Recently, while looking through an old catalog from the W.M. Pattison Supply Co., Cleveland, Ohio, dated 1904; I noticed several items I am sure would be of interest to the oil field engine enthusiast. This old catalog has a wonderful section on the steam engines Pattison offered, ranging from 1 HP upright models to giant 2,000 HP Corliss engines. One engine caught my attention in particular, a smaller style offered in sizes from 6 to 20 HP. This was an engine that might have been well suited for oil field use. Then I realized what had drawn my attention to it in the first place, which was its real neat “hog-trough” style bedplate, characterized by its distinct round-shaped bottom.
Sometimes these unique bedplates can be seen on oil field engines today, that have had Bessemer, Oil Well Supply, or some other half-breed conversion cylinders installed on them. So here it is, “Hog-Trough-Half-Breed” owners, if you want a picture of what your engine might have looked like when it was a steam engine, here is an image out of the catalog.
Another page that attracted my interest showed engine and shop torches. Many of these I have commonly seen amongst oil field engine collectors at the shows and flea markets. These torches were rather different than the so-called “yellow dog,” the two-spouted lamp otherwise known as a “derrick lamp.” These were designed for illumination during inspection and to thaw frozen steam engine lines, or wherever a light was needed to start a fire. A check of the price list on this page showed that several styles of these torches sold for $8 per dozen. How times have changed!
Contact the Oil Field Engine Society at: 1231 Banta’s Creek Road, Eaton, OH 45320-9701, online at: www.oilfieldengine.com or e-mail at: oilengine@voyager.net