Dawson Sentinel - June 19, 1959
Frank Crane was City's Unofficial Bridge Tester
"Better by far you should forget and smile than you should remember and be sad" --Rosetti
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| Pictured above is the Frank Crane family at their home. Seated in front of Mr. and Mrs. Crane are Darrel, Bernal and Kyle. The car is a 2 cylinder Jackson. |
Ed. Note: Although we received an interesting and complete story concerning the life and times of Frank Crane, from his son Darrel, we have found in the Sentinel files so many stories concerning this estimable gentleman that we're taking the liberty of including them in the following story. Darrel may rest assured there is no 'ghost' writer.
Frank Crane was born in Stewartville, Olmsted County, Minnesota, on Christmas Eve, 1861, to Mr. and Mrs. C. C. Crane. At the age of five he went with his parents to St. Croix County, Wisconsin. It must be presumed that it was here Frank learned to know the innards of an engine and what makes it tick.
Frank had a grandfather, Ebenezer Sumner, who had settled on a claim in far away Lac Qui Parle County. Ebenezer had evidently contacted the young man and regaled him with the opportunities abounding in the new land. In the fall of 1893, Frank boarded a train and went by rail to Canby, from which point he walked to the Sumner homestead. Ebenezer, his mother's father, by the way told him of an opportunity for just such a man as Frank. So from Sumner's, Frank walked to the Lac Qui Parle vicinity in search of Peter Brown who, he had heard, wanted an engineer for a steam threshing engine, one of the first in these parts and quite a mystery to everyone. Frank told him he had run engines in sawmills for several years, certainly an adequate reference for this hard to fill position. Frank always delighted in later years to tell of Mr. Brown's rejoinder: “Ya, but you look like pretty green Yankee for being engineer!" but he got the job. This engine was not self-propelled and had to be hauled by oxen or horses.
Frank returned to Wisconsin after his summer's labors, and the following spring, on May 11, 1884, took as his bride Miss Estella L. Clair. Mrs. Crane was born at Rock Falls, Dunn County, Wisconsin on September 13, 1867. With her family she lived on a homestead near Cranetown, where she met the young engineer.
On June 6, 1888, Mr. and Mrs. Crane came to Dawson aboard the M & StL. Frank had been offered a position at the flourishing Dawson Roller Mills, which had just been built by a young New Englander, Colin McNicol. McNicol had purchased the water power mill east of Dawson and moved the machinery in the new building located where the present Tri-County Soy Bean Plant now stands.
There was quite a story in the Sentinel files about the afternoon Frank and his wife and the S. D. Sumners went for a buggy ride in the country. It was a balmy day and the fields were covered with snow. At first the young couples thought they were seeing a "mirage" but on second look, there sat a gaunt yellow eyed timber wolf, for all practical purposes, he couldn't be called a belligerent wolf, for he just sat and sat, looking over the party as though figuring who would make the best steaks, as Frank reported later. The wolf sat and looked, but eventually the "stare down" got a bit ridiculous. Frank reached for his gun, leisurely preparing to shut the yellow eyes for good. Just as he raised the rifle, the wolf jumped, Frank took a wild shot and the beast fell dead across Mrs. Sumner's lap. His scalp was exchanged for state bounty.
In the fall of 1889, Mr. and Mrs. Crane returned to Downing, Wis., where he operated a feed store during the winter months, returning to Dawson in 1890. He purchased a threshing rig of his own, and ran rigs for others. He also installed in the back of his residence, a small machine shop. His services were much in demand since the settlers, long on the hinterland, knew little of the new fangled machinery.
Another Sentinel story? Well, in August of 1891, Editor Paige wrote in his column:
“Frank Crane has a whistle on his colorful threshing rig, and it's a screamer! Next thing you know, he'll be waving a flag from the mast!” Oh, the power of suggestion. This item appeared the following week: "What did we tell you? Frank Crane pulled out Tuesday morning with his complete threshing outfit, consisting of engine, tank, separator and stacker, forming quite an imposing train, The engine carried a large United States flag at the mast, under the protecting folds of which the immense fields of grain will be thoroughly threshed. And as to his aforementioned whistle, may we remind friend Crane of the law prohibiting blowing that infernal instrument while on the road, and that he must stop the whole shebang when within 100 feet of any horse or team he meets on the road".
Frank's threshing rigs were versatile machines. For instance, in 1894 he fired it up and ran it over the new bridge at Maquire's to Satisfy the county board of the bridge's stout timbers. For another good bridge story ready the caption under the picture shown below.
It was quiet around Dawson for an engineer during the cold winter months and so in 1892, the Cranes removed to Hopkins, where Frank was a boilermaker in the shop the Minneapolis Threshing Machine Co. They returned to Dawson in 1893 where Frank continued his threshing activities and his repair shop. A bit of misfortune struck in September of that year, the Montevideo Leader reporting it thusly:
“While threshing on the farm of the Beltz Bros. near Boyd last Friday, Frank Crane lost his separator by fire. Three stacks of oats belonging to the Beltz Bros. were also destroyed".
Tacit recognition of Mr. Crane's ability in his chosen field is shown by the fact that for seven consecutive years, in the 80’s and 90’s, he was appointed Deputy District State Boiler Inspector. The duties involved in this position were myriad, and took him over a large area. In Lac Qui Parle alone, in 1893, he submitted the following report to the Sentinel.
“Frank Crane, steam boiler inspector, finished up the season's work for this county this week. He has inspected 57 stationery engines and one plowing engine. Mr. Crane also reports that 15 new steam threshing outfits have been purchased this season, making a total of 86 engines now in use in the county".
In 1896, in partnership with Geo. Dashner, Mr. Crane purchased the building north of the former Youman Lumber Yard, up to that time used as a livery stable, and opened up the Dawson Iron Works. In 1897, an addition to be used as an engine house, was built and in 1898, their "biggest" project was accomplished, the placing of an 1800 lb. trip hammer on a specially built foundation. Partner George Dashner was an expert plow share man and had formerly worked with heavy machinery. Frank installed an emery wheel in an unused corner and on many occasions, could be seen to leave the machinery to sharpen a pair of skates. Mr. Dashner left the firm about 1900. Other early associates in the firm were Lewis Larson, who began as a salesman in 1897, and blacksmith A. Robertson of Wadena. Mr. Dahl worked for Frank for over 25 years. The iron Works was a part of main Street unit in burned in 1921. Following the fire, Mr. Crane later built a small shop in back of his residence where he did welding and repair work for the balance of his busy life.
During the early years, Mr. Crane had the agency for the Avery Threshing Machine and sold the first Avery grain separator in Lac Qui Parle County in 1899. In honor of this auspicious event, Frank bestowed upon his first son the name Darrel Avery Crane.
Frank Crane was an active citizen of the community. He was a charter member of the city council and for many years was city water superintendent in 1930’s. He was a Woodman and a member of the IOOF - Oddfellows. The Sentinel reports him at almost every convention and rally of the political party of his choice - among the instigators of many a torch light parade and impromptu gathering a the town hall. He won't disclose his party affiliation, but will note that he was the first to sport a Benjamin Harrison campaign top hat, and started a campaign craze, which swept the county. Frank Crane died March 5, 1942, and Mrs. Crane joined him on October 4, 1943. Through all their married life they have made their home in the house they built on first coming to Dawson way back in 1885.
We promised you a bridge story and while the machine in question may not be that above, it was a similar one. The Dawson Sentinel had the following news item in its columns of September 1892, concerning the new iron bridge:
“The new bridge at the foot of Sixth Street was thoroughly tested last Monday, when Frank Crane steamed across with his threshing outfit consisting of engine, straw carrier and separator. Those who witnessed it report the bridge scarcely jarred".
Darrel says his dad told the story like this:
The village council was so proud of their new iron bridge that they intended to take steps to see that no heavy loads or machinery would cross its sacred planks. Well! Frank got word of this and contacted Mr. Fosnes, a lawyer, who at that time lived in Granite Falls. Mr. Fosnes reassured him that unless the council posted the bridge they would have no recourse should he choose to try it. This was an open sesame to Frank and when it came time for him to run the gauntlet, north to south, he filled up with water, took a deep breath - and with a full head of steam and the governor belt off, took off up main street, bound for the bridge. Two of the council members, A. E. Hullstrom and Chas. Halverson, neither one noted for calm and deliberate consideration in times of crisis, spotted this demon of destruction. Shouting at the top of their voices, the portly gentlemen and a few others took off up the street in pursuit of the monster. However, the engine made so much noise (that is what Frank maintains) that Mr. Crane didn't hear them until he was across the bridge and had come to a screeching halt. After all, he couldn't look behind and steer the engine, too!