SOOT IN THE FLUES

JIM MEAD, 4868 Route 38, Owego, New York 13827 writes: 'I recently purchased a Peerless traction engine which has been a joy to operate and care for. One thing puzzles me though. Among the various numbers found on the boiler (butt strap) is the stamping, 'PA Std. 88.' I assume this to mean Pennsylvania Standard 88, but what does that entail? Does anyone out there in engine land know the specifications for this Standard? Any information would be appreciated. Best Wishes.'

(Jim's phone number is 607-642-5511 if you want to call him instead of write.)

Ohio Valley Antique Machinery Show, August 1996. A 1912 20 HP A. B. Farquhar owned by Todd Slone, Amelia, Ohio. Corson photo.

From frequent contributor DR. ROBERT T. RHODE, 4745 Glen-way Avenue, Cincinnati, Ohio 45238-4537, we have this: 'After my article 'Hamilton, Ohio's Contributions to Agricultural Steam Power' appeared in the March/April 1997 issue of the Album, Dan Greger of Dayton, Ohio, gave me additional information, which he permits me to pass along to Album readers.

'Dan's evidence suggests that Reeves & Company of Columbus, Indiana, acquired the Ritchie & Dyer Company Engine Works of Hamilton, Ohio, in 1895, not in 1887, as my research indicated. Dan has copies of articles from a Columbus newspaper which reveal that, on October 5, 1895, Reeves entered into an agreement to purchase the Ritchie & Dyer plant and to remove it to Columbus.

'A news report dated October 9, 1895, states, 'Some idea of the volume of business that will be done by the new engine works secured for Columbus may be gathered from the circumstances that led to their removal here. Reeves & Co. for some years bought the engines needed for their business from this Richie [sic] & Dyer Company, of Hamilton, Ohio. In arranging for the business of 1896 Reeves & Company wished to place an order for one hundred engines. This large order was too much for Mr. Richie, the head of the Hamilton concern, as the capacity of his works would not permit him to guarantee filling such an order in connection with the other work the engine company contracted for. Mr. Richie, being somewhat advanced in years, was also anxious to retire from active business, and his proposition to sell the engine works on favorable terms was soon accepted.'

'The tantalizing question remains, 'For how many years prior to purchasing the Ritchie & Dyer Engine Works did Reeves buy Ritchie & Dyer engines?' My source, History of Hamilton, edited by Stephen Cone, is a typescript copy in the collection of the Butler County Historical Society & Museum. It states, 'In 1882 Mr. Dyer retired from the Company and the road engine manufactory was sold and removed to Columbus, Indiana, when the Advance Manufacturing Company began to manufacture [sic] Gas & Gasoline Engines, etc.' It can be learned from other sources that Ritchie founded his Advance Manufacturing Company (not to be confused with the Advance Thresher Company of Battle Creek, Michigan) in 1887. I understood Cone to mean that Reeves bought the Ritchie & Dyer engine works in 1887, but I now see that the purchase occurred in 1895. Perhaps Reeves had been buying Ritchie & Dyer engines since 1887.