R #1, Box 76A Milledgerville, Illinois 61051
I went to a farm sale north of Polo, Illinois, about four years
ago. At the sale, I met this man. We got to talking about old
engines and steam engines etc. Then he said, ‘Carl, I would
like to sell you a gas engine.’ I asked him what it was, and he
said, ‘I think it is a side shaft sold by Montgomery Ward and
Company. It’s about a 1910 engine.’
In the meantime, I went to the show at Zolfo Springs in Florida.
When I got back, I went to look at the man’s engine to see what
it was. He took me out to a little shed or shop. The engine was all
covered over with a blanket. What a surprise that was when he took
off the blanket. I couldn’t believe what I saw!
It was a Bronson 2 HP engine made by Brutt Manufacturing of
Vicksburg, Michigan. It was all there and not stuck. It even had
the original cart and he also had the catalog that describes the
engine!
I had to make a little float for the carburetor, that’s
all!
The engine runs real nice. I have had it to quite a number of
shows including the Portland, Tri-State, and Zolfo Springs shows.
It draws a lot of attention, as it is unusual.
The man I bought the engine from lives less than 10 miles from
my home. So it goes to show that we don’t know what is in some
of these old barns and sheds.