I appreciate Delbert Trew’s articles and the one in the May 2010 issue got my “gray matter” activated. “The Art of Clothesline Reading” got me thinking about our experiences of acquiring items for our Eastern Washington Agricultural Museum in Pomeroy.
We have been very fortunate in receiving many items, but it’s also very important when we are given permission to pick through scrap piles – therefore, “The Art of Treasure Pile Reading.”
Some of our donors (or their survivors) are unable to provide information and/or history on these items, some of which have involved as many as four or five generations.
The “reading” aspect comes in when we note the parts and pieces found in “treasure” piles and/or hanging in sheds. As an example, we found a magneto and a top for a hopper-cooled Cushman binder engine. Another find was an engine crank, indicating a Fairbanks-Morse engine was once used at that location. You get the idea: Keep your eyes open and involve others who have different areas of expertise. As the old saying goes, “one man’s junk is another man’s treasure.” Thanks again for a great magazine.
David Ruark, Pomeroy, Wash.
Send letters to: Farm Collector, 1503 S.W. 42nd St., Topeka, KS 66609; FAX: (785) 274-4385; e-mail: editor@farmcollector.com.
