20 Years Ago Reminiscing Gas Engine Magazine

By Staff
Published on December 1, 2005
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'Robert Womack and his 25 HP sideshaft Black Bear, manufactured by Oil Well Supply Co., Pittsburgh, Pa. The engine was salvaged from an oil field where the 1917 oil boom of Ranger, Texas, took place. '
'Robert Womack and his 25 HP sideshaft Black Bear, manufactured by Oil Well Supply Co., Pittsburgh, Pa. The engine was salvaged from an oil field where the 1917 oil boom of Ranger, Texas, took place. '
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'Page 14 stressed the issue of having a fire extinguisher nearby at the shows. No one was injured in this fire, nor were the 9 HP Sattley or newly-restored 1965 Ford duece-and-a-half truck owned by Richard Fournier of Warwick, Mass. '
'Page 14 stressed the issue of having a fire extinguisher nearby at the shows. No one was injured in this fire, nor were the 9 HP Sattley or newly-restored 1965 Ford duece-and-a-half truck owned by Richard Fournier of Warwick, Mass. '

Featured on the cover of the December 1985
issue, as well as pages 9 through 11, were Paul Smith’s “Unusual
New Hollands.” The Richfield, Pa., resident’s cover engines
consisted of two 5 HP New Hollands belted up in tandem with each
other running a feed grinder.

The extra-long cart was original New Holland equipment intended
for this type of application, although these engines weren’t on it
when purchased. Paul had several other engines shown in the
article, all of them painted red using Ditzler paint. Ditzler was
bought out by PPG a number of years ago.

C.H. Wendel’s now out-of-print Nebraska Tractor Tests Since
1920
was given a quick breakdown by Gerry Lestz in an article
on page 4. Lestz gave a brief summary of Wendel’s explanation of
the history of the tests, who started them and why.

The first recorded test was on the 12-25 Model N Waterloo Boy in
1920, and the last was on an International 3088 Diesel in 1984.
Lestz wrote, “Wendel notes that this test, last November, ‘closely
coincides with the final chapter of International Harvester Co.’s
career in the farm equipment industry.'”

On page 22, Sgt. C.H. Henley wrote an article about the 2nd
annual Delameter’s Old Time Threshing Bee held at the Delameter
farm, just north of Lee’s Summit, Mo. We were unable to find any
history on the show, and to the best of our knowledge, it no longer
takes place. It is not clear how many people, tractors or engines
showed up, but some members of the Sni-Valley Antique Machinery
Assn. did make an appearance at the show.

The most fascinating article in this issue was titled “Relic of
Ranger, Texas” by Robert Womack. He wrote of the little-known oil
boom that took place in Ranger, Texas, in 1917 and the 25 HP Black
Bear engine he acquired from the 750-acre premises.

Manufactured by the Oil Well Supply Co. in Pittsburgh, Pa., the
engine sported 5-1/2-foot-tall flywheels and an 11-by-18-inch bore
and stroke, respectively. At the time of the article, Robert had
yet to get the 6,675 pound engine running, but planned to have it
going by the following August.

See you all next month for the first issue of 1986!

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