HomeMy WebLinkAboutHuron Pioneer Thresher and Hobby Association Thresher Reunion, 1987-09-09, Page 12PAGE A-12, THE CITIZEN. WEDNESDAY. SEPTEMBER 9. 1987.
Last Bell engine built in 1928
Continued from page 11
casings for the World War I
munitions program, with the first
shipment leaving the plant in
September of that year, and
continuing until the end of the war
in 1918.
For a short while following the
war, “Imperial” kerosene tractors
were assembled in Seaforth at the
Bell foundry. These were built in
both 20-35 hp. and 25-45 hp. sizes,
and were of conventional design
with upright four-cylinder motors
cast in pairs.
The last “Bell” steam traction
enginewasbuiltinSeaforthin 1928
for William Shortreed of Walton,
who operated a custom threshing
business, doing mostly barn
threshing for surrounding farmers
until well on into the winter
months. This machine is reputed to
have been the last steam threshing
unit ever built in Ontario, although
grain separators continued to be
manufactured in a number of
locations until the late 1940’s.
During these labour-intensive
years, the Bell plant employed
between 150 to 200 people, making
it one of the largest employers
around.
Robert Bell Industries Ltd. did
all its own costing and marketing,
and had a fully-equipped foundry,
machine shop and woodworking
shop, with equipment hooked up to
a line shaft, parts of which still exist
in the present factory. In 1918, a
new building was begun to accom
modate work on the munitions
contract, but had not been com
pleted by war’s end, and is now
used for boiler construction.
Robert Bell died in 1934 at the
age of 70. His son, Earl, with the
able assistance of John Finlayson,
who had stuck by the elder Mr. Bell
since their first venture into the
manufacture of agricultural en
gines, carried on the business until
his own sudden death in 1948.
Earl’sonly son, whom it was hoped
would carry on the business, was
killed in World War II, and the
plant was sold to a group of local
investors who felt that the good
name of Robert Bell should be
continued, and re-named the
business Robert Bell Industries
Limited.
In 1951, Brad Smith was named
manager of the company; follow
ing his death in 1983, his son,
Charles, who had been associated
with the company since his school
days, became president andgener-
al manager, as he is today.
Today, under the name of
Boilersmith Limited, the company
concentrates on the manufacture
of boilers using the most modern
equipment, producing firetube
heating and power boilers of all
descriptions, as well as a line of
warm air furnaces, oil and gas
burners, and related products. In
recent years, the company has also
built several replacement boilers
for old steam traction engines, the
only company in North America to
do so.
The largest boiler, in terms of
weight, ever made by Bell weighed
20 tons, and was shipped to Nova
Scotia in 1981, where it continues
to be used as a wood waste-burning
boiler for a sawmill operation. Bell
boilers have been shipped
throughout the North American
continent, and even to such exotic
locations as Peru and Hong Kong.
From the smallest to the largest,
Boilersmith Limited today manu
factures about 400 boilers per year,
includingabout 100 large units.
Present prices range from about
$3,000 for the domestic unit, to
about $150,000 for the largest
model the company produces.
Last year Boilersmith employed
25or26people, withapayroll of
close to $1 million, making it still
one of the largest employers in the
area. In the more than 80 years
since the company was establish
ed, the name “Bell” or “Boiler
smith” on a unit has been
synonymous with excellence of
design, quality of workmanship,
durability of product and excel
lence in service, a record which
Charles Smith says the company is
determined to maintain.
A number of restored Bell
traction engines are shov/n regu
larly at steam shows around the
province, and Charles Smith him
self has a Bell traction engine
which has been shown at the Blyth
Thresherman’s Reunion, aswellas
a Bell threshing machine, circa
1925, on which he has spent nearly
^Our Best Washes^
to the 26th
Annual
Thresher Reunion
Joan & Lavern Clark, D.V.M.
$20,000 in restoration costs since
purchasing it from the LeBeau
brothers of Brucefield. This ma
chine has also been shown at local
steam shows, and was on display at
the International Ploughing Match
in 1986.
At press time, Mr. Smith was
unable to say whether his own
machines will be on display at the
Blyth show this year, but it is
certain that other Bell behemoths
will be there, proudly displaying
the company name.
Congratulations!
The management and staff send best wishes to the
hard working members of the Pioneer Thresher
and Hobby Association on the occasion of their
26th Reunion.
QS F-1 York x Landrace gilts
Purebred and Crossbred boars
MONOWAY
FARMS
Owner: Wayne Fear
6 miles west of Brussels
on Huron Road #16
519-887-6477
BLYTH
87/88 FALL & SPRING EVENTS
ADULTS EVENTS
The National Tap Dance Company of Canada
Saturday, September 26, 1987, 8:00 p.m.
Murray McLauchlan
Saturday, October 17, 1987, 8:30 p.m.
McClure
Saturday, November 14, 1987, 2:00 & 8:00 p.m.
Kitchener-Waterloo Chamber Ensemble
Sunday, April 24, 1988, 2:00 p.m.
$28 for four events
$17 for any two events
Single tickets $10.50
KIDS EVENTS
Oliver Button is a Sissy
Saturday, September 26, 1987, 2:00 p.m.
Mermaid Theatre - The Red Ball
Saturday, October 17, 1987, 2:00 p.m.
Morgan’s Journey
Saturday, November 21, 1987, 2:00 p.m.
$10.50 all three events
Single tickets $4.50 each
Music Theatre Dance
Children’s Entertainment
(519) 523-9300