1615 San Francisco St., San Antonio, Texas 78201
This is in response to Roger L. Eshelman’s inquiry in
‘What It It?’ page 34, Mar.-Apr. 1967 GEM. I at once knew
the engine shown on page 34 as a ‘Gilson 60 Speed’, built
in 1/4 hp. size and 3 hp. size, by the Gilson Manufacturing Co.,
Port Washington, Wisconsin. But, since I have no catalog on any
Gilson engine, I checked through my few ‘Gas Review’
magazines, which showed me, from 1908 to May 1912, Gilson had been
advertising, using the same ad, showing a small (1? or 2 hp.)
horizontal air-cooled gas engine, stating that their engines were
built in all sizes. In the June 1912 issue of Gas Review, Gilson
changed their ad to the one reprinted with this story. That is the
way the ’60 Speed’ Gilson engines looked in 1? hp. and hp.
sizes. The engine in question, on page 3.4, is most likely the 1?
hp. size. Now there could I find the rpm. of the engine given; but
you could adjust your engine speed at 450-500 rpm. and be about
right. I have never seen a ‘Gilson 60 Speed’. The enclosed
reprint shows how the frame held the jack-shaft with its different
size belt-pulleys, which can be arranged for different speeds of
any machine driven. As stated in the reprint, this ’60
speed’ outfit also included a pump-jack attachment, not shown.
Also stated, larger engines up to 27 hp. were built.
In later ads, they supplied stationary engines in 4-5-6 and 8
hp. sizes with friction clutch pulleys on the engines; each of
these engines were sold with five pulley-rims, different sizes, for
quick changing, to get the right speed for the driven machines, in
addition to the 1? and 3 hp. ’60 speed’ outfits. Such ads
seemingly went on to the end of 1913 in ‘Gas Review’.
The copies of 1914 ‘Gas Review’ that I have show no
advertising at all by Gilson. Then, in 1915 ‘Gas Review’,
Gilson advertised again, showing only the stationary hopper-cooled
engine in sizes up to 15 hp. called ‘Johnny on the Spot’
engines. This kept up and ended with the Jan and Feb. 1916 issues
of ‘Gas Review’.
Roger’s engine could be a 1912-14 engine. Note that the
battery box rested on the axle at the jack-shaft end and between
the jack-shaft supporting irons.
In reference to my story in the Mar-Apr. 1967 GEM, you readers
might mark reprint on page 30 as #3 and reprint on page 31 as #1-
Someone masked out my numbers and I found out later that the make
engine in #1 reprint is the ERD engine, 4 x 6 cyls., made by the
ERD Motor Co., Saginaw, Michigan in connection with my Port Huron
12-25 tractor story. You might put ‘Erd Motor’ some place
on the reprint #1, which will indicate that the Port Huron 12-25
tractor was equipped with the 4×6 ‘Erd’ motor the first
year; an then the 4? x 6 ‘Chief’ motor was used the rest of
the duration.
Back to this current ‘Gilson 60 Speed’ story of mine. I
am also supplying a reprint of the ‘Sta-Rite’ farm engines
advertisement, as also found in the June 1912 ‘Gas Review’
which shows their competitive ’15 speed’ portable, 1? hp.
hopper-cooled engine outfit of similar principle as the ‘Gilson
60 Speed’.
Poverty is an anomaly to rich people; it is very difficult to
make out why people who want dinner do not ring the bell.
