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��IIISTOEY OF RICHLAND COUNTY.
��of the same class, as to insure for the traction- engine a large sale and great popularity. Bo- using a traction engine, four horses, or two teams, are dispensed with, as it needs but one team, which does not pull the engine, but merely guides it while the engine itself draws along the water-tank, thresher, etc., up and down hill as well as on the level, and with the greatest ease.
These engines prove very taking when ex- amined by all, as they are very attractive in ap- pearance, and the locomotive or traction prin- ciple cannot help but please.
Another point which takes is the great saving of expense by the use of them. Though the charge is $150 more for them than a standard farm engine ; the doing-away of four horses saves the buyer at least |200, and generally fully $300, which resvilts in making the trac- tion engine actually cheaper by from $50 to $150 than the standard.
When to this is added the saving of feed for the four horses dispensed with, the saving of the care of them, and that the thresherman has four sets of harness less to buy, it really makes the traction engine far cheaper than the stand- ard, the real difference in price l^eing not much, if any, less than $300 in favor of the traction engine.
After finishing the first traction engine and satisfying themselves that it was superior to any other in market, the Company invited the following gentlemen to come and see it : S. Gottshall, of Fayette, Ohio ; E. S. Downey, of Aurora, Ind.; Edward Smith, of La Gro, Ind.; Oscar Adams, of Parkman, Ohio ; Daniel Har- mon, of Fort Wayne, Ind.; C. F. Adams, of Park- man, Ohio, and R. R. Blair, of Cincinnati, Ohio.
Those familiar with the traction engine trade will recognize these gentlemen as being the best authorit}' upon traction engines in this country ; at an}^ rate, seven men knowing as much about traction engines could hardly he got together in America.
��Before this committee the Company gave an engine a severe test in every way, and then asked them to record their opinion. As this is the opinion of men peculiarly fitted to judge of the merits of traction engines, it is likely to have more weight with the buying public than anything which could he written, and it is therefore presented herewith in full :
The undersigned have each had a very wide and at the same time intimate acquaintance vyith traction or self- propelling engines in market ; have each of us sold them and operated them and are practically familiar with them and can, without claiming any unreasonable amount of shrewdness, say we are competent to give an intelli- gent opinion on the subject, and think it will be safe for all parties who intend buying traction or self-propelling engines, or who intend to sell traction engines to others, to accept our judgment in the matter. While we wish cordially to admit the merits of other traction engines, and while we do not criticise any other make, neverthe- less it is our unanimous opinion the Aultman-Taylor Traction Engine is to-day the most perfect and desirable in the American market. In every point and feature, the Aultman-Taylor is at least abreast of the best, while in general workmanship, neatness in detail and perfection in finish, we have never seen its equal, and in some very important points it is absolutely without a rival :
1. The two propelling- wheels are mechanically the most perfect we have ever seen, and their height is such as to recommend them over any in market, and their location for sustaining the weight of the engine and securing freedom of motion in bad roads has never, to our knowledge, been equaled.
2. The lugs rolled into the tire of these wheels by a process secured to The Aultman & Taylor Company by letters patent, is far in advance of the pins usually used, and will be found a great daily convenience in moving from place to place, especially over bridges, where the objection to pins is so apparent.
3. In The Aultman-Taylor Traction Engine the pro- pelling power is communicated directly from the main shaft to the rear axle, thus entirely doing away with the supplemental shaft and complicated gearing of the same, in use on all the traction engines we are ac- quainted with. How great this advantage is will at once be understood by all who know anything practi- cally about traction engines ; to others we would say, in this respect The Aultman-Taylor Traction Engine has
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