March 2025

Clark's Story

By Clark
(With maybe just a little help from Paul Harvey)

Hello.  My name is Clark and I’m a small gas engine who lives at Coolspring Power Museum.  I am told that I’m very unusual and probably don’t have any brothers or sisters.  Following this column closely, I noticed that I’m not given much attention.  So, I intend to create my own fan club and be well noticed.  Being unique among my other companions, it should be a fun trip for all.

But now let’s travel back in time for 100 years!  I grew up in this area much later and had an excellent industrial and academic background.  I wonder who designed me?

Two brothers, William Pendleton Clark and Charles Ethan Clark of Belmont, New York, decided they wished to enter the manufacturing business.  They were in a fertile farming valley as well as near huge stands of timber.  Wow, what an opportunity!  Soon, they were a giant among saw mill makers and huge steam engines.  They built a huge plant in Belmont in 1878.  I certainly have a rich heritage!

The Clark brothers continued their big plant in Belmont until fire claimed it in the early twentieth century.  They were even making farm equipment such as this hay rake.

The brothers turned to Wellsville, New York, and teamed with William Henry Norton for gas engine development.  Finally, the Clarks built a modern factory in Olean dedicated to the oil and gas industry.  Soon there were literally hundreds of compressor stations using two-stroke cycle Clark engines.

So, let’s follow up with my early days as I tell my story.  Despite my rough beginning, I survived!  After being born in Belmont, I was employed sawing wood for the late Sonny Wilson.  This work was hard, but I was completely capable.  However, it was quite a surprise when I was then scrapped into a roadside ditch.  Wow!  I had a great life!

Sonny Wilson saved me!  He found me rusting away in the ditch and gave me new life.  I was then able to operate for local displays.  So miraculously my life continued to be useful.

Now is the time to scroll ahead 100 years to see me involved in the bicentennial celebration!  At this time, Dresser-Rand controlled the firm and they made very large equipment.

I received a quick blue and gray paint job to match the firm’s colors, and entered into the bicentennial celebration.  I still bear those colors!  At the end of the event, I came to live at Coolspring.

So just who am I and how did I survive so long?  Seems like the parent company entered engine building with me as a prototype.  Probably built circa 1895, I am four-stoke cycle and use many odd designs.

Note my odd rotary intake valve and throttle, as well as my friction governor.  Unusual, but they work very well.

I have been a very interesting project and now I am happy here.  I hope our readers have enjoyed this glimpse of my life.

After the fire of 1912, Clark returned as Dresser-Rand.  Today it survives as Siemens.  One hundred years later!  What a location!

I have had a long and tough life.  I am excited to retire to Coolspring, where my friend Doug Fye gives me occasional exercise.  It is fun to run again!