Ottawa Log Saw

“I saw any size logs, have made good money.”  So said A.G. Drace of  Fenton, Michigan. Mr. Drace didn’t elaborate on how much money, but presumably he had become a wealthy man thanks to his Ottawa log saw.

An advertisement that appeared in the September, 1921 issue of Popular Science Magazine had lots of good things to say, ( no surprise here ) about the Ottawa saws. It was a “One man log saw”, “Easy to move from cut to cut”, “Wheels like a barrow”, “ You start and stop saw blade without stopping motor by simply pulling out the friction clutch.” It was, “Magneto equipped: oscillating magneto ignition. No batteries are ever needed.”  “ Easily operated by man or boy.”

Another ad claimed that you could, “Saw 10 to 20 cords a day.” “Does more than 10 men.” One satisfied customer claimed,”I cut 3 cords an hour with my Ottawa log saw.” It was versatile too. You could use it to run your feed grinder or power your washing machine. Best of all you could own this amazing machine for the low, low price of $39.00 

Ottawa Manufacturing Co. was a division of Warner Manufacturing Company that was formed in 1904 as the result of an offer presented the previous year. A group of businessmen from Ottawa, Kansas approached Warner management about relocating to Ottawa and offered $3000 as an incentive. It seems you could build a new factory for a lot less back in the day, and Warner took them up on the offer.

Warner had been making wire fencing materials since the mid 1800’s but the new factory offered an opportunity to expand the product line. New products would eventually include: mowers, post hole diggers, windmills, gasoline engines and power saws. By 1917 both water and air cooled engines were offered, that ranged from 1 ½ to 22 horsepower. Around 1913 Warner began developing a small engine powered crosscut saw that would become one of their most successful products. 

By the1920’s, Ottawa was a leading manufacturer of power saw products. The drag saw was designed to imitate two men pushing and pulling a saw blade. Powered by a hit and miss engine, the blade could cut at up to 170 strokes per minute. The saw shown here is powered by a 5 hp. Unit that turns over at 550 rpm. 

There is quite a bit of information available online about Ottawa and their products. One of the most interesting that I found is an instruction book for engines and buzz saw rigs from 1918, 1919 and 1920. This manual covers a wide range of topics that are sure to interest collectors and definately owners of an Ottawa saw. Subjects covered include: setting up saw for operation, starting the engine, adjusting the fuel & air mix, setting up the tree saw, how to start a kerosene engine equipped with a magneto without cranking and by cranking, troubleshooting problems and timing the valves. Of special interest to owners would be an exploded diagram and parts list. You can find this interesting document at: www.vintagemachinery.org/pubs/764/5986pdf. 

I photographed # TE 2718E at the Richland Creek Antique Fall Festival at Ward, South Carolina. It is part of the Berry family collection that is on display at the yearly show. For information about the 2019 event visit: www.richlandcreekantiques.com .

Sources:

www.farmcollector.com/equipment/ottawa-drag-saw-zmiz12augzbea 

www.powerofthepast.net/ottawa-engine-company/ The August Reddeman cross cut saw by Brian Wayne Wells , Belt Pulley Magazine 

https://books.google.com Popular Science Sept. 1921 p. 103 

Son of Mighty Mite

I have to admit I’m partial to this little tractor. Don’t know why but I was drawn to it the first time I saw it. It seemed to have some special something that I can’t put my finger on. Maybe it’s the aluminum hood made from war surplus drop tanks used by long range fighter escorts in WW 2. Anyway; as promised in the Jaques Mighty Mite post we return to the 2017 Foothills Antique Power Association of NC Show for another look at the collection owned by Bradley and Candy Richey. This time a Model 16 Ottawa Mule Team tractor.

Ottawa Manufacturing Company’s roots go back to the 1880’s when it was known as Warner Fence Company that manufactured woven wire fence used to contain livestock. They also marketed products under the names of Union Foundries and Warner Manufacturing. The firm was courted by the City of Ottawa, Kansas and production was relocated there in 1904 and the name changed to Ottawa Manufacturing Co. The product line diversified at this time to include post hole diggers, hit and miss engines, windmills and power saws. Gas and kerosene engines became a major part of their business and by 1917 they offered 15 different horsepower engines ranging from 1 ½  to 22 horsepower models.

Over the years the company expanded production into diverse areas that included gas station equipment like gasoline pumps and car lifts. They became a major supplier of brakes for railroad cars. During World War 2 they filled a number of military contracts. In 1949 they decided to get into the lawn and garden tractor business and purchased the rights to the Mighty Mite tractor, along with the parts inventory and tooling from the Jaques Power Saw Co. of Denison, Texas. The Ottawa Mule Team Tractor is therefore a direct descendant of the Mighty Mite.

Ottawa manufactured at least four versions of this tractor.

The Model 15 powered by a 8 hp Briggs model 23 engine.

The Model 15 A with a Wisconsin AEN 8 ½  hp engine.

The Model 16 equipped with a 2 cylinder Wisconsin TE engine rated at 11 hp.

And the Model 17 with a 2 cylinder 13 hp Wisconsin TF power plant.

The total number of these tractors that were made between 1949 and 1951 remains unknown. A common estimate among online sources is about 250 copies but a classified ad published in Popular Science Magazine from August 1949 that I found on books.google.com claimed that over 4,000 were already in use. The website www.raregardentractors.com has published a registry of known surviving examples that list about 75 Mule Team tractors. That seems to me like a high survival rate out of a total of only 250.

1951 proved to be a very bad year for Ottawa Manufacturing Co. The owner, E.L. Warner died from a heart attack early in the year and the river that runs through Ottawa, Kansas flooded in July, completely destroying the factory. The company never recovered from these two disasters. The flood is probably also responsible for destroying any company records that might have otherwise survived.

An ad from the period listed the following specifications for the Mule Team tractors.

Frame: Channel iron with reinforcements.

Clutch: Rockford single dry plate. Spring loaded.

Transmission: Warner, three forward speeds plus reverse.

Differential: Spicer ring gear and pinion.

Final drive: Steel bull gear and pinion sealed in cast iron housing.

Individual rear wheel brakes.

Rear wheels adjustable from 40 ½” to 50 ½”

Ground clearance 17”

Road speed: 9 to 10 mph.

Electric starter, lights, pto, and kerosene carburetor available as options.

Additional resources:

www.wellssouth.com  Ottawa Manufacturing Company of Ottawa, Kansas by Brian Wayne Wells

www.ottawamuleteam.com