RR 5, Box 230 Metamora, Illinois 61548
I ‘d been saving ten here, twenty there, just waiting for
the right auction or person who might have that right engine for
me. Along comes my GEM with this auction in Reynolds, Illinois, on
November 12. What a nice selection, only 75 miles from home, this
must be a dream. I still have 45 days to increase my fund. No more
eating out, cut the wife’s lunch money in half, I’ll be
ready!
I didn’t think that Sunday would ever come. Up before the
chickens, I hook up to my trailer, with visions of two, three,
maybe four…
On the road at 6:00 a.m., can’t stop for breakfast, have to
have time to look the treasures over, before the 11:00 a.m.
start.
I finally find the Legion building. I can’t believe my eyes,
ALL the engines have been restored. Nothing rusted, broken and
stuck, most on trucks, ready to run. This seller, Donald King,
really has some nice engines. Nothing to fear, both pockets full of
cash, I’m ready!
It’s ten, only one more hour, I’ve got my favorites
picked out, then I see the fine print on the sale bill ‘Engines
will sell at 1:30 sharp.’
Finally the time does come to go outside where the two rows of
engines are. First engine is a 1 Raleigh Schreyer on skids $825,
Chore boy 1 air cooled $850, Economy 1 E $775, John Deere 1 Vi E
$650, Mogul 2 on trucks $ 1,050, early Stover 1 HP $975, R & V
2 HP on trucks $1,550, Titan 1 $1,000, Weber 3 HP hot tube $4,200,
Witte 3 HP headless $850, Alamo blue line 2 HP Type A $975, Massey
Harris l Type 2 $1,650, Gray 4 HP $2,150, Little Jumbo l $1,000,
Galloway 2 HP on trucks $800, 6 HP IH ‘M’ on trucks
$1,400.
The last two I came in second. I still have my two pockets of
cash and have asked Santa for a pair of bibs, so the next sale
I’ll have more pockets!