THE STEAM ENGINE COLLECTING OF GLEN J. BRUTUS
(Page 3 of 8)
January/February 2000
Dr. Robert T. Rhode
Glen bought another 40-horse-power Case traction engine, serial
number 32463, built in 1915, and a 36-horsepower Case traction
engine, serial number 25423, boiler number 14227, built in 1911.
Both of these engines came from Carl Erwin in Arkansas, although
Glen purchased them at different times. In the May/June 1955 issue
of the Album appeared a photograph of Glen, Barbara (his
wife), and their baby Susan in front of the 40 Case. In the
Album for July/August 1957, Carl published a panoramic
photograph with the following caption: 'Threshing on the Vol
Denton farm, Alpena, Arkansas, in 1913. Case 12-36 engine No.
25423. The engine is now owned by Glen J. Brutus, Pine Village,
Indiana. Carl Erwin, who now lives at Harrison, Arkansas, is
running the engine. Hand-fed separator.' During a telephone
interview on June 15, 1999, Keith Mauzy said that, in 1911, Carl
drove the 36 off the railroad car which brought the engine to
Arkansas.
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The 40 had 'bobtail bunkers' that is, regular bunkers,
not contractor's bunkers. It was in excellent shape; 'you
could read the stamped number on the front flue sheet,' Glen
said. The 36, while having a good boiler, had worn lugs and loose
spokes. The September/October 1961 issue of the Album
carried a photograph of Russell F. Davis's truck hauling
Glen's 36 from the Ozark Mountains. Davis was a 'contractor
in Lafayette who helped me haul engines in the winter time,'
Glen explained. On the back of the truck is a 40 Case, serial
number 33590, which Glen bought in Gravette, Arkansas. Glen had
located the 40 while on his honeymoon but bought it later. To
extricate it from a shed, he had to trench paths for the driver
wheels. The daylight faded fast. Glen backed the engine, under
steam, from the shed. By the time Glen was ready to drive the
engine up onto the truck, he had to do so in the dark of night.
Glen is a brave man.
Keith Mauzy now owns the 36, which has a square front axle and a
steel pre heater. Glen's advertisement in the Album
for March/April 1954 offered the 40 which Carl Erwin sold to Glen,
as well as the 80, for trade for a 110-horsepower Case. Ultimately,
Rudolph Shin holt of Jonesboro, Indiana, came to own the 40, and
Pete Burno of De Forest, Wisconsin, bought the 80. Later, Pete sold
the 80 to George Hedtke of Davis Junction, Illinois.
Herb Smith of New Palestine, Indiana, came to own the 40 which
Glen loaded in the dead of night #33590, built in 1916. The engine
now belongs to Tom, Herb's son.
The pride and joy of Glen's Case collection was his
110-horsepower traction engine, serial number 28053, built in
1912but having a 1913 style of clutch when sold in 1915. Charles
Stannard from Williston, North Dakota, originally owned the engine.
Charles told Glen, 'I'm a World War One man. I ran the
engine all the time, except for the two years I was in the
Army.' Charles continued, 'I got her stuck in a slough
once. I had to tie telephone poles to the rear wheels with chains.
The front end came off the ground several feet before she made it
out. Don't worry about that gear ingit's been
tried!'
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