Dakota Datebook: Advice

April 22, 2020 — In April 1910, the Hansboro News offered the following advice:

Here are a few things a gasoline engine will and will not do. They will not run backwards; sometimes they won’t run forward either. If they won’t run either way try severing your connection with the anti-swearing society, get out in the woodshed and give full vent to your feeling – it will help lots.

They will not run without gasoline; after you have carefully removed the spark plug, cleaned and replaced it, thoroughly overhauled the carburetor, tested your battery, and turned the crank (until exhausted), send for an expert and pay him $5 to turn on the gasoline for you.

They will run any time except when you are in a hurry. If you’re in a hurry, don’t let the engine know about it... It will not quarrel... The only thing that makes them hot is to run them without water.

“Dakota Datebook” is a radio series from Prairie Public in partnership with the State Historical Society of North Dakota and with funding from the North Dakota Humanities Council. See all the Dakota Datebooks at prairiepublic.org, subscribe to the “Dakota Datebook” podcast, or buy the Dakota Datebook book at shopprairiepublic.org.