Letters to the Editor Snow Plow News.

This Is A Poem on some thoughts on war by someone who was serving during Viet Nam war time.

    Fight a War with Politicians.
Politicians play chess well
    So give your son to be a pawn
but forget that war is hell!

    Now when this game is over
Will you really care who won
    As you learn across the casket
And shed tears upon your son.

For he fought for your land
    He never lost
He fought for freedom
    He never missed
He fought till death
    Said he'd pay the cost
It's sad to think he fought for this
    But it's sadder yet, he died

    Now if our country were in that
We all should give a damn
     But would you pawn your Grandson off to another Viet Nam?

Rick Hughes
US Marine Corps.
Moffit Feild, 1972- 1975

A word from a reader

Hello Tom,

Enjoy your website! Here are some memories that I would like to share with your readers.

Since I was a youngster growing up in Waukesha County Wisconsin,I have always liked the big FWD plows. This was during the 1950s and 1960s. As a youngster, I remember watching for them when they would plow our roads at night with the snow falling and their lights on, it was a spectular sight. During those years, Waukesha County was almost exclusive FWD but they also had a late 1930's Sterling 4x4 that was a breakdown wrecker. I visited FWD factory in 1965 and 1973, lots of great memories of the FWD old-timers and the trucks they built.

In 1972-75 I lived in Colorado, the Colorado State Highway Department operated a mixed fleet of big plows and rotaries; FWD,Coleman,Oshkosh and a few old Marmon Herringtons,(and one Walter. On the Walter,they told me the gear would keep breaking inside the wheel when they went to buck the heavy drifts with the huge V plow that the Walter was equipped with.

The Colemans were built at Littleton and were equipped with 160, 185 and 220 Cummins. They were a stout truck. Many a night I followed them home in snowstorms.

Another interesting Colorado manufacturer was American Snowblast, they were a ribbon auger cutter design used to get through the mountain passes, and were also popular at airports. They were manufactured in the Denver area and had twin Cummins powerplants, some earlier models had mechanical drive systems,later models had hydrostatic drive.They were later purchased by Sicard of Watertown, New York.

I also remember the big FWD rotaries that CalTrans operated out of the Truckee, California barn. They were built in the late 1940's, but were still being operated into the 1970s. They had large ribbon augers and were equipped with V-12 Detroit diesels to get through the mighty Sierra snows. I am looking for any photos of FWD trucks for my photo collection, any and all help appreciated.

Randy Ledermann
Wichita, Kansas

Beth Edgman: Behind Bars for Good

Elizabth Edgman Sought by Police
Truckee, CA Placer County officials announced yesterday afternoon that they have issued a warrant for the arrest of Elizabeth Edgman, (aka, Big-Heart Elizabeth). As yet, police have not released the reason for the warrant, or the nature of the crime commited. Witnesses say good deeds may have been "Big Heart's" downfall.

Elizabeth Edgman is well known in the community, and as word of the impending arrest reached family and friends, all were quoted as saying they wanted to help with Edgman's bail. A court date had been set for Edgman on July 19th, 2000.

Edgman One of Many Elusive Criminals
In recent weeks, local police have been "cracking down" on Elusive criminals within the area. These people have been caught commiting such ruthless acts as helping the elderly across the street and being friendly to strangers.

"Elizabeth Edgman has been trying to get away all these good acts for years and years, it was just a matter of time before we closed in," said Cheri Downs, the FBI agent heading up the case.

Bail to Benefit MDA
In an unprecedented move, the FBI announced today that bail raised during the July raid on Washoe County's most notorious "do-gooders" will benefit the Muscular Dystrophy Association of Northern Nevada and Northeastern California.

Bail has been set at $1,000 per felon. When asked about the unusual arrangement, Director Mary Schwartzburg responded, "...these elusive criminals have spent years affecting the community. Why not create something positive by using the bail to help the families affected by neuromuscular disease. I srtongly suggest these felons begin raising their bail immediately!!! Perhaps the judge will be lenient, but I doubt it".

Fun aside
This is a fund raiser for the Muscular Dystrophy Association and does not represent felony behavior on the part of Beth Edgman. Please give if you can

Muscular Dystrophy Association
1280 Terminal Way #36
Reno, Nv. 89502
775 333 6789