Nat’l. V.P. RR 2, Box 143, Leaven worth, Kansas 66048.
Hello Everyone in Engine Land!
Well, back again and back home again from a bang up National Show, put on by Don Esch and all of Branch No. 10, EDGE&TA.
They sure showed us a good time with Helen and Brig into it also, showing us around where J.I. Case made some mighty large tracks around the turn of the century at Racine.
We had light rain off and on Friday while we were on the Case tour, but it never gave us a problem.
Our host, No. 10, gave the National officers honorary memberships, for which we thank them. The park was just right for a show. I think they had so many cars it gave them a bit of a problem finding a place for them. We were lucky all three days, just down five or six cars on the first row; on the last day, a car had just pulled out as we were coming in, and we could pull right in.
I never saw such a collection of models in all my travels to shows. That little four foot tractor with that little spreader in tow, all out of wood, was something to see. It was a work of art! I don’t know who made it.
I would feel safe in saying there were 250 tractors by Sunday, and at least 10 engines large and small. The largest engine was an 80 Case powering the sawmill. It put out some of the nicest lumber I had ever seen and I have sawed a lot of it. I have always contended when a person wants a 2×4 he wants a 2×4 not a wedge that I have seen some sawmills put out. Of course, that was the sawyer’s fault. The man running the 20×40 Case told me he was going to put it on the mill. I wanted to see that old boy pull that mill, as he had it running like new. I met collectors of all kinds; one man had almost every model of Cat crawler they made.
Another thing that caught my eye was the three little Massey Harris ponies starting off the tractor line. Standing there, so proud looking, like they just came out of the showroom.
When we arrived at our motel, Knights Inn, the first persons we saw were Brig and Helen. When we got to our room the National president was two doors left of us and the president of #17 was across the street, and the president of #11 was right beside him. All in all, they said at the motel office there were 87 EDGE&TA members in that motel.
Now to the meeting. They had a nice hall which was full and running outside. Jack started off with introductions and I followed with a prayer. Then we opened for election of officers about then, first nominations for president. I believe it was Ivan Baxter from #2 who got up and made a short speech and everyone decided we were not to go anywhere, we were to stay where we were. So we just got down to business as usual.
We made some changes that I think were needed to give the small branches as much voice as the large ones, as we had had some experience with this before. As you know it takes the small ones to make big ones.
This new law takes effect August 1,1990. The law is one vote per branch. A nominating committee of three will pick the candidates. This committee will consist of the next three branch presidents in numerical order following the last hosting branch. The host being Branch #10, committee will be #11, #12, and #13. President of the next hosting branch will be chairman. Names of the candidates are to be furnished to the National, not later than 120 days before the next National meeting.
The National will then furnish the names to the branches so that they can direct their representatives how to vote. Branches that cannot attend the meeting can send in their proxy vote. Nominations may also be made from the floor at the meeting. This change gives each branch an equal voice in voting.
The presidents of the nominating committee are: Chairman Lloyd Moore, President of Branch #11, 1125 North C, Wellington, Kansas 67152; Paul Halm, President of Branch #12, Box 772, Glendale, Washington 98620; Jerry Virtue, President of Branch #13,12001 Arno Rd., Gait, California 95632.
Well, I just thought of what one member said to me when I told him of picking up a smoke stack for my Huber. He said he just had parts for an engine come in from California. He added: ‘Boy, Del, this is sure a great bunch of members!’ And I surely agree with him.
So long for this time. See you at the shows!
