SOOT IN THE FLUES

I also realize though that these are the times when the engine
hobbyists and gas buffs all get their wares and beautiful and
dutiful engines gone over for the great shows coming up in 1988and
then, of course, when you look and see this is the March-April
issue, before you know it you will be trucking off your showpieces
and gems for the oohs and aahs of the clan that loves steam and
gas. Keep working, gentlemen and ladies time has a way of getting
here sooner than you think. I know you are all looking forward to
the upcoming Reunions and sharing the growing friendships and ideas
from others who have the same interests as your own.

Keep the letters coming and please let us know of any new thing
we should know and of the fun things that happen, or the
educational values that emerge from each show. Also let us know if
you are pleased or displeased with anything we might do we do aim
to please we care about you and your thoughts, views, suggestions
and just plain friendly letters too. And don’t forget, you are
a great part of what makes America great!

And with that we will continue on with letters and items

Needing some answers, this letter comes from RICHARD M. BANDY,
Route 2, 265 North Duncan Road, Alvaton, Kentucky 42122: ‘Where
are the Port Huron, Serial No. 8602 and Serial No. 8206 and
Keck-Gonnerman 19-65 Serial No. 1869? I have much information on
above engines for present owners.’

Tom White of Crescent Blvd., Simcoe, Ont., N3Y 2K8, sent this
photo of his grandson, Aaron Culver , at the throttle of his 2′
Waterloo, with part of the 2 Waterloo separator showing.

Received an interesting letter from Herrol Skidmore at New
Mexico State University recently and thought that since Herrol is
quite a ways outside my sphere of operations, perhaps our
readership in New Mexico could pitch in and help with what sounds
like a super project, as well as an opportunity to do a hands on
project with tired iron in the public interest. (This letter is
from J. MIKE POWERS, SR., Homestead Press, 2293 Kootenia River
Road, Libby, Montana 59923).

‘Would you please publish this letter in the next issue?
Working with an educational institution should be right up your
alley, since education of the public is what we are all about.’
(So following is Herrol’s letter to Mike).

‘This coming year New Mexico State University will be
celebrating its Centennial, 1888-1988, as an institution of higher
learning. Throughout the coming year each college will sponsor
events which will highlight their accomplishments over the past one
hundred years.’

‘The College of Engineering has decided to celebrate the
Centennial with an Engineering Fair. This Fair will include
corporate displays which will demonstrate robotics, computer aided
design and many other new technologies.’

‘To contrast with the new technologies we are interested in
locating ‘working’ historical displays which demonstrate
the evolution of engineering. We are particularly interested in
learning of persons who enjoy working and restoring steam traction
engines, gasoline engines, vintage automobiles, farm implements and
equipment, and any other items of this kind.’

‘It is our goal to invite you and anyone else who you know
that shares an interest in the above hobbies to join us for our
fair. This fair will be held February 26-27, 1988 on the campus of
New Mexico State University from 10:00 A.M. to 5:00 P.M.’

‘If you know anyone who has any interesting historical
articles, please contact me at this address: HERROL J. SKIDMORE, P.
E. Department of Engineering Technology, Box 3566, Las Cruces, New
Mexico 88003 or telephone 505-646-2236 during business hours.’
(Herrol is a professor, Engineering Technology. Chairman of NMSU
Engineering Fair Committee.)

I wish we would have had this material before but it just came
to me recently, so maybe some of you in that area could get to the
Fair, or call or write Herrol.

A beautiful, caring letter comes from MRS. BELVA BALFOUR, R. R.
1, Portland, Ontario, KDG 1V0: ‘I am writing for my good
husband to tell you he had to discontinue renewing our subscription
to your really good magazine which we have enjoyed for a number of
years, due to illness unless a miracle happens.’

‘Last February 1, 1987, he had a stroke (as if being a
cripple all his life caused from polio wasn’t enough), but we
have to believe it must have been for some reason beyond our
comprehending and live on as God tells us to try to do.’

‘He is a patient in a local chronic care hospital as I could
not care for him at home, after trying every possible way, as he
required 24 hour care.’

‘While there are many much worse, he cannot enjoy the
magazine, so asked me to write you. If any of you good folks would
like to send him a card, it would be much appreciated. We have made
so many friends through reading your ALBUM and have helped others
through loaning ours.’

‘I thank you Anna Mae, if you are still at the helm and
staff it’s hard and sad to say goodbye, but God bless you one
and all. Sincerely, Belva (wife).’

I hope many of you folks will write Larry. It will be a great
comfort to him and his wife. His address is LAWRENCE or LARRY
BALFOUR, c/o Smiths Falls Community Hospital, South Unit, Room 110,
Smiths Falls, Ontario, Canada.

I am not at the helm of the staff, Belva, but this past
September marked thirty years for me working with the magazines. I
still write the column Soot in the Flues but you all have a
wonderful caring staff in Lancaster they are all great people who
care Bless you and keep your faith.

‘I need some help on information to restore my Advance
Rumely,’ writes RAYMOND SCHOLL, Route 1, Box 459-A, Sugar
Grove, North Carolina 28679.

‘In August I purchased an Advance Rumely traction engine
#15082 9 x 10, 18 HP. This was the first engine manufactured in
1920, according to an article in IMA May-June 1985 written by Keith
Mauzy. The engine came from Palmyra, MO and was originally owned by
the late Henry Kuntemeyer. I bought the engine from Henry’s
daughter Mary, and son-in-law Art Buckwalter. The engine was
located through an ad in the IMA.’

‘After getting the engine to North Carolina I hydro tested
to 210 lbs. It was operated during the Carolina Fly wheelers Fall
Show and the Autumn Leaves Crank-Up at Boone, N. C. It performed
just fine many people here in the mountains have never seen a
traction engine. I plan to fully restore the engine after
completing a new shop.’

‘I need information on the following: paint colors and pin
striping. Are the side water tanks and rear tank the same size and
construction? I need the dimensions for the coal bunker, canopy and
tool box. Did all Advance Rumely traction engines use the Universal
Logo? Who repairs throttle valves and steam gauges? How many
Advance Rumely engines still exist?’

‘I enjoy the IMA and GEM, especially articles written on
proper care of engines. Would appreciate more articles on hydro
testing of boilers. What are the pros and cons of boiler
jackets?’ (Now here you are fellows you can sit down and write
Raymond about these inquiries and you can send them to me also for
the column. I’m almost certain Ray will be getting some
mail).

‘I want to say how you have done a bang-up job with the Iron
Men. I have been taking it since 1956. It has changed some but all
for the good. I feel like I really had Anna Mae as a close
neighbor. I saw her once at National Threshers Reunion. I really
enjoy her column,’ writes RICHARD HEAVEN, 155 W. Cross Street,
Box 36, Clarksville, Michigan 48815 (The office sent this to me and
I just want to say thank you, Richard, you know when I hear things
like this, it makes my job mean so much more. And there are many
names that are very familiar to me. I have many good friends from
this communication. I was at the Nat’l. Threshers Reunion in
1960 where I met Richard.

I have had a letter from HARVEY GLOEGE, P.O. Box 158, Glenwood,
Minnesota 56334: ‘In your Jan-Feb. 1987 Iron Men Album, you
published and pictured three machines from Ted S. Jansen, 1507 West
Lancaster Avenue, Leesburg, Florida 32748, in which he asks your
readers to name all three of these, a gas tractor, a steam engine,
and a threshing machine. Having run my father’s identical model
of the top gas tractor shown, which was a 1912, 30-60HP Aultman
Taylor gas, I could positively identify it for him as such. Also
pictured separator I believe to be an Aultman Taylor make, but the
picture of it is not clear enough to be real positive about it. I
cannot identify the steam engine.’ (Thanks for sending us this
information, Harvey, and I have sent the letter to Mr. Jansen on to
him).

A 22 HP Keck Gonnerman #1845, owned by Dale Smith of Troy, Ohio.
Photo submitted by Sam Myers of West Milton, Ohio.

‘I enjoy your magazine very much,’ writes M. R. DUTCH,
Crete, Nebraska 68333: ‘I very much enjoyed the articles by
John Forney, Jack Beamish, Chaddy Atteberry and J. Hoffendasher
whose article prompted me to put in my two cents worth. I think Mr.
Hoffendasher was right about having knee surgery and wearing out
the knees on your britches from firing a Case. I’ve never fired
a Case but they look like back breakers to me.’

‘I have been around steam engines for a few years and
although I don’t claim to be an expert on the subject, I do
have a pretty good idea of how one should and should not be
operated.’

‘I go to a few shows each year and at some of these shows,
there is usually a sawmill which I hang around a lot or wherever an
engine is working that is where I’ll be found. What really
bothers me is to see a good engine pulling a mill or thresher and
the engineer is running the engine at half or three quarter
throttle and the engine is being pulled way down. This is not only
hard on an engine, but also hard on the sawmill, especially the
blade.’

‘If a man wants to run his own equipment that way,
that’s his business, but I know for a fact, that some of these
engines and other equipment don’t belong to these so-called
engineers. If I let a man or woman run an engine of mine and he or
she was lugging it down like I’ve seen some do, I would inform
them that when working an engine or something that requires a lot
of power that the throttle should be wide open and if a wide open
throttle is too fast, then slow it down with the governor. And if I
returned later and heard the engine lugging again I would open the
throttle and find someone else to run the engine next year. I would
not want to hurt his feelings by doing this, but I would not want
them to hurt my engine by not running it the way it should be run.
Besides, it would give a better demonstration to have the blade
whine and hear the engine bark and saw lumber the way it was done;
then one wouldn’t hear people who know what’s going on say
‘Why can’t he open up the throttle?’

‘I’m not picking on any one engineer or show where
I’ve seen this done, but even though the equipment may be in
good shape, running one improperly can do a great deal of
harm.’

‘I’ve done a lot of criticizing but I hope it will be
taken as constructive criticism. I also think this is the greatest
hobby one could possibly have, not only being around the machines,
but meeting the people associated with the hobby.’

Here’s a reminder about a mistake made in May-June 1987,
page 11. And you’re probably right, Jacka gremlin did it (Ha
Ha). The letter comes from JOHN A. BLAIR, 415 Timothy Avenue,
Norfolk, Virginia 23505:

This unidentified threshing photo comes from the collection of
the Indiana Historical Society.

‘The difference between a period and a period with a tail is
the fastest danged tractor ever heard of. In A. E. Rixmann’s
article Tractor and Steam Engine Drawbar Horsepower, the Gremlins
got to the line-type. If you still use (.) these things, and
changed 3.428 MPH to 3,428 MPH that’s fast. Now, I have seen
fast steam-powered vehicles, but I have never seen a tractor that
could go over 3000 miles per hour. The May-June issue was still a
great one.’ (I’m sure everyone realized it was a mistake,
Jack, but I liked your letter and thought we would all get a laugh
out of it. We all make mistakes and I guess that’s how we learn
to do things better the next time.

I always like to leave you folks with a poem or thoughts to
ponder and this time, first this poem

MY CREED

To live as gently as I cart;
To be, no matter where, a man;
To take what comes of good or ill
And cling to faith and honor still
To do my best, and let that stand
The record of my brain and hand;
And then, should failure come to me,
Still work and hope for victory

To have no secret place wherein
I stoop unseen to shame or sin;
To be the same when I’m alone
And when my every deed is known;
To live undaunted and unafraid
Of every step that I have made;
To be without pretense or sham
Exactly what men think I am.

To leave some simple mark behind
To keep my having lived in mind;
In enmity to aught I show,
To be an honest, generous foe,
To play my little part, nor whine
That greater honors are not mine.
This, I believe, is all I need
For my philosophy and creed.

Edgar Guest

And some food for thought Providence sends food for the birds
but does not throw it in the nest- . . . Some people have plenty of
jawbone but not enough backbone . . . It is not so much what we
know as how well we use what we know . . . Consider the postage
stamp. Its usefulness lies in the ability to stick to one thing
until completed…Human beings, like chickens, thrive best when
they scratch for what they get- . . . Where God guides, He provides
. . . And that’s it for this time my dear Iron-Men family have
a good summer coming up and keep in touch.

STEAMCERELY
Anna Mae