Dear Ms. Fitzgerald:

Here's the entry from The Beaulieu Encyclopedia of the Automobile (Nick 
Georgano, ed.): "Burns Bros, Havre de Grace, Maryland, 1908-1912.  The 
Burns was a high-wheeler, and like many others was built by a former maker 
of carriages and buggies. In its original form it had a 16hp 2-cylinder 
air-cooled engine, friction transmission and double-chain drive. As well 
as the traditional open buggy, it could be had with a fully-enclosed 
Transformable Coupe body. An 18/20hp 4-cylinder engine was also available 
for 1910, but lasted only one year. Smaller wheels were used on the last 
models of 1912, in an attempt to get away from the buggy appearance, but 
cars were abandoned that year. Perhaps the problem was that Maryland was a 
long way from the traditional Mid-West market for high-wheelers."

I don't know where you could find one of the cars (if any exist), but you 
might find more information at the Detroit Public Library, the 
Philadelphia Free Library (both of which have outstanding automotive 
reference collections), the Henry Ford Museum or the Antique Automobile 
Club of America Library in Hershey, PA. Possibly one of them might even 
have a picture!

Best of luck to you!

Mary Catherine Bluder
America On Wheels, a museum of over-the-road transportation
Allentown, PA

On Fri, 2 Sep 2005 18:44:31 -0400, Rebecca Fitzgerald 
<[log in to unmask]> wrote:

>Hi Everyone!
>
>
>
>I'm searching for a needle in a haystack and would appreciate any help you
>can provide. I've just received the donation of possessions of a prominent
>19th century citizen of Havre de Grace, Maryland. Jonathan Isaac Burns
>(known as Isaac Burns) was a carriage maker who also built a very early
>automobile. <snip> And of course, I'd really appreciate a photo of the 
automobile he
>built.
>
>
>
>>snip<
>If any of you have any leads on Isaac Burns or his carriages, automobile 
or
>block making machinery, please let me know off list. I will be eternally
>grateful!
>
>
>
>Becky Fitzgerald
>
>Executive Director
>
>Susquehanna Museum
>
>
>
>
>
>
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