Hi – out there in Steam Land -Hope your Holidays make you some
nice memories and I’ll bet you already are dreaming up more fun
for the forthcoming Reunions soon will be time to plant garden
also. Nuff said – and on to the letters.
DALE FRIESEN, 65 2nd Avenue S.E., Swift Current, Saskatchewan,
Canada wants to know when the Buffalo Pitts Company of Buffalo, New
York was in business and where could he find out what trademarks
were used for this company.
We’re always happy to hear of new organizations forming and
give them a boost with their first show. From DAVID R. DEXTER, 275
Walnut Hill, Orange, Massachusetts 01364 comes the following:
‘Central Massachusetts Steam, Gas and Machinery Association –
First Annual Meet will be at the Orange Airport, Orange,
Massachusetts on Sunday June 26 at 10 A.M. For information contact
Elsworth Songer, 76 Harrison Ave., Orange, Massachusetts 01364.
We are a newly formed club this year and are hoping our first
attempt at a meet will be successful. Our location at the Orange
Airport is an ideal site, it is easy to find and there will be no
mud regardless of the weather. If he is the brave type, a visitor
to our show can try his hand at parachute jumping.
Our own club membership has about 100 Gas Engines, several table
size steam engines, a 3 HP. Little Daisy steam engine and an 85
H.P. Frick Portable Engine and Boiler. We will have the big steamer
at our meet and will be able to supply steam for anyone who brings
a steam engine. We will also have in operation an 1892 Chase
Shingle Mill.
This past summer we have exhibited as a club at two local
Bicentennial Fairs and were very well received by the people. Most
of them had never seen anything like our equipment.’
Another notice from WILLIAM H. MAGERS, Route 1, Glasgow,
Kentucky 42141 tells of a new listing among our shows. The Beckton
Community Center will hold a show and swap meet on August 6 at
Intersection Highway 685 and 1297. No admission. This is part of
Community Pioneer Day. (Perhaps this will grow in the future years
into their own Reunion – the organizations have a way of doing just
that).
Please help GENE DRUMMOND, 15509 Drummond Road, Orient, Ohio
43146 as he relates:
‘In the July-August 1976 issue of IMA I ran an information
wanted ad asking that all Avery undermounted owners send size,
serial number and year the engine was built. I need this data as I
am making a count of all remaining Avery undermounted engines. The
ad did not meet with the response that I had hoped for. On my own I
sent out letters with return postcard for data I want. Along with
the return of the cards I have gotten a number of letters asking
how I have done on the count. I will run another want ad in the IMA
hoping that I get the needed response. It is my intention to give a
copy of this report to the Iron-Men Album. ‘(See ad in this
issue).’
FRANKIE VAN DUSEN, Route 1, Dawn, Missouri 64638 wants to thank
the readers: ‘I wrote this summer inquiring about heat
resistant paint for a steam engine. Several people were nice enough
to write and recommend Rust-Oleum paint from Evanston, Illinois.
The letters were mistakenly burned and I have no way of thanking
them.
I used the type of paint on my Advance-Rumely and am planning to
restore a Nichols-Shepard soon. Had very good results with it. I
really appreciate those who took an interest and time to write me
concerning my problem.’ (They are a great bunch of folks,
Frankie).
REGINALD LEWIS, 5582 Little Canada Road, East Bethany, New York
14054 makes us feel our work is worthwhile as he comments:
‘I have been taking both magazines for the last ten years
and when they come, I just can’t put them down until I have
read them from cover to cover. I sure do enjoy them very much.’
(Reggie is a member of five of the well known steam
organizations).
He had sent in a subscription for a friend and he comments on
him: ‘Leon Lewis of 571 East Avenue, Medina, New York, 14103 is
an old-time steam engineer having passed his 90th year and still
enjoys talking about the good ‘ole days when steam was the
IN-Thing.’
Speaking of the avid readers that really love the magazine, take
a gander at this wonderful letter from BRUCE McCOURTNEY, Syracuse,
Nebraska 68446: ‘Please don’t ever cancel me out until you
are sure I’m dead. This Iron-Men Magazine helps a lot toward
keeping me alive. I have every copy from the beginning to the
present date, so missing a copy would really be a disaster. The
very best to all of you through the Holidays and next year.’
(Thanks Bruce, the same to you and we appreciate your
enthusiasm.)
LAURENCE D. GRAVES, Box 147 A, Route 1, Suisun City, California
94585 has some interesting comments: ‘Attended a few shows in
spite of energy problems. By riding with friends, I attended Steam
Power Club Meet in Pleasanton, California. In a Howard Johnson
parking lot, got a clear picture of a Stanley boiler in a steam
car. A beautiful restored job! We followed this car two miles to
Mr. Bill Moore’s home. A young adult almost wrenched his neck
as the steamer glided by. Mr. Moore’s garage is full of steam
equipment. An upright boiler with 75 psi kept models moving.
Someone arrived in another Stanley steamer, blowing the whistle for
a whole block. One got the impression, brakes were lined with
banana peels. Saw steam bicycle ridden by Mr. Sarlin of Berkeley,
California, builder.
Visited Tilden Park in afternoon. Golden Gate Live Steamers had
many model steam locomotives and trains running for a two day show.
Mr. Gilmer Johnson was leaving with his huge 4-8-4 locomotive in
1′ scale, 7′ gauge track. This size can pull 20 adults with
ease. Visited GGLS again in fall for 40th Anniversay. Then two gas
shows, one at Criswells Christmas Tree Farm in Santa Cruz
Mountains, Another Gas-up at Lodi, California, saw a remarkable
sight.
This show was sponsored by EDGETA, Branch 13, Sacramento
District. This little jewel was an ancient one cylinder steam
engine converted into a double acting | gasoline engine. Special
cylinder heads held exhaust and intake valves, plus a spark plug. A
single flywheel turned stately and quietly like steam, but there
was no filthy soot or smoke – just stinking antiseptic cleanliness!
The glamour of steam was missing. ‘(A sure fire steam lover –
that’s Laurence).
MAX PARSONS, Star Route, Polar, Wisconsin 54418 has a question:
‘I have a 65 Case steam engine built in 1914. With factory
installed gear driven water pump, what maximum pressure is it
practical and safe to add water to boiler?’ (Beats me – help
him Fellas).
A cheery greeting from WALT THAYER, Box 2175, Wenatchee,
Washington 98801: ‘Howdy! Mind if an old Nor’west steam
fiend gets his foot in the door for a few minutes? Just got my
first copy of I.M.A. and that’s a nice ‘rag’
(never heard that term before – do hope it means something good),
you published back there in the Keystone State. Now, that I see
what you publish, I’ll have to scrounge up a few photos and
maybe a story or two when I get time. My special thanks to George
Hatch of Slatesville, Rhode Island for having I.M.A. sent to me.
I’d heard of it for some time, but never got to read it now
I’ll have a whole year of good reading.
There’s still lots of ‘old iron’ here in the
Northwest that’s still rusting away on old homesteads, back
pastures, inside old buildings, and in fence corners. Now and then
you’ll find the remains of an old logging camp or sawmill.
There’s a Shay locomotive laying under water in a rock quarry
pond near Chilliocothe, Ohio that I hope somebody saves, and soon.
The scuba divers who discovered it last summer decided not to
salvage it and the county plans on making the quarry a sanitary
fill, so that would bury the Shay under garbage a sad ending for an
engine of that type. Any organization or individual interested in
saving it should write or call Arliss C. Lamb, 4 Delano Court,
Chillicothe, Ohio 45601 for details. This type of engine is a rare
find, so somebody save it! Wishing you many more years of serving
the Old Iron-Men and Boys!’
That’s it for now, Friends, and God Bless You!
