Traction engines and threshers that won the West

This beast --- a 1913 Case 30-60 model, the first J.I. Case Co. gasoline-powered tractor manufactured --- is in the news this week because of its sale on April 21 for $1.47 million by Aumann Auctions in Nakomis, Ill. Owned by a "well-known central Iowa collector," and one of only five known survivors among the 500 manufactured, its sales price is a world tractor record.

The buyer is identified as a Connecticut museum, so the tractor will come to rest shortly in a state far from the prairies it was designed to break.

Serendipitously, after hearing a news report about the tractor while driving home, I found the following article in The Chariton Leader of May 19, 1904. At that time, the world passed through Chariton daily in or on passenger, freight and flat cars operated by the C.B. & Q. Railroad.

Included in the procession after about 1900 were special trains launched by the Case Threshing Machine Co., of Racine, Wisc., to transport its equipment west --- and to advertise its products while en route. The traction engines, or "tractors," were at the time powered by steam rather than gasoline.  Here's how the overnight visit to Chariton during early May went:

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The J.I. Case special train of threshing machines and engines arrived in Chariton last Thursday evening about 6:45, nearly two hours later than schedule time. There were 28 cars in the train, the total value being $125,000. The shipment was consigned to Lincoln, Nebraska, where the Case Company has a large branch house, and from that point the shipments were broken and distributed.

The train was decorated with banners and was an interesting sight. Connected with the train was a steam calliope and in the evening at 7:30 an entertainment was given near the depot. A representative of the "American Thresherman" at Madison, Wisconsin, rendered several popular selections, and a number of fine moving pictures were shown.

In spite of the inclemency of the weather a large crowd had assembled, and the splendid entertainment was well worth the trip to the depot. Those who had gathered to greet the train were given button souvenirs. The train remained here overnight, leaving at eight o'clock Friday morning for the West.