I was pleasantly surprised and pleased to have such a visitor
and celebrity of the steam traction engine world as Lee Roy Blaker
call on me and look over my old ADD-VANCE. ‘Mr. Steam
Tractor’ himself from Alverton, Ohio, looked over my old
ADD-VANCE and thought she ought to last another 50 years if I make
certain repairs that could add to the safety of the boiler, which
We talked old times, and yes. lots of it was about the ADD-VANCE
and the Port Huron and believe it or not, I am sure the ADD-VANCE
is one of his top three favorites even if he is an old Port man. We
all have our favorites. I wish my friend, Hillis Cortel you from
Texas, could have been here with us.
I did not have much to show Lee Roy in the steam line, but I did
take his picture standing near my ole 24 whistle steam calliope, a
replica of Capt. Bill Bryant’s show boat days on the Ohio River
years ago. The weather was too bad to steam her up as calliopes do
not work well in the winter time; one thing it is hard to get up
enough steam as it goes to water so fast with all of the radiation.
As you know, this is where the show people got their drinking
water, from the trap valve on the calliope manifold as the main
valve always leaked steam enough to furnish the pure drinking water
for the troupe.
If we ever have a steam engine heaven up there, I am sure Lee
Roy will be there along with Uncle Marcus Leonard, Big Slim, A. G.
Thomas and Mr. Wood from Minden, Utah. I sure hope St. Peter will
let me in so I can see the old engines when I am gone.
