I hear the whistles blowing I hear the people laughing and
what’s that big crowd doing there? My, what a happy scene! and
look at all the interesting displays Hurry, let’s go see!—-
This could be a typical reaction to someone who has never been to a
Reunion but I’m sure it’s a well-known picture to you steam
fans and I know you are anxiously waiting to get going Have fun as
you meet old friends and make new. And now onto our letters.
M. G. EPP, Box 39, Hadar, Nebraska 68738 bought a No. 4 Jewel
stationary steam engine recently and would like to know more about
it. He is awaiting any information from our readers (Please,
don’t keep him waiting too long!)
An S. O. S. signal comes from DONALD R. HARMS, 2193 B Field
Road, Fort Bliss, Texas, 79906: ‘I am working on a 1/6 scale of
an Aultman & Taylor Thresher of a model my father used to own.
The fact of the matter is it was too old to retain any of the
factory markings therefore I need help from anyone who might still
have pictures of the markings, etc., especially the fancy scroll
with the portraits of the Aultman and of Taylor that was painted on
the return elevator. I would be very much in appreciation for any
help you or any readers could offer as to the markings and the
colors that these machines were painted. ‘(Send him some help,
Boys!)
Coming our way is a request from JAMES CLUM, Box 7057,
Lafayette, Ohio 45854. He would like to contact Hobby Shop. His
letter follows: ‘In years past while attending one of the many
interesting Steam Shows held in Ohio and surrounding States, I
purchased a leaflet on Denison Live Steam
Models. The distributor was Hobby Shop and was located at 1610
Denison Avenue, Cleveland, Ohio at which time I purchased several
small steam engines.
Recently I tried to contact this same Hobby Shop but my letters
were returned Address Unknown. I was wondering if by chance any of
your readers might know if this Hobby Shop still exists under a new
name or address or has it liquidated its business altogether?
‘(We’d like to know too anyone have the answer?)
ROY E. BOLING, Route 1, Box 280, Hazelwood, Missouri 63042
writes this tribute to Syrus McCormick and any other that had a
hand in the perfection of the binder, whose sickles downed
thousands of acres of small grain straw for several decades on farm
land across America.
THE HARVEST BINDER-The binder, clever as today’s computer,
did its work so well perform. As the straws, its sickle downed,
fell upon the canvas that carried them on around Where packers made
a bundle, then gave a signal that sent the needle, its twine to
wrap around As the knotter tied the twine its cam started arms a
‘whirling as they knocked the bundle down. (Poetic nostalgia,
eh what?)
WALTER POHLMAN, R. 1, Box 233, New Haven, Missouri 63068 has a
McCormick Reaper, Daisy No. 3 which he bought some time ago and it
needs restoring. He would appreciate corresponding with someone who
has one. He also was wondering if anyone knew of a Museum that has
one he could perhaps get some information from them.
Do you have a Townsend Tractor? If so, PHARES STOLTZFUS, Newport
Road, Ronks, Pennsylvania 17572 would like you to get in contact
with him. He would like to hear from all owners that would like to
trade talk on this tractor.
A nice letter from KEN R. MOWRER, 721 Leonard Street, Piqua,
Ohio 45356 who writes: We surely do enjoy your wonderful ALBUM. I
enjoy the stories the engineers tell. We also like the Pennsylvania
Dutch Cookbook very much, as my wife and I are both of the Dutch
Descendage.
I will be 56, February 1, and my wife will be 52 March 11. I
have pulmonary emphysema and when the weather is blustery or hot
and humid, I have to stay in real close. I then reminisce on the
things I’ve done and seen and I would like to hear from someone
that is shut-in or partly so as I am. ‘(Sounds a bit lonely so
here’s a pen pal for some of you interested folks.)
JAMES W. HAMILTON, R. R. 1, Humboldt, Illinois 61931 is
interested in acquiring a few small pictures of an Avery 40-80 Gas
Tractor, about 1922 or 1925 with the Bind Radiator, exhaust-cooled.
He would like to have the flywheel side, and the pulley side and
one of the front. He threshed with these for ten years or more and
wants to get enlarged pictures of them. He would also like pictures
of an undermounted Avery steamer. Perhaps some of you fellows could
share some of your snapshots with him! (I’m not sure what Bind
Radiator means I’ve never seen that name before but that is
exactly the way it was written could the word mean behind?) I’m
sure you experts will know what he means.
An inspiring writing from LLOYD LEHMAN, 2201 Bloomington Road,
Peoria, Ill. 61611 comes my way in the form of the following:
‘Dear Anna Mae, I want to thank you for all the nice letters
you print from all the Steam Lovers, and the way you try to answer
questions, with help from your readers. I have two questions I
would like answered by some reader somewhere in our States. 1. I
have an original SHIPMAN water tube boiler on my model steam
tractor I built and after three years of spare time finished it in
1965. I have several blue and red ribbons plus an eighteen inch
high trophy from parades and shows. This boiler is 16′ x
16′ square and 30′ high and has 43-l’ O. D. x 12′
long water and steam pipes threaded into back water header, size
4′ x 14′ x 22′ and a steam super heater 4′ x
10′. 3-gallon water at water glass one half. This was a
kerosene fired boiler, all automatic on fuel feed and water. I have
changed it to coal fired with grate 10′ x 2′ and it is very
efficient with cross head water pump and injector. Is there anyone
in U. S. or Canada who has a SHIPMAN boiler or complete unit in
use? Here is an imprint of brass factory plate from this size.
Model No. 1-962.
2. I have an original HERSEL SPILLMAN steam Merry-go-round
engine and boiler, complete on wheels. The number on engine brass
plate is 1212 built at Anaconda, New York. Can anyone supply me
with history of this factory and what units they built? Engine
4′ bore x 5′ stroke. Does anyone have an engine with number
close to this one? I hope to hear from someone soon on this.
‘(Well, the only help I can be is to put it in my column and I
must count on my many friends to do the rest don’t let me down
please.)
WM. H. THORN, 1601 Wilmington PL Richmond, Virginia jots us
this: ‘I enjoyed the stereoscopic pictures (for old stereoscope
viewers) that you used to have in each issue. I would like to see
more of them, if available. Also I would like to have articles
containing information useful to the newcomer thinking of
purchasing a steam engine, your magazine and wish it continued
success. ‘Yes, Bill we’re sorry we have no more
stereoscopic pictures to offer at this time. Roy Hartman of 32
Maryland Ave., Washington D. C. 20028 had been sending them for
quite a while but we haven’t received any more. Why don’t
you fellows write Roy and tell him how much they were appreciated
perhaps he could make some others OR I was just wondering if any
old-timers have some of these we could use?
HARRY BONNEMA of LeMars, Iowa reports on their Pioneer Club of
Merrill. Their club is still young in the third year and Harry says
they have now had to go to a small yearly fee of $2.00 per member,
but that it hasn’t hurt the club as they have picked up quite a
few members through the write-up and pictures in G. E. M. Sept-Oct.
issue. They now represent eight states and Canada.
Harry also tells us he has left the fair city and is on a 10
acre homestead one mile northeast of LeMars on Highway 60. There he
has plenty of room for gas engines and etc. They have plans for a
Museum in one of the large barns as he has a lot of antiques that
were used in farming there in Iowa many years ago.
A Dust-off Tour will be held May 7th at the Plymouth County
Museum, 1 mile south of LeMars, Iowa. This is the Pioneer Machinery
Club and the So land Antique Car Club of Sioux City. They get
together at this time and have a picnic and a little show sort of
get the season started. No charge they just show some of the Car
Buffs the engine hobby and they in turn show off their cars and
trucks.
Harry also went on to say: ‘I just finished reading
‘Misty Memories’ by Clinton C. Reed Oh! How I remember the
pranks on a greenhorn. The first year I hauled bundles, I was the
greenhorn on the job. Once I had the pin pulled on my double tree
and I landed in between the horses when they started without the
bundle rack. That was the last time I wrapped the reins around my
hand. Also, when you had to tie the bundle to the side, one bottom
of the rack Boy! What a surprise when that bundle hits your fork,
and no give! But it was all hard work yet a lot of fun and all at
$1.50 a day.
A dilemma for Harry someone wrote him after seeing his engine in
one of our magazines and Harry has written the man three times only
to have the letter returned but I think he has insufficient
address. Anyone know a Mr. H. I. Pettifor of 12-18 Fleet Road,
Fleet Hants and whatever that is I’m sure I don’t know.
There is a Fleet, California though.
(That was a nice informative account Harry, and don’t you
fellows forget to stop by May 7th and visit at the Dust-Off Free
coffee and homemade cookies sounds great!)
From the Western Minnesota Steam Threshers Newsletter sent us by
Ed JUNGST, 8237 Russell Avenue S., Minneapolis, Minnesota 55431 we
hear that after 101 years a railroad comes to Rollag. Jim Shreiber,
a friend of WMSTR member Glen Gray, discovers 0-6-0 steam
locomotive on a spur in Midway district of Twin Cities in September
71. Contact was made with John (bloodhound) Cogs well and the race
was on! Seems the engine was built in 1920 by American Locomotive
Brooks Works for Soo Line R. R. as a switch engine. Length of
engine and tender is 58 feet. Empty weight is 95 tons and has 51
inch drivers. It was sold to Koppers Coke in 1953 and used by them
for ten years and then purchased by Minnesota Transportation Museum
but they had decided to sell the engine in favor of searching for a
logging type. This was the last steam locomotive operating in the
Metro. Area possibly in the whole state.
Earnest money was paid by Elmer Larson to hold the engine a
board meeting was held and it was decided to purchase the engine on
contingency that inspectors okay it for restoration. The jacket was
stripped by crew of 12 men from Red River Valley and Metro. Area in
a driving rainstorm Hallo we then week-end. Hydro test was
completed Nov. 19 and lab tests on skin samples were passed during
Christmas week (I don’t understand that? Skin samples, I mean).
And about this time the BNRR donated two miles of track out of
Sherack, Minnesota.
Meanwhile the survey crew was busy doing preliminary feasibility
studies on right of way and engineering implications. This crew was
headed by Jerry Parker and Ken Warnecke. You provide the problem
and WMSTR will come up with members who have experience to handle
it!
Inspectors okayed boiler for restoration and Jan 8, 1972 the
Railroad Division of WMSTR was born at a joint meeting of the Board
of Directors and Steering Committee at the Blower in Fargo.
Temporary officers were appointed with John Cogs well named General
Superintendent and a fund raising followed to launch the project
with donations ranging from $25 to $500 dollars each. If you wish
to be a part of this latest and greatest WMSTR project send tax
deductible donations to Treasurer-R. R. Division of WMSTR, 8237
Russell So., Bloomington, Minnesota, 55431(Boysounds like they have
an active, able group Best of luck with your new project.)
This might be May-June issue but when you get it, it will just
be Spring and here’s a thought It’s Spring! Again life
focuses On grasses and on crocuses, On rows of deep-blue irises And
one or two new viruses Philene Hammer.
