Well, here it is Gas up time and I can’t think of too much
to tell you, except that Hubby and I just celebrated our Silver
Wedding Anniversary on June 12 and as one of my friends said,
‘Gee, I think that is an event!’ ‘Well,’ I said,
‘I don’t know if it’s an event but I do think its an
accomplishment!’ Truthfully, don’t know where all those
years went so fast– if the next 25 go as fast (God willing, we
make them) why, it won’t be long at all till Golden Date. We
received quite a few nice gifts and cards from our close friends
which surprised us as we had no party or etc. that warranted such
display of friendship. I don’t know about Hubby, but I’m
looking forward to the next 25 years.
I was going to mention this next time in my column but received
this following letter from T. H. Krueger of 1615 San Francisco St.,
San Antonio, Texas 78201 and it explained it as well as I could
have–‘Dear Anna Mae–I keep buying the latest copies of
‘TRAINS’ magazine Just bought the June 1967 issue and with
this issue, the per copy price was upped from 50? to 60?. They said
they’d rather continue a good quality ‘trains magazine’
and increase the price. I remember you acquainted we readers about
your family through your column: and I remembered your husband to
be a railroad man. Well, in the June 1967 ‘Trains,’ on page
21 is a fine silhouette picture showing Engineer E. A. Branyan
employing a 22 notch throttle to tap GG1’s reserves, and on
Page 22, both pictures show (I believe) your husband and a brakeman
as they are leaving the train they brought into Enola on the PRR.
The title of the story, page 18 is ‘GG1 Curtain Call.’ It
is a fine short story with lots of pictures.’ You are right
Ted, that is my husband and we were all quite proud of the article
and pictures. We probably would never have seen it that soon, but a
young fellow here in town gets the magazine and recognized Mr.
Branyan and brought it to us. We were quite thrilled. Of course
these pictures were taken several years ago when he was on freight
–at present he is running passenger to Philadelphia and back to
Harrisburg. I thought it was something though that Ted picked this
up in Texas and recognized it. Thanks for your nice letter Ted!
R. Dayton Nichols of 5128 Route 5, Stafford, New York 14143
wants to know: ‘Did you ever hear or see (1) Gasoline Engine
that was 8 cycle? (2) Two piston opposed engine with one
crankshaft? and (3) Two piston opposed engine and two
crankshafts?’ So, if you can help Dayton out I’m sure he
will be glad to hear from you. Mr. Nichols is an engineer, too.
He’s stopped by here several times and we enjoy chatting.
Then I have a letter from C. M. Knudson of Gully, Minnesota, and
he writes, ‘First, I want to thank the people of GEM for the
cooperation given me when you ran the two editorials ‘What Is
It?’ on my Mystery Engine. Quite surprisingly, I got two
replies when the $25 reward was offered. Mr. Harold I. Ottaway of
Wichita, Kansas, furnished a Millards Implement Directory of 1912
which on page 6 showed a very good picture of the engine. The
engine is called a Litch-field, manufactured by the Litchfield Mfg.
Co., Waterloo, Iowa. So thanks to ‘What Is It?’ after 12 or
15 years of trying to find out who made the engine and where it was
made and what it was called — I now know.’
That about winds things up for this time for the Gas Column —
the kids are now home for the summer and anxious to be doings many
things, so I must keep ‘on the ball’ with them as well as
the magazines.
Incidentally, speaking of anniversaries, Elmer and Earlene
celebrated their 13th Wedding Anniversary on May 30th and Kitty and
Earl Snell noted their 9th one on June 14th. Guess we should have
all gotten together and celebrated.
