SOOT IN THE FLUES

And don’t forget, if you know of anyone that would like to
have their Club, Show, Bee, Museum or what-have-you (pertaining to
steam or gas), listed in our directory, please let us hear from you
as we are going to try and get this booklet out early in the year
for your convenience. We would like Name, Address of show or site
of museum, Dates for events and a person to get in touch with if
necessary.

Good News – Mrs. Ritzman is out of the hospital and up and
around -doing real well but it will take a while to recuperate
fully. She had another back operation, that’s two in ten
months, and so naturally it will take a while to heal properly.

Our Editor Gerry Lestz and wife have just returned from a
two-week vacation, but we’ll hear more of that later – Gerry
has promised us a story – which I’m sure will be interesting.
Has some steam notes of interest in it.

Our Tommy was busy with the Halloween Season – he wanted to
dress as Uncle Sam this year so the sewing machine was busy turning
out a red, white and blue outfit, topped off with cotton eyebrows
and goatee beard, he looked quite the part – in one parade he and
nephew, Ryan, (who dressed as G.I.Joe) walked together and won a
prize – they each received $1.00. Then in another parade, Tommy
decorated his bike red, white and blue and rode in the parade. An
appropriate sign ‘Don’t Be Fuelish’ added to the
costume and he captured a silver dollar. Enough of that – but I
thought it might bring back some warm memories to you folks, of
your children’s earlier days onto the letters at hand

ELSNER MACHACEK, 714 Union Street, Northfield, Minnesota 55057
would like to know of someone that has information on a Standard
two-wheel garden tractor-walking type. This tractor was made in
Minneapolis, Minnesota. It is mounted on steel wheels. I need
information on how the plow and cultivator was mounted. Maybe a
picture of the hook-up would do the trick.

A request for information comes from THOMAS N. COOK, Washington
Crossing, Pennsylvania 18977 who comments: ‘A few months ago we
purchased an antique stationary engine manufactured by Nelson
Brothers of Saginaw, Michigan, Serial No. 3020 and we are looking
for any news we can get on this engine.’

Seeking information on Wood Bros, steam engines – such as color
scheme, etc. is the aim of McCLAIN ENTERPRISES, INC., Harris Part
Route, Wheatland, Wyoming 82201. They recently purchased a Wood
Bros, engine and are anxious for all the helpful instructions they
can get.

FRANK STARK, Billings, Missouri 65610 would be most happy to
hear from the readers of I.M.A. Frank is 75, has use of one eye and
had a stroke in 1966 that put him in a rocking chair. He is an avid
reader of the I.M.A. and tells us he has every copy from the
beginning when it was known as The Farm Album. Said he enjoys it as
much now as he ever did. (Drop Frank a line if you can, or a cheery
greeting, or visit if possible – I imagine he would be most happy
to have a ‘steam gab fest’.)

CLARENCE E. DUGAN, SR., 7406 S.E. Woodward Street, Portland,
Oregon 97206 sends along an interesting item as follows:

‘I have in my posession the old leather bound account book
that my grandfather (my mother’s father) George W. Fitzgerald,
kept when he ran a horsepowered threshing machine from 1845 to
1851. This book gives the names and the amount of wheat he threshed
for each farmer. Price per bushel for threshing was from 5 to 6
cents. The book shows the names of farmers that he threshed for in
Jersey County, Greene Co. Pike Co. and Calhoun County Illinois. It
is written with pen and ink and is perfectly legible after all
these years. I was born in Jerseyville, Jersey Co. Ill. and
personally knew several of the names mentioned in the
book.’

ELMER W. STANDLEY, Box 17, Hunter, Kansas 67452 sent along a
story of his past years and of his love for the magazine, to Mr.
Lestz. He would like you to share it: ‘I really enjoy every
item of news in your magazine and wish I could be with the old gang
again. I started operating a steam engine in 1914 and it was a
30-90 double Rumely. I ran it three falls and after we finished our
run here in Lincoln County, Kansas, I went to Studley, Kansas and
operated a bevel gear drive Aultman and Taylor. It was bought new
in 1896.

I enlisted in the Army in May 1917 and after the war was over, I
came home and operated a 22 HP Garr Scott the fall of 1919. In 1920
I bought a small gas rig, ran it five falls and bought a steam rig
of my own – something I wanted all my life. The combine harvesters
wrecked the threshing business and in 1930 I sold the rig. It was a
25 HP Aultman & Taylor and a 36 inch Case separator.

I love the old steamers – wish I had one just to look at. I am
not able to take in any of the shows here as it is too far for me
to drive. So, I will read your Rough and Tumble report when it
comes and Thanks a lot for such a wonderful magazine. I will close
and wish all of your readers as much joy as I have from everyone I
receive.’ (I don’t know about you, but I’ll bet Elmer
Standley is a beautiful person to know – why don’t you drop him
a line??)

In September – October issue of I.M.A., page 39, there is a
picture referred to be OLIVER B. RHEA, R.D. 6, Meadville,
Pennsylvania 16335 as he says: ‘The engine in question must be
the Gil Enders engine, 23-90 Russell – the only one I know of with
a top on. I saw it several times, although I know of one that has
no top. Gil has had several stories in the ALBUM. He passed away
six years ago. He lived in West Lodi, Ohio.’

Here’s another view of the above mentioned picture –
‘About the 25 HP Russell tandem compound in Sept.-Oct. issue.
It was purchased new by a Ray Stoner of Rural Fostoria, Ohio. I
took the picture in summer of 43 or 44. At a later date it was sold
to Roselle Raisch of Mt. Healthy, Ohio. I gave the picture to Elmer
Ritzman when he and Catherine visited us when he was planning The
Farm Album. I recall Mr. Stoner saying this was a good engine, but
far too slow on the road. In fact, he said he would head right into
the tongue of the separator and hook up. Then he would run the
engine backwards to the next job. It was easier than turning around
to hitch up. This is an odd situation about several engines I have
owned. Some were sold to Mr. Raisch and some to others. These
engines have not shown up at engine shows or reunions . . . the
aforementioned Russell, a 16-60 Reeves and a 50 HP Case and a 30 HP
Advance Rumely. #15,325.’ This comes from JAMES W. CHANDLER, 54
Taylor Street, Frankfort, Indiana 46041.

Meanwhile we also received a short note from PERCY SHERMAN, Box
76, Palmyra, Michigan 49268 who claims: ‘In regards to the
picture of the engine on page 39, Sept.-Oct. 1974 -1 do not know
who owns the engine but it is a 30 HP Russell compound.’

From overseas comes this letter from JOHN T. ROBINSON, Burgess
Farm, Gillers Green, Eccleston, St. Helen’s, Merseyside,
England: ‘Some weeks ago I was at a traction Engine Rally and I
bought two copies of The Iron-Men Album which I enjoyed reading
very much. In the Nov.-Dec. issue I saw an ad for a Field Marshall
tractor. I own one of these tractors and it has driven a set of
thrashing tackle for 32 years and it is still at work. My Marshall
is a Series I, an older model than the one in your magazine which
is a Series II.

I am a very keen traction engine man. You may be interested to
know that at one time we also had an Avery, Mogul and Titan
tractors, all about 1914-17 vintage. My grandfather’s brother
went to Canada about 1902 and he owned a Case engine and one or two
more – of what horsepower I don’t know as I only have some
faded old photos that were sent to my grandparents. Best of luck to
Iron Men Album and all the engine and tractor lads over there.

In May-June 1974 IMA issue, Aldis C. Lee is inquiring on 150
Case. We have a letter from R. G. JACOBY, Marengo, Iowa 52301 in
reference to this engine. Mr. Jacoby says: ‘I.M.A. has a
picture in Nov.-Dec. 1965 issue, Page 36 of 150 – 14666 with flat
spoke drivers, 500 gal. tank back of stack pulling 4-15 HP engines
on hill behind factory Racine, headlight and cab not on. E. &
E. has same pict. in 1956 by E. C. McMillan and he says there were
only three built. There were eleven boilers for this size. If more
were built, they were dismantled and boilers sold as skid boilers.
Two were shipped to Kansas to pull 16-14′ plows, one went to
Colby, the other to Leoti, one went to copper mining at Folsom, New
Mexico in 1906. Due to the design of 2-speed gear, they didn’t
stand up. It was easy to steam, easy to handle. The two were
shipped back to factory and stripped and boilers sold as skid
boiler. Spec: Boiler shell 42′ tubes 93 2′ 108′ fire
box 58-1/4 L. 39-1/4 W 45 H. Heat surface 515, grate 158′ S. F.
Pressure 160 cyl. 14 x 14 rpm 200 front wheels 54 x 14, rear wheels
96′ x 36’, friction steering, weight empty 18 T. loaded 22
T. Price was $4000.

E & E 9-65, p. 26 shows round spoke wheel. There were only
five built between 1915-1924. Also 2-63, p. 47 shows spec.
1908-1912-1915 cyl. bore 14 x 14, grate S F 508.5′, flywheel
50′ 16′ 1100 lb. distance between axles 14′ 2′,
width 11’4′, length of engine 24’9′, & B &
M Shop at Loffelmacher, Fairfax, Minnesota.’

FRANCIS SUMMERSON, Dawson, Iowa 50066 would like to know where
he can find the information on original colors of engines. (I
don’t know if there are any books that give such information –
how about it?).

With so much in the news these days of unrest and police
brutality, etc. I ran across this leaflet entitled WHAT IS A COP?
and I thought you’d like to read it – please share it with me.
COPS ARE HUMAN (believe it or not) just like the rest of us. They
come in both sexes but mostly male. They also come in various
sizes. This sometimes depends on whether you are looking for one or
trying to hide something. However, they are mostly big.

Cops are found everywhere on land, on the sea, in the air, on
horses, in cars, and sometimes in your hair. In spite of the fact
that -you can’t find one when you want one they are usually
there when it counts most. The best way to get one is to pick up
the phone.

Cops deliver lectures, babies and bad news. They are required to
have the wisdom of Solomon, the disposition of a lamb and muscles
of steel and are often accused of having a heart to match. He’s
the one who rings the door bell, swallows hard and announces the
passing of a loved one; then spends the rest of the day wondering
why he ever took such a ‘crummy’ job.

On TV a cop is an oaf who couldn’t find a bullfiddle in a
telephone booth. In real life he’s expected to find a little
blonde boy (about so high) in a crowd of a half million people. In
fiction he gets help from private eyes, reporters and who-dun-it
fans. In real life, mostly all he gets from the public is ‘I
didn’t see nuttin.’

When he serves a summons he’s a monster. If he lets you go,
he’s a doll. To little kids he’s either a friend or a
bogeyman, depending on how the parents feel about it. He works
‘around the clock’, split shifts, Sundays and holidays and
it always kills him when a joker says, ‘Hey, tomorrow is
Election Day, I’m off, let’s go fising’ (that’s the
day he works 20 hours).

A cop is like the little girl, who, when she was good, was very,
very good, but when she was bad she was horrid. When a cop is good
‘he’s getting paid for it’. When he makes a mistake
‘he’s a grafter and that goes for the rest of them
too’. When he shoots a stick-up man he’s a hero, except
when the stick-up man is ‘only a kid, anybody coulda seen
that’.

Lots of them have homes, some of them covered with ivy, but most
of them covered with mortgages. If he drives a big car he’s a
chiseler; a little car, ‘who’s he kidding?’ His credit
is good; this is very helpful, because his salary isn’t. Cops
raise lots of kids; most of them belong to other people.

A cop sees more misery, bloodshed, trouble and sunrises than the
average person. Like the postman, cops must also be out in all
kinds of weather. His uniform changes with the climate, but his
outlook on life remains about the same; mostly a blank, but hoping
for a better world.

Cops like days off, vacations and coffee. They don’t like
auto horns, family fights and anonymous letter writers. They have
unions, but they can’t strike. They must be impartial,
courteous and always remember the slogan ‘At your service’.
This is sometimes hard, especially when a character reminds him,
‘I’m a taxpayer, I pay your salary’.

Cops get medals for saving lives, stopping runaway horses and
shooting it out with bandits (once in a while his widow gets the
medal). But sometimes the most rewarding moment comes when after
some small kindness to an older person, he feels the warm hand
clasp, looks into grateful eyes and hears ‘Thank you and God
bless you, son’.

This was written by Deputy Inspector Conrad S. Jensen, 241-25
87th Avenue, Bellerose 26, New York -I imagine a long time ago. I
found it in my deceased father-in-law’s Bible, but I feel it is
just as. relevant to today’s readers – as of long ago.

Bye Bye and hope you start your New Year with God and continue
in his Blessings.