Mianus Motor Works, Mianus, Connecticut

I received the following email in April from Dale Bennett in Virginia:	I found this on a beach in Virginia. It is very near a harbor that alot of oysterman and crabbers use. This is the data plate from a Mianus Engine Works 20 Hp motor. You may use this picture with all priveleges. If this is of significance let me know. The part of the engine is still on the beach. Dale Bennett and later: The motor most resembles the motor of the one on the book page labeled 323. The part that was their appears to be a cylinder. There was not that I could see a flywheel. I don't know what all was there but it looked like the main part of the motor. I am sending you attached a map of where it is. I will go back soon and try to get a picture of the whole thing. I took only the pic of label for research reasons. I had no idea what I was looking at. I would love for you to stop down if you come this way and we could go see it. This most recently was exposed about 1 -2 years ago by a storm that uncovered this area. It had been covered by sand. This picture I am sending is from the terraserver.
The nameplate: Mianus Motor Works Stamford, CT 20475 20HP	The site of the engine and a wreck of a vessel.	Here is the treasure map!
A very interesting discovery, and I thank Dale for sharing it with us. Does anyone know the likely year of the engine? The tag says Stamford, CT. I think the early tags say Mianus, CT. Maybe someone in the Virginia are could go and look at it with Dale. Is the engine worth moving? Should the tag be removed? I hate to take a tag off an engine.... but maybe in this case it is just a matter of time until someone does... If he sends a close up picture of the engine I will post it.
Posted September 2001: Here are some thumbnail pictures of a Mianus engine owned by Tom Stranko. He has some questions about it that maybe someone here can help him with...: "The engine appears to be the make & break style but it has an unusual HT ignition. I have seen lots of cobbed together HT ignitions on M&B engines and this does not look like the case. Pictures attached (below). All the parts are very well made and the sector advance unit is sheet steel and weld fabricated in a way that only jigs and special welders could do. There is a brass cut "worm" gear that changes the timing of the spark (it causes a contact to be raised or lowered) and utilizes the original square section rod (with an added insulated contact) and apparently has a replacement casting (instead of the M&B unit) threaded for a spark plug. It all works very well. I was wondering if anyone had ever seen a Mianus with this style HV ignition or if anyone had a Mianus catalog with illustrations of such an ignition (optional??)" Tom Stranko Click on the photos to see enlarged view.

Mianus Motor Works - Mianus, Connecticut
Early advertising flyer for a Mianus engine, probably 1899 to 1905.	Photo and descriptive text of a Mianus engine from Garnder Hiscox's book GAS, GASOLINE, AND OIL ENGINES. Fifteenth edition, 1906. Submitted by Richard Durgee.	Mianus make'n'break ignitor information, ca 1919. submitted by Richard Day.