Ford Name and the Nebraska Tests

A Minneapolis man named W. Baer Ewing had an idea. He knew Henry Ford was interested in making a farm tractor. Ewing had an idea of his own. Ewing hired a man named Paul FOrd to work for him. Paul Ford knew nothing about tractors, but Ewing did and he named his tractor company the Ford Tractor Company. The company was incorporated in South Dakota and went broke shortly. However Mr. Ewing was able to hold on to the patent and to Paul Ford and his name. Moving the company back to Minneapolis Ewing tried again to open the doors of his company.
The “Ford” Model B tractor sold for $350 and was rated at 8 drawbar horsepower.and 16 belt pulley hp. The engine was made by the Gile Boat & Engine Company in MIchigan.
Shortly after the company’s reopening it was taken before the U.S. grand jury for stock sales schemes. Several partners were convicted although Ewing escaped prosecution and relocated to Canada to start another try at his tractor company.
Well as the story continued a Nebraska farmer and congressman bought one of these Ford tractors. He was so displeased he started legislation to have tractors tested and on July 5th, 1919 it was law. Now no new tractor could be legally sold in Nebraska without a permit. This was the beginning of the Nebraska Tests.
On March 31, 1920, the tests were begun. The first tractor to pass the test was the Waterloo Boy Model N. The eighteenth test performed on Henry Ford’s tractor the Fordson. You see Henry Ford could not use his own name. The rights to the name Ford were still owned by Ewing.
By the way, the original Ford tractor that started the famous Nebraska tractor tests was never tested, although one is owned today by the Nebraska Testing Museum.
How about a little tractor trivia!

1. Name the man that invented the 3-point hitch?
2. According to government test, repair, fuel, oil, depreciation and driver’s wages were 95 cents per acre on a Fordson tractor. What was the estimated cost to feed eight horses and pay two drivers.
A)75 cents per acre B)$1.00per acre C) $1.46 per acre
3. In 1916 a Ford engineer was sent to England to help set up a tractor factory. Why was the plan thrown out the window?
4. In July 1918 how many Fordson tractors rolled off the assembly line per day?
A)67  B)131  C)229
5. What model Ford tractor came with the Ferguson System?
A)2N   B) 8N  C)  9N
Answers: 1. Harry Ferguson  2. C)$1.46 per acre   3. London was bombed and the factory went into war production. 4. B)131   5. C)9N
 

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Eric Mickelson

Green Magazine

RIchard's Publishing

Oklee, MN 56742

218-791-9157