LINK-BELT SPEEDER CORPORATION Cover Photo Link-Belt Speed Corporation Plan Administrative Offices Looking Southeast December 1948. (Courtesy of Carl & Mark Koehler History Center) HISTORY OF LINK-BELT SPEEDER CORPORATION
by Eric Barr THE Louis Berger Group, INC.
Designed by To The Letter Type & Design, Marion, Iowa Printed by J&A Printing, Hiawatha
With special thanks to: The Carl and Mary Koehler History Center Maryls Svendsen, Iowa Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management
This project was produced under the terms of a Memorandum of Agreement pursuant to Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act, among the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency, the State Historical Society of Iowa, Iowa Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management, the City of Cedar Rapids, Cedar Rapids Historic Preservation Commission, and Preservation Iowa, regarding adverse effects to historic properties in Cedar Rapids, Linn County, Iowa. FEMA administered Federal disaster assistance through FEMA’s Public Assistance Program pursuant to the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act for the demolition of historic properties damaged as a result of flooding in July 2008 that resulted in declared disaster DR-1763-IA. 2 HISTORY OF LINK-BELT SPEEDER CORPORATION
The Link-Belt Speeder Corporation factory Milwaukee, and St. Paul Railroad. The company originated as the Ewart complex manufactured cranes, power The facility served as the administrative Manufacturing Company in 1874, in shovels, excavators, draglines, hoes and headquarters and primary factory for the Belle Plaine, Iowa. Two other companies pile drivers with multiple applications company’s heavy machinery division. were formed later, Link-Belt Machinery in a variety of industries that used heavy When completed in 1948, the new build - Company (1880) and Link-Belt Engineer- machinery in their operations. Between ing complex was the largest facility of its ing Company (1888). These three com- 1939 and 1986, the company owned and kind. The corporation became a leader panies combined in 1906, to form the operated a plant in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, in the United States for the production of Link-Belt Company. George T. Ronk at 1201 6th Street SW along the Chicago, heavy equipment used in road building, formed a contemporary company called construction, industrial plants, mining, Speeder Machinery Company in Leon, railroads, utilities, scrapyards, logging, Iowa, in 1919. Link-Belt Speeder quarries, pipelines, and general material- Corporation formed in 1939 when Link- handling operations. With a reputation for Belt Company purchased and merged production and dependability, Link-Belt with the Speeder Machinery Company, Speeder Corporation became particularly to form a wholly owned subsidiary known for its line of cranes. Its flagship based in Cedar Rapids. The Good Roads model for over 42 years was the LS-98 Movement and the National Highways Clamshell Crane with trademarked Movement impacted Link-Belt Speeder’s Speed-O-Matic power hydraulic controls. development by helping to enhance the The facility manufactured nearly 30,000 market for their products starting in Link-Belt cranes over 47 years of opera - the late nineteenth century. Figure 2. 1877 photo showing building in Belle Plaine, Iowa, tions in Cedar Rapids. where William Dana Ewart invented the link-belt in 1874. From Cedar Rapids Gazette, March 10, 1940. HISTORY OF LINK-BELT SPEEDER CORPORATION 3
CEDAR RAPIDS: Figure 3. First Link-Belt Co. steam powered, wide-gauge, “THE ROAD MACHINERY CAPITAL” coal handling clamshell crane. Circa 1894. From cover of "Continuous Innovation… For Over 118 Cedar Rapids was one of the three largest Works, Iowa Manufacturing Company, Years," Link Belt Construction Equipment Co. Brochure, September 1991. manufacturing centers of road-building Universal Crusher Company, LaPlant- equipment in the United States in the Choate Manufacturing Company, and early years of the twentieth century, along Link-Belt Speeder Company. Link-Belt with Peoria, Illinois, and Milwaukee, Speeder Company manufactured road Wisconsin, leading Howard Hall to call it building equipment that included cranes the “road machinery capital of the world.” 1 power shovels, excavators, draglines, hoes The city’s prominence as a road-manufac - and pile drivers. These products were turing center attracted 108 foreign engi - also used in a variety of other industries neers to the city in 1947, as they studied as heavy material-handling equipment. the latest developments in engineering Cedar Rapids’ road machinery companies and road-building equipment during a developed and took advantage of markets tour of the U.S. 2 During the first half of provided by the Good Roads Movement the twentieth century, five road machin - and the National Highways Movement. ery manufacturing companies called Figure 4. Early Speeder Model B Shovel Crane produced Cedar Rapids home: Iowa Steel & Iron at the Fairfield, Iowa Speeder plant in 1922. From Link-Belt Cranes Booklet circa 1985, p. 19. (Courtesy of Carl & Mary Koehler History Center). 4 HISTORY OF LINK-BELT SPEEDER CORPORATION
GOOD ROADS AND THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY MOVEMENT
The evolution of the national unpaved dirt roads that were Albert Pope, a member of the highway movement started with poorly maintained. Rural and LAW’s executive committee and the Good Roads Movement farm populations proved reluctant a bicycle manufacturer, founded (1880-1920), followed by federal to the idea of funding rural high - the National League for Good legislation and state efforts that ways because they did not see Roads (League) as an interstate culminated with passage of the how they would benefit—they lobbying organization in 1892 Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1956. viewed the funding as just another with its first convention held in The Good Roads Movement tax burden. Jeremiah W. Jenks, a St. Louis, Missouri the same year. began in 1880 as an effort by the critic of rural roads, stated that In 1892 the League began pub - League of American Wheelmen the “result [of poor rural roads] to lishing Good Roads Magazine (LAW) to fight for better roads farmers and the rural population and had chapters in each state. and streets for bicyclists. In was a constant sea of mud, soft A convention of 38 states in 1890 America’s population of surfaces, impediments to travel Chicago formed the National 62,947,714 was serviced by that in fact reduced their ability Good Roads Association in 1900. 2,000,000 miles of roads. 3 Two out to communicate with their The National Grange and Populist of every three people lived in rural neighbors or move their goods movements also provided support areas, and many of the roads were to market.” 4 for Good Roads. Both of these HISTORY OF LINK-BELT SPEEDER CORPORATION 5
movements worked to improve cated long-distance roads ver - from “roads beginning mation on road-building tech - the social and economic con- sus those pushing for farm-to- nowhere, ending nowhere.” 5 niques, and the agency became ditions of farmers and other market roads. The first argued Davis proposed adopting a an advocate for mechanization. working-class people and that the federal government nationalized system. This sys - In 1912 Congress passed the fought monopolies such as should build, own, control, tem would span 50,000 miles, Post Roads Act. The legislation the railroads. The rise of the and maintain national roads follow uniform construction authorized a joint congression - automobile gave greater impe - using federal funds and directly and maintenance standards, al committee study that pro - tus to the movement as trucks hire engineers and other work - and feature a system of feeder vided federal aid for highways and cars came into popular ers to oversee and direct the roads in the form of state and authorized $500,000 for use. Advocates argued that projects. The other called for highways and local roads that an experimental program in poor roads led to massive federal aid to states and local would reach 60 percent of the which state and local govern - waste in money spent on governments, which would nation’s population directly. 6 ments willing to pay two-thirds repairs and hindered economic oversee the building and of the cost of a postal road growth by making it difficult improvement of roads (federal- In 1893 the United States improvement project could to get from farm to market. aid system). President Charles Department of Agriculture cre - receive federal funds. The act They also argued that im - Henry Davis of the National ated the Office of Road Inquiry was a compromise between proved roads would help Highways Association (NHA) to study and disseminate infor - farmers wanting federal fund ing make travel faster and more advocated for the former in pleasant as well as bringing 1913. Davis founded the NHA more amenities to rural areas. in 1911 and incorporated it Supporters all shared the same in Washington, D.C., in 1912, goal of better roads but lacked with the slogan “Good Roads Figure 5. consensus on the best route Everywhere.” He argued that Speeder for making it a reality. adoption of the federal-aid Machinery scheme would lead to a hap - crane unloading Two schools of thought hazard array of standards for dirt into back of truck. Circa competed over how best to road construction and mainte - 1926. (Courtesy approach improving roads in nance. He further argued that of Iowa the United States that created a it would and create a confusing Department of gap between those who advo - network of roads resulting Transportation, Photo ID. HA1.011.0261.) 6 HISTORY OF LINK-BELT SPEEDER CORPORATION
cost could not exceed $10,000 per mile, roads in what was termed the “golden age and the states were required to maintain of road building” in the 1920s. 9 During the the roads. In 1919 Dwight D. Eisenhower, Great Depression a series of grants were as an Army captain, embarked on a cross- authorized to the states without a match country tour of military vehicles that requirement to stimulate the economy impressed upon him the importance of and help stave off some of the effects of Figure 6. a national system of roads (this would be the economic calamity with around $3.3 LS-98 Link-Belt Speeder Crane Preparing Bridge reinforced by his experience in Germany billion provided to state and local govern - Footing for I-80 Bridge Near Bettendorf dated 10 1-10-1957. (Courtesy of Iowa Department of during World War II). ments for highway and road construction. Transportation, Photo Id. HA1.050.0030) The Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1938 Several acts followed, furthering the authorized a feasibility study for a toll- expansion of the highway system. The financed system of north-south and east- for all-weather, farm-to-market roads Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1921 (Phipps west superhighways. The Federal-Aid and the automobile industry and motorist Act) created a program to provide state aid Highway Act of 1944 called for a national groups that wanted hard-surfaced, inter - to build an interconnected interstate high - interstate highway system spanning 40,000 state roads. 7 The Federal-Aid Road Act of way system. The new act made 7 percent miles but provided no funding. Finally, in 1916 adopted the federal-aid option and of all state roads eligible for funding in 1956 the Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1956 provided $75 million for a 50-50 match to addition to inserting the requirement that was passed by Congress and signed by the states for projects administered by state three-sevenths must be interstate in char - President Eisenhower, officially creating highway agencies staffed with engineers acter. Based upon this act, the Bureau of the Interstate Highway System. The act with “approval authority so they could Public Roads designated 169,012 miles authorized $25 billion for the construction ensure the projects were designed and of public roads with $189 million being of 41,000 miles of highway over a 10-year constructed properly.” 8 The construction expended to improve 10,252 miles of period and paid 90 percent of the cost. HISTORY OF LINK-BELT SPEEDER CORPORATION 7
(1874-1939) LINK-BELT COMPANY
The origins of Link-Belt Company drives made up of square and flat handling equipment produced by date to September 1, 1874, when links that would wear unevenly and the Link-Belt Company. Products William Dana Ewart and the Ewart break in one spot, necessitating the manufactured included coal and Manufacturing Company obtained replacement of the entire belt and ash handling machinery, electric a patent for a square detachable ultimately delaying harvest. The hoists, grab buckets, portable link for a chain belt. Ewart worked new chain belt enabled quick wagon loaders, gondola car unload - with the Chicago Malleable Iron repairs in the field and was the ers, elevators and conveyors for all Company to create the initial foundation for various types of materials, belt conveyers, bucket “Link-Belt” and established a mar - power transmission and materials- carriers, and other machinery. ket for his patent by installing his chain belt in agricultural self-bind - ing harvester machinery at the 1874 The self-binding harvester was perfected by 1880 to complete Figure 7. Inter-State Industrial Exposition of Cyrus McCormick’s 1872 automatic harvester invention. The self- William D. Ewart 1880 Chicago. 11 Ewart was a farm imple - Founder of Link-Belt Co. binding harvester automatically harvested and bound grain with in 1880 (Courtesy of ment dealer in the small rural com - Carl & Mary Koehler munity of Belle Plaine, Iowa, located twine in uniformly sized bundles before dumping them in piles History Center). about 40 miles southwest of Cedar on the ground. One man drove the harvester pulled by horses Rapids. Prior to his invention, mechanical harvesters were manu - and a second shocked (stacked for drying in field) the bundles. factured with continuous chain belt 8 HISTORY OF LINK-BELT SPEEDER CORPORATION
The industries using Link-Belt machinery included the brewing, mining, packinghouse, farming, saw and planing mills, and news - paper/printing operations. Ewart’s ambitious efforts resulted in the founding of the Link-Belt Machinery Company (1880) and the Link-Belt Engineering Company (1888) as sister com - panies. The latter originated as a partnership with the Philadelphia, Pennsylvania firm of Burr and Dodge, as Ewart worked with its leaders, James Mapes Dodge and Edward H. Burr, to market and sell his malleable detachable chains. 12
When the two firms consolidated, Link-Belt Engineering Company became the exclusive agent for Figure 8. Figure 9. Ewart Manufacturing Company in Link-Belt Products Illustrated. From: Link-Belt The Link-Belt Locomotive Crane. From: Link-Belt Company. Peck Carrier : Patented December 25, Company. Peck Carrier : Patented December 25, the eastern U.S. with Dodge serv - 1900 for Coal, Coke, Ashes, Cement, Sand, Stone, 1900 for Coal, Coke, Ashes, Cement, Sand, Stone, ing as its president and chief engi - Ore, and Other Materials Book No. 120, 1913, p. 107. Ore, and Other Materials Book No. 120, 1913, p. 108. HISTORY OF LINK-BELT SPEEDER CORPORATION 9
neer. The newly formed operation also designs set the basis for all future lines of became a design center for new products cranes and power shovels produced by the with development of the Dodge Chain company. In 1900 the “Link-Belt Crane” or “silent-chain,” which greatly reduced was advertised in one trade journal for the noise caused by the belt on gears. The use in handling sand, stone, and gravel Figure 10. Ewart Manufacturin g Company manufac - “because it is speedy, easy to operate, and Illustration of Link-Belt Crane used in Circular tured and marketed malleable iron chains ruggedly constructed for hard service” and Storage System. From: Link-Belt Company. Peck Carrier : Patented December 25, 1900 for Coal, while the Link Belt Machinery Company because “it represents the highest achieve - Coke, Ashes, Cement, Sand, Stone, Ore, and was tasked with “finding applications for ment in locomotive crane design.” 16 The Other Materials Book No. 120, 1913, p. 107. the chains and installing elevators, convey - original locomotive crane was used for two ers, and power transmissions in which different types of storage systems, circular they were used.” 13 This helped the com - and parallel. The revolving crane possessed pany lead the way in chain standardization the following distinctive features: and started the sprocket industry. 14 Ewart “Steel gears throughout, bronze bushings retained overall leadership of the three throughout, one point adjustment on corporations until his death in 1908, when clutches, few parts—every one accessible. he was succeeded by Albert Kaufmann. Large, roomy platform for operator— everything handy. Exceptionally large The three firms developed and introduced factor of safety used; it is driven by steam wide-gauge, steam-powered, coal-handling or electricity, and equipped to operate Figure 11. clamshell railroad cranes in 1894. These Grab Bucket, Hook Block, Electric Lifting Illustration of Link-Belt Crane used in Parallel later evolved into lighter, more versatile Storage System. From: Link-Belt Company. Peck Magnet Drag Scraper Bucket, Steam versions around the turn of the twentieth Carrier : Patented December 25, 1900 for Coal, Shovel Dipper and Pile Driver.” 17 Coke, Ashes, Cement, Sand, Stone, Ore, and century. 15 Link Belt Company’s early crane Other Materials Book No. 120, 1913, p. 106. 10 HISTORY OF LINK-BELT SPEEDER CORPORATION
William Otis invented the steam shovel in 1839 and, as denoted by the name, it was In 1906 Link-Belt Engineering, Ewart 1930s to include models whose bucket Manufacturing, and Link-Belt Machinery capacity ranged from 3/4-cubic yard to powered by steam boilers. These early power merged to form the Link-Belt Company 2 1/5-cubic yard shovel capacity. shovels were mounted on a railway chassis with its headquarters and manufacturing facilities located in Chicago, Illinois. One In 1936 the Link-Belt Company invented with a shovel arm able to achieve only a of the company’s significant inventions the Speed-O-Matic, which became the partial swing, thus required workers to lay was a coal conveyer developed by chief standard for the crane-shovel industry temporary tracks to access work areas. engineer Frederic V. Hetzel in 1914, and made all previous systems obsolete. which was the largest conveyer type of The system was a set of power hydraulic During the nineteenth century two major its kind at the time. In 1921 Link-Belt controls. The trademark described it as: innovations were made. Chain hoists were introduced the crawler-mounted crane/excavator. 18 This innovation Variable pressure hydraulic systems replaced by steel cables in the 1870s, and spawned a complete line of crawler- for controlling the operating functions a full 360-degree swing was introduced mounted crane shovels to complement of machines, such as cranes, shovels, by 1884 in England. Major American manu - Link Belt’s other line of locomotive draglines, or the like, each system cranes, malleable detachable link including such elements as a source of facturers included Marion Steam Shovel chains, and material-handling equip - supply of fluid, a pump, an accumulator, Company, Erie, P and H, and Bucyrus-Erie ment. Link-Belt products were used on a plurality of fluid motors, a piping sys - automobile assembly lines, including tem, and fluid flow controlling valves. Shovel Company. Link-Belt joined this group the Ford Motor Company’s plants, coal Speed-o-Matic was first used on cranes in the 1890s with its first locomotive cranes mining and storage facilities, steam and shovels employing variable pressure and power shovels. Steam power gave way shovels concrete mixers, agricultural hydraulic control systems.” 19 machinery, and urban sewage screens to gas and electric power by the 1930s. by 1925. The product lines grew in the HISTORY OF LINK-BELT SPEEDER CORPORATION 11
Figure 12. Two pages illustrating the "Speed-O-Matic Control System." From Link-Belt Speeder, K-608 Series Booklet No. 27106, September 1961. 12 HISTORY OF LINK-BELT SPEEDER CORPORATION
SPEEDER (1919-1939) MACHINERY COMPANY
Founded in Leon, Iowa, in 1919 by George nascent company moved twice before merg - T. Ronk, the Speeder Machinery Company ing with the Link-Belt Corporation in 1939. opened its first factory in the summer of 1920. The new company manufactured a The company operated its factory in Leon new road machine, called a dirt shovel, to from 1919 to 1922 and in Fairfield, Iowa, be “used by road builders, bridge contrac - from 1922 to 1926, when it moved to Cedar tors, ditch and levee construction, cellar and Rapids. Initial operations were modest: when basement work and in fact wherever dirt is Speeder moved to Fairfield from Leon, they to be moved.” 20 Speeder manufactured a line moved “two lathes, a drill press, a power of small, gasoline engine powered, fully saw, and a forge… [into] a dirt floored, wood Figure 13. revolving cable excavators that included drag framed, and galvanized iron roofed building Speeder Machinery Crane/Excavator 21 Advertisement From Engineering News lines, shovels, and cranes used in road build - about thirty feet by seventy feet in size.” A Record, Vol. 99, No. 15, ca. 1927, p. 68. ing and heavy construction operations. The dragline (crane shovel operated by a system HISTORY OF LINK-BELT SPEEDER CORPORATION 13
of pulleys and wire rope used for digging adjacent dwelling on the north. and dredging, the first Speeder product The $40,000 plant was constructed was produced in the Fairfield building. by local Cedar Rapids operation O.F. The move to Fairfield and later Cedar Paulson Construc tion Company with Rapids both provided an expansion site steel supplied by Iowa Steel & Iron sufficient for the company’s needs and a Works. 24 Additionally, the Iowa Railway larger pool of skilled workers to operate & Light Company provided railroad their manufacturing facility. 22 access to facilitate shipping and receiving Figure 14. Early Speeder Machinery Co. Advertisement operations for Speeder. Ca. 1919 (Courtesy of Carl & Mary Koehler The construction of Speeder’s new plant History Center) in Cedar Rapids inspired the Cedar Rapids During the first year of operation, the Republican to report on October 1, 1926, firm brought 100 workers to Cedar that “a modern plant of steel and concrete Rapids from Fairfield and other local construction” with 35,000 square feet communities to produce approximately of floor space would be built by early 88 machines. 25 Among its accomplish - December. 23 Prior to the completion of ments, Speeder introduced a wheel- the new plant, Speeder temporarily used mounted excavator, the Tumblebug, in a former city streetcar barn to commence 1922 along with a direct cable crowd for operations. This building was located shovels. The cable refers to the system adjacent to a vacant multi-block parcel of hoisting the shovel apparatus, and the along 6th Street SW, previously utilized crowd refers to the horizontal motion of as circus grounds. The 1913 Sanborn the bucket while digging. The direct cable Map Company fire insurance map shows meant that the same wire could be used Figure 15. a two-story Imperial Furniture Company to raise and operate the bucket. Speeder Speeder Machinery’ Tumblebug, Circa 1922. From warehouse in the southeast corner of made an unverified claim that this was November 1954 Link Belt Speeder Co. Plant Talk Cedar Rapids City Block 91 with an the first produced of its type. 26 14 HISTORY OF LINK-BELT SPEEDER CORPORATION
Figure 16. Link-Belt Speeder Plant in July 1944. (Courtesy of Carl & Mary Koehler History Center) HISTORY OF LINK-BELT SPEEDER CORPORATION 15
LINK-BELT (1939-1966) SPEEDER COMPANY
On April 29, 1939, Link-Belt described the reason for and results to create a complete product line of Com pany of Chicago announced of the merger as follows: cranes and power-shovels that were the merger of its shovel division convertible to different attachments. “the merger brought together two with Speeder Machinery Company The consolidated company also added companies whose markets and modes of Cedar Rapids. 27 The newly formed, machines with a 3-yard bucket capa - of operation were considerably differ - independent subsidiary of Link-Belt city. The size of the bucket impacted ent, and, to a great extent, quite limit - Company became known as Link- the amount of material that could be ed, due to the restricted range of sizes Belt Speeder Corpora tion with moved at one time and the overall which each had to offer. It gave the T.M. Deal as its president. Alfred time required to complete a job. The union a much broader market to draw Kauffmann was serving as president newly combined company centralized from, not only from the ultimate user’s of Link-Belt Company (after Ewart’s its manufacturing, sales, and engineer - standpoint but also from the strength - 1908 death). At the time Link-Belt ing in Cedar Rapids, which ushered in ened distributor organization.” 28 Company operated engineering a 30-year period of substantial profit plants in Chicago, Philadelphia, The merger combined the smaller and growth with the expansion com - San Francisco, Atlanta, and Toronto, machines (3/8 yard and 3/4 yard) of pleted in 1948. 29 Prior to 1948, Speeder Canada. Jerome Greenberg, a con - Speeder with the larger (3/4 yard to Machinery continued its operations temporary studying the company, 2 1/2 yards) machines of Link-Belt independently from those in Chicago. 16 HISTORY OF LINK-BELT SPEEDER CORPORATION
World War II interrupted plans for the After the war ended, Link-Belt Speeder expansion of the Cedar Rapids plant but began manufacturing a line of truck and did not stop the plant from contributing self-propelled cranes, based upon designs to the war effort. With a workforce of 500, formulated prior to and during World War the factory operated at capacity, manufactur - II. Following the success of these products, ing machines with newly introduced rubber- Link-Belt Speeder completed building plans tired mountings. 30 Construction Battalions and drawings for an expanded facility in operated Link-Belt machinery on the war 1946. Chicago architect Milton Searle front that included the LS YC-9 Cargocrane. Carstens and structural engineer J. Kenny This crane, designed to unload cargo from Johnson designed the new plant, and Angot sea vessels, was mounted on rubber wheels. P. Larson built the new structure. The plant, A brochure for the LS YC-9 explained that: completed in 1948, consisted of 200,000 square feet of manufacturing space and “Wartime necessity has created a new offices and was valued at $500,000. 32 Link- Link-Belt Speeder Cargocrane for many Belt’s heavy equipment manufacturing post war use. The new, general purpose operations were centralized with Link-Belt crane is an “Army Baby,” for it was devel - Speeder Company in Cedar Rapids because oped as the result of a series of discussions production costs in Chicago were too high between Link-Belt Speeder technicians for the company to maintain a profitable and Army engineers. The U.S. Army and sustainable position in the market. 33 Transportation Corps needed a small, fast unit to handle loading and unloading at The design of the new factory followed embarkation docks, and Link-Belt Speeder the stripped Classicism often referred to as met their specifications with a machine Moderne, characterized by its lack of orna - Figure 17. [the YC-Cargocrane] that combines mentation and the harmony between func - YC-9 Cargo Crane Circa 1945. From Link-Belt Speeder Co. Sales Brochure “General Purpose strength, stamina, and stability with tion and design. The administrative section 31 Cargocrane by Link-Belt Speeder.” great operating ease.” was a two-story, L-shaped masonry building HISTORY OF LINK-BELT SPEEDER CORPORATION 17
Figure 18. Photo of Link- Belt Speeder Plant prior to and during construction of new plant building. From Sept. 1948 Cedar Rapids Gazette. with poured concrete basement walls, floor, Speed-O-Matic power hydraulic controls and foundation. Unique features included and revolutionized the crane-shovel a curved northwest corner wrapped by industry. The new design meant “that all smooth finished and fluted Indiana lime - equipment operations can be performed stone panels, clay tile upper walls clad with either independently or simultaneously” red and gray brick, and glass block in entry - and that two-directional power was pro- ways and window openings. Contractors vided for all functions.” 35 Functions could erected the $1.75 million structure around include raising, lowering, or swinging the the 1926 plant so that production would boom, controlling and maneuvering the not be interrupted. shovel, dragline, or pile driver, or other actions depending upon the attachment Figure 19. In 1949 the corporation introduced a being used and the type of work being Cover of December 1954 Link-Belt Speeder full-function design that integrated the performed. Plant Talk 18 HISTORY OF LINK-BELT SPEEDER CORPORATION
Figure 20. Link-Belt Speeder "Overhead Crane System" Plan showing layout of new plant completed in 1948. Exhibit III From Plant Study, Link-Belt Speeder Corporation, State University of Iowa Thesis by Jerome Greenberg, August 4, 1948. From University of Iowa Special Collections. HISTORY OF LINK-BELT SPEEDER CORPORATION 19
Figure 21. Scale Model of Link-Belt Speeder Plant. From Plant Study, Link-Belt Speeder Corporation, State University of Iowa Thesis by Jerome Greenberg, August 4, 1948. Found in University of Iowa Special Collections. 20 HISTORY OF LINK-BELT SPEEDER CORPORATION
UNIONS AT LINK-BELT SPEEDER COMPANY The United Auto Workers (UAW) represented the workers at the 1201 6th Street SW Link-Belt Speeder plant beginning in 1949. Prior to the UAW, employees were represented by two other unions, the Allied Independent Workers of Cedar Rapids and the AFL- International Association of Machinists, Harmony Lodge #831. Link-Belt Speeder only experienced one strike. In 1950, 700 employees walked out of the Cedar Rapids plant at 6 a.m. because two months of negotiations had failed to achieve
a “15-cent-an-hour pay boost.” 51 Of the workers who went on strike,
Figure 22. 675 were represented by a third union, the Congress of Industrial Photo from 1950 strike at Organizations (CIO) affiliated UAW Local #299. The strike lasted approx - Link-Belt-Speeder Co. From "History Link-Belt Company, Speeder imately 73 days before it ended on September 24, 1950. A two and Machinery Company, Link-Belt Speeder Corporation, FMC Crane and Excavator one-half year contract agreement ended the strike. The terms of the Division" ca. 1985. agreement included an immediate 12-cent-per-hour wage increase with another five-cent increase in 1951, one to three weeks of vacation,
and company-paid pensions and health insurance. 52 Arbitration and collective bargaining between the UAW and Link-Belt management continued after this strike, but workers never walked out over contract negotiations again. This was the result of effective internal negotiations that negated the need for a strike as management and workers came to a mutual understanding on contract provisions. HISTORY OF LINK-BELT SPEEDER CORPORATION 21
In effect, this full-function system was The Link-Belt Speeder site exceeded six the administrative building in height. equivalent to the automatic transmission in city blocks in size after these expansions. With access to the important Chicago, automobiles. The system made movements The factory and its additions featured long Milwaukee, and Pacific Railroad much easier and effective allowing the oper - work bays with a series of large overhead Corridor in the Young's Hill Kingston ator to expend less energy and thus com - bridge cranes that operated on tracks. Neighborhood, Link-Belt Speeder could plete more work while on a job. Link-Belt The work bays measured up to 250 feet ship its products directly by rail from Speeder moved to the forefront of the and were utilized for assembly, machine tracks installed in the factory buildings. industry with this innovation. In 1954 they shops, and painting. The 1956 and 1957 launched their flagship model the LS-98. additions stood one story tall but matched The company sold and shipped 7,000 units to customers across the world over the course of 42 years. Between 1953 and 1957, the factory expanded to six city blocks covering over half a million square feet. 36 From 1954-1963, Link-Belt Speeder nearly doubled its net worth from $65 million to $95 million and the Cedar Rapids factory became the largest manufacturing facility in the nation specifically dedicated to cranes and shovels. 37
The 1953 building was located north of the administrative building/factory and was separate from the main facility. The Austin Company of Chicago designed, engineered, and built two additions in 1956 and 1957, which cost $985,000 Figure 23. and brought the total size of the factory Plant expansions completed from 1953 to 1957. From Link-Belt Speeder Plant Talk, to more than 500,000 square feet. 38 April 1957. 22 HISTORY OF LINK-BELT SPEEDER CORPORATION
Figure 24. Road Builders Equipment Company Sales Brochure for LS-98, March 29, 1957. HISTORY OF LINK-BELT SPEEDER CORPORATION 23
In 1956, President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed the Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1956 that officially created the Interstate Highway System. The act approved $25 billion in funding between 1957 and 1969 to create around 41,000 miles of interstate highways with uniform design standards, 90 percent federal cost share, and a gas tax to help pay for the construction. The construction of the interstate system required massive amounts of Figure 25. heavy equipment for the construction of the 1950 Link-Belt Speeder Brochure (Courtesy of Carl & roads, bridges, and overpasses. Iowa’s interstate Mary Koehler History Center) development plan initially called for 710 miles along Interstates 29, 35, 74, and 8, at an estimated The Federal-Aid Highway Act of a storage facility to the 1953 1956 authorized the interstate high - plant complex addition. Two years cost of $478.77 million, with the first section way system and started a signifi - later, the corporation constructed of I-35/I-80 opening on September 21, 1958. 41 cant increase in road construction a 160,000-square-foot plant on throughout the nation. Link-Belt Bowling Street SW. By the end This was two years after the first bids were let Speeder President David Lehti stat - of the 1960s, Link-Belt Speeder in October 1956. The final section of the Iowa ed that the factory building con - employed close to 2,000 employees interstate system was completed on September structed in 1957 would give them manufacturing 40 crane and exca - “the capacity to take full advantage vator models. 40 The new facility 12, 1985, with the total mileage increasing to of the substantial sales potential also included new design labora-
781.51 miles at a total cost of $1.05 billion. 42 in the nation’s long-range building tory facilities and expanded the program.” 39 In 1963-1964 a water total plant space in Cedar Rapids tower/tank was added along with to over 1,000,000 square feet. 24 HISTORY OF LINK-BELT SPEEDER CORPORATION
Figure 26. Left: June 1964 Birdseye Photo of Plant. From: Plant Talk, June 1964; Top Right: Link-Belt Speeder Corporation, looking southeast, 1964 and Bottom Right: East Factory Addition, looking southwest, ca. 1957 (Courtesy The Carl and Mary Koehler History Center, Cedar Rapids, IA). HISTORY OF LINK-BELT SPEEDER CORPORATION 25 (1967-1980) FMC ASSUMES OWNERSHIP
The FMC Corporation, then based In 1972 Link-Belt Speeder Co. changed in Chicago and now in Philadelphia, its name to the “Cable Crane and purchased and merged with Link-Belt Excavator Division of FMC,” but the Speeder in 1967. Link-Belt Speeder was Link-Belt Speeder brand continued. now a subsidiary of FMC, but its heavy FMC President Robert H. Malott justified machinery manufacturing center the name change on the basis of creating remained in Cedar Rapids. The Cedar a unified FMC product brand for all of its Rapids factory continued its production products over its 35 divisions. 44 Growth and employment growth despite a signifi - continued at the Cedar Rapids plant. In cant flood in 1968. During the latter half 1973 there were 1,750 employees with of the 1960s, the company added major an $18 million payroll. Employee num - manufacturing plants in Woodstock, bers in Cedar Rapids peaked in 1979, Ontario, Canada; Queretaro, Mexico; and with approximately 2,100 employees Milan, Italy. Utilizing its new product working “85,000 square feet of produc - design laboratories at the 6th Street SW tion, office and warehouse space at two and Bowling Street SW plants, Link-Belt facilities located in the city. 45 In 1980 the Figure 27. Speeder introduced a complete line of company produced over 200 designs View of plant through chain link fence with new FMC hydraulic self-propelled cranes in 1969 with lifting capabilities of up to sign. From Cedar Rapids Gazette , June 17, 1973. and a hydraulic truck crane in 1971. 43 700 tons. 26 HISTORY OF LINK-BELT SPEEDER CORPORATION
(1980-1986) DECLINE AND CLOSING OF CEDAR RAPIDS PLANT
The economic climate of the early 1980s tempered the In 1986 Sumitomo Heavy Industries Ltd. of Japan growth of the previous 30 years for FMC and the Link- obtained the minority shareholder position for Belt division. Employment and production declined. Link-Belt Speeder/FMC. Shortly thereafter, it took Eventually the Cedar Rapids factories and administra - over the majority position. Also in 1986, FMC sold tive offices were closed and the property sold. High the 19-acre site at 1201 6th Street SW to the City interest rates combined with a reduction in construc - of Cedar Rapids for $1.5 million. Link-Belt Speeder tion activity caused by a downturn in the economy Corporation is currently owned by Sumitomo but reduced sales and led to worker layoffs. The workforce has been divided into the Link-Belt Construction at the Cedar Rapids plant stood at 1,550 in July 1980 Equipment Company and Link-Belt Excavator (LBX) but was reduced to 700 in April 1982 and 380 in late Company. The 1998 reorganization divided the exca - 1983, when fewer than 100 worked on the production vator product line into a wholly owned subsidiary lines. 46 Citing major declines in construction equipment called the LBX Company. The cranes remained with orders and construction investment, high interest rates, the Link-Belt Construction Equipment Company and declining profits caused by reduced demand and formed in 1986. Both companies are currently worldwide competition, FMC announced the closure headquartered in Lexington, Kentucky. of the Cedar Rapids plants (6th Street SW and Bowling Street SW) in early 1985. 47 The facility had manufac - tured nearly 30,000 Link-Belt cranes over 50 years. HISTORY OF LINK-BELT SPEEDER CORPORATION 27
CEDAR RAPIDS PUBLIC WORKS AND 2008 FLOOD
In 1987 the City of Cedar Rapids Public Works is $36 million with funding as follows: FEMA-$18.5 Department assumed ownership of the Link-Belt million, City of Cedar Rapids- $12.5 million, I-JOBS Speeder site at 1201 6th Street SW and its buildings. Grant-$5 million. 49 The new building’s address will The city added storage tanks for oil and chemicals, be 500 1st Avenue SW when completed. The facility razed buildings for employee parking lots, and added will house the City Assessor’s Office, Building Services other storage sheds. In June 2008 the Cedar River Division, Public Works Department (Construction flooded, cresting at 31.12 feet at its height. 48 The flood Engineering, Engineering, Forestry, Traffic Engineering affected 1,300 city blocks and damaged 5,238 houses, and Street, Sewer and Forestry Maintenance Divisions), 77 non-profit and faith organizations, and 940 busi - Fleet Services Division, Information Technology nesses—including the Link Speeder site. As of 2013, Department, and Parks and Recreation Department. the flood had cost the City of Cedar Rapids over $500 The city decided to replace the existing building million in damage. In 2011 the city decided to build a because it was cheaper than renovation and would new structure instead of renovating the old 300,000- allow for the consolidation of the previously-listed square-foot Link-Belt Speeder building at 1201 6th departments, which would improve city operations Street SW. Construction of the new building, to include by placing them in a centralized location. 50 The Solid offices and warehouses, was scheduled for summer Waste and Recycling division building will be reused. 2012 with a fall 2014 completion date. The total estimated cost for the new city services building 28 HISTORY OF LINK-BELT SPEEDER CORPORATION
LINK-BELT SPEEDER CORPORATION BUILDING COMPLEX
Link-Belt Speeder Building Complex Resources and Building Sections 53 The City of Cedar Rapids Public Works # Historic Building Name Common Name Date(s) Status Contributing Noncontributing Department occupied the Link-Belt Speeder 1 Administrative Offices Administrative Offices 1948 X Corporation Building Complex in 2011 when 2 Original Factory 1948 X Maryls Svendsen conducted an architectural 3 Building No. 16/North City of Cedar Rapids 1953, 1964 X survey of the property for the Iowa Homeland Factory Addition Recycling Building Security and Emergency Management Depart - 4 South Factory Addition 1956 X ment (IHSMED). The complex is sited on 5 East Factory Addition 1957 X 6 Materials Shed ca. 1987 X portions of a six-block area in the southwest 7 Building No. 19 Storage Building ca. 1964 X quadrant of the city. The property’s boundaries 8 Road Oil Building ca. 1987 X consist of 6th Street SW on the west, the former 9 Road Oil Storage Tanks 2 Road Oil Storage Tanks ca. 1987 XX Milwaukee Railroad/Cedar Rapids and Iowa City 10 Canopy and Fuel Pumps ca. 1987 X Railroad corridor on the north, 4th Street SW 11 Salt Dome 1987 X on the east, and 15th Avenue SW on the south. 12 4 Chemical Storage Tanks ca. 1987 XXXX 13 Material Bunker Material Bunker 1998 X The table at left, from the Iowa Site Inventory 14 Underground Fuel Tanks 2 Diesel Tanks and 1987 – Form completed by Marlys Svendsen in 2011, 1 Unleaded Fuel Tank lists the buildings and structures that comprised 15 North Parking Lot North Parking Lot 1987 – the Link-Belt Speeder Corporation Complex, 16 South Parking Lot South Parking Lot 1998 – which were built between 1948 and 1998. 17 Smoke Stack pre-1948 Nonextant 18 Water Tower ca. 1964 Nonextant 19 Maintenance Building Maintenance Building ca. 1948 Nonextant HISTORY OF LINK-BELT SPEEDER CORPORATION 29
The complex can be divided into two parts: painted concrete walls, long counters, assembly line from end to end of each work north and south. The north half was estab - vinyl and carpet flooring and acoustical bay. The work bays were arranged in north- lished in 1939 and is defined by the second tile ceilings. A prominent interior circular south and west-east configurations, meas - set of factory buildings erected following staircase in the northwest corner was ured 250 feet long, had steel-catwalks and World War II. The south half consists of retained until partially removed in 2008 upper levels, concrete floors, and asbestos modern buildings built by the Cedar Rapids due to flood damage. panel work bay dividers that doubled as fire Public Works Department between 1987 protection. Operations in the bays included and 1998 except for the ca. 1964 storage The South Factory (Building #4) and assembly, machine shops, and painting. building (Building #7). East Factory (Building #5) Additions were The factory buildings had a sprinkler sys - built in 1956 and 1957. They are located tem and light was originally provided by The Administrative Offices (Building #1) perpendicular to each other and are con - continuous spans of multi-light metal win - and Original Factory (Building #2) were nected to the original 1948 factory and dows on the upper and lower levels until built in 1948 based on plans drawn up in administrative sections. These two build - replaced at an unknown date by fluted 1946. The two-story L-Shaped Moderne ings are one-story structures with poured semi-opaque fiberglass panels. Style Administrative Offices was a masonry concrete foundations, structural steel super - building with poured concrete basement, structure, and Johns-Manville Flat and The south end of the complex consisted floor and foundation with clay tile upper Corrugated Asbestos “Transite” exterior of a series of buildings completed in 1987. walls clad in mottled red and gray brick. cladding. Their height matched that of the These were built as the site was converted Smooth and fluted Indiana limestone panels two-story Administrative Offices section for municipal use. These included the wrapped the prominent, character-defining, and the exterior painted. Original fenestra - Salt Dome, row of four street treatment curved northwest corner of the building. tion consisted of multi-light windows that chemical storage tanks, Road Oil Building, The glass walled addition along the north had been replaced with corrugated fiber - and two Road Oil Storage Tanks. Other façade was built in 1998-99 by the City of glass panels. Door openings were originally structures include the one-story Materials Cedar Rapids and included new stairwells, wood, but had been replaced by 2011 with Shed (divided into bays), Material Bunker elevators, and restrooms. Between 1987 modern metal slab doors. The interiors (1998), three fuel storage tanks with fueling and 1998 the interior of the Administrative of the factory buildings were divided into bays, and Storage Building #7 (ca. 1964). Offices underwent renovations that long work bays with large overhead bridge The pages that follow show the Link-Belt removed original office walls and changed cranes that moved products under con - Speeder Corporation Complex as it the interior configuration with drywall, struction along the various parts of the appeared in 2011. 30 HISTORY OF LINK-BELT SPEEDER CORPORATION
Figure 29. Top Three Photographs: Administrative Offices (#1); Bottom Right: Original Factory and South Factory (#2 and #4) Addition View North in 2011. (Photographs by Marlys Svendsen, (IHSEMD), From Link Belt Speeder Corporation Building Complex: State Historical Society of Iowa Site Inventory Form, 2011). HISTORY OF LINK-BELT SPEEDER CORPORATION 31
Figure 34. Exterior Views of Factory Additions in 2011 (Photographs by Marlys Svendsen (IHSEMD). From Link Belt Speeder Corporation Building Complex: State Historical Society of Iowa Site Inventory Form, 2011) 32 HISTORY OF LINK-BELT SPEEDER CORPORATION
Figure 29. Interior Photographs of Factory Interiors in 2011 (Photographs By Marlys Svendsen, IHSEMD. From Link Belt Speeder Corporation Building Complex: State Historical Society of Iowa Site Inventory Form, 2011) HISTORY OF LINK-BELT SPEEDER CORPORATION 33
LINK-BELT SPEEDER CORPORATION COMPLEX AND THE SURROUNDING NEIGHBORHOOD
The Link-Belt Speeder Corporation the addition of 15 new subdivisions as War I, the neighborhood was home to a Building Complex is located within the the city experienced significant population, large number of working class families. Young’s Hill/ Kingston Neighborhood. commercial and industrial expansions Between 1900 and 1920, five new plats Kingston formed in 1852 and in 1870 along with the extension of streetcar were added including the Murray’s 4th, Cedar Rapids annexed the area as West lines into the area beginning in 1882. 55 Alandale, and Lennox Place Additions. Cedar Rapids. William Buchanan, Andrew Development of the northern and eastern Murray, Orville Hull, and James Reed made blocks along the edge of the Young’s Hill/ Significant West Side industrial companies a flurry of new plat additions between Kingston Neighborhood was largely com - that provided employment to neighbor - 1871 and 1874 along the northern and pleted by 1900 following an organic devel - hood residents included the Williams and eastern edges of the current neighborhood. 54 opment pattern with a variety of different Hunting Company, Hubbard Ice Company, In the 1880’s, James C. Young spearheaded house designs and sizes. 56 Prior to World Cedar Rapids Pump Company, Chandler 34 HISTORY OF LINK-BELT SPEEDER CORPORATION
#3 #8 & 9 (1959) (1987) #10 (1987) #7 (1964) #13 (1998) #12 #1 #2 #5 (1987) (1948) (1948) (1957) Factory #11 #3 (1987) (1959) #16 #6 (1987)
#7 (1964)
Figure 30. Figure 31. Building construction dates, looking northeast at north half of com - Northeast view of south half of complex, ca. 2010 (photo courtesy plex with building construction dates, ca. 2010. Construction dates City of Cedar Rapids Assessor). for buildings and additions inserted (Courtesy City of Cedar Rapids Assessor. The building numbers and dates were inserted by Marlys Svendsen in 2011 inventory form for complex and correspond to table found on page 28).
Pump Company, Dearborn Barass Foundry, the Speeder Machinery Company moved its hood from the late 1920s to the 1970s. Douglas Starchworks, Lousiana Penick and factory to the Young’s Hill/Kingston neigh - A significant housing boom in the blocks Ford Ltd., and Universal Crusher Company. borhood along the Milwaukee Railroad to the south and west of the plant was A variety of factories were located along the Corridor and was purchased by Link-Belt spurred by the1948 expansion and the important Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Company of Chicago in 1939. The newly overall increase in homebuilding post- Pacific Railroad Corridor. The Iowa City minted Link-Belt Speeder Corporation built World War II. 57 The Young’s Hill Kingston Railway & Light Company incorporated in a new factory in 1948 and with additions in Neighbor hood significantly benefitted from 1902 and laid the interurban tracks known 1953, 1956, and 1957 it expanded to cover the emergence of the Link-Belt Speeder as CRANDIC through part of the neighbor - six city-blocks and hundreds of Link-Belt Corporation as a major employer, reaching hood along the railroad corridor. In 1926, Speeder factory workers lived in neighbor - 2300 at its peak. 58 HISTORY OF LINK-BELT SPEEDER CORPORATION 35
Figure 32. Link-Belt Speeder Building Complex, Sanborn Co. Map, 1913 updated to 1949, available online at State Library of Iowa 36 HISTORY OF LINK-BELT SPEEDER CORPORATION
Figure 33. "Smog Hog System," June 7, 1980 with alphabet named interior construction bays in main building "D" through "S" (Cedar Rapids Public Works Department, Facilities Maintenance Services) HISTORY OF LINK-BELT SPEEDER CORPORATION 37
Figure 34. Link-Belt Speeder Complex Site Plan Ca. 1970 showing yard storage and alphabet named interior construction bays (Cedar Rapids Public Works Department, Facilities Maintenance Services). 38 HISTORY OF LINK-BELT SPEEDER CORPORATION
Bibliography
Several major resources were consulted for this publication. 1997 Times of Our Lives: 50 Years Ago. August 13. The Link-Belt Speeder Corporation Building Complex: State Historical Society of Iowa Site Inventory Form (ISIF, 2/22/2011), 1997 Times of Our Lives. September 3. by Marlys A. Svendsen, provided a wealth of information on the Denver Tribune, Denver, Indiana history and evolution of the complex. Svendsen prepared the ISIF 1920 Reports Factory Started. January 1. in her capacity as Historic Preservation Project Specialist for the Iowa Homeland Security and Emergency Management Department. Oakland Tribune, Oakland, California Additionally, the collections of the Carl & Mary Koehler History 1939 Link-Belt to Merge Two Machine Groups. April 30. Center in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, provided a significant amount of information and images for the preparation of this booklet. State Historical Society of Iowa Multiple primary and secondary resources were also consulted. Svendsen, Marlys. A., Newspapers 1997 Commercial & Industrial Development of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, c. 1865-c. 1945. National Register of Historic Places Carroll Daily Times Herald, Carroll, Iowa Multiple Property Documentation Form. Prepared for City 1950 700 Strike at Link-Belt, Cedar Rapids. July 15. of Cedar Rapids, Iowa; listed on the National Register, 1997. Cedar Rapids Gazette 1926 Fairfield Factory will Move to City: 150 Families to Come 2008 Young’s Hill/Kingston Neighborhood Historical and Architectural Here with Concern, Speeder Machinery to Build on Circus Survey Report, June 2008. Prepared for the City of Cedar Ground. October 1 Rapids and Department of community Development, Housing Services. 1950 Strike Ended at Link-Belt Speeder Plant. September 24. Svendsen, Marlys A., IHSEMD 1956 Growing Industrial City. January 3. 2011 Link Belt Speeder Corporation Building Complex: State Historical Society of Iowa Site Inventory Form. Prepared by 1957 Link-Belt to Expand Plant During 1957. Undated. Iowa Homeland Security and Emergency Management Division 1973 Two C. R. Plants: Link-Belt Sells Worldwide. June 17. for the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) 1976 1894-1976: Now Over 50 Link-Belt Crane/Excavator Models Serve All Major Markets Throughout the World. July 4. HISTORY OF LINK-BELT SPEEDER CORPORATION 39
Other References Link-Belt Speeder Corporation Sanborn Map Company undated Speed-O-Matic, U.S. Trademark No. 19500503. 1st var. Fire Insurance Maps for Cedar Rapids, Iowa, 1884, 1889, Renewal 19721014. Accessed at 1895, 1913, 1913, updated to 1931, 1949, and 1970.
FMC/Link Belt Speeder Corporation 1927 Advertisement. Engineering News-Record 99(15):68. undated General Specification: Link-Belt® 25-tn (22.68 metric ton) ca. 1965 Historical Sketch of Link-Belt Speeder Corporation and its Wire rope crawler crane/excavator LS-98. Antecedent Setting out its Relationship with Iowa Electric 2003 The Link-Belt Story. Accessed online April 15, 2014, at Light and Power Company, Its Predecessor and Subsidiary.
William Dana Ewart (U.S. Patent) 1874 Improvement in Drive –Chains U.S. Patent Office, Patent No. 154,594, dated September 1, 1874. Reissue No. 6,387, April 20, 1875, and No. 10444, Feb. 5, 1884. Accessed at
References
1 “Growing Industrial City,” Cedar Rapids Gazette, 13 J.V.E. Schaefer, “The Design of Elevating and 24 “Historical Sketch of Link-Belt Speeder January 3, 1956. Note: Howard Hall was the Conveying Machinery,” Technograph, 1897, 48. Corporation and its Antecedent Setting out its founder of the Iowa Manufacturing Company 14 The Historical Society of Pennsylvania, Collection Relationship with Iowa Electric Light and Power and a prominent Cedar Rapids businessman. 3091: Frederic V. Hetzel (1870-1946) Papers, Company, Its Predecessor and Subsidiary,” 2 “Times of Our Lives: 50 Years Ago,” Cedar Rapids Finding Aid, 2007. undated ca. 1965. 25 Gazette, August 13, 1997. 15 “The Link Belt Story,” accessed December 3, 2013, Svendsen. 3 Charles W. Wixom, ARBA Pictorial History of Road at
Glossary
40 Svendsen; Gary Britson. “Two C.R. Plants: Link-Belt Sells Chain Belt A belt constructed of links of metal or other material (as leather) and used Worldwide.” in power transmissions for material-handling equipment such as elevators 41 Iowa Department of Transportation, “A Symbol of Freedom, and conveyors. Interstate 50 Years 1956-2006,” 20. Clamshell An excavating machine’s bucket or dredging bucket opening at the bottom, 42 Iowa Department of Transportation, “A Symbol of Freedom, consisting of two similar pieces hinged together at the top. Interstate 50 Years 1956-2006,” 20. Crowd Mechanism used to control the depth of cut while digging. It also is used 43 Svendsen; “1894-1976: Now over 50 Link-Belt Crane/ to control the positioning of the bucket. Excavator Models Serve all Major Markets Throughout Dragline the World.” An excavating machine in which the bucket is attached by cables to a boom and operates by being drawn toward the operator. Invented by John W. 44 Britson; Svendsen. Page in 1904. 45 Britson; Svendsen. Excaloder-LS-98 Link-Belt Shovel Crane model used in underground mining operations that 46 Svendsen. featured a front load bucket for moving rock, sand, gravel, and other loose 47 Svendsen. material. 48 “Iowa Flood of 2008,” Wikipedia, accessed February 14, Hoist Pulling the bucket up through the bank (i.e., the bank of material being dug). 2014, at