Fritz-Rumer-Cooke
Equipment From the Past
When the Fritz-Rumer-Cooke Company started in 1879 the tools of the trade were picks, shovels and wheelbarrows. To move dirt there were horse teams pulling carts. To lift heavy objects the block & tackle, levers and small portable steam engines. (See
F-R-C Quarry for examples.) And always lots of very strong men working hard.
Over the years the tools evolved. Here are a couple F-R-C machines and examples of projects undertaken in the Columbus area.
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A Marion Steam Shovel Company, Type 7 Power Shovel working on an unknown project. There were 247 Type 7 Power Shovels produced between 1926 and 1929 in Marion Ohio. Before 1927 the Type 7 was powered by steam. The shovel had a capacity of one square yard. Photo from the Fritz-Rumer-Cooke Collection.
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The F-R-C Company was a contractor on the Route 161 underpass project in 1930. Located on the east side of Worthington, Ohio the project involved building three bridges and moving lots of dirt. In this photo the project is complete with the F-R-C Type 7 Shovel waiting to be transported to the next project. Photo from the Donald A. Kaiser Collection.
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The F-R-C was one of several contractors working on the construction of the C&O Northern Railroad between Greggs, Ohio and Parsons Yard. In this photo a fill is being constructed near Hopetown. This may or may not have been part of F-R-C’s section, but it illustrates the 1930 technique for constructing an elevated section of railroad. Photo from the Edward H. Miller Collection.
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This F-R-C steam powered crane is at the end of its useful life. It was stored on the F-R-C property in south Columbus waiting disposal when this photo was taken. It was scrapped many years ago. Long time employees can remember it being powered with compressed air as well as steam. Photo from the Fritz-Rumer-Cooke Collection.