Buckeye Boasts the First Ditcher

摘要

James B. Hill claimed to have built the world's first ditch-ing machine. Recognizing the need for a practical way to place underground drain tile in the field, he built a steam-driven ditching machine while working in a machine shop in Bowling Green, Ohio. He founded the Buckeye Steam Ditcher Co. and patented his machine in 1894. After some lean times experimenting and perfecting several more machines, Hill became associated with Van Buren Foundry and Machine Co., which built his ditchers on a royalty basis. A new partnership, Van Buren, Heck & Marvin Co., was founded in 1902 in Find-lay Ohio, to build steam-powered ditchers to Hill's design.