Thread: 1854 Huggleston 4WD steam wagon, great read

I am having trouble believing such a story but at the same time hoping that it is true because it makes it all the more evocative and compelling reading. Does Huggleston rise again? Waiting with baited breath.
And when is the movie to be released?

Well the lima steam company did exist.Merged with another in the 1940`s. So at least one part rings true. Unless of course some one used there name to ad validity to there tale. Google can be useful for more than looking up porn it seems.
Cheers Hall

Yeah off the top of my head Lima merged with Baldwin Locomotive Works and Hamilton something or other to become Baldwin Lima Hamilton. Prior to this, Lima were quite active in developing steam technology including valvegear and superheating, with some quite ingenious designs to their name, and they also supported the backwoods engineers, who occasionally came up with good ideas, such as Ephraim Shay's geared locomotive. And obviously some not-so-good ideas.
The engineering side of things here definitely makes sense. Its just hard to believe such eccentrics existed and were able to squander their riches in such pursuits.

And now, Stoker's perspective:

June 6, 1855

Today is a happy day! I was finally able to convince Felix that the marine compass is broken, and rather than steaming to the north, we have in fact traced a giant circle through the woods of the Minnesota Territory.

Merely crossing our path, as we have already done, was not enough evidence for Felix. He put the devastation (for the Steam Waggon cuts quite a swath through the woods) down to "a herd of bears." But when confronted with his initials carved in to a great Fir tree, he relented that perhaps a slight error in navigation had been made.

If I had said nothing, we would steam in circles until all the trees in the Territory were flattened. I am certainly glad I purchased a supply of Whisky for I shall be driven to drink before this journey ends!

Oh my god!

I'd sort of hope HUGGLESTON survived so I didnt quite see that coming!

now STOKERs view!!

yay

its all good!

cheers
L110

And of course Stoker and/or Hugglestone are even more remarkable, but for another reason entirely.

More from Stoker's journal:

July 7, 1855:

At last we find the river which marks the northern border of the Minnesota Territory, but with some unease. Felix's refusal to turn back to Duluth for more supplies troubles me. Although we could have been back in a day or less, only retracing our route, he insists on running ever north, and now ever west. His mania for the 49th Parallel, which I do not understand, is consuming him and I fear for his sanity.

We are making do nicely with the pocket watch and compass, although the compass must be removed from the vicinity of the Steam Waggon to get an accurate reading. Felix insists that this is not the case, and tries to navigate while we are under steam, so we get lost more often than necessary. At night while Felix sleeps, when I have finished cutting wood for the morrow's fuel, I am also able to hunt some game. I hope to shoot a Buffaloe, as that will feed us for many days, but I have seen none here in the woods. Nor have I seen the "herd of bears" that Felix insists is tracking our movements.

This night I had a proper bath in the river, while Felix scribbles nonsense in his journal. Although it is far too late to return East, I question the wisdom of my decision to make this journey with him. As Lieutenant Rodgers said when our Colonel was struck and killed by an Apache's arrow, "We are in it now. Pray we get out alive." I have done so nightly.

Originally Posted by disco2hse

And of course Stoker and/or Hugglestone are even more remarkable, but for another reason entirely.

Damn you my good man, you and your intrigue.
There is a goodly measure of intrugue in this story such as would surely suffice for any good and god fearing man.