AGAIN, REMEMBERING...

...Jeannette Aurelia Bullis, who died 32 years ago this month. As in previous years, we quietly honor her memory.

We will again honor her on her next birthday, March 23, 2012, for we prefer to remember the beginning of her physical life and all that followed.

OLD LETTERS

This week volunteers took a look at copies of envelopes that had carried letters from family, friends, and a former comrade-in arms to John Lapham Bullis. Even though these envelopes are over 150 years old, they are still mostly readable, and they bear the addressee's name, date posted, and date received.

There were several small details about these envelopes that caught our interest. First, all of the date stamps record only the month, day, city, and state - no year.  (Wonder why the year wasn't included in the postal stamp, back then...hmmm...do any of you know?) Second, calculating the time between the date posted and date received, in 1868 it took approximately six weeks for a letter to travel from Macedon, New York to Brownsville, Texas. (This time frame is unimaginable to us today.)

We also looked at the contents of these envelopes. Most of the letters were several pages,  thoughtfully written in neat longhand,  the product of more than an hour's effort. (And quite a contrast to the quick text messages and emails we send today in less than a minute, with barely a thought at times.)

So...once again we concluded that we should enjoy, appreciate, and treasure all documents from the past, whatever their source and form. They have messages for us...we simply have to find them.

JOHN LAPHAM BULLIS PRESENTATION

Last Wednesday we had a good turnout when June Hamell shared information she brought back with her from San Antonio in May.  The Q&A session following the presentation showed that attendees found it interesting and were left with wanting more information about this local hero.  Future events are in the planning process, and we will keep you posted.

If you were unable to attend June's presentation and would like to see it, please contact her at MPL. We hope to repeat, and knowing who is interested will help us plan.

RECIPES FOR BLACKSMITHS

Here's two recipes from Dr. Chase's book we talked about last week:

1. "POOR IRON, — To Improve. — Black oxide of manganese 1 part; copper and common salt 4 parts each; dissolve in soft water and boil until dry; when cool pulverize and mix quite freely with nice welding sand.

When you have poor iron which you cannot afford to throw away, heat it and roll it in this mixture, working for a time, re-heating, will soon free it from injury, which is the cause of its rottenness. By this process you can make good horse-nails, even out of only common iron. "

2. "Welding a Small Piece of Iron Upon a Large One, with Only a Light Heat. — It is often desirable

to weld a small bit of iron upon a large bar, when the large piece must be heated equally hot as the small one. To save this: Take borax 1 lb.; red oxide of iron 1 to 2 ozs.; melt them together in a crucible ; and when cold, pulverize it and keep that powder dry for use.

When you want to perform the operation, just bring the large piece to a white heat, having a good welding heat upon the small slip ; take the large one from the fire, and sprinkle some of the powder upon the place, and bring the Other upon it, applying the hammer smartly, and the weld will be as good as could be made with the greater heat without the powder. " 

Do you have any favorite blacksmithing recipes you'd like to share with us? Please leave us a comment or stop by the Bullis Room.