722 East End Ave., Lancaster, Penna. 17602
On one of my business calls, I happened to see an ancient
postcard sticking on the wall of a dealers Office. Needless to say
both had been there for some years. I obtained the loan of this
card to have a negative made for reproduction, which I am
forwarding to you with this little story.
The picture is that of Henry R. Longenecker, a pioneer dealer of
Rheems, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania and a gasoline traction
engine of a long forgotten make. Mr. Longenecker was born in 1876
and grew to manhood at the opening of the gasoline engine era, but
started business with a franchise for ‘Brown’ buggies and
carriages. Later, he became one of the first custom operators in
the area by filling silos and shredding fodder.
About 1905, he opened a shop at Rheems, which he later enlarged
and entered the automobile era. In the days of fabric tires, he
drove his intended bride to Lancaster to purchase a marriag license
and had two flat tires in a distance of about twenty miles.
Manufactures at that time did not have iron clad contracts or
were they too interested as to the number of lines a dealer handled
and this dealer sold the desired make of the customer. The
automobiles included Brush, Lambert, Patterson and White. As to
gasoline engines, he sold Advance, Rumely, New Holland, Witte and
Alamo engines and electric light plants. One of his early engines
was perhaps an Advance or Rumely with a four cylinder engine (I
don’t vouch for this) but in any event it had a single rear
wheel drive, with a V belt made of wood blocks, much in the same
manner as the Westinghouse steam engine and this drive apparently
left much to be desired.
Mr. Longenecker once had his leg broken by an automobile he was
cranking and walked lame the balance of his life. He died in
1946.
The above data was given me by his son, Ray Longenecker, who
operates the same shop as built by his father as pictured. It was
here that I located this picture. Mr. Longenecker is today, a Frick
dealer and the successful proprietor of Longenecekers Farm Supply.
Can anyone identify the name of the engine pictured here?
There is a ‘What Is It’ that’s just a little
different from what I have seen. A single cylinder engine. Serial
5412, make and age unknown. A junk yard gave it to my son if he
would make it run. Bore and stroke 3?’ side crank, height
48′, flywheel diameter 16′ and pulley is 12′. Pulley is
on cross shaft driven from crank shaft by worm. Clutch in pulley
and pump jack on opposite end of cross shaft. Gas tank on top with
1? pipe through the center to allow filling the hopper with water.
It is really an odd one and maybe some readers of the magazine have
seen one or are familiar with them. It runs good.
