |
many people came from quite long |
distances TO see it. 1t was constantly |
getting out of repair, and the motive
power did not prove quite satisfactory.
Much discussion took place in the |
neighborhood as to the defects and the |
best means to correct them. 1t was
thought by some persons that if the |
mill had been situated on a side hill, so |
that the power could have been sp-
piled on the outside of the wheel, it |
would have been a success.
One waggish old gentleman suggest
ed that some bears be caught and |
Ifalne ltl IIIS bnrnosa..h .heinR natu-