two sets of train wheels -- southern wheel co savannah ga / decatur car wheel co

[ivan salis]

hummm these where turned in to the west nassau county historical assn group by a local doing some digging with a dozer ---they were found buried like giant mushrooms -- both wheels still on axels -- two of them -- the local club ask me to look em over -- I'm trying to find out their age -- maybe civil war related items (possible the wheels from the two flat cars burnt in the union raid on the town)-- or are they post civil war ?--- they are old just how old is the big question---going to check the gauge size tomorrow -- trying to see if I can find someone to check out the Decatur, Ga and Savannah,Ga --- places that made them and when they were in biz ---- Southern Wheel Company of Savannah , Ga ----Decatur Car Wheel Company of Decatur , Ga ---humm very intersting---

due to help -- I found out more info from havard U--seems that the "southern wheel company" of georgia --on feb 1,1913 bought out the decatur car wheel company of alabama -- thus the "decatur wheels" must be of pre 1913 manufature -- found a listing of them listed in a bussiness referance book of iron product makers (1888) thus their being in bussiness during the civil war is very possible --- found a newspaper article dated march 12,1862 where they were talking about how Mr H A Cook of "southern wheel company" by means of a simple device was able to run his spidles to turn the wheels at 3 x the "normal" speed thus doubling their daily out put * --this means they were actively suppling war time train wheels to the south during the war thus its very possible that these might be the wheels of the civil war flatcar burnt during the war --

[cam9457]

Any pics Ivan?

[ivan salis]

not yet there will be --got to get the camera from the wife-- Ivan

[EDDE]

i have to break this in
[img][/img]

[SoreKneesDayton]

Good research Ivan but no pics? You know we are starved for pics. I wonder if there are any old coins in the surrounding area from CW era?

SKD

[ivan salis]

welll got to get the camera from the wife -- takes awhile -- I plan to photograph them for you'll to see --I trying to find out exactly where these gems came from locally --because if they are indeed the "rail road iron" listed as the cargo of the flatcars that were burnt in the raid on the town --then there had to be union troops at the area where they buried them (to deny the confederates the chance to salvage the metal or try to use or reuse them in anyway the union forces buried them)--and thus there are chances for lost union uniform buttons that popped off (while they were digging the hole to bury these monsters-- the hole for one them would be a least 5 foot deep by about 4 foot around in size around and it would take a lot of men or horses to manhandle the wheels into the hole too cuz brother they ain't light) --- who knows possibly other CW items were dropped , or lost / left behind as well ---- Ivan ( yes I know "photos" you want lots of pretty pictures )