Posted by Mike (WA) on September 27, 2013 at 11:36:12 from (69.10.197.143):
About 15 years ago, I went to Assiniboia, Saskatchewan to pick up a load of wind-powered pond aerators- got to the Little River Co. about 10 AM, and they weren't going to be able to load me until late in the day. So a day to kill.
Asked the guy there about old tractors, he directed me to the local insurance guy, who in turn directed me to two places. One was an old guy who had probably the world's largest collection of IH (or is it McCormick Deering?) WD40 tractors. Probably had 20 or so, all told. They were one of the first commercially produced diesel tractors, in the late 1930's. I thought he was going to shoot me when I first showed up- but he brightened right up when he found out I wasn't from the guvment. Gave me a tour, each barn had more of them, including one tandem rig. He still used them to farm. The injector pumps were mostly steel, and weighed nearly 100 lbs. He also had every car he had ever owned, lined up on a hillside opposite the house- must have been 30 or 40 in all. He could tell you what was wrong with each one. Just for fun, I expressed interest in one, and asked what it would take to buy it. "On, no, I can't sell that one- gonna fix it up and get it back on the road." Right.
But the more interesting place was an older fellow who had 4, count them 4, Quonset buildings full of old tractors, out in the middle of nowhere. It seems his dad had foreseen the demise of the steam and big prairie tractors back in the '40's, and had started collecting them. There wasn't a big scrap drive in Canada for the war effort, so there were more of them still around, and he put out the word that he was going to try to save as many as possible. Had to pay a little for them at first, but as word got around, guys would just show up with them. Sometimes when the family got back from town, there would be one sitting there, and they didn't even know where it came from. The Erdle post reminded me of it- I remember a Flour City, and a Happy Farmer. Lots of big steam rigs, and early big gas rigs. Many were driven there under their own power. As the number grew, he built more Quonsets.
It was pretty evident that the dad (long since deceased) was the driving force, and now elderly son had never done much with them. I don't think any were running, but all were under cover and pretty well preserved. It was weird- just me and him, touring the barns, and not another soul within miles. He had a tip jar, and was pleased when I donated. I think he still farmed, but probably not much.
He had millions of dollars there, I'm sure, but it was obvious that he had no intention of selling anything, and continue to honor his dad. I wonder whether he's still alive, and what happened to the collection. I had his name at one time, but have misplaced it.
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