W.6108 Elmwood Rd., Menominee, Michigan 49858
I first became interested in old gas engines about 12 years ago,
after I received a 1? HP McCormick Deering free from the farmer I
worked for as a teenager back in the mid to late 1930s. I was paid
the sum of one dollar a day, plus dinner, as the noon meal was
called, and supper. The work was the usual field work such as hay
making, threshing, filling silo, potato digging, etc.
At the end of the day’s work, I was shown how to start the
engine to pump water into the cow barn tank. I now own the pump,
pump jack, and engine.
Since I received my first free engine, I have restored some
thirty engines. I now have sixteen engines of my own.
A gas engine collecting friend of mine once asked me why
didn’t I submit a story and pictures to GEM of my collection.
My answer was all engines I’ve restored have been in pictures
and stories in this fine magazine, but if I ever found a rare one,
I would do so.
I now have that rare one (I think) restored. I have taken the
pictures before and after restoration.
The engine is The Always Ready, built as near as I can determine
in or about 1912, for Montgomery Ward. It is an upright, 2 HP,
built by Burtt Mfg. Company of Kalamazoo, Michigan. It
has a brass Essex carburetor, and is spark plug, buzz coil, and
battery fired. The thing about this engine is its serial number, #
154, the lowest of all my engines. To me, this is my rare one worth
writing about.
I would like to hear from anyone with a similar engine.
