A Reader Letter Suggests Donating Antique Farm Equipment to Museums

By Staff
Published on July 1, 1967
article image
PHOTO: FOTOLIA/JEFF
A vintage threshing machine.

A reader suggests donating antique farm equipment to museums.

Dear Sirs:

On page 8 of the November/December 1966 issue of the Gas Engine
Magazine
, you issued an appeal for information pertaining to the
whereabouts of a Hart-Parr Stationary Engine No. 1, the following letter suggests donating antique farm equipment to museums.

Mr. Harry E. Lichter, museum curator who worked in the Wisconsin
area before coming to Oregon, in answer to my query, wrote:

“I don’t know whether this will be of any use to you in
finding the Hart-Parr engine, but it is worth a try. Actually there
never was a University of Wisconsin Museum. There were a number of
pieces of generating equipment in the old Engineering building and
some things in the Field House. When there was talk about
organizing a Power Museum, I suggested that all this equipment be
donated to such a museum.

The museum was to be established at Appleton, Wisconsin by The
Wisconsin Electric Power Company. I know a lot of stuff was sent up
there and it may have included the missing engine. I do not know
whether the Museum is now operating. Write to William J. Schereck
at The Wisconsin Historical Society, Madison,
Wisconsin. He is in charge of the local Society work and may be
able to give you more information.

I noticed a Rumley & Pitts beam thresher depicted on the
verifax of the Gas Engine Magazine. Mrs. Townsend, the mother of a
friend of mine, was a Rumley, They live in Syracuse, III., where
Townsend is President of The Sycamore Iron Wire Works. They have a
lot of Rumley material.”

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