SOOT IN THE FLUES

An informative letter comes from BASIL and MARY JONES, Holbrook,
Pennsylvania 15341: ‘We had been trail ring for 13 months
through 20 states, entering Mexico several times. Like always it
was good to get back. ‘Back’ to us means good of Antique
Acres, Bob Rogers, his friends and associates. Mr. Rogers had
re-opened his Bomar Water Gardens, and was moving his equipment
back from Dillon, S.C. where he had had it for several years. As
always the welcome sign was really in evidence, but in place of the
traditional fatted calf, Bob brought in a bushel of South Carolina
oysters which he proceeded to roast for the occasion of the return
of the prodigals.

Also greeting us were gas tractor man, John DeBroskey of
Virginia and Billy Hall of Maryland, a prolific writer whose
articles on steam power and sawmilling are well known to readers of
Iron Man Album. This peerless pair were quartered in Bob’s
bunkhouse, which is on the second floor of Mini Museum. Parked
nearby in their camper were Earl and Katherine Schwartz, from
Pennsylvania. Earl, a retired locomotive engineer from the
Pennsylvania Railroad, lost no time, in a few days he had three
small antique upright steam engines cleaned and adjusted and
running under steam just like steam engines are supposed to run.
His brother, Lewis Schwartz was parked in his travel trailer
several days on his way to a winter in Florida.

Mrs. Anna Thomas from Pennsylvania is in a trailer with Basil
and Mary Jones. They, too are parked in the Gardens in a space very
near the one they occupied in 1972. Water, electricity and sewer
facilities are on all these spaces.

Prominent on our arrival was a 40′ Ferris Wheel, near Mini
Museum, and on a concrete foundation. Four steam traction engines
in runable condition were there for all to see. One, a large two
cylinder Frick, is being readied and prettied for a Thanksgiving
parade in Cheraw. Two golf carts have been re-commissioned, and all
three have new batteries. They are for use on the grounds, and for
guests who are handicapped. They transport guests along garden
paths where cars cannot travel. To be handicapped at Bomar Gardens
is no handicap at all. Nooks are being made in all exhibit areas so
that exhibitors can park by their exhibits.

In the floral parts of the Gardens camelias are at their
end-of-summer best. Delicate blossoms that somewhat resemble rose
buds, on trees 10 to 20′ high, are just begging Mrs. Thomas to
photograph them: delicate pastel shades, almost waxy in appearance.
The Gardens feature more than 40 varieties of camelias. Some will
be blooming until March. We plan to return by Easter. The steam
show will be on the Friday, Saturday and Sunday after Easter, when
the flowers, including azaleas, dogwood, and camelias will be at
their best. P.S.: We always look forward to each issue of
I.M.A.’

GERALD KNEPPER, R.R. 2, Ada, Ohio 45810 is very interested in
knowing where any information could come from on the Advance steam
engines. Also would like to see a color picture to use in restoring
same.

TOM McCUTCHEN, Superintendent, Milan Field Station, The
University of Tennessee, Route 2, Box 133, Milan, Tennessee 38358
wants to know if some of you readers could help him with
information on steam whistles. He writes, ‘In July, 1976, I ran
an ad and sold a brass Powell Chime Whistle to a lady in
California. Before running the ad, I showed the whistle to a
collector friend and asked his opinion. He stated that it was
‘all there’ and in good condition and gave me an idea of
how much to ask for it. When the lady in California received the
whistle she reported that it arrived in good condition, but a
portion of the bottom section was missing and it would not blow
without it. A small disc that fits down inside the bottom section,
air travels up from the bottom out and around the disc to create
the whistle. I have asked everywhere about the disc and got on no
information. Could anyone help me with information and especially
if they know where I could locate one of these discs for a brass
Powell chime whistle ‘ – 2′ diameter – 10′
tall.’

From many miles away, COLIN WEAR sends queries for the readers
of the Iron Men Album. Colin Wear, 23 Arlewis Street, Chester Hill,
Sydney, Australia 2162. Could someone tell him more about a small
thresher he has just found. The details are: Pennsylvania Thresher
#3 (built 1912). Built by Heebner & Sons, Lansdale, Mont.
County, Pennsylvania, U.S.A. He would like to know the correct way
to set it up and work it. Please see photo. Also, could someone
date his Buffalo-Pitts 16 HP single cylinder traction engine
#9857?

S. BRUCE GOSS, R.R. 3, Coldwater, Ontario, Canada LOK 1E0 would
like to know if there is a magazine for antique boats and marine
engines. He surely would appreciate address of the publication. (I
really don’t know, maybe you can help him.)

Some information comes to us from EDMAR TANGEN, 305 Sinclair
Street, Box 416, Bottineau, North Dakota 58318 as he tells us:
‘In regard to Photo #7 from the unclassified file on page 23 of
the January-February issue of the Album, I think the man driving
the engine on the high ramp is maybe Harry Wood man see.

I am an old subscriber to the Album, and have most of the copies
from the early 1950s.

I was pretty sure I had seen a picture similar to #7 in one of
the old copies, so I started looking through them, and sure enough,
if you will look on page 77 of the July-August 1971 issue of the
Album you will see a picture almost like #7.

It looks like he is driving a different engine on #7, but I am
almost sure it is the same ramp with Harry on the engine. I guess
he made a practice of demonstrating that drive at the steam
shows.

That looks like a very steep ramp, so it would take a good man
at the throttle to handle the engine.’

Looking for some new types of entertainment at the Reunions?
Write Eiffel G. Plasterer, R.R. #5, Box 245, Huntington, Indiana
46750, phone 219-356-6047. He presents what is called ‘Bubbles
Concerto’ an unusual and fantastic soap bubble exhibition with
musical accompaniment. A show that is good for all ages and events.
He also has other entertainments as science demonstrations,
illustrated lectures, sorghum making, etc. He is interested in the
steam equipment, organic farming, natural foods, machine shop,
welding, etc., a man of diversified interests maybe just what
you’re looking for to add to the entertainment of your reunion.
Eiffel was a good friend of Rev. Elmer Ritzman. I remember many
years ago while visiting Elmer, he put on a show at the high school
quite interesting.

Two stories come from The Old Storekeeper – ART DICKEY, Corydon,
Iowa 50060 as he relates: ‘I saw in the July-August issue of
Iron-Men Album 1977 where Mr. Gerald Lestz wanted some new
inventions. Here are a couple I did for our club newsletter.

Dear Friends: Well we got back from ‘Old Threshers’ at
Mt. Pleasant all tuckered out. We were sitting around here in the
old General Store talking about all kinds of engines. The
blacksmith, ‘we call him BS for short’ anyway he said he
did not see how come someone smart hadn’t come up with an
engine running on the many fuels which hadn’t been touched yet.
So we asked him what he had in mind. He said ‘Now look at
popcorn. That little grain of popcorn can explode and turn itself
into maybe 5 to 10 times as big as when it started out.’ So he
thinks that if somebody would make an engine, like a diesel only
instead of injecting fuel oil into it, inject popcorn into the
cylinder instead. Think of what could happen you could eat the air
pollution! Now he says ‘You could fill the oilers with melted
butter and flavor the popcorn the same time as lubricating the
piston. There is no reason why you couldn’t attach a salt
shaker to the exhaust valve rod and salt the popcorn as it came out
the exhaust. Nobody would complain about the small of popcorn
floating through the air.’

You know there is an old saying: ‘You can’t have your
cake and eat it too’, but in this case you could take a drive
and eat it too! So I’m kicking this idea out to some of you
inventors as we don’t want to cash in on it down here. As the
government has designated our area a poverty area and if we make
too much money, we would lose our rating (and we sure don’t
want that to happen) so we’ll let someone else get rich on the
idea.’

Then the second story of inventions:

Well I think I have found the way to solve a big part of the
nation’s energy crisis. However, as usual I’m turning the
idea over to the Club as most people wouldn’t understand
it.

It all came about just before election time. My son-in-law,
Norman Nickel, and I were fooling around with a little hot-air
engine he had made, and just by chance I turned the radio on. A
politician was on the radio telling what all he would do if he was
elected. That little hot-air engine started running and we
hadn’t even put any fuel to it.

Now we were sure that the hot air from the politician was making
this engine run, but to be sure we took a tape recorder and
recorded several tapes of speeches from various parts of the
country and all political parties. We have been experimenting since
the election and sure enough as we play one of these tapes the
hot-air engine will run. Son-in-law, Norman, says that if there was
a hot-air engine belted up to a generator in the basement of every
courthouse it could supply all the electrical needs of each county
in the country. And just think of what if a big one was located in
Washington D.C.!!! Why we could be trading the Arabs electricity
for oil.

So I’m passing the idea on to any of you who desires to
become rich. There is an old saying ‘Your friends like to see
you do well, but not too well.’ And I just got too many friends
and don’t want to lose them by becoming rich.’

From JAMES W. CHANDLER, 653 S. Jackson Street, Frankfort,
Indiana 46041 comes this missal in relation to the photo on bottom
of page 23 of Jan.-Feb. 1978 I.M.A. (right side). ‘I gave this
snapshot to friend, Elmer Ritzman on one of the two times he was a
guest at our home at 412 West Walnut Street, Frankfort, Indiana. I
thought there was a description on back, my usual practice. This is
a 30 HP double cylinder compound Port Huron, number about 7000 and
it belonged to Whiteman Brothers of Michigantown, Indiana. Fred
(the late) Whiteman, on engine, was not a small man (gives a clue
to size of this giant). She was working at 200 lbs. boiler pressure
when I took this shot, and working hard as exhaust shows.

Thank you for printing my letter. Mr. Burris probably would have
preferred my using a Southern Pacific engine, but I was reading a
Railway Mechanical Engine magazine showing Union Pacific engine and
describing the magnificent run by this fine engine.

I wrote Mr. Lestz concerning the printing of the ‘Treasured
Moments’ July-August 1977 issue. Do you realize the James W.
Chandler is one of the very few originals left? It brings a tear.
But what an honor to be numbered with those people, I know most of
them well. Thank you in the name of the Lord!

(We wish Mrs. Chandler a speedy recovery and covet prayers for
same. Mr. Chandler says she just had major surgery, Nov. 14th.)

JOE GRIVETZ, 3920 North 165th Street, Brookfield, Wisconsin
53005 asks: ‘I was wondering how many stationary steam engines
are still running in the U.S. and Canada? not the collector ones,
but the engines still powering the factories and mills daily. We
still have several in Wisconsin and will send the list to Iron-Men
when complete. I hope other states could do the same. (There’s
a suggestion for some of you fine researchers.)

And in closing let me give you a few words from the Bible:
‘For, lo, the winter is past, the rain is over and gone; the
flowers appear on the earth; the time of the singing of birds is
come, and the voice of the turtle is heard in our land. Song of
Solomon 2:11-12. K.J.V.

And I know as you are enjoying the Springtime you are eagerly
getting those engines ready for another busy season Bye – Love
ya!