Emigration and Life in Ohio
not ours, not us, but almost identical
On the first day of work at Wean Engineering, which was exceptionally cold by English standards, I had a great deal of difficulty starting our newly acquired, lime green Mustang convertible with 302 cubic inch, 4-barrel carb and automatic choke. I must have been assisted by a neighbor as the car finally started and I did manage to get to the office more or less on time to sign on with the company that was to be my employer for the next nineteen years.
Having signed on as an employee, introduced to the senior executives, many of whom I had met in South Wales, my new boss, one Robert J. “Bob” Erskine Sr introduced me to my new ‘father’ Irving M. Pitchford–otherwise known as Red. Red was entitled Senior Application Engineer. He had arrived at Wean after a horrendous mistake by others caused him to lose both legs while working at US Steel’s Gary Works. Red was an electrical engineer and over his years with Wean he became the father to all newly hired, wet behind the ears, young engineers who joined the company. I shared an office with the other current protege. The function of an application engineer was to serve as the technical interface with the electrical supplier and with the customer’s technical staff. The sales engineer was responsible for all commercial matters with the customer. The application engineer acted as the project engineer until commissioning of the equipment in the customer’s facility.
The application engineer created the motor list–the bible on which the electrical supplier developed the electric motor drives and automation system. It was supplemented by diagrams to illustrate precisely how some of the more intricate mechanical functions should be interlocked for example: the elevator door should not open when the elevator is not stopped and at a floor. In those ancient days this interlocking was accomplished using things called relays; things that I had never heard of before despite my ‘brilliant’ education… it doesn't matter how they work since they have long since been replaced by digital control.
At this time a company called Digital Equipment Corporation was developing computers that could operate in real time, meaning they could be fed with data continuously and produce results continuously as opposed to the IBM type of computer which received a batch of data from magnetic tape or punched cards, processed the data and produced the results as a batch. A somewhat related development was underway to produce something called a programable logic controller–PLC for short, but this was a few years away in 1968.
Having signed on as an employee, introduced to the senior executives, many of whom I had met in South Wales, my new boss, one Robert J. “Bob” Erskine Sr introduced me to my new ‘father’ Irving M. Pitchford–otherwise known as Red. Red was entitled Senior Application Engineer. He had arrived at Wean after a horrendous mistake by others caused him to lose both legs while working at US Steel’s Gary Works. Red was an electrical engineer and over his years with Wean he became the father to all newly hired, wet behind the ears, young engineers who joined the company. I shared an office with the other current protege. The function of an application engineer was to serve as the technical interface with the electrical supplier and with the customer’s technical staff. The sales engineer was responsible for all commercial matters with the customer. The application engineer acted as the project engineer until commissioning of the equipment in the customer’s facility.
The application engineer created the motor list–the bible on which the electrical supplier developed the electric motor drives and automation system. It was supplemented by diagrams to illustrate precisely how some of the more intricate mechanical functions should be interlocked for example: the elevator door should not open when the elevator is not stopped and at a floor. In those ancient days this interlocking was accomplished using things called relays; things that I had never heard of before despite my ‘brilliant’ education… it doesn't matter how they work since they have long since been replaced by digital control.
At this time a company called Digital Equipment Corporation was developing computers that could operate in real time, meaning they could be fed with data continuously and produce results continuously as opposed to the IBM type of computer which received a batch of data from magnetic tape or punched cards, processed the data and produced the results as a batch. A somewhat related development was underway to produce something called a programable logic controller–PLC for short, but this was a few years away in 1968.
A simple ladder diagram
Back to Red. He taught me how a relay worked and showed me how to consider how a complex piece of mechanical equipment must be interlocked to prevent it from destroying either itself or the material it was supposed to be processing. I took to this as a duck takes to water. I found it fascinating and became very proficient at developing the so-called relay logic diagrams for the electrical company and identifying where sensors should be located to detect position, temperature, speed, etc. I became extremely geeky in that I learned that something called Boolean algebra or logic could be used to illustrate the same requirements as a relay diagram and taught myself how to do this, even sending my Boolean solutions to the electric supplier instead of the diagrams. Red taught me many important and fascinating things just in the nick of time.
Wean had just received an important order from Weirton Steel and Red was assigned as Application Engineer. General Electric, as usual, was the electrical supplier. Jim Remley was GE’s project manager–another legendary character and probably the most senior and experienced of such people at GE with years of experience. Judd Martt was the Vice President of Engineering at Weirton–a highly respected and formidable character. Dominic Pengidore a terrifying Chief Engineer who ‘ate young engineers for breakfast’. A man of Red’s character was essential to deal with such a large, complex and critical project. I was Red’s assistant application engineer, fully under his direction.
After the first week or so of the project, while we were preparing for the initial meeting between Weirton, GE and ourselves, Red had to undergo a triple by-pass for an aortic aneurism. I was concerned only for Red’s well being and assumed that another senior application engineer from Wean would be assigned to fill in for Red while he recuperated. Bob Erskine came to my office one morning and told me that I was going to take over the project for Red. This was the most ridiculous idea I had ever heard and, apart from my English reserve, I might have laughed out loud. Unfortunately Erskine was serious. After many protestations Erskine yielded slightly and assigned Bill Semenik, a senior application engineer, to accompany me to the kick-off meeting. Fine I thought, until Bill made it clear that I was to do all the talking and he would do none. Thrown deep into the deep end. Anyway, Erskine’s gamble that I could rise to the occasion turned out to be correct and I started to swim. Stupidly I got into a deep technical argument with Remley, who was extremely opposed to something I had calculated; finally he had to accept that what I had ‘proved’ was correct and I prevailed.
The project proceeded and concluded without a hitch. Red recovered and I continued as his student for another year or so. I was assigned to a developmental project for Alcan in Oswego, NY, which was great fun except at the point of equipment installation I was supposed to be the one who set the equipment on its foundations and aligned it. There was little chance of my doing this correctly so someone capable was brought in for that purpose. As we were getting the equipment into running order, I tracked down a valve which was not working properly. I unscrewed the cover, discovered that the genius electrician who had installed it had stuffed so much extra cable under the cover that the solenoid couldn’t move. Fine, I thought, next morning we’ll get the genius to fix it. Next morning, within seconds of my arrival, I was hauled off to the plant manager’s office for a significant, although I suspected, somewhat tongue in cheek dressing down for being the cause of a union grievance. Did I want the whole plant to be struck, etc? Some lovely person had reported me for using a screwdriver to remove and replace the four screws in that solenoid valve cover. I had taken work and money away from the brothers. This was my introduction to reality, absurd as it is and as damaging as it has been to industry. Anyway, the project started up, was successful, was operated at twice the design speed by Alcan, against my protestations and that job was done.
I was completely happy working as an application engineer with Red, but this did not last for much longer. I had unknowingly become a pawn in some struggle between Bob Ersline and a fellow I had known for many years before in South Wales, Al Geiszler. Al worked in the International Sales Department and felt I should work for him. So I was transferred and assigned a new office in Austintown, near Youngstown. Wean had merged with McKay Machine Company and had become Wean Industries; later it was to ‘rescue’ United Engineering and Foundry Company, from a hostile takeover to form Wean United Inc.
UEFCo was still headed by Geoff Beard who had cared for me on my arrival in Pittsburgh in 1965. I had been severely embarrassed several months before the United merger by being summoned from my comfortable second floor office to the First Floor, where the 'gods' lived. The Weans lived there along with the other seniors. I had been there once in 1965 and had no subsequent need or desire to be there. Naturally, when the summons came over the paging system for ‘Ascough please come to Mr. Wean’s office’ every one in the building heard and wondered what I had done to deserve this honor or terror. It turned out that Geoff Beard had asked to see me, just to say Hi! Mr. Beard was accompanied by one Jeremy Thomas a relatively young ex-patriate Englishman, who was working his way up United. I survived the encounter, but it severely damaged my desired obscure tranquillity.
Taking up my new station in Austintown, I had been introduced to the executives there and the corporate executives who, along with Jack Wean Jr, now the President and CEO of the whole Wean United enterprise, had taken up residence in the Gateway II Tower in Pittsburgh–a location neutral to Wean, McKay and United. Among these was John Upton Jr., the head of International Sales and Geiszler’s boss; I liked John and needed his help in the future.
Wean had just received an important order from Weirton Steel and Red was assigned as Application Engineer. General Electric, as usual, was the electrical supplier. Jim Remley was GE’s project manager–another legendary character and probably the most senior and experienced of such people at GE with years of experience. Judd Martt was the Vice President of Engineering at Weirton–a highly respected and formidable character. Dominic Pengidore a terrifying Chief Engineer who ‘ate young engineers for breakfast’. A man of Red’s character was essential to deal with such a large, complex and critical project. I was Red’s assistant application engineer, fully under his direction.
After the first week or so of the project, while we were preparing for the initial meeting between Weirton, GE and ourselves, Red had to undergo a triple by-pass for an aortic aneurism. I was concerned only for Red’s well being and assumed that another senior application engineer from Wean would be assigned to fill in for Red while he recuperated. Bob Erskine came to my office one morning and told me that I was going to take over the project for Red. This was the most ridiculous idea I had ever heard and, apart from my English reserve, I might have laughed out loud. Unfortunately Erskine was serious. After many protestations Erskine yielded slightly and assigned Bill Semenik, a senior application engineer, to accompany me to the kick-off meeting. Fine I thought, until Bill made it clear that I was to do all the talking and he would do none. Thrown deep into the deep end. Anyway, Erskine’s gamble that I could rise to the occasion turned out to be correct and I started to swim. Stupidly I got into a deep technical argument with Remley, who was extremely opposed to something I had calculated; finally he had to accept that what I had ‘proved’ was correct and I prevailed.
The project proceeded and concluded without a hitch. Red recovered and I continued as his student for another year or so. I was assigned to a developmental project for Alcan in Oswego, NY, which was great fun except at the point of equipment installation I was supposed to be the one who set the equipment on its foundations and aligned it. There was little chance of my doing this correctly so someone capable was brought in for that purpose. As we were getting the equipment into running order, I tracked down a valve which was not working properly. I unscrewed the cover, discovered that the genius electrician who had installed it had stuffed so much extra cable under the cover that the solenoid couldn’t move. Fine, I thought, next morning we’ll get the genius to fix it. Next morning, within seconds of my arrival, I was hauled off to the plant manager’s office for a significant, although I suspected, somewhat tongue in cheek dressing down for being the cause of a union grievance. Did I want the whole plant to be struck, etc? Some lovely person had reported me for using a screwdriver to remove and replace the four screws in that solenoid valve cover. I had taken work and money away from the brothers. This was my introduction to reality, absurd as it is and as damaging as it has been to industry. Anyway, the project started up, was successful, was operated at twice the design speed by Alcan, against my protestations and that job was done.
I was completely happy working as an application engineer with Red, but this did not last for much longer. I had unknowingly become a pawn in some struggle between Bob Ersline and a fellow I had known for many years before in South Wales, Al Geiszler. Al worked in the International Sales Department and felt I should work for him. So I was transferred and assigned a new office in Austintown, near Youngstown. Wean had merged with McKay Machine Company and had become Wean Industries; later it was to ‘rescue’ United Engineering and Foundry Company, from a hostile takeover to form Wean United Inc.
UEFCo was still headed by Geoff Beard who had cared for me on my arrival in Pittsburgh in 1965. I had been severely embarrassed several months before the United merger by being summoned from my comfortable second floor office to the First Floor, where the 'gods' lived. The Weans lived there along with the other seniors. I had been there once in 1965 and had no subsequent need or desire to be there. Naturally, when the summons came over the paging system for ‘Ascough please come to Mr. Wean’s office’ every one in the building heard and wondered what I had done to deserve this honor or terror. It turned out that Geoff Beard had asked to see me, just to say Hi! Mr. Beard was accompanied by one Jeremy Thomas a relatively young ex-patriate Englishman, who was working his way up United. I survived the encounter, but it severely damaged my desired obscure tranquillity.
Taking up my new station in Austintown, I had been introduced to the executives there and the corporate executives who, along with Jack Wean Jr, now the President and CEO of the whole Wean United enterprise, had taken up residence in the Gateway II Tower in Pittsburgh–a location neutral to Wean, McKay and United. Among these was John Upton Jr., the head of International Sales and Geiszler’s boss; I liked John and needed his help in the future.
Touring Xochimilco Gardens, Mexico, DF
In 1970, being expendable, I was sent to Bogota to deliver a proposal to a Columbian steel company and thereafter was to drop in to see a tinplate producing company in Medellin—long before that city became notorious for other commodities. The airport in Medellin was one of the world's more exciting aircraft approaches—imagine landing in the bottom of a teacup with the side of the cup several thousand feet above the bottom.
In 1971 I was assigned to go to Monclova, Mexico—my first visit to Mexico—to meet with the steel company there. After our meetings, my colleague from Wean, Bobby Jones and I decided to head down to Mexico City to see the sights, take in a bull fight and take a tour through the Xochimilco Gardens. Unfortunately, I had been over enthusiastic in partaking of some of the excellent food served at the Chula Vista Hotel, Monclova’s finest! I needed some serious plugging by the time we reached the hotel. Bob found a pharmacy and I bought some Mexaform, which solved my problem quite effectively; it was only years later that I read the small print and discovered that a significant number of users had been permanently blinded after taking Mexaform. End of Mexaform. The bull fight: first and last; brutal and devoid of any pleasure for me.
Meanwhile Geiszler was in Venezuela negotiating a large contract. He had been there before I moved to International; he flew in very rarely for a day or so but never had time to see me or establish some duties. Jay Wardle, the President of the former McKay Machine Company walked passed my cubicle every morning with his cheerful greeting ‘Any new orders today, Keith?’. Since I never went anywhere, it was not clear how this could ever be the case. After several months of reading magazines, hearing Jay Wardle’s morning question and not meeting with Geiszler, I had to do something. About that time John Upton walked in and I requested time to meet with him. I told him that it was very stupid to allow me to waste time reading magazines and that if the company couldn’t find anything better for me to do, I was going to look elsewhere.
Some weeks after that Upton called me to come down to Pittsburgh to meet him that day. I arrived and was greeted by Jack Wean and the seniors as if I was important. Would I be able to stay for lunch, asked Jack? For the balance of the morning I amused myself doing nothing, as usual, strolled over to the Duquense Club with the other corporate executives, had a pre-prandial drink or two, was seated at the right hand of Jack Wean, in the honor position, engaged in friendly chit-chat, ate and was requested by Mr. Wean to walk back to the office afterwards with Jerry Scherer. Jerry had been moved down from Wean United Canada to head up the group’s sales and engineering. While Jerry was shopping for shirts he asked me if I would like to become the new Sales Manager in Cambridge, Ontario to take over his sales duties there. Moving to Canada would require some spousal agreement, which allowed me, after a few days, to confirm my acceptance of the job. Some of our best customers were in Canada and it was a great opportunity for a 28 year old lad.
In 1971 I was assigned to go to Monclova, Mexico—my first visit to Mexico—to meet with the steel company there. After our meetings, my colleague from Wean, Bobby Jones and I decided to head down to Mexico City to see the sights, take in a bull fight and take a tour through the Xochimilco Gardens. Unfortunately, I had been over enthusiastic in partaking of some of the excellent food served at the Chula Vista Hotel, Monclova’s finest! I needed some serious plugging by the time we reached the hotel. Bob found a pharmacy and I bought some Mexaform, which solved my problem quite effectively; it was only years later that I read the small print and discovered that a significant number of users had been permanently blinded after taking Mexaform. End of Mexaform. The bull fight: first and last; brutal and devoid of any pleasure for me.
Meanwhile Geiszler was in Venezuela negotiating a large contract. He had been there before I moved to International; he flew in very rarely for a day or so but never had time to see me or establish some duties. Jay Wardle, the President of the former McKay Machine Company walked passed my cubicle every morning with his cheerful greeting ‘Any new orders today, Keith?’. Since I never went anywhere, it was not clear how this could ever be the case. After several months of reading magazines, hearing Jay Wardle’s morning question and not meeting with Geiszler, I had to do something. About that time John Upton walked in and I requested time to meet with him. I told him that it was very stupid to allow me to waste time reading magazines and that if the company couldn’t find anything better for me to do, I was going to look elsewhere.
Some weeks after that Upton called me to come down to Pittsburgh to meet him that day. I arrived and was greeted by Jack Wean and the seniors as if I was important. Would I be able to stay for lunch, asked Jack? For the balance of the morning I amused myself doing nothing, as usual, strolled over to the Duquense Club with the other corporate executives, had a pre-prandial drink or two, was seated at the right hand of Jack Wean, in the honor position, engaged in friendly chit-chat, ate and was requested by Mr. Wean to walk back to the office afterwards with Jerry Scherer. Jerry had been moved down from Wean United Canada to head up the group’s sales and engineering. While Jerry was shopping for shirts he asked me if I would like to become the new Sales Manager in Cambridge, Ontario to take over his sales duties there. Moving to Canada would require some spousal agreement, which allowed me, after a few days, to confirm my acceptance of the job. Some of our best customers were in Canada and it was a great opportunity for a 28 year old lad.