GEM Staff
For anyone not familiar with this show, Granite State Gas &
Steam Engine Association bills it as the ‘Largest Show in New
England.’ 4,500 people attended their 29th annual event held in
Dublin this past September. There were 315 exhibitors showing off
395 gas engines, 112 tractors, 34 steam engines, 155 models, 76
other related engines, and 31 antique autos and trucks.
This was not the first time I’d visited this show while
vacationing in New England, but it had been several years. I
discovered the Frick Eclipse 8×10 traction engine that I had
photographed there in 1993 for the cover of the Steam & Gas
Show Directory had done some traveling, too. When I took that
picture, it was owned by Bruce Townsend. The engine has since
changed hands twice and is currently owned by Willard and Dave
Adams and displayed in my own backyard at Rough & Tumble. If
these engines could only talk, what interesting stories would
materialize.
A beautifully restored 2 HP New Holland engine was shown belted
to a feed mill. This engine had been used for belt work around the
farm, like corn shelling and water pumping. The New Holland feed
mill, built around 1910-1920, had been used to grind corn kernels
into smaller pieces for chickens and ducks. This duo belongs to Bob
Kubisch of Martinsville, New Jersey.
Below are two views of a 15 HP International-Harvester portable
engine owned by Robert P. Weis of Cricket Hill Farm, Dublin, New
Hampshire. This screen-cooled engine was manufactured in Milwaukee,
Wisconsin, in 1908. Robert’s engine was originally used in Ohio
for threshing and heavy belt work. It powered an oil well in Ohio
for fifteen years continuously.
If you haven’t had the chance, see the April 2001 GEM for an
article about Lisa and Dan Grenier’s collection of Wittes. I
had the opportunity to visit with Lisa, while admiring the 2, 3,
and 4 HP Witte engines the Greniers brought along for display.
An exhibit which I enjoyed immensely was William Ellis Sr. and
his son, Willie II from Farmingdale, Maine. The elder Ellis was
showing a 5 HP Type F Alpha DeLaval engine with a serial number of
25097. The brass tag showed the DeLaval Company of Peterboro,
Ontario, Canada, but the engine was made by John Lauson.
Greendale engine built by the Greendale Gas Engine Co., of
Worcester, Massachusetts. Bill Haxton of Oxford, Massachusetts is
the owner of this large engine.
Those engines built by the John Lauson Company were the best
known engines marketed by DeLaval. The Alpha engine line, along
with their cream separators were available shortly after WWI.
Ten-year old Willie was quite the charmer. He’s a fixture at
Dublin where he’s been attending regularly since he was a baby.
He enthusiastically demonstrated his DFC #1 rock crusher built by
the Denver Fire Clay Company of Denver, Colorado. The crusher is in
original condition. Willie hopes to eventually hook it up to a
motor. He also has a collection of 35 kick wheels, all different.
These were used to operate lathes, dentist drills, etc. Willie is
the future for the hobby. I can’t give the elder Ellis enough
credit for being such a good mentor to his sonit shows!
The next Granite State Gas & Steam Engine Association’s
Dublin Show will be held on September 8-9. The feature will be
Sandwich engines. For information contact Phil Barker at
603-495-3640.
