SOOT IN THE FLUES

E. D. DEWHURST, 712 Front St., N., Crookston, Minnesota 56716
writes in regard to the Nov.-Dec. Album’A Mr. John S. Schifsky,
Box 672, Willernie, Minnesota 55090 asks the question for pro and
cons of under mounted engines, namely Avery.

‘The good side is: easy to service engine and clean mud from
boiler, handy work platform, handy fire door and easy ash removal,
less wind problem with drive belt threshing.

‘Not so good side is: engine was always in the ground level
blowing dirt and chaff, the unguarded left side shaft was a great
danger the reverse mechanism S Pringer would have been cleaner on
the top or side of boiler, Stevenson link on under-mounted would
have been bad too.

‘Now, my story goes back 63 years ago when we lived in
Sask., Canada prairie country and our own engine was a 24 HP Port
Huron. No good for sod busting, but very good for threshing and we
older boys (Bart, Elwood, Chester) had to learn these jobs as we
grew up.

‘My older brother, Bart, went far away from home ground to
thresh by Bromhead, Sask. where he fired on an Avery, and also
learned how to handle the engine. Well, the engineer was not a
safety-minded man and did not have a guard on the left side shaft,
where he got caught and was killed.

‘Another point, when busting sod, the dry grass dust was
always rising and dirtied the engine too, just as under mounted gas
tractors of that day.’

‘I had such good success from the last letter in SOOT IN THE
FLUES, that I have another request,’ writes NORBERT J. LUCHT,
R.R. 1, Box 161, Athens, Illinois 62613. ‘I would like to hear
from readers who have Northwest steam traction engines. I need some
snapshots for my collection. If any reader has the history of the
Northwest Thresher Company, I would like very much to have a copy
of it.’ (How about it Fellas? We would like to hear from you
too, here at the magazine head quarters get a little bit of
ambition and write down those stories of interest for us many will
appreciate it.)

Norbert also sent along five different engine pictures that
I’m sure the steam enthusiasts will appreciate:

1. This is a 22 HP Minneapolis, #6299 which belongs to J. W.
Bruening, Meredosia, Illinois 62665.
2. A 25-75 HP Gaar-Scott, D. C. #15589, town of Rockland,
Wisconsin, June 16, 1930. (No name except Norbert’sI don’t
know if that means he owns it or just took the picture.)
3. 22 HP Keck-Gonnerman, D. C. #1592, B. F. Ray, Philo, Illinois
61864, taken January 26, 1925.
4. 18 HP Buffalo-Pitts, #7991 D. C. (Norbert’s name on
picture.)
5. 60 HP Frick, #21684, Kinzers, Pennsylvania (Norbert’s name
on picture.)

Another letter regarding the inquiry of John Schifsky, Box 672,
Willernie, Minnesota 55090, who is interested in the good and bad
points of the Avery under mounted engines. This letter comes from
ANDY MICHELS, 302 Highland Avenue, Plentywood, Montana 59254:

‘First the disadvantages are:
1. They were very heavy for their HP.
2. The engine was in the dust created by the front wheels.
3. Operator could not see working parts.
4. Belt always drug on the ground.
5. It was almost impossible to fire with straw.
6. It was the hottest engine to fire.
7. Very poor visibility.

‘The advantages are:
1. Easy design to make 2-speed (called double geared) and this is
misleading. The term is used to describe the 2-speed
arrangement.
2. When work (a breakdown) was required, one could stand on the
ground to replace parts they broke a lot of parts.
3. When crankshaft broke, one could put belt pulley on other
side.
4. It was easy to put a belt on and to hold belt.

‘There were two other under mounted engines, the Twentieth
Century made by a preacher, and C. Aultman made some called the
Star. To my knowledge, these three are the only ones to try this
design.

‘To quote an old saying: ‘Twenty million Frenchmen
can’t be wrong.’ so top mount must be best.’

DR. HERMAN SASS, 20 East Morris Avenue, Buffalo, New York 14214
is doing research on the Buffalo Pitts Company. He is especially
interested in a gas tractor which they apparently manufactured from
1917 to 1925. The model was called the ‘Do-It-All’ tractor,
had two wheels and one cylinder a man would walk behind it. Since
Buffalo Pitts is a well-known steam engine manufacturer, I thought
maybe some of you steam buffs would have some information on this.
He is looking for a picture of this item, hopefully a copy of an
old advertisement of some, or perhaps a catalog. (Do hope you get
some answers, Dr. Herman.)

I hope you folks will enjoy these pictures from JAMES M.
BUCKNALL, of P.O. Box 79, Campden, Ontario, Canada L0R 1GO.

He writes: ‘These two pictures show two heavy steam traction
engines and two steam shovels with clam buckets, working on the
second rebuilding of the Well and Ship Canal in 1915.

‘The one picture with the engine putting up the black smoke
a-going away from the camera is a 40 HP Reeves cross-compound with
extension rims. The water tanks had been removed as they had mule
teams close at hand with the water wagon and coal, etc.

‘The other picture with the two big shovels shows a 75 HP
Sawyer-Massey which was built at Hamilton, about 30 miles west of
this site.

‘I personally knew a man by the name of Charlie Spiece who
had a sawmill on the Twenty Crk. (where the Twenty Valley Golf
course is now located), and I remember him telling of operating
engines for contractors on the canal job like this when Dad and I
would be getting logs sawed, etc.

‘A former boss of mine who was the superintendent of the
gravel pit that I work for served his apprenticeship as an oiler
and took his test for his hoisting engineer’s papers on a
shovel very similar to these two in the late 20s. His name was Ken
Stokes and he just passed away in March of ’82.’

‘Enclosed you will find two engine photos that were given to
me by neighbors of mine,’ states FRANK E. GOULDE, 21313 Wooster
Road, Danville, Ohio 43014.

‘The first one is of a Port Huron engine. I have another
photo of this engine taken at the same time and they were pulling a
large boiler behind it. I don’t know who the man is, but I
think the photo was taken in Knox County, Ohio.

‘Photo number two is one that was in a postcard collection.
On the back of the card it says ‘A. C. Enoch, Photographer,
Martins Ferry, Ohio.’ The people who gave the card to me have
no ideas about it. The engine has no clutch or water tanks or fuel
bunker. The rear wheels appear to have been built up, not cast. The
engine looks like it is a twin cylinder with one valve. It has a
round steam chest. But what really puzzles me is why it has two
steering wheels. One wheel on the right side has a rod that goes to
the king pin. It looks like there is a spring in the pin. The wheel
on the left side goes to a standard steering roll. If I can find
out anything about this engine, I will let you know. If anyone has
any information, please let me know ‘I started taking IMA in
January 1962 and have every copy. I look forward to IMA arriving
wish it came more often.

‘Walter Blakely used to tell me stories about threshing with
steam. He is gone now and I miss him. I wish the old timers out
there would send in more stories. They are so interesting. I hope
you all have a good new year and God bless you.’ (Thank you,
Frank, and the same to you and thanks for telling the fellows to
send in more material I’m always encouraging them that way and
I must say, they have been doing a little better lately. Keep up
the good work, men, I’m proud of you.)

I am very happy we have so many pictures for this issue and here
is another. This letter comes from ELMER ARRAS, Box 197 E.
Carondelet, Illinois 62240 with a picture of threshing wheat back
in 1930. It is with a 32′ Belleville threshing machine,
propelled with an 18 HP Keck-Gonnerman steam engine. There is a
large straw stack in back of the machine. Also a Model T Ford water
wagon and Model T Ford coal truck and a turtle back hood
International Harvester grain truck and eight bundle wagons. This
is near Millstadt, Illinois. One day’s work, approximately 1200
bushels.

‘I have seen many threshing rigs at work at good engine
shows and I thought it would be interesting to many folks to see a
picture of a genuine threshing,’ says Elmer.

The next letter with three pictures comes from BLAKE MALKAMAKI,
10839 Girdled Road, Concord, Ohio 44077:

1. Some of the engines at Ashtabula County Antique Club Show,
Wayne Twp, Ohio 1985. From left to right16 HP Nichols Shepard
(owner Mark Hissa); 14 HP Huber (owner Jim & Marilyn Malz); 22
HP Keck #1860 (owner Malz); 20 HP Buffalo Pitts (owner Howard Van
Driest); 18 HP Aultman-Taylor (Malz); and 16 HP Huber (in
back-owner George Nicholas). Next year’s show will be July 5
and 6,1986.
2. 20 HP Buffalo-Pitts engine sawing at the 1985 Ashtabula County
Antique Engine Club Show, held in Wayne Twp., Ohio. Engine owned by
Howard Van Driest, Painesville, Ohio. Operated by Blake Malkamaki,
Prainesville.
3. Blake doing some firebox work on 20 HP Buffalo-Pitts, with
assistance from Heidi. This was in April, 1983, after grinding.

Two photos come from MERTON H. WILCH, 5140 S. E. 3rd St. Terr.,
Tecumseh, Kansas 66542: ‘These pictures were developed from
glass negatives of my deceased father’s belongings. I don’t
know who any of these men were but the pictures would have been
taken near Rich-land, Kansas about 15 miles southeast of Topeka.
Real proof that those steamers had plenty of power.’

In closing, I would again like to leave you with some
thought-provoking tid-bits He who parades his virtues seldom leads
the parade. All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that
good men do nothing. Arguments never settle things, but prayer
changes things. Those who deserve love the least need it the most.
Instead of pointing a critical finger, try holding out a helping
hand. That’s it for this time, Dear Ones, get ready for the
upcoming summer and do enjoy each day.