An engine that traveled from Washington State to Canada is shown
on this month’s front cover.
It is a 1902 Avery 16 HP return flue steam traction engine, now
on display at the Reynolds Museum, in Wetaskiwin, Alberta.
Restoration work and painting were done in the museum shop
Steam plowing at the Stephenson County Antique Engine Club’s
The engine is an 18 HP Advance Rumely pulling a six-bottom
Sattely patented self-lifting engine plow. The plow worked better
than expected, considering the strange looking self-lift mechanism.
This plow was recently acquired by six members of the Stephenson
Antique Engine Club, so each owner had one bottom to clean off
after plowing. Many horses and gas tractors also plow at our
October display. This is our last chance to play and display before
putting our equipment away for the winter.
Colin Wear, operator of a model engineering supply firm in
Sydney, Australia, has sent us a photo of his single cylinder 16 HP
Buffalo-Pitts traction engine No. 9S53, in action giving rides at
his club’s steam rally. He collects Buffalo-Pitts and Heebner
& Sons literature. His address is: 23 Arlewis St., Chester
Hill, Sydney, Australia 2162.
Yours truly, Bert Bryant Young, standing with hand on injector
steam valve of my 81/ 2 x 10 Frick portable steam
engine, serial #24488, year 1923.
This engine was purchased from my friend, Sam Hoffman of
Elizabethtown, PA and is in mint condition. It is pictured here
belted to a sawmill owned by Gordon Adams of Greensboro, Maryland
and being used in a lumber sawing operation at the Antique
Machinery Show held at the Delaware State Fair, July 28, 1978. When
I got my engine home I did some cleaning, painting, and some minor
maintenance on it and also hydro-statically tested the boiler.
I’ve had 150 PSI steam pressure on it, but cut the safety valve
back to relieve the 140 PSI pressure. The engine performs perfectly
and sounded beautiful on the sawmill. It is presently stored at my
parent’s place near Woodside, Delaware.
Dad is a real steam engine enthusiast and enjoys working with
the engine. Water monkey at right of engine is owned by Walter
Messick of Harrington, Delaware.
This engine is in beautiful condition and is being given good
care by its owner, who is a veteran steam traction engineer. Mr.
Hoffman, as well as his brothers are very knowledgeable and
experienced with steam engines and threshing, since their father,
the late Harvey Hoffman, owned a steam threshing rig for over 50
years and operated it in Lancaster County, PA. I was privileged to
have had the chance to operate this engine and very briefly operate
the engine that formerly was owned by the late Harvey Hoffman. On
the platform ahead of the left rear wheel is mounted a very
detailed model of a 9 x 10 Frick traction engine. This is a
beautiful model and is patterned after the traction engine formerly
owned by the late Harvey Hoffman. It is owned by Lester Hoffman,
also of Elizabethtown, PA. Photo taken at Rough & Tumble Old
Threshermen’s Reunion, Kinzer, PA., August 1978.
This engine was purchased new in 1921 by Harvey Hoffman and
owned by him until his death in 1976. That year the engine was sold
at public auction to its present owner Harry E. Bechtold of
Columbia, PA. It is in beautiful condition and is a good example of
how, with proper care and maintenance, one of these engines can
look and perform after many years of service. It operates like new.
Pictured on the engine platform behind engine flywheel is Lester
Hoffman and on the ground below flywheel is Arthur Hoffman. Photo
taken at Rough & Tumble Show, 1978.
Thresher and baler, formerly owned by the late Harvey Hoffman,
now property of the Rough & Tumble Engineers Historical
Association, Inc., Kinzer, PA. It is in operation daily during
Reunion
This gentleman is William Hovetter, past branch manager of Frick
Company, Harrisburg, PA branch. I had heard about this gentleman
for many years and of his association with the Frick Company and
was glad to meet him on the Friday of the Old Threshermen’s
Reunion at Kinzer, PA, August 1978. Photos by Bert Bryant Young,
R.R. 3, Box 319, Felton, Delaware 19943.
The third Holt track-type tractor… First production model . .
. built in 1906 and sold to Golden Meadows Development Corp., La.,
in 1907 where it worked for many years. There is substantial
difference between this and previous Holt models. The firebox has
been moved to the front and the power mechanism to the rear of the
machine. The jack-shaft has been raised from its former position on
the main frame. The power train may be traced through the
flywheels, clutches, sleeve-mounted pinions, jackshaft gears,
jack-shaft sprocket, axle sprockets, driving sprockets and tracks.
The latter are made of wood with steel grouser plates on their
surface.
