It was a beautiful wedding as daughter Dana became Mrs. Robert
Fortenbaugh on August 26 and so now we have another one in the
family, our son-in-law, Bob who has been around enough to seem
almost like our own. They had an evening candlelight wedding and as
always the bride was beautiful and her attendants added to the
event in their gowns of coral. The whole family was in the wedding
as Eddie, son No. 1 was head usher and his lovely wife Kathi was a
bridesmaid. Keli, our younger daughter was Jr. Bridesmaid and
Donnie, son No. 2 was an usher. The other attendants were Dottie
Fortenbaugh, sister of the groom, and Betsy Kuntzelman, friend of
the bride and Kathy Haggerty, maid of honor and friend of the
bride. Best man was Keith Steele, Gary Keller, and Jim Hep ford,
friends of the groom, were also ushers. Of course, Father escorted
Dana down the aisle and Mother had a front seat for this event.
This left little Tommie as the only non-active member in the bridal
party and since we were not sure how active he would be if he were
seated up front, my good friend, Lois Haggerty took him and kept
him with her and hubby through the ceremony and she helped me so
much in the preparations for which I am very thankful as I
can’t seem to get back to ‘par’ health wise and cannot
cope with the normal duties of the day. However, Tommie was
sporting a carnation bought especially for him, just like the
ushers and male members of the bridal party. A reception was held
in the church basement afterwards with many friends and
well-wishers attending.
The newlyweds left that evening and spent a week honeymooning at
the shore in Fenwick Island, Delaware. They came back the following
Saturday, jubilant and surely happy they had taken the big step.
They were going to go up to Bob’s place for the next few weeks
and live but we had to ask them to stay and help us out as I
entered the hospital the next day and was confined for a week – am
back home now and hope I soon get back to where I can help someone
else instead of having to depend on others so much.
Yesterday was a sad one, which we knew we had to face, as Bob
had to report for his two years active duty in the Navy-he’s
been in the Naval Reserves for awhile now and has to finish his
commitment, so it was with heavy hearts we put away all the lovely
gifts the new bride and groom have received until a later date when
they can happily reopen them and start out in their own little
nest. His parents, sister and of course, Dana, took him to
Philadelphia last evening – but we’ll just have high hopes the
two years will pass quickly for them and who knows-he might be
lucky and be there awhile and get a few week-end passes. Whoever
thought years back when we were all going through these heartaches
in World War II that our own children would be facing the same
tribulations-but I guess that’s life and we must just look for
the many blessings and good things in life we have-I guess it’s
these things that make us better appreciate the happy times.
Had a letter from Ivan W. Saunders of 806 Hanna St., N.
Braddock, Pa. 15104 who wrote: ‘A friend of mine, O. W. Brooks
of Emporium, Pa., a PRR track foreman (I’m P&LE Car Dept.
myself) sent me some items, among which was a copy of the
Sept.-Oct. 1966 issue which greatly interested me. On Page 5, is a
photo of Davenport # 2150, 0-4-OT built by Davenport Locomotive
Works of Davenport, Iowa (not Idaho) in 1929. I have a copy of the
Davenport records and could identify this engine more, if I had the
records on hand, but loaned them to a friend recently. As a matter
of interest and not generally known, the Davenport firm acquired
the drawings, patterns and etc. of the H. K. Porter Co. of
Pittsburgh who had built industrial type engines since 1866.
Davenport acquired the Porter business about 1952, but subsequently
sold the combined business to the Canadian Locomotive Co. at
Kingston, Ontario, Canada who still have it as far as I know. It
may be that Kingston can supply parts, etc. for both Davenport and
or Porter locomotives and thought your readers may be interested to
know this.
I note also, the reference to E. A. ‘Frog’ Smith on
pages 35 and 36. Mr. Smith is a well known ‘logging’
railroad man and has several articles referring to these railroads
in Railroad Magazine.
On Page 43 photo of the Pertle Springs Ry. 0-4-2T
‘dummy’ locomotive appears to me to be a Baldwin and it may
be possible to acquire a photo of the engine when brand new from
the builder. I have written Mr. McCormick in regards to photo in
hopes of identifying the engine.
I have a copy of the records of both H. K. Porter and of
Davenport and the serial number on the builder’s plate could
thus be traced, if any of your readers are interested in tracing
any old engines. A stamped envelope will be necessary’, of
course. That’s a lot of information, fellow readers, so if
you’re interested write Ivan at his address.
R. Dayton Nichols of 6128 Route 5, Stafford, New York 14143 had
sent this in for the IMA just like this: ‘Title-How Do You Say
It? Sample I. Drive pulley on steam engine not having straight
spoke but such ‘S’ spoke or ‘Dog-leg’ (any others).
Sample II. Man tailing or carrying slabs away from sawmill, often
called ‘off-bearer’ or ‘slab-piler’. Sample III.
Nicknames for some traction engines-Buffalo-Pitts –
‘Pitts’.’ Guess you fellows who understand this type of
thing will know what he wants more than an uneducated steam person
such as I.
In a letter from Lewis H. Cline of 1102 West River Road, Battle
Creek, Michigan he writes (Lewis has written us quite a few
articles and one was on the rail fences)-‘I was delighted to
see the other write-ups in the ALBUM on rail fences. I’m
learning a lot from them. I have never taken any part in the
construction of them. I had thought the method I mentioned in my
article was practically universal, however I note there were many
ways to build them. No one else seems to have heard of that
particular way,-may have been limited to that particular locality
and then again it may have just been my granddad’s idea. The
last rail fence on the farm was taken down when I was just a kid,
not more than 8 or 10 years old. As there was no more material
available to build them, that was the end of them. I had thought
that wiring them together was merely a modern way of repairing the
old. Apparently I was wrong about that. I note you say that they
have no particular relation to steam, with this I disagree. (My
apologies Lewis as I was called down on that remark before). I have
a very nice letter from G. Winwood, 220 Concession Road, Preston,
Ontario, Canada and he says- ‘Those same old rails threshed a
lot of grain in this country too. We didn’t burn them in the
house as in this country they were 90 percent cedar with a few oak
rails, but not many. We always used hardwood for fuel in the house
but the rails made excellent steam engine fuel.’ Mr. Winwood
has built many rail fences over a long period of time and mentions
cedar rails in his locality that must be over 100 years
old.’
Well, that’s going to be it for this time and so
remember:-Marriage is like two people riding a horse-one must ride
behind. Life is always worthwhile to the person who can laugh, love
and lift. Keep both feet on the ground and you won’t have far
to fall. Swallowing your pride will never give you indigestion.
