Calliope Help

callopie question

Hi Bet Keith from Howard Museum knows answer to this.Look for him to post Carole Matthews Pompano Beach Fla 33064

Jim, the whistles resemble those of the old Ernest Wilde calliope that was on the BELLE in the 1970's. Could Wilde have made his plans from those of this builder?

You're right, Bob, it does look a lot like the BELLE's previous calliope. I thought maybe some of our calliope experts would chime in. I was hoping to get a good discussion going.......

Jimmy: When next you are at the HSM, Travis, "Mr. Wizard of the Whistles" has information for you. Those images of Harry Stocksdale are from my collection and were given to me by his daughter. Our families attended the same church for many years and it was my pleasure (as a teenager) to visit Harry Stocksdale's home, where his studio (he gave music lessons and was my grandmother's piano teacher!) was akin to a steamboat museum!

The calliope on the PILGRIM was a KRATZ calliope, made at Evansville, Indiana. There are numerous photos of the PILGRIM in which the calliope is in view.

Kratz Calliope Photograph

I googled Kratz Calliope Evansville and found this photo of George Kratz standing beside a wagon with one of his calliopes and his wife at the keyboard.
https://www.facebook.com/courierpress/photos/a.347506268813.155632.19125738813/10152924715938814/?type=1
I am not sure if I posted the link properly. Hopefully you all can open this.

Kratz Callopie

There is a colored picture with comments of the Kratz Callopie on Pintrest.I googled Kratz Callopie an hit Pintrest an it came right up.Nice picture of Kratz at his wagon with wife playing callopie . Apparently this was a steam callopie.Carole Matthews.

Bob McCann tokd me that the Wilde calliopes used spent artillery shells from the Jefferson Proving Grounds near Madison, Indiana as the whistle bells. Remember, these were built during the Vietnam War era. Apparently he placed a baffle in the casings to tune the whistles.

*Calliope bells/Artillery Shell Casings*
Morning, Frank, Jim, Carole & Steamboating colleagues,
Fascinating photos, history of the KATZ calliope from all of you above. I don't know beans from apples on these instruments other than their sound--often best appreciated from afar. A shy poster contacted me to sign in, click on.

Frank, Bob McCann may have well been on to somethihng mentioning the calliope bells coming from old Jefferson Proving Grounds, Indiana near Madison. That really caught my interest. Jefferson Proving opened in 1940 until closed in 1995 located on some 50,000 acres of land. I remember the hey day being sent down there by the U.S. Navy to view testing of ship gun shells. And to say I was impressed putting it mildly. The explosion of shells could be heard constantly from morning to night and, no doubt, more than a few of you here remember it. The grounds averaged around 175,000 shell testings a month. Jim Reising, Kenny Howe may recall artillery shells also from their military years.

Spent shell casings look very similar to some of the bells on the KATZ calliope with the bottom part 'edged or beveled' as the top. Shell composition was brass, aluminum, steel and later a plastic composition. Now, collecting, matching up the spent shells to find the right size for the right pitch or key would have taken a lot of work and milling. Shells in mm. size ranged from: 37, 57, 76.2, 90, 105, 107, 155, 240. There were also naval guns at sea with other shell dimensions up to the big 16 inch on battleships. Today surface to surface, air to surface missiles and even drones moving in for use--but artillery still vital. In ignorance I'd opine that 'some' but not all the calliope bells probably were not spent casings. Who knows?

One who could enlighten us more would be Tom Schiffer [Cap 'n Walnut] who is a recognized expert, published author on gunnery, gun powder, explosives, armaments etc. in addition to his knowledge of steam. This posting may beg the comment "not pure steamboats" but... Again, what do I know?

R. Dale Flick
Coal Haven Landing, Ohio River, Cincinnati

Interesting, Dale. My first thought on the use of spent shell casings was, "Nah, too much work finding the right ones, etc.". But then got to thinking, since Wilde was mostly a hobbyist, maybe he did? Hobbyists and those who like to find uses for "junk" will often take their ideas to the extreme or once they have an idea, they pursue it beyond what someone else might. One thing, though: if the proving grounds closed in 1995, I'm sure it was a restricted area until then (and may still be due to possible live ammunition and/or hazardous waste being there), how would he have had access to it? Or maybe someone else helped him, or the old shells were offered for sale/scrap? Hmmmm...

*Jeffersonville Proving Grounds today*
Morning, Bob,
So, you also wondered about 'mixing/matching' those spent artillery shells for use with the KATZ calliope. The best shells no doubt would have been the brass ones. [?] Travis would know best on what metal was desired.

Those spent shells on land and at sea would today probably be in untold thousands of tons in addition to active service in a real military operations. Jeffersonville Proving does have, I gather, an intense environmental recovery program to recover, remove as many of the shell casings and other spent armaments they can. I remember the day when U.S. Navy and other countries simply tossed used shells over the side into the sea. Also there were tons of acid batteries from ships used in on-board electrical needs, jump-starting generators etc. that were simply deep sixed over the side. This no long allowed with our navy, big blue water, cargo ships etc. now 'going green.' Live shells or 'duds' no doubt also to be found down at Jeffersonville. Even today in London, England and other cities there are plots of land marked off where the dangerous magnesium rocket bombs hit but didn't explode posing a danger even now buried under the earth. The Jefferson grounds well back from the Ohio River but you could hear from over the hills miles away the near constant firing, explosion of the shells being tested. Anybody else here remember those days? Well, what to do I know?

R. Dale Flick
Coal Haven Landing, Ohio River Cincinnati.

I lived right near the Ohio in the "knobs" of Indiana and can well remember the booming of artillery from those proving grounds in their final years!