Baldwin Burnham Williams & Co. 20925

[norman]

Dear Mr. Bachmann:

Could yourself and Lee Riley pull out the drawings for Baldwin Locomotive Works Burnham Williams & Co. 20925  locomotive? This is the Disneyland 2-4-4T engine painted and lettered as Ward Kimball No. 5.

Suggestion for a future engine and this is what I wanted the next issue of an Indy sized engine to be. Anyway, at least I can ask!

Also please see below:

Thank you

Norman


FROM Steve DeGaetano on the Disney Railroads Discussion Board:

A while ago, I told you that I was working with the Librarian at Nicholls State University, to obtain some of the Barker and Lepine papers dealing with a little 1902 Baldwin we're all familiar with. Today, those papers arrived.

I thought some of you might find the following excerpts enlightening. The letters from Barker and Lepine are handwritten, and occasionally difficult to read; I have done my best to transcribe them accurately. This correspondence is a fascinating look into what it was like to purchase a locomotive from the mighty Baldwin Locomotive Works at the turn of the last century. Enjoy:

April 23'd 1902
Messrs. Burnham, Williams and Co., Philada, Penn

Dear Sirs:

Will you please quote us delivered at Melodia Switch S.P.R.R. the lowest price of a 36" gauge Plantation locomotive dimensions about 9 x 14 cylinder, water tanks to carry 500 gallons, equipped with headlights etc. etc. and arranged on the basis of using firebox grates, stack etc. for oil fuel including tank and all necessary piping and fittings for same.

Yours Truly,
Barker and Lepine

***

April 26, 1902
Messrs. Barker and Lepine
Lafourche Crossing, La.

Gentleman:-

We have your favor of the 23rd inst. desiring proposal for 9" x 14" cylinder saddle-tank locomotive of three feet gauge, arranged for oil-burning...We quote for a locomotive to this Specification, delivered on car at our Works, Three thousand one hundred and fifty ($3150)...We have not yet been able to obtain a rate of freight to Melodia Switch.

Very truly yours,
Burnham, Williams & Co.

***

April 28, 1902
Messrs. Barker and Lepine
Lafourche Crossing, La.

Supplementing our letter of the 26th inst., we are now able to name a freight rate of 73c per hundred pounds, on a minimum weight of 30,000 pounds, for the locomotive proposed, delivered at Melodia Siding.

Very truly yours,
Burnham, Williams & Co.

***

April 30th 1902
Messrs Burnham, Williams and Co.

Dear Sirs,

Your favor of the 25th inst. only just in hand. We now have a locomotive very much like the one represented on your (illegible) but on which you gave us specifications and we do not like it. We do not fancy a saddletank and prefer a watertank attached on the rear...However, we have seen the locomotive you sold last to our neighbor Sibbey and Blouin, Bush Grove Plantation and would ask of you to give us quotation on a duplicate of same for Oil Fuel.

***

May 13, 1902
Messrs. Barker & lepine, Lafourche Crosing, LA

Gentlemen:-

We acknowledge receipt of your telegram of this date accepting specification #A-4436 which accompanied our letter of May 6th. We have accordingly entered your order for one locomotive as per this specification, for shipment in about four months, for the sum of Three thousand five hundred dollars ($3,500), delivered on car in Philadelphia...Please instruct us as to the lettering, name and number, you desire on this engine.

Thanking you for the order, we remain,
Very truly yours,
Burnham, Williams and Co.

***

Unfortunately, there is no corresponding letter specifying the name, number, etc. Reviewing a photocopy of the actual Baldwin specification sheet for this particular engine, however, obtained from the California State Railroad Museum, shows that the engine had no number, but that it had a name: Maud L. --Steve D.

***

May 16th, 1902
Mr. Frank Barker
New Orleans

Friend Frank:

I enclose your letter of Burnham, Williams and Co. received this day...It would be a good thing to look up the S.P. people and by shipping locomotive from Philadelphia to N.Y. and from there by S.P. steamer etc. we might obtain a better rate.

Your friend, W. Lepine.

***

May 20th 1902
Mr. Frank Barker
P.O. Box 1229
New Orleans, LA.

Dear Sir:-

You letter of 26th inst. is at hand. If the locomotive is shipped by vessel from New York, the additional cost will be from $100 to $200. The rate which we have already quoted you for all-rail freight, figures up to $219.
If the engine is shipped by vessel, from New York it will have to be dismantled and boxed. This will cost $150. The Southern Pacific freight will be $158, to which must be added the cost of delivereing from our Works to vessel in New York, say $25, and the additional cost of putting the engine together on its arrival at destination.

Very truly yours,

Burnham, Williams and Co.

***

Oct. 6, 1902
Messrs. Barker and Lepine,
Lafourche Crossing, P.O., La.

Gentlemen:-

We hand you herewith statement referring to small locomotives shipped September 10th, and will ask you to kindly favor us with a remittance to cover.

Very truly yours,

Burnham, Williams and Co.

***

November 13, 1902

Messrs. Burnham, Williams and Co.

Dear sirs:

We beg to advise that the new locomotive, Maud L., or a 4436, has a broken gland on the Piston Rod and the brass box on the front axle will not stay in place and constantly keeps jumping out...

Yours respectfully,

Barker and Lepine

***

December 23 1902
Messrs. Barker & Lepine,
LaFourche, La.

Gentlemen:-

Please find enclosed an Adams Express receipt for shipment of a tank plug, grate bar, two piston rod swab holders and one fire door glass for locomotive #20925. There is to be no charge for these. Our engineer, Mr. P.B. Shelmerdine asked for them when he erected the engine.

Very truly yours,

Burnham, Williams & Co.

***

There you have it--the story of how the Maud L. came to be. $3,500 for a brand new little engine! Anyone want to guess what it cost to restore the engine for Disneyland?

But history sometimes takes strange turns. If things had turned out a little differently, we might have been witness to the first Porter to run on Disney rails--a story for another day. However, I will leave you with this one last little tease:

April 10th, 1902
Messrs. H.K. Porter and Co.
Pittsburgh, Pa.

Dear Sirs:

Please let us know what figure you can duplicate for us the "Melodia B" Locomotive, contracted with you in August, 1897. Same to be delivered to Melodia Switch S.P.R.R. and to burn oil for fuel instead of coal.

Yours truly,

Barker and Lepine.



Edited By Steve DeGaetano on 1117051594

_________________
Steve

[glennk28]

Copies of the Baldwin drawings are available from the DeGolyer Library at Southern Methodist University in  Dallas.  They are listed by construction number. 
Glenn Joesten