GIVES ME THE ITCH
First, please excuse this paper but it is the best I can find.
Thanks a lot Karl, for the nice letter some time back, in response
to my inquiry. I hadn’t given a thought to the fact that you
are a shut-in, you have my sympathy. I was in the hospital five
days-a little surgery- was away from work 2 weeks, that was, enough
to remind me what a wonderful blessing it is just to be able to get
out of bed in the morning and feel like eating a good breakfast and
go to work I work in the Tool Room at the Bendix plant here. It is
somewhat monotonous -much the same thing over and over, just
watching a machine eat steel but the feeling that exists between
myself and supervision is better than I even hoped to find 20 years
ago for I have worked on jobs where supervision was definitely
poison ivy.
Received the ALBUM today and the first thing I saw was my name.
I did not think I would see that but thanks. I wish the ALBUM came
more often. I prefer it to any other magazine I have ever seen. The
only thing is that it gives me the all-fired itch to get myself one
of those ugly, smelly, old black things, and you can be sure that
if I was certain that I would never need the $ $ $ for bread and
butter I would be getting myself one of them.
Well Karl, I did not mean to bore you with all this but I hope
you will accept it in the spirit in which it is sent.
PICTURE OF MY 50 CASE
I am enclosing a picture of my 50 Case which I recently bought
and am now restoring to as near original condition as possible. On
the engine is my 72-year-old father, David T. Crow. a veteran steam
thresherman and saw mill operator. He threshed with steam until
1941 and still continued to use it on the saw mill until 1945.
I first subscribed to your fine magazine last September while I
was attending the Pontiac Reunion. I have always been fascinated by
a steam traction engine, but it was at Pontiac that I resolved to
get an engine and do what I could to help to perpetuate these
disappearing wonders. I enjoy learning of the various shows and
reunions which are being held all over the country. It is my hope
to get the few men still owning machines in our section of
Pennsylvania to organize and do what we can to preserve the
tradition of the steam engine.
I am already making plans to attend at least one of the larger
reunions this year, and shall expect to see notification of them in
the ALBUM
PAUL F. CROW, R. D. 1, Box 470, Charleroi, Pennsylvania
ABOUT THE DAYS OF THE PAST-
Am enclosing $2.00 for a subscription to the ALBUM. I know I am
going to enjoy it so much. I am like so many of the old time steam
threshers, I am getting somewhat on the other side of the hill and
think a great deal about the days of the past. I began my
engineering days at the age of 16 and continued every year until
the gas tractors replaced them and am now nearing the 63-year-old
mark and as far as I know I’m the only man in the state who was
an old time threshing engineer and who now flies his own airplane.
My wife and I both fly our Vagabond Cub.
RALPH FULLER, Minneapolis, Kansas
LOVED THE OLD THINGS-
I operated steam traction engines for a number of years and for
different parties. I sure loved the old things, still do and were
they still working. I have no doubt that come threshing time I
would be found on an engine platform. Those days are gone forever,
I suppose, however, I am not sure that it is for the best. I
don’t like combines and were I a farmer I wouldn’t have one
on the place. J don’t like gas engines either.
O. R. MANN, 233 W. Jackson Street Virdin, Illinois
