Handtub Junction,USA Established 1998 Handtub of the Month  -  December 2022 Passaconaway -  Seabrook, New Hampshire
		The last picture of the Passaconaway
The "Passaconaway" was built by L. Button & Co. of Waterford, NY in 1855 (serial number 384) for the Rough & Ready Fire Co. of Westfield, Massachusetts and named "Rough & Ready". The engine had 10 inch cylinders and was originally had single air chamber but was later converted into a double air chamber machine. The engine was one of the most passed around engine ever built.
In 1874 the engine was sold to the Town of Danvers, MA and the name changed to "Ocean No. 3". In 1878 it was sold to the Town of Shirley, MA and renamed "L.P. Wood". It was again sold in 1880 to the Town of Clinton, Ma and renamed "G. Walter Goss". It didn't take long for the engine to be on the move again when in 1882 it went to Westminster, Ma and was given the name "General Miles" after the Civil War hero from that town. The engine was in Westminster for 37 years the longest stay anywhere in it's life.
In 1920 the engine was again on the move going to West Quincy, MA and again renamed to "General Edwards". It competed in it's last muster as the "General Edwards" on October 8, 1927. After this muster it was put in storage till 1948 when i went to it's final location of Seabrook, NH and given the name "Passaconaway" in honor of an Native American chieftain of the Pennacook people of Southern New Hampshire, the name meaning child or son of bear.  The Seabrook Firemen's Association attended musters with the engine until the night of August 28, 1963 when it was destroyed in a fire at the Barr & Bloomfield Shoe manufacturing complex where it was being kept. Supposed the iron was salvaged and is still in existence today somewhere. It has attended 199 musters winning 12, placing 2nd in 17 with 19 3rd places. It's longest steam was 234' 4" played at Gardner, Ma on July 16, 1904, it won $11,755 in muster competition.
as Gen. Miles with single air chamber			as Gen. Edwards with double air chamber
It is not known if the second air chamber was added in Westminster, MA or W. Quincy, MA
Info & pictures provided by Stan Dixon and the HJUSA archives

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