A Gas Engine Fairy Tale

Image Gallery The engine that started a dynasty, Joe Jacobes' Galloway Masterpiece Six.

Once upon a time there lived a young king named Joe in a huge town by the river. His castle was old and in disrepair and the villagers were poor and beset by villains and robbers, so he purchased a portable castle with wheels and went to live in a castle-park in the small town of Horsham, Pa.

While he was living there, by chance he met a beautiful young queen named Helen from a faraway land called Minnesota. They married shortly thereafter, finding it was much cheaper than constantly sending messengers from country to country. Then they moved to a sturdy castle in the small village of Spinnerstown, Pa.

In time the two had a newborn baby, whom they named Prince Tony. This baby proved to be very peculiar, because he spent all his time taking his toys apart. The king and queen were hard pressed to know what to do with him, until one of their subjects said, 'There is a wonderful kingdom known as Rough and Tumble that has huge displays of mechanical engines. Perhaps that might delight the young prince.'

Being at their wits end to amuse this small prince, they took the advice of their subject and made the long journey to Rough and Tumble. And in fact, young Prince Tony was so delighted by the moving engines that he observed there, that he demanded that the king and queen buy him his own so that he could display it, too. He worked hard on his small Briggs & Stratton and, in time, proudly showed it at their annual fest.

After a few years of observing these interesting machines as Prince Tony displayed his, the King and Queen also caught this strange fever and purchased a machine of their own. They proudly displayed their Fairbanks-Morse along with Prince Tony's Briggs & Stratton.

Then one day King Joe said to Queen Helen, 'This is not big or grand enough for a king. I require something more grand than this.'

He hunted high and low for a suitable engine with no success. He had acquired several other engines, but nothing with the grandeur that he desired. Finally, one of his trusted friends and advisors said, 'King Joe, I have just the thing for you. It is big and not common. It is an engine suitable for a king.'

King Joe went to look at this engine and fell in love with it. It was old and rusty, but still big and beautiful. It was called a Galloway Masterpiece Six. He bought it, and brought it back to his castle.

After studying it, he said to the queen, 'The paint is worn and flaking. It needs to be removed and have a new coat of paint.'

The queen, having more time than her royal spouse, decided that she could remove the paint, which she did. The king was pleased, but said, 'You have more time than me, since I am busy governing my kingdom. You are interested in things artistic and historical, whereas I am at my best working on mechanical things. How about if you paint this engine?'