Talk on subscriptions and reader questions about Gas Engine Magazine.
Though I wouldn’t have it any other way, I’m
just short on energy this year (and also I just had another 8 day
visit to the hospital) but all in all things are going along fine
and we are anxiously awaiting the arrival of the grandchild as it
won’t be too terribly long now — due sometime around the 1st of
December. Hubby is busy running passenger train from Philadelphia to
Harrisburg and living at this end means he’s putting a lot of
miles on the rails.
Do you realize this is the sixth issue of GEM which means when
this one is delivered to you — we have completed our first year. I
don’t know whether to shout “Hooray” with exuberance
or just sit back with a sigh of relief and whisper “We made
it”. It looks to me like we’re going strongly into the
second year though and we are now getting more material than before
which is a good sign so we’re looking optimistically toward the
issues of 1967. The first year of any undertaking is a trying one,
but ours was a little more so what with the illnesses that occurred
in the office staff followed by the change of office and now the
zip coding of both magazines has caused many an hour of work and
tiresome day for the ones laboring on that project, but just as
every cloud has a silver lining, that’s how it will be going
into the second year of publication on the little GEM.
Regarding submissions and reader questions about Gas Engine Magazine:
I do not have any short excerpts from letters this time to put
into the column but I am using the material as it comes in — this
time I even have some left over which is what we appreciate. And
here I’m going to mention something and please by no means take
offense — yes, we have been clamoring for material and the other
day I received a letter from one of our subscribers and he wants to
know why we ask for material and then have not printed his two
previous letters. I read those letters and I thought about them but
I just could not bring myself to print them — not yet anyhow —
while he claims he wants them printed word for word and etc. (which
is something we do not have to do — we reserve the right to edit
the letters and stories we receive or even withhold them — which is
something we rarely do) and I’m sure he thought they were all
right and he would probably not be offended by someone else writing
letters as his, but there is a difference between discussion, being
factual, a pro on statistics and in being sarcastic and dictatorial,
especially when naming names in write-ups. For you see, I’m
thinking of some of our other writers and contributors of stories
and articles. I know, just by some of the letters we receive that
some of our people think a long time before sending us a
letter — they feel they cannot write well enough or would not be
interested in their opinions or little talks; but this is not so-we
are interested in their letters and chats too and we would not want
to discourage these reticent individuals. So as I mentioned above
we rarely hold out any material and we do not throw anything away,
we are trying to please everyone, so please bear with us — we do
make mistakes — we are human, but we are trying to serve you to the
best of our ability.
An incorrect zip code on it — or no zip code at all — would you
please drop us a card and let us know. You see, if we don’t get
these correct, you may not get your magazine. It will be sent to
the wrong part of the country. Secondly, as you all know, this is
the sixth edition of the GEM. This means that all of you who began
your subscriptions with the first edition, will receive only one
more Issue (January-February). In order that we might get the
renewals in early enough to save any more confusion, we have
enclosed an expiration notice in the magazine of you who have not
renewed your subscription as of now. This is the only notice that
you will get. Please help us out and send in your renewal early.
This gives us time to get it processed and in good order before the
next mailing. This last minute business only delays your magazine
being mailed. The last thing I’d like to mention is that since
the Gallop people don’t include any questions concerning our
magazine in their polls, we’ll have to conduct our own. Please
let us know your feelings on the GEM. It helps us to make
improvements, corrections, and to make a better magazine for you.
I’ll try my very best to answer all questions and letters,
either through the mail or in this column. Even if you haven’t
got a complaint, I like to hear from you. It’s the only way I
get to know the people I work for. Have a very happy holiday season
filled with all of the love and joy the occasion deserves.
Well, that’s about it for this time and until next we meet
I’ll enclose this little verse: When the path before is rough, and the rocks in ridge and bluff bar your progress to the distant
peaks sublime, when your strength and heart are breaking, take
pride in the fight you’re making. Throw your rope around the
higher rock and climb.
This is a 1931 Standard Garden Tractor with a 6-HP Engine.
Altogether I have an assortment of 28 different makes.
This is a 1931 2-cylinder radiator cooled upright 10-HP Stover
engine. Altogether I have an assortment of 28 different makes.
Yours truly and 17 of his best friends. There are 17 engines in
this picture and 14 different brands. This picture was taken in
1965. I have many more which I will show in this wonderful magazine
from time to time. I will try to prepare a story of my gas engine
history some time in the future.
