[Amps] 8877 Based Amplifier Problem

[Mel]

Recently, I was presented with the opportunity to repair a "garden-variety" 8877 mono band amplifier; there was nothing remarkable about this amplifier, it has 3200 volts on the plate, a 25 ohm @ 20 watt glitch resistor, a 1N3311B Zener Diode (12 volts @ 50 watt) in the cathode return and, B- was above ground by some amount of ohms. I am familiar with this particular amplifier as, I repaired it last 3 years ago.
 
When it came in, the first sign of trouble was the vaporized/smoked resistor (what ever value it was) between B- and chassis ground which, pointed to excessive grid current in the 8877 tube circuit. I did a visual inspection and, checked the bias diode which, showed good.
 
In an effort to get this thing under control, I installed fuse blocks in the cathode return circuit and also in the grid return circuit so, I have a 1.0 amp slo-blo fuse in the cathode return (shunted by 30 k resistor) and, a 250 millamp fuse between the 1 ohm resistor connecting B- to chassis ground.
 
With me so far? It's test time, I pull B+ off of the tube and hit the foot switch and B+ comes up like normal (B+ is off until footswitch closes contactor controlling primary winding) with, no fuses blowing.
 
Test #2, hook up the tube and with ammeter in line, key the amplifier to check idle current. Grid fuse blows, Oooooh-Kay!
 
Test #3 with Grid circuit open, I check current in cathode circuit and, I am running over 1 amp current and there is no fuse in the circuit between B- and chassis ground. 
So, I go back to your "garden variety mono band operator" and tells him that he need a tube and, he give me one that he says was "weak" but "still good". Just for "drill", I replaced the zener diode with a brand new one, just in case(?).
 
Sanity check time, I am getting the same results with a different tube so either the second tube is also bad or, I am missing something.
 
Mel.