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Article: Tractor show of 1916 put future on display
- Article from:
- The Pantagraph Bloomington, IL
- Article date:
- August 16, 2009
- Author:
CopyrightCopyright 2009 The Pantagraph Bloomington, IL. Provided by ProQuest LLC. (Hide copyright information)
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As is often the case, the future arrived in the form of a sales
pitch.
Over four days in late August 1916, a traveling tractor show came
to Bloomington so manufacturers could sell Corn Belt farmers on
these "puffing, clanging, history-writing" heralds of a better
tomorrow.
Organized by an association of tractor manufacturers, the aim of
the exhibition was to promote interest in "power farming." The show
included an army of 2,000 "tractor men" and 500 tractors and
implements, all of which arrived via railroad on 72 freight cars,
seven Pullman sleepers, four baggage cars and six day coaches.
Manufacturers included the Illinois Silo & Tractor Co. of
Bloomington; Aultman & Taylor; Hart-Parr; ...