Bremo Bluff, Virginia 23022
For a long time now I have intended to write The Album or Gas
Engine Magazine. As you know I receive them both and read them from
cover to cover. I think they are great as I am a lover of steam and
gas engines. This past winter in my spare time I built a small
grist mill with 8′ stones. I am enclosing a photo of the mill
J operated a mill like this one, only much larger. It had 30′
stones and was run by an 8 HP gas engine. As I look back now it was
fun. We did not think so then. We had a sawmill at the same time.
There isn’t anyone around here that is interested in steam or
gas engines. Some will ask a few questions and look at you like
they think you are some kind of a nut. Maybe I am, but there are
plenty of us nuts around over the country. There is a fellow here
that is interested in horses and buggies and wagons. He has quite a
collection of all three. He suggests we take the mill to a steam
show this summer. It would be fun, but I have a walking problem and
don’t get around very well. It would be quite an effort on my
part, so I do not know how I may feel when the time comes.
There must have been a good many old water-powered grist mills
through Virginia years ago. The last operating mill in this county
washed away with hurricane Agnes. I am a nut about old
water-powered grist mills too. I hope I may get up to see Mr. Paul
Giles mill in West Virginia some day. It was mentioned in the Gas
Engine Magazine some time ago.
My folks came from New York State to Virginia in 1927 so at that
time steam for farm work was about over. Anyhow steam engines on
farms around here were few. The farms were small and wheat
thrashing was done by gas engines or gas tractors. The slate
quarries at Arvonia, Va. used steam’ on the hoists and
compressors. I worked there for a good while putting in flues, stay
bolts, babbiting bearings and kept the steam shovels in repair. I
am 65 now but still like to read and talk about it if I can find
any one to talk steam or gas engine.
