(Local history of a kind not found in a history book is captured in recollections by a Somerset County native who was in his early 80's when he wrote this article in 1954.)
May, 1954
The Morning News (Wilmington)
(PPE reader comment)
Anonymous said...My grandfather attended McMaster one-room school on what is now Brantley Road. He often told the story of the day the local superintendent came to visit. While the superintendent was visiting with the teacher some of the boys snuck outside to inspect his Model T Ford which was something not seen much in those parts.
My grandfather had been squirrel hunting before school that morning and still had a 12 gauge shell in his pocket. He managed to unscrew one of the spark plugs and poured some of the gunpowder into the cylinder and replaced the spark plug.
The superintendent eventually ended his visit and climbed into his horseless carriage. When he stepped on the starter button (there was no such thing as car keys at that time) the engine exploded and blew the engine cover up into a nearby pine tree. Much confusion ensued and eventually Ford Motor Company was contacted and, because nothing like this had ever happened before, they sent a team of mechanics and engineers to see what had happened. The team never solved the mystery but it did result in Ford replacing the superintendent's Model T with a brand new one.
tk for PPE says: Thanks so much to the reader who submitted the above comment!
Please contact me if you might have other recollections we can share.
tkforppe@yahoo.com
December, 2008
(The big screen at the Mar-Va Theater in Pocomoke City will light up for the first time since 1996 with a showing of "The Polar Express" Saturday.)
Daily Times (Salisbury)
July, 1942 (see enlarged text beneath ad)
Worcester Democrat
August, 1953
My grandfather attended McMaster one-room school on what is now Brantley Road. He often told the story of the day the local superintendent came to visit. While the superintendent was visiting with the teacher some of the boys snuck outside to inspect his Model T Ford which was something not seen much in those parts.
ReplyDeleteMy grandfather had been squirrel hunting before school that morning and still had a 12 gauge shell in his pocket. He managed to unscrew one of the spark plugs and poured some of the gunpowder into the cylinder and replaced the spark plug.
The superintendent eventually ended his visit and climbed into his horseless carriage. When he stepped on the starter button (there was no such thing as car keys at that time) the engine exploded and blew the engine cover up into a nearby pine tree. Much confusion ensued and eventually Ford Motor Company was contacted and, because nothing like this had ever happened before, they sent a team of mechanics and engineers to see what had happened. The team never solved the mystery but it did result in Ford replacing the superintendent's Model T with a brand new one.