River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1902-10-23
EVOLUTION OF WHEELS
Lund's Manufactory==A Busy
ESTABLISHING nt.

One day, generation ago, a curl
Gus vehicle rolled into a Wisconsin
town. Its wheels were solid pieces
of wood, sawed from a round log
its axles small, unhewed trees upon
which rested planned log bearing q
box of clothing and yellow haired
bright-eyed boy, driving an indie
scribable horse. The boy was a
Scandinavian emigrant whose pa
rents lived in neighboring woods,
and he had come to town with a few
dollars and much determination to
get an education. This was the be-
ginning of the career of Knute Mel
son, the chief of one of the political
parties of Minnesota, and one of its
United States senators, says the
''9 ouths' Companion"
So rude a vehicle as is here men
toned was not common, but the i'm
provements as now in evidence show
strong contrast in those in use then
and now. Thirty years ago in this
region any conveyance except a
lumber wagon was rare. Not one
farmer out of hundreds "sported" a
buggy of any kind, much less a
covered carriage. Wagons, inferior
in construction and inadequate in
capacity, cost $3.50. Now a much
better wagon can be had for one
third of that sum.
One of the first covered buggies in
use in this town was made by A. w.
Lund and n. E. Burns for Mr.. Wilson
who lived on what is now called the
Geo. Roberts farm in Mann Valley
and sold for $3I5. Now you can
get covered buggy at The establish
ment of A. w. Lund for $50. May
or Lund's shops are equipped with
every appliance i'll the way of ma
chinery and tools for the construc-
ton and repair of wagons, buggies,
sleighs, farm machinery and in fact
almost "any old thing" A steam
engine furnishes the power and heats
the buildings. From a dozen to
twenty men, experts in their several
lines, manipulate the machinery and
turn out vast amount of work in
almost any mechanical line. They
can repair--or manufacturc--any-
thing from a jackknfle to thresh-
ing machine. 1t will take too much
space to describe the multiplicity of
labor-saving machines in these shops
machines for saving, planning, NOR
Using, smoothing-in woodwork
and the numerous, costly, and per-
fected machines and tools for the
handling, shaping and fitting in iron
and steel work. Two machines for
saving labor and doing work quick
ly have been recently added to the
blacksmith shops. These are trip
hammer and a tire-setting machine.
The trip-hammer was necessity,
especially in the manufacture of
plow lathes. There has come to be
such a multiplicity of different makes
and sizes of plows that the manu-
facture of lathes here at home to fit
these different makes was something
greatly desired. With this trip
hammer added to the shops and the
emory wheels for smoothing in use
farmer can have new lathe put
on his pillow "while he waits" and he
need not wait more than two hours
for the work to be done.
Tires are set with the tire setting
machine in a few minutes without
taking the tires from the rim of the
wheel or the wheel off the axle.
Lund has made and sold from 50
to 100 lumber wagons year, and
from 50 to 100 heavy sets Of sleds.
This kind of work, however, is done
only at leisure when work in re-
pairing is slack.
A harness mandatory is run in
connection with the establishment.
Here between 200 and 900 sets of
harness are made and sold annually.
All kinds of horse goods are kept in
stock and for sale. Mr.. Lund also
sells buggies, carriages and cutters
of other manufacturers. He also
deals in farm machinery of all kinds.