Noel, Missouri 64854.
Preface
Anna Mae In Mr. Ken R. Mowrer’s letter on page 42, in the
November-December issue of I. M. A. you added the following foot
note( You didn’t give us the men’s names Ken, but maybe you
could have them write a story for us and have the second man send
one of the pictures you speak of).
Enclosed are the pictures of the little model engine and
thresher you requested, and a resume of my work, during and after
the time referred to in Mr. Mowrer’s article.
After the Armistice, I went to Armour & Company, in the
engineering department, designing new improvements for the packing
industry, and making plans and drawings for the various trades. The
work there was so varied or diversified to give me a most wonderful
education in mechanical engineering.
Just before the packing house strike, due to the extreme
overload, the 1600 H. P. Ball compound core-less type triple,
expansion refrigeration engine broke a cross-head, front and rear
cylinder heads, the high pressure cylinder casting and bent the
piston rod. Also two other cross-heads were cracked.
The old engine, when new, was on display at the St. Louis
World’s Fair. The high-lite of my engineering, while at
Armours, was to make a complete set of drawings of the broken
parts. Many sets of the maps were mailed to the larger foundries
for making new castings. However to our surprise a foundry had a
new cylinder with heads and piston, the same size for a Bates
core-less, 30′ bore and 60′ stroke.
After many letters and exchange of drawings, it was decided that
the Bates cylinder, by making adapters, could be made to fit the
Ball engine. New cross-heads were cast in a foundry and machined in
Armours machine shop. The piston rod was also straightened by
Armours. To our surprise, after the old Ball engine was
reassembled, it performed like a new engine.
While working at Armours in the daytime, I had thirty minutes to
cross the state line and start teaching at the Kansas City School
of Watch making in the night school. I was instructor only six
weeks when I was promoted to writing text material, giving
lectures, giving examinations, and substituting for absent
instructors. Working at the two jobs lasted twenty-three
months.
The school had gone from 1223 students to 375 and Armours
wanting me to move to Minnesota to their plant in Minneapolis as
superintendent of the engineering department. We had no desire to
move to a colder climate, so we moved to Noel, Missouri, in
December 1948, fully expecting to raise broilers. However, in June
1949 we purchased the jewelry and watch repair store, which we sold
December 6, 1971, and are now on honey-do-retirement.
‘Honey-do-this and Honey-do-that.’
During the twenty-three years in the store, I also was county
surveyor. In addition I compiled, recorded in longhand all of the
exterior and interior corner markers in McDonald County and bound
them in fourteen books, plus 252 maps, which have been microfilmed
and are now cataloged and placed in the Missouri State Land Survey
Authority building in Rolla, Missouri, for safe keeping.
In my spare time or when the going got rough and I had to leave
the bench, I made the parts for the little engine and thresher.
Four years ago I had a severe heart attack and was out of the store
for six months. Also had a few lighter attacks since that time. So,
finally decided to sell the store and take it easy. So I
thought.
We have planned for years, after our retirement, to travel and
see the many sights in the United States, especially to visit many
steam engine shows. Now, that has been changed by order of the
doctor who has given me strict orders to drive slow and not over
two hours at a time. Also, definitely not in heavy traffic nor to
mingle in large crowds. We have just waited too long. Every person
should have one or two hobbies to pass the time of day after they
retire.
