Folks,

This lunacy all started with a simple statement from a fellow employee that went something to the effect of: "You know, I use to rabbit hunt along this canal that had a big old engine in a shed. I wonder if it's still there?"

Things rapidly degenerated from there and several weeks later, Elbert Repp (Mr. Rabbit Hunter), Bill Delcambre (Super Bush Pilot) and yours truly were hacking our way down an over grown road and through underbrush toward a huge fallen down cypress shed. After crawling over several roof rafters, we were greeted by the sights captured below.

What we found is a 200 HP De La Vergne (single cylinder, hot bulb ignition) "FH Oil Engine" manufactured in New York sometime between 1913 and 1917. It was owned by an irrigation company in the first part of the century to fill a canal that flooded rice fields. With the introduction of affordable tractors, rice farmers got tired of paying 1/3 of their crop (going rate at the time) for water and began purchasing tractors so they could pump their own water. By the mid to late 40's (?) most irrigation companies in the area went belly up and this engine was forgotten.

Until now......

As soon as small details such as ownership are resolved, a "La. Wrecking Crew" will be organized with the goal salvaging and finding a home for this beast.

We hope to have it blowing 30' smoke rings again in the next several years.

If you have any information on this engine or the "De La Vergne Engine
Company, New York", please give me a shout.

Steve Webre <swebre@unocal.com>
Broussard, La.

• Governor

• Elbert Repp standing on the shaft between case and flywheel (opposite side from side shaft). Notice the size of the nuts and cotter pins

• Shaft outboard of flywheel showing chain drive used to turn a huge irrigation pump (still in place). As a side note, the pump is a 40-44" centrifugal type with a CAST housing. No markings found yet but it is also impressive. Look closely and you can see the belt still on the flywheel. About 40 years ago, someone mounted a newer style engine above the De La Vergne, removed the connecting rod, threw a belt around the original flywheel and used it as a jackshaft to turn the pump.

• Elbert Repp giving us an idea as to the size of the crankshaft.

• Bill Delcambre posing by small flywheel. Width is about 12 inches.

• After looking into a door on the crank end, I noticed one counter weight missing. Took me a good while to realize that I was standing on the darn thing. It's big and the other one is still mounted on the crank.

• Looking from the same door on the crank end at the bottom of the piston. Notice the skirt oilier.....

• Journal bearing. I am pointing to ~1/4" of shims

• One wrist pin showing some wear.

• Notice cane knife for size.

• Connecting rod that is about 7-8' long.

• Head showing valves. Don't ask me which is which just yet....

• Rocker arm

• De La Vergne Machine Company