Hi! I know you are out having a wonderful time at the Reunions
and I know Elmer and Earlene had a great time at NT A. Really, I
was amazed when I know how ill Elmer was all winter that he could
go that far and be able to get through it – but after seeing the
pictures Joe Fahnestock took out there – Elmer didn’t just get
through it – he thoroughly enjoyed it and I, for one, think
going to give me a going over when he sees all the pictures of
himself in this issue. He always hesitates to put his photos, in
but I think they were so good I tried to use as many as possible
and when the ax falls, I won’t be alone as Earlene and Joe were
in on it too. Anyhow, I think the photos are great and the IRON-MAN
of the month write-up is wonderful and quite true. And though Elmer
may get tired of this issue, I think most of us will think it well
worth-while and an earned tribute to a great man.
I don’t like to repeat myself in the two magazines if at all
possible, but in this instance think I will have to as I know we
have many more IMA subscribers than we do GEM members at this date,
which is understandable considering the age of IMA. But, I had
received a letter from T. H. Krueger of 1615 San Francisco St. ,
San Antonio, Texas 78201 and it explained the following item thus:
‘Dear Anna Mae-I keep buying the latest copies of
‘TRAINS’ magazine and just bought the June 1967 issue and
with this issue, the per copy price was upped from 50 to 60. They
said they’d rather continue a good quality ‘trains
magazine’ and increase the price. I remember you acquainted we
readers about your family through your column; and I remembered
your husband to be a railroad man. Well, in the June 1967
‘Trains’ on page 21 is a fine silhouette picture showing
Engineer E. A. Branyan employing a 22 notch throttle to tap
GGI’s reserves and on Page 22, both pictures show (I believe)
your husband and a brakeman as they are leaving the train they
brought into Enola on the PRR, The title of the story, page 18 is
GGI Curtain Call. It is a fine short story with lots of
pictures.’ And as I mentioned before in GEM, Ted was right –
that is my husband and we were all quite proud of the article and
pictures. We would never know about it, a but young fellow
classmate of Dana’s here in town gets the magazine and
recognized Mr. Branyan and brought it to us. We were quite
thrilled. Of course these pictures were taken several years ago
when Ed was running freight-at present he is running passenger to
Philadelphia and back to Harrisburg. I though it was something
though that Ted picked this up in Texas and recognized it. Thanks
for you nice letter and all your writings Ted!9 Hubby and I just
had our 25th Wedding Anniversary date this past June 12 which of
course is quite an accomplishment in any household and we are
hopefully looking forward to the next 25 years. Elmer and Earlene
celebrated their 13th Wedding Anniversary on May 30th and Kitty and
Earl Snell just reached their 9th one ,on June 14th maybe with all
these veterans we should put out a magazine on ‘Happy Hearts,
Inc.’ or Heartening Bits of Information to the Steam Fan’or
etc. – just kidding as you know and with all of our years of
marital life added together I doubt if we still know very much when
it comes to solving problems, especially other folks.
I guess we haven’t portrayed too badly of a picture at home
for Dana and her finance (they became engaged July 11) are heading
for the altar. They are to be married August 26 so you can imagine
what a busy happy atmosphere there is at this address. Bob has been
in the Naval Reserves and has been attending monthly sessions once
a month for the past year and just last month put in this
month’s basic training and boot camp. He will be going in for
two years active duty before too long and I guess a lot of people
think they should wait until he gets out to get married. Maybe they
should, but then who is to say-if this is what they
want-they’ve know each other 2 years-they should know what they
are doing and as yet I haven’t yet run across any place they
give you a guarantee for a good marriage when you apply for the
license.-All I can say is we wish them much success and happiness
and the courage to face the storms on the sea of matrimony. More on
the wedding next time!-
Had a letter awhile back from Frank L. McGuffin of 3531 Tea
Street N. W. , Washington, D. C. 20007 and it goes, ‘Dear Anna
Mae: When I walked into the back, Mr. Stanley Thomas the teller
says to me (‘When was the magazine where you mentioned me and
my Velie?-I received several nice letters from it’s
readers.’) So I loaned him my copy of the March April 1967
issue and he was quite impressed.
In a letter I received this morning from my friend, 85 year old
Cliff Rusell of 815 Indiana Avenue, St. Cloud, Florida 32769 which
says in part: (‘Say, Frank, did you ever run across any little
gas engines that would run either forward or backward? I have a
neighbor here that would like to get one, but he can’t think of
it’s name’.) I think it would be a good idea if some ALBUM
reader who knows of such reversible gas engines, would do an
article on it for the readers of the Iron-Man Album.’
And come to think of it Frank, for GEM!
That’s it for this time Folks, do have fun at your
get-togethers and remember You will never find time for
anything-you must make time! – No matter how high a man may rise,
he must have someone to look up to.
