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East of Broken Bow | My dad told me they were mostly used to break sod, or heavy plowing. Often several people owned a steam engine together, or one bought it and the others hired him.
Once the ground was loosened, horses could do the rest of the work cheaper and easier, and could start/stop at will. A steam engine is best suited for long stretches of steady work, as they need to heat the boiler to a certain temperature, and maintain it, and that takes time and skill. Any kid could drive a horse. | |
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