The Rough Tumble Engineers Historical Society of Kinzers,
Pennsylvania has been given a huge Snow steam pumping engine and
pump, which it is taking apart for transportation from York, PA to
its headquarters east of Lancaster, a distance of about 45
miles.
At least three large museums were offered the equipment but said
Washington, D.C., Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, New York, and the
Franklin Institute, Philadelphia. Problems of finance and logistics
were cited.
The machinery was used by the York Water Company from 1914 until
recently, pumping about 8 million gallons of water daily. It weighs
over 50 tons.
Pat Kreider, Rough Tumble president, said a foundation will be
built on the Rough & Tumble grounds. In the meantime, the parts
will be sheltered in a warehouse at Dallastown, PA, near York.
Robert L. Johnson, of the Museum of Early Technology at
Rossville, Georgia, appraised the unit at $87,500. He said it was
interesting that a hobby group ‘is getting together, using its
own membership to move the unit and put it in a museum
display.’
Jim Comte, of Elizabethtown, a member of R T who is a
maintenance engineer, noted that the Snow ‘won’t be pumping
water.’ He added, ‘we just don’t have 8 million gallons
of water there.’
William Markey, of Dallastown, a member, donated use of moving
equipment, a crane, and lift truck. A lot of members joined in for
the early part of the moving, which was hampered by snow and ice
around the site.
The Sunday News, of Lancaster, covered the first step, and we
appreciate being able to quote from its article by Scott
Miller.
