Tod Engine

The William Tod Company was started in 1856 as a foundry and machine shop by Homer Hamilton.  William Tod became involved in the enterprise soon thereafter and the company slowly began building engines for the iron and steel industry.  In the 60 years that the William Tod Company was in buisness they produced several hundred blast furnace blowing engine, rolling mill engines, municipal water works engines and other stationary steam engines for customers throughout the world.  The Tod Company also built complete rolling mills, barometric condensers, forging presses and other machinery.  Some of their more notable accomplishments include building the two engines that drove the original Ferris Wheel at the 1893 Chicago Exposition, making of the gate operating mechanisms for the Panama Canal, and constructing the engines that powered the first wide flange beam mill to be built in the United States.