Howard Snyder, a Maytag genius
Comments (...)Ask 1,000 people in Jasper County to tell you about Howard Snyder and chances are less than 5 percent will even recognize the name. My fascination with this inventive genius dates back to reading about him years ago in the 1936 Fred L. Maytag biography. The book was in my wife’s family home when we started dating in 1952. It belonged to her brother, Roland Rosenberger, and now to his daughter, Mary Kay.
A brief bio of Howard Snyder was recently published in the Jasper County Museum Journal along with his picture and all Maytag employees in 1899. This was long before a Maytag washing machine was ever built. Once again, I checked out the 1936 Maytag Publication and also Bob Hoover’s great book “American Quality Legend” published in 1993. Bob, a 33-year-old Maytag veteran, was public relations director and did a marvelous job of capturing the 100-year history of Newton’s hometown legend.
Howard Snyder, born in 1869, was a farmer near Austin, Minn., and was recruited by F.L. Maytag on his trip out that way in 1898. At that time, Maytag was having terrible problems with its patented band cutter and self-feeder for farm threshing machines. Maytag discovered this fellow also had obtained several patents and was busily taking care of local threshing machine problems. He convinced Snyder to join the company, so he and his wife moved to Newton shortly thereafter.
Snyder became the foremost self-feeder salesman and problem solver. He was then put in charge of the experimental department, perfecting other Maytag farm products such as the corn husker and shredder. He was heavily involved in producing the first hand-operated Pastime wooden tub washing machine in November 1907 and continued improving it. He developed the first swinging reversible wringer in 1911, equipped with a pressure release to protect clothes and fingers. He was involved in perfecting the gasoline Multi-Motor engine, introduced in 1915 for the farm belt where electricity was not available.
In 1912, the year Snyder was placed in charge of the Maytag Experimental Department, he began his research of a washer with a seamless cast aluminum tub. In the book he said, “Maytag told me to produce a new type washer better than anything on the market. A barrel of money was provided, and all we had to do was get something out that was entirely different and the best.” The first model No. 70 was announced in 1919. From there it was one continual improvement after another.
In 1927, my parents bought the new gasoline model No. 82 with vastly improved Gyrafoam action and large cushy wringer rollers, all developed by Snyder. This machine served them well until 1949, when our house was wired for electricity and the luxurious white electric Model E found its way into our home. I helped my mother crank that old No. 82 for years, and what a pleasure to merely flip a magic switch to start the wash!
Snyder’s long-standing career with Maytag also included vice presidency of the company and consulting engineer. His civic activities included membership in the Masonic Lodge, Newton Rotary Club, the Salvation Army and Za Ga Zig shrine temple in Des Moines. All of his old friends have passed on, making us once again wonder how soon we may be forgotten.
As the books pointed out, “Snyder cared for no partnership interest, didn’t care to own stock and made no demands for financial recognition. But in the years before his untimely death was given a comfortable new home, automobiles and all the money he would accept for his loyalty and immeasurable usefulness.”
Over the years, F.L. Maytag and Howard Snyder became close friends. They traveled together on many junkets, and Snyder amused many Maytag salespeople across the land with his wry humor and fascinating stories of invention after invention. You can see the witty and devilish look in his eyes on the full page picture on page 77 of the Maytag biography.
Snyder died at his home in Newton at the age of 58. He had a two-year bout of pernicious anemia, ending with an attack of pneumonia. F.L. visited Snyder’s bedside the day before this mechanical marvel passed away. As the story goes, holding Snyder’s hand he said, “I wish we could take just one more trip together.” He later described Snyder as “the best friend I ever had.”
So ends this brief history of a true Newton legend, but one who should never be forgotten. Both books covering the Maytag and Howard Snyder histories are worth checking out.
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