426 Margaret St., Akron, Ohio
Please find in this letter, an important ‘news item’ and
a few pictures.
The news item appeared last April in the ‘Times of Kuala
Lampur Malaysia. It deals with subjects well known to Iron-Men
people.
One picture shows my Gaar-Scott, 22 hp engine. It was giving my
new FAN, its first trial run. On 125 pounds of steam, it made a lot
of nice music and considerable smoke. I like an engine one can fire
from the ground, when doing belt work. Also, it is most helpful to
have a tight draft control, such as is possible with the G. S.
closed bottom boiler. The lack of those two features on my Case
engine, will most likely shorten my life about 10 years. I have
heard the saying, ‘Work never hurt anyone’. Perhaps, this
is true but it can slow you down.
The belt is double leather construction, 10 inches wide and
about 150 feet long, end to end. It is plenty heavy. It is lucky
that the belt is round like a wheel when rolled up. Otherwise, I
would need some help to move it to the tool house. It is not the
kind of belt one would pick, if there were others to be had at the
same cost.
The FAN is the result of considerable study, as to what other
people had made. It may not be the best looking fan, nor so well
engineered. However, I rather like it. The bearings are from a
Gaar-Scott sawmill. The mill was old and worn when I bought it in
1922. The pulley was broken. I spent evenings building a wood wheel
over the old iron hub. The anchor hooks are from my 1926 Star
Drilling Machine. The wheels and axle carried me over 100,000 miles
in a 1940 Ford car. In addition to all that junk, there is about
$100 worth of new iron in the frame and fan blades. Then, there is
a sizable chunk of spare time, used in getting this material
bundled up into a FAN. All these items add interest to the complete
machineat least, they are of interest to me.
The trial run of the FAN was enjoyed by all the people who
attended this show. The joke isno other person was present. I had
to take a picture, to prove it happened. Come next summer, I hope
to have a tachometer installed and make a regular field trial of
this outfit. Perhaps, I can get a few visitors to share the day
The No. 16 locomotive picture was taken at Cloquet, Minnesota.
The engine was being moved from the roundhouse to a place in the
town park. The move was made in August, 1964. The next year, August
of 1965, we found the engine in its resting place, where anyone
traveling through town will see old No. 16 Duluth and Northeastern
R. R. Cloquet is near the University of Minnesota, Forestry
Research Center. At this center, the U. of Minn, has a one month
Well Drilling School for Engineers and Public Health people from
many different countries. We try to give them working methods and
plans for drilling SANITARY wells, rather than actual drilling
work.
Enroute home from Cloquet, we stopped (Ruthie & I) to see
Joe and Leonard Rynda. ‘Steam Engine Joe’, always has time
for a courteous and friendly greeting. His many engines are a good
show without other attractions. Toe told us of the Neil Miller show
at Alden, Iowa. The next day, we continued on south to the Miller
show. It is indeed well worth seeing, just as Steam Engine Joe
said. We were late getting there on the last day. Anyhow, it was
the best show I have ever attended. They have everything.
When you are in Iowa and wish to reach Ohio, the road must cross
Illinois. Who would cross Illinois and not see the one and only
‘Mr. Fred Kiser’? Certainly, we could not miss seeing Mr.
and Mrs. Kiser. They were at home and in fair health, we were most
happy to learn. A very pleasant visit at Fred’s house, seemed
to make the time right for getting on toward Ohio and home. A safe
journey, short or long, on our highways in 1965 is something to be
most grateful forwe think. We were fortunate and had a safe arrival
home. Good friends along the way make the miles short.
News item from Times of Kuala Lampur Malaysia. THE GIRL AND THE
STEAM ROLLER-London, Sat.
A pretty young English girl has received a proposal of marriage
from a South African farmerbut he wants her steam roller, too.
Linda Dean, a student teacher, was photographed at the controls
of a veteran steam traction engine belonging’ to her
father.
Farmer Lew Meyers of Capetown saw the photograph in a newspaper
and he promptly wrote to Linda asking her hand in marriage.
In the letter he also asked if she would bring the steam roller
out with her to South Africa to help make a 20 mile road from the
highway to his farm.
Linda, who lives in Castleford. Yorkshire, said yesterday:
‘I couldn’t believe it when I read the letter. Proposals of
marriage from someone you have never seen are things you read about
in novels. I never thought it could happen to me.’
Meyers is in for a disappointment. A letter is on its way
turning down his proposal.
Linda’s father. Norman Dean, said, ‘I wouldn’t give
away the steam traction engine, even as a dowry.’
