Engine House #5

Engine House #5. The J.H. Hawes Grain Elevator Museum. What Powered the Elevator?, Although gravity provides the force that moves grain downward from the farmer's wagon into the receiving bin, another type of force is needed to run the conveyor belt that lifts grain up in order to place it in one of the Elevator's storage bins. When the Elevator was first built it was powered by a steam engine located in this Engine House. That engine was replaced in the 1920s with a gas engine like the one you see through the window., Notice the large belt on the far side of the engine. It connects the engine to a pulley used to turn a shaft that runs outside the Engine House and into the Elevator. The shaft is connected inside the Elevator to the conveyor belt that lifts grain up and into the storage bins., Have you noticed that the Engine House, unlike the Scale House and the Elevator, is made of brick? Why do you think this was important?, (under flap:), When the Elevator was in operation it raised a lot of dust from the all the grain that was moved around inside it. This made it highly susceptible to fire. It was therefore wise to house the engine - and any sparks it might emit - in a separate, fireproof, brick building.