Sidney, Ohio 45365
The engine was installed as a ‘rebuilt’ engine at the
Johnstown water works in 1917. I do not know the history prior to
its installation there, but it was probably built around 1910.
The engine is a twin cylinder design with four foot flywheels, 3
7/8‘ shaft, 10’ pistons and weighs
6,800 pounds.
The engine hardware includes a Dixie mag, a ‘KW’
coil-ignition box and a Pickerington governor similar to those used
on steam engines. At the Johnstown water works the engine ran a
line shaft which operated both a generator and a centrifugal
pump.
Back in the 1920s the village of Johnstown sold both water and
electric to the citizens. The old Cook engine would be started up
early in the morning to produce electricity and then after daylight
would be switched by way of a wooden clutch to operate a pump which
filled the town’s water tower.
At one time the village boasted of owning two of these units but
later removed one which fell victim to the wrecker’s ball.
In 1967 I purchased the unit in the picture from the village of
Johnstown for $50. The winter of 1968 I completely disassembled the
engine and restored it. It took a wrecker to lift the block off of
the concrete pad. Each flywheel weighs in excess of 500 pounds.
I currently have the Cook engine mounted on four ten-inch
‘I’ beams with plans someday to mount the unit on a
trailer. I would be interested in hearing from anyone who collects
Cook engines or persons who could tell me more about the Cook
Engine Company.
Other items in my collection include a Breman Caloric hot air
pump and a McCormick Deering 1? HP gasoline engine.
