The Steam Roller: Grindstone Island circa early 1940’s

The abandoned steam roller sat beneath the oak tree by our farm gate, a once proud machine. A metal roof covered the entire frame with a sturdy black smokestack on the front of the boiler. The front roller was a massive, solid, round steel drum. Light rust now covered the roller with its bottom now slowly settling into the ground. Through the center of the five foot front roller was a large axle. Grease and oil now covered everything and was held in place with a covering of road dust. A long shaft connected the front roller to a large steering wheel that was almost in the center of the control platform, on the rear of the roller. From the front roller to the rear wheels, it was about six or seven feet, maybe more. The rear wheels were worn smooth and about 2 feet wide. A heavy axel connected both wheels to the gear box and in the middle was an oversized chain that looked like a large bicycle chain.

I never investigated the engine that made the roller move – there was too much oil, grease, and dirt and no easy way to look inside the engine, which was located under the fire box of the boiler. A few of the glass gauges were intact. The platform control panel included several levers, as well as a large steering wheel that was connected to the front roller by a sturdy shaft. The shaft was stiff and frozen in place, even when greased – it would no longer turn. I remember that the water tubes to the steam engine were missing, and that the water tank was empty.

I was fortunate to see the steam roller in action once; my brother and I were walking home from school and saw the smoke and steam from the distance. We witnessed the heavy roller crushing the stones on the gravel road and heard the loud noises that were associated with this action. It was an honor to see this magnificent machine in full bloom and doing the job it was intended to perform.

To the average person, the neglected steam roller was an old relic that looked like a disaster – a totally useless pile of scrap metal. But to us (my brother Milton, neighboring boys, cousins, and me) that dilapidated old machine was a treasure. The sturdy machine provided endless hours of play as well as the perfect cover for our countless rock fights. It could not be harmed or damaged, as we held our strategic battle positions that seemed to last for hours. The machine was too dirty and too old for the girls – this was strictly the boys’ playground – or battleground.

Looking back, the steam roller never got old to us, as it sat under an oak tree for many seasons. Abandoned by the Town of Clayton, the roof gathered acorns and nuts, various roots grew into the wheels and the heavy roller continued to sink deeper and deeper into the soil. There it sat, in all its glory – one of a kind.

It’s a mystery how the machine got to the island, as well as how it was removed. One day, it just disappeared. Perhaps the town took it apart, piece by piece, to remove it from the island. Thinking back, my best guess is that it was there for about five years in total.

Many years later, I stopped by the site where we had had so much fun and made countless childhood memories. There was no trace that the steam engine had ever existed, the oak tree that it sat under was gone too, replaced with a much smaller oak sapling. When I reflect back some 80 years later about my youth, it was similar to the old steam engine – gone, but leaving great memories and where it went, I don’t know.

By Manley L. Rusho

Manley Rusho was born on Grindstone Island nine+ decades ago. Back in 2021, Manley started sharing his memories with TI Life. (Manley Rusho articles) This Editor and his many friends send our very best throughout the year but as we start winter 2024 we send a special hug .

We know Manley has moved south and is now in a residence where we are sure his fellow mates are enjoying his stories as much as we do. As always, we thank you sir, most sincerely, for sharing - "as the life and times on Grindstone Island are special and should never be forgotten." This particular story is special as I bet all of us have a piece of equipment we loved to play on, explore and ride. Mine was an old boat pulled up on the shore!