SOOT IN THE FLUES

get in touch through ‘Soot in the Flues’ with someone who
can help you solve your stickiest problem, or who just turns out to
be a fascinating person to correspond with. Many ‘pen pals’
have found each other through this column!

You’ll notice at left, on the magazine’s masthead, a few
name changes. Linda Sharron is now Linda Weidman; she’s been
married for quite some time, but just never changed her name in
print. She was inspired to finally make the change when Gail Knauer
changed her name to Gail Anderson, having been married on October
21, 1995. Gail’s new husband, Kelly, is machine shop foreman at
the Strasburg Rail Road, where he gets to tear steam locomotives
apart and rebuild them all day long, and they pay him for it!! Nice
work if you can get, huh fell as? Anyway, even though the names
have changed, we’re still the same Linda and Gail you’ve
talked with or written to in the past.

We received several nice letters this month let’s move on to
them now, shall we?

ADRIENNE McCOMBIE, W9572 City Highway I, Willard, Wisconsin
54493, writes: ‘I have in my possession what I think may be an
antique farm machine. It’s a McCormick Dee ring International
ensilage cutter, metal wheels, wooden slots on the conveyor, has an
engine.

‘Number on the machine is as follows: 1060L-Side, 1052L-Top,
1034L. Any information on its status will be appreciated.’

‘Greetings from Kansas! We are very proud that our son,
Aaron, has taken over the quarter scale Case 65 model business. He
is a talented craftsman and builds beautiful engines. We know you
will continue to send customers his way, as you have to us the past
20 years. We need to keep the young people involved to keep the
steam hobby alive and well. Sincerely, TOM AND LOIS TERNING, 7701
N. Hoover Road, Valley Center, Kansas 67147-8473.’

From KEN BUTTERWORTH, 2821 Wilmington Road, Lebanon, Ohio
45036-9748: ‘I have been attending the Clinton County Corn
Festival since 1981. I have enjoyed the sawing of wood and
threshing of wheat with steam power for many years. This Convention
always occurs the second weekend of September each year at the
Fairgrounds in Clinton County, Wilmington, Ohio.

‘I have included a picture of a 1920 Russell steam engine at
the 1995 show. This engine was in preparation to line up with the
belt on a threshing machine. The people involved with the threshing
had at least three wagon loads of wheat in bundles that they had
harvested in early July. You might also enjoy the two pictures of a
Frick engine at the same show.

‘My dad and I have been subscribers to the Iron Men
Album for about three years, but I have been interested in
antique tractors, engines and steam engines all my life.’

MARK CORSON, 9374 Roosevelt Street, Crown Point, Indiana 46307,
sent us this clipping from a copy of the Spokesman Review,
Spokane, Washington, October 6, 1908, on the Interstate Fair:

To See All Fair Requires Time

‘Whole Street of Temporary Buildings Occupied by Displays.
Concessions Also Numerous. Manufacturers Exhibit Their Machinery in
Operation Agricultural Districts Compete.

‘Were a visitor to undertake to visit all the displays and
concessions on the Interstate fairgrounds and obtain a
comprehensive idea of all of them it would require at least two or
three days’ time to take them all in. As the visitor enters the
grounds at the main gate he sees to his left a whole street of
temporary buildings, tents and open-air exhibits and displays of
machinery, manufactured articles and products of the farm, field,
mine and forest collected from many different localities and
displayed in entertaining and attractive order.

‘The first booth as one enters the gate is that of the
Christian Communism Association, which is conducting a religious
and political colonization propaganda. Next to it comes the booth
of the Spokane Falls Gas Light Company, where the conveniences of
gas for domestic use are illustrated. Next to that is the booth of
the Spokane Trunk factory, built in the form of an immense
trunk.

‘Machinery and Farm Products’

‘Beyond the booth of the Spokane Trunk Factory is that of
the Syphers Machinery Company, displaying grain separators,
scourers, fanning mills, incubators and brooders. Next in order
comes the display of the Meadow Lake district, consisting of farm,
garden and orchard products, with illustrated advertising matter,
and next to that the booth of the Union Fuel Company.

‘Next in order after the Union Fuel Company comes three very
attractive agricultural and horticultural displays, those of the
Hayden Lake irrigated tracts, made by Malloy Brothers, the western
Canada grain and vegetable display and the grain exhibit of the
Canadian Pacific Colonization Company. Both the Canadian exhibits
are of surpassing excellence, especially for their showing of
threshed and bundle grains and grasses.

‘Passing on down Machinery Row one comes in turn to the
exhibits of the White rope-making machines, the Dul—- Auto
Company, the Mitchell, Lewis & Staver Company, and the Deemster
Mill Manufacturing Company, with an elaborate display of pumps and
pumping machinery in active operation. Then comes the harvester
exhibits. These are three in number, each having combined
harvesters on exhibition. The first is the Spokane Harvester
Company, the second the Best Manufacturing Company and the third
the Holt Brothers Manufacturing Company. A novelty in the harvester
line is the 10-foot ‘baby harvester’ displayed by the
Spokane Harvester Company and for use on small farms. One of the
Holt machines is raised from the ground and the machinery is kept
in operation by means of a chain attachment to the gasoline
engine.

‘Big Field Devoted to Threshers’

‘Further west there is a whole field devoted to the display
of threshing machines, many of which are shown in operation, as are
also a number of traction engines, including the big engine made by
the Holt Brothers Company for transporting products on wagon roads
by means of wide-wheeled cars, each of which is capable of carrying
a load of 10 tons.

‘Following down Machinery Street from the Holt Brothers’
exhibit one sees the big exhibit of the Excelsior fence
manufacturers, the booth of the Columbia garage, the display of
engines and machinery of the John Deere Plow Company and the
Igorrote village.

‘Returning on the opposite side of the street, the visitor
passes in turn the United Wireless Telegraph station, the Van Brunt
Manufacturing Company’s display of grain drills, the Buckeye
gate, the C.L. Jones exhibit of farm machinery, the booth of the
Jensen-King-Byrd Company, that of the Spokane Pump Company and
Stone’s vetch separator.

‘The Igorrote village at the lower end of the street, while
in an out-of-the-way location, attracts a great deal of attention
and excites much curiosity. All day Monday and Tuesday the
inhabitants of the village worked like beavers getting their
miniature village in order and the village was thrown open to
visitors last evening. It will be open each day and evening for the
remaining days of the fair.

‘The wireless telegraph station, after having been
installed, was found not to be capable of transmitting messages to
the other station fitted up at the Hotel Spokane, so another set of
instruments was procured and a second station has been installed in
a tent in another portion of the grounds about a mile distant. The
men in charge of the exhibit expected last night to have the system
in working order today.’

The photograph Shown above, which shows Austin Monk sitting on
his 1914 50 Case, came from DOUG McDOUGALL, 2245 Highway 2 W,
Kalispell, Montana 59901, who writes, ‘This picture was taken
at the 1995 Northwest Antique Power Association’s Spring Show
held at Gary Yaeger’s place in Whitefish, Montana, Gary’s
house is in the background, and the peaks of the mountains in
Glacier National Park are visible just over the top of the
engine’s bunkers. The Baker fan belongs to yours
truly.’

HOWARD H. MURCHIE, P.O. Box 476, Jamestown, North Dakota 58402,
writes: ‘One time there was a steam thresher at Hansboro. He
died in the late ’20s. The threshing machine was near his
house. Don’t remember anything of the machine except that it
was the cleanest steamer I ever saw.

‘In a lean-to on his barn was a Buick car. Apparently there
was little wrong with it. It had a good coat of dust. The body
looked good. I have not talked to anyone who knows of such a car.
It was two cylinder, cross mounted, and chain driven. I didn’t
know who I would see about it. Also I thought they would want too
much for me.

‘The belongings of Mr. Philips were sold the following
summer. I was told that Clarence Thomas bought the car for seven or
nine dollars. The leather upholstery was what he was interested in.
The rest went to the junk pile. I would like to hear from anyone
who knows anything about such a car.’

MIKE CURTIS, PO Box 53, Eaton, New York 13334, following up on
his letter of last issue, sent us some local history booklets and
writes: ‘I thought that you might enjoy some of the history of
Eaton, where Wood, Taber & Morse Steam Engine Works was
founded.

‘I live across from Allen Wood’s house here in Eaton.
I’m also a friend of Ken Morse who submitted an article to you
about Wood, Taber & Morse’s Engine Works.

‘We are a non-profit club trying to locate as many engines
as possible that were made here. There will be a New York
Historical Educational marker struck for this famous company and be
put on the foundry site here in Eaton.

‘Could you please help us locate as many as possible Wood,
Taber and Morse steam engines? We would like to open up a museum
here someday. It would be nice if we could get one on loan for
everyone to see. Please help. Thanks!’

MORRIS BLOMGREN, 10139 Blomgren Road, Siren, Wisconsin 54872
sends this: ‘I don’t see any steamers on this old photo of
three couples standing in front of a sod house they had built in
South Dakota, but I think it’s still an interesting picture.
The photo was apparently taken by Jas. D. McFarlane of Sheyenne,
North Dakota.

‘The plow shown in the second picture is a horse drawn plow
for plowing sod for sod houses. I thought the two pictures would go
well together.’

BOB SORENSEN, JR., 255 West Laurel Road, Bellingham, Washington,
98225 says: ‘What I am sending was originally started shortly
before the death of Anna Mae. Needless to say it was pushed aside.
I enjoyed her column and the articles from the individual writers
very much, and I enjoy it still. You are doing a good job , Linda
and Gail, I wish you both well in the continuing of Soot in the
Flues.’ [Thanks, Bob! We’re sure trying!]

‘I have been exposed to the steam traction engine my entire
life. I have also lived all of it in northwest Washington. Over
this time I have seen many ‘donkey engines’ and had a love
for them. This would be referring to a steam hoisting engine. Years
ago, it would be in reference to an engine used for logging, pile
driving and land clearing wherever a hoist could be used. It was
just called a donkey and taken for granted it was steam.

‘There were many builders of these engines; however, the
three main builders in Washington and Oregon were Willamette Iron
and Steel Works of Portland, Oregon; Puget Sound Iron and Steel
Works, Tacoma, Washington; and Washington Iron Works, Seattle,
Washington. These three companies were building primarily for the
logging industry for many different applications and in many
different sizes.

‘In 1982 I obtained an American Hoist and Derrick. It is a
three drum 8 x 10 industrial hoist. The donkey had been purchased
new in 1935 and used in bridge construction until the late
’60s.

‘When I obtained it the engines and hoist were in excellent
condition; however, the boiler needed to be retubed. This was
finished by August of 1983 and everything then was in good running
condition.

‘In 1986 I acquired the hoist only of an 11 x 14 Washington
Iron Works three drum standard yarding engine, number 3467. The
original machine was tested October 16, 1922; sold and shipped
shortly after that date. In June of 1944 the boiler and engines
were removed and the hoist repowered with a Cummins Diesel. It was
then used into the early 70s.

‘Having only the hoist until 1991, and unable to find
original engines, I decided to rebuild with a pair of Willamette
Iron and Steel 11 x 13 engines. With much measuring, drilling many
holes and much good help, we were able to adapt the Willamette
engines to the Washington hoist.

‘In June of 1990 I acquired a 66′ x 120′ round
vertical fire tube boiler which was of the same dimension as the
original Washington boiler. The replacement boiler was built in
1966 to ASME code, fusion welded with 308 6′ x 4′ x 2′
tubes, with a 48’ firebox. The working pressure of the boiler
was 200 lbs. with a heating surface of 1080 square feet.

‘After mounting the boiler to the engines and hoist, all
valves and fittings had to be added. Following code rules and
regulations, all pipes and fittings required minimum SWP rating of
250 lbs. I was very fortunate in having a number of old valves
rated 250 and 300 SWP. The boiler required two pop valves; I used
one 1′ Kunkel set at 160 lbs. with a capacity of 5,624 lbs. per
hr., with 6 lbs. of blow down. The second pop used is a 2’
Consolidated set at 175 lbs. with 7 lbs. of blow down. Both pop
valves required ASME with a 1/ stamp.

‘The main boiler stop valve is a 3′ flange mounted
Lunkheimer Globe valve. There is a 3′ expansion joint in the
line then a 3′ throttle with 3′ pipe into each engine.
There are two Penberthy injectors, one 1′ and one 1′, and a
1’ blow down valve.

After building a canopy, painting the boiler and stack, the
hoist and engines, the engine was ready to move. Moving the donkey
was finished by the last Saturday of July 1991. We moved in time
and able to run at the Puget Sound Antique Machinery grounds for
our August 1st to 4th show at Berthuson Park, Lynden, Washington,
thus making all the work worthwhile. All my good friends that
helped and made this possible felt we were paid in full.

‘The photographs are as follows.

‘No. 1 Washington Iron Works Standard 3 Drum Hoist, as I
received it in 1986.

‘No. 2 Starting to mount Willamette engines on the
Washington hoist.

‘No. 3 Start of canopy (roof), also showing boiler stop
valve expansion joint throttle valve and injectors.

‘No. 4 More work finished, plus some painting.

‘No. 5 Moved and sitting at Puget Sound Antique grounds.
Water tank, some firewood, one feather of steam from the only leak
we had.

‘No. 6 Steamed up, running slowly with nothing to do. The
hat just showing at left is on my good helper and operator, John
Tucker. This is the finished ‘donkey’ that we worked so
hard to accomplish. It really is a hybrid, the hoist being
Washington Iron Works, the engine and crankshaft Willamette Iron
and Steel, and the boiler by Seattle Boiler Works. After all this
we call it a ‘Willawa’ donkey.

No. 7 Bob Sorensen operating the American Hoist and Derrick 3
drum 8 x 10.

‘No. 8 The current Washington boiler inspection.’

Thanks to Bob, and all our other letter writers, for a nice
variety of correspondence. We look forward to hearing from more of
you next time. Meanwhile, throughout the season ahead, remember
this gem of wisdom from Anne Bradstreet’s Meditations
Divine and Moral, written in 1664: ‘If we had no winter,
the spring would not be so pleasant; if we did not sometimes taste
of adversity, prosperity would not be so welcome.’

Steamcerely, Linda & Gail