LETTERS

I own a 6hp. Russell engine No. 4640 built in 1888, also a Best
Tracklayer 25hp. Serial No. 201 built in 1920. Both machines are in
good running condition and have been restored by me.

I belong to The Western Steam Fiends Association and to the
Early Day Gas Engine & Tractor Association.

We have several old Threshing Bee in our area and my Russell is
easy to haul on our farm truck. I always take them in and use the
little Russell to pull bundle wagons. I have never owned a
threshing outfit but I did operate an Aultman Taylor engine in my
younger years.

There are a lot of makes of engines in the east that we never
heard of here in the west. Most of the engines here were Russell,
Case, Aultman Taylor, a few Advance and Rumely, some Holt and Best
in California.

CARL KIRSCH, Box 57, St. Paul, Minnesota

NO PLACE TO PARK ONE

Just a few lines to let you gentlemen, who publish the best
Magazine I ever read, know that I really like the ALBUM. I read it
from cover to cover the minute I get hold of it. I live in town now
and have no place to park a big steamer, so I have to enjoy myself
with the 1 inch scale Model Case 65, and a Case separator that I
built during my spare time,

Enclosed is a picture of the same. I never had the opportunity
to own a steam engine but I did fire a 20hp. rear mounted Nichols
& Shepard one season and hauled water one season for a 15hp.
Aultman-Taylor.

I am also enclosing a picture of a Minneapolis engine I snapped
in 1951. The engine was used for moving a house at that time.
Standing on the engine is, at left, my son Larry Fried rich and at
the right is my nephew George Dottier.

With the best of luck to all the IRON-MEN Steam Engine
enthusiasts

R. H. FREDRICH, Elgin, North Dakota

JUST WHAT I NEED

I am enclosing a check for two years subscription to the
ALBUM.

The Magazine is just what I need. It gives me the pleasant
relaxation I long for in my busy life and material for reminiscence
of an era that was wonderful.

I look forward for each copy as it comes in the mail and I am
saving them to read over and over again.

I am stationary fireman on a 50,000lb. per hour Springfield
boiler. I own a 60hp. Case which I use on a sawmill.

WARREN HUNCKE, Dubuque, Iowa

ALL SO INTERESTING

We take your IRON-MEN ALBUM and like it fine. It is all so
interesting The one article in the Jan.-Feb., 1957 issue about the
Flinch Baugh tractor is of interest to me because my Dad had one of
them. A 25hp. I have some pictures taken of it the last time it run
in 1937 when it was junked It’s weight was around 13 tons. It
was reversible which gave it two speeds in both forward and
reverse. There was an idler which kept the governor belt tight. If
the belt broke and let the idler drop down it shut of’ the
electric current to the coils and the engine would stop rather than
over speed itself and ruin something.

I can remember when this tractor was used to run a 22 inch
thresher. Is’ one of the spark plugs would quit firing one of
the men would hold the exact valve open and change plugs while the
tractor kept the machine running. That was the time the pitchers
would try to slug the machine and kill the power but the York
tractor kept things up to an even speed The big trouble was keeping
the stream going into the blower.

I have the old York book and some blueprints and the old brass
name plate from the old York.

Wm. P. SWANSON, Jr. Cambridge, Nebraska

A PROMISE KEPT

I promised you in 1955 at the Central States Reunion and Steam
Engine Show that I would mail you a card of the Port Huron Engine
that fell through a bridge with me while threshing in 1916.

As you can see the water tanks and coal bunkers came up over the
back of the boiler and I came up with them, my left foot caught on
the top hand hole plate and as luck would have it got my foot out
of shoe jumped down on the ground and pulled socks off and the
flesh was scalded so it came off in the socks. Was on crutches for
a few months, still have the scars but otherwise OK. We had crossed
2 twenty foot spans coming on a thirty foot span and the second
settled down enough to let the plates on the third span to slide
off. It was 18 feet above the ground here and the bridge was 160
feet long.

I have not threshed as many years as most me have but sure did
enjoy the years that I was at the game. I started at the age of 18
in 1901 running a blower for a company machine and during that year
got to feeding. Next year they put me to feeding, also feed in
1903. Then in 1904 John Helfers who later became a brother-in-law,
and I bought a 10 horse Buffalo Pitts with a 32-50 separator and
the old Satterly Stackers in the back. In 1905 we bought a new Port
Huron outfit larger one, and in a few years later we dissolved
partnership and by 1920 we had four rigs each.

I went on the road for Keck-Gonnerman Co., in 1920 but by 1927
combines got so plentiful had to look for new place. So I went with
Minneapolis Steel Machinery Co., which is now Minneapolis Power
Implement Company.

Then by 1933 was cut off until? So put application in with Allis
Chalmers Mfg. Co. Went to work for them in 1934 and age caught up
with me in 1953. Retired July 31 that year and I want to say I have
enjoyed every day of it no difference where it was with either of
them. Even with the three years expediting while was with A.C. and
with all of it I still like to smell the oil burning on the steam
boiler. Will be seeing you at some of the reunions this fall.

I. R. ARNOLD, Belleville, Illinois

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