Now the facts in this case were as follows: The old check valve in place
of the one referred to had been one known as a stem valve, or floating
valve. This stem by some means, had broken off but it did not prevent
the valve from working. The stem, however, worked forward till it
reached the hot water check, and lodged under the valve, which prevented
this check from working and his pump refused to work, the engineer soon
found where the stem had broken off, and instead of looking for the
stem, sent to town for a new check, after putting this on the pump now
refused to work for two reasons. One was, he had not removed the broken
stem from the hot water check, and another was, that the new check was
in wrong end to. After wasting another hour or two he finally found
and-removed the stem from the hot water check, but his pump still
refused to work. And then as the boys say, "he laid down," and when I
called his attention to the new valve being in wrong, he was so
completely rattled that he made use of the above expression.

There are other causes that would prevent the pump working besides lack
of packing and obstructions under the valves. The valve may stick.
When it is raised to allow the water to flow through, it may stick in
the valve chamber and refuse to settle back in the seat. This may be
caused by a little rough place in the chamber, or a little projection on
the valve, and can generally be remedied by tapping the under side of
check with a wrench or hammer. Do not strike it so hard as to bruise
the check, but simply tap it. If this don't remedy the trouble, take
the valve out, bore a hole in a board about I/2 inch deep and large
enough to permit the valve to be turned. Drop a little emery dust in
this hole. If you haven't any emery dust, scrape some grit from a
common whetstone. If you have no whetstone, put some fine sand or
gritty soil in the hole, put the valve on top of it, put your brace on