31 Columbine Trail, DeBary, Florida 32713
I would like to relate an experience I had with a Peerless, an
old 12 HP, back in 1921. I was operating this engine to run a stone
or sand crusher. In this case I was crushing sand at the little
town of Tatesville, about four miles north of Everett, Pa.
When winter came on, we stopped at the sand quarry until the
small stream, fire was drawn, and water blown out of boiler; at
least we hoped water was all out.
The next spring the owner called me, asked me to go out and
steam up this engine and take it to Everett for some work to be
done on the flues as several were leaking. So, I went out, filled
the boiler and made fire when she started to steam. I found two of
the water pipes had frozen and burst. So, it was back to town for
two short pieces of pipe to mend the damage. I was ready to steam
her up again. I got her up to 110 pounds and was ready to move. The
first thing that happened was that some live coals shook out and
the grass caught on fire. It just so happened that there was a gang
of Railroad men working near by and they came to my rescue and
helped me put the fire out. road, and all went well for the first
three miles. Since I had been delayed by the broken pipes and the
grass fire, I had slipped the governor belt off and we were
churning along at three miles per hour and all of a sudden without
warning, ‘Wham,’ something let go under the front of the
Boiler. All I could think of was that she was blowing up. I quickly
turned her to the side of the road, shut the throttle, and jumped
off. If ever there was a scared young man, it sure was me. Then I
saw what had happened. A rivet had flown out of the King post where
the front axle fastens to the boiler. I quickly cleaned out the
fire and saved the Crown sheet and soft plug. I made it to the
repair shop the next day with the old engine. I hauled it in by
F.W.P. truck. This was the end of not a perfect day.