1974-75 Equipment Salvaging in Wiley Canyon

Only one engine (the Superior 20 HP gas engine) was salvaged from Wiley Canyon during the salvage operations in 1974-75 (see the Pico salvaging page for the story). This engine was restored to running condition by Dick Bouma. It was eventually sold to comedian Jay Leno. The images are from slides that Greg Johnson and Grant Burns (now owned by Greg) had taken while they were there.

COPYRIGHT NOTICE: The older images are owned by Greg Johnson and used with his permission. They are not in the public domain.

Wiley Canyon

Arriving with truck to haul out the 20 HP Superior gas engine

Looking down at the area where the bench is now

Looking further up the ridge line from the previous photo

About the same view today

J. F. Holbrook tank. The J. F. Holbrook Company was founded in 1905 by John Frederick Holbrook.

Another tank

Pump jack at well. A jack line would have been attached to this pump.

Superior 20 HP gas engine. The small galvanized tank on the left was the "gasometer", a low pressure gas regulator and reservoir that was used with the gas engine as part of the fuel system. The big tank in the back is for water to cool the engine. Greg Johnson (on left) and Terry Hathaway are putting gasoline in the base of the engine because there was a large bee hive inside. They wanted the bees to leave before the engine was jacked up and moved off the concrete foundation block. The gas fumes did cause the bees to leave, although Greg says that there were a lot of bees still swarming around when the engine was moved.

Superior 20 HP gas engine

First pull. Terry Hathaway and David Drury looking at engine. The lady sitting on the left is Vicky, the former wife (or maybe girlfriend at that time) of Brad Milne. Brad (not pictured) ended up with one of the Farrar and Trefts steam engines but sold it years ago.

Pulling clutch. From left to right Terry Hathaway, Greg Johnson, Butch Carlton, and Bob Hughes.

The big haul. From left to right Greg Johnson, Bob Hughes, Butch Carlton, and Terry Hathaway.

This photo was taken by me on 10/3/2008. Notice Valencia in the background and how the vegetation has grown in the 33 years since the previous photo was taken. However, Wiley Canyon remains almost the same.

The big haul. The "gasometer" is sitting on the engine between the flywheels.

Why not push it ourselves?

After 20 feet

Another 20 feet - lightening load. Engine clutch and gasometer on the left. Butch Carlton with the sun in his eyes.

View north with Valencia in the distance

And 50 feet more

Moving 20 HP Superior gas engine with Terry Hathaway holding onto the flywheels

Near the mouth of Wiley Canyon loading the 20 HP Superior gas engine. There is also a 15 HP Farrar & Trefts steam engine (with curved spokes) from Pico Canyon on the trailer. After it was loaded from Pico, they came to Wiley to pick up the Superior engine, which was already laying next to the big oak tree with the branches shown in the photo on the left.