IRON MEN AND THEIR EXPERIENCES WITH STEAM

(Page 3 of 3)

November/December 1980
Billy M. Byrd 
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The Advance and Keck-Gonnerman engines pulled a 32 x 54 Case separator. Mr. Hill says some days the Advance would steam like a house on fire and other days, you couldn't get it to do anything. One time with the Advance while going down the road, the key in the draw bar came loose. There was a high bluff on the right side but the separator dropped in the ditch and stopped before going over the side.

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With the Keck-Gonnerman he steamed asphalt out of railroad cars one time for 3 days, with 175 pounds pressure, and 11/4' steam pipe. He turned the injector on at 4:00 P.M. and never turned it off until 1:00 P.M. the next day and every flue was leaking. In 1936 he bought a 50 HP Case water wagon, 28 x 50 Case separator, and plant bed pan for $175. Houston Townsend was firing the 50 HP Case pulling the 32 inch Case separator. The old engine was doing her stuff and Houston said 'Mr. Edgar, she sure is preaching the word, she's going to bust that smoke stack wide open. I'm just keeping her coming hot all day.' While threshing with the Case, the follow head nut on the end of the piston rod came loose and tore the cylinder up; had to get a new one.

Mr. Hill got 10? a bushel for threshing and usually in a good day's run would thresh between 1900 and 2000 bushels. He is partial to the Keck-Gonnerman engine because it is easy to handle, with the Case being his next favorite. He now has a portable 50 HP Frick made in 1927 that he restored this spring and exhibits at the Tennessee-Kentucky Thresher men's Association. He also fires Newt Howell's 19 HP Keck-Gonnerman on the saw mill at the show.

He is a Director of the Tennessee-Kentucky Association, attends the shows at Rockport and Mount Pleasant, where in 1977, he was presented with an old Thresher Award. Mr. Hill works part-time as a machinist at the Pennyrile Machine Works at Hopkinsville. His knowledge of steam engines and tractors is unlimited.

These two gentlemen are of a breed that have few left and it would be to the younger men's advantage to learn all they can from them and the ones like them.

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