Ball Rd., Marion, New York 14505
‘It was our hottest show yet.’ This can be taken two ways, although it’s best applied to Sunday’s weather when the temperature reached 112 degrees according to some campers who had stayed the weekend. We all hoped the rain would hold off, but this?
It was our hottest show in numbers of exhibitors. There were no spaces along the roadway and the area beyond was also filled. We had 221 running engines, 35 tractors, 51 pieces of allied equipment, 65 assorted models, 52 antiques, 4 trucks, 4 steamers, and several antique cars.
As I surveyed the many exhibits, I could not help but be impressed with the superior quality of workmanship that went into this year’s equipment. These exhibitors have a right to be proud of their work.
Upon entering the front gate, the first thing that struck me was Dave Shearns’ Oil Pulls. He has all the sizes of the solid flywheel type. They were standing side by side in stair step formation. Dave has worked hard on these tractors and it shows.
Next to the pond, Howard Sheer had his usual informative and unique display. This year he had his S. W. Wood port able steamer, a Rider Ericson Hot Air pumping engine and other pieces on display. Howard uses printed information on his exhibit. This is a worthwhile effort that more of us should do. The public would be more interested in these exhibits if they knew some of the finer points and it saves verbal explanation to the curious.
Across the way, Milt Skinner had his big General Electric engine running. He now has it mounted on a truck chassis which is the easiest way to haul an engine this large.
The sawmill was kept busy by Dolly Salerno’s 1934 ‘L’ Case and Dave Shearns’ 30-60 oil pull. The boys on the mill were pretty tired from all of the work and the unbearable heat but a lot of lumber was sawed and some questions about the power plants were answered.
John Ritter from Boiling Springs, Pennsylvania, had his York tractor on display. This is a novel piece that was factory built in 1915. It is a vintage mini-tractor rated at 1? horsepower.
There was a display of antique trucks by Grover Swank of Marion, New York, including a Republic and a chain drive Mack among others. All ran excellently.
Clarence Stillson took charge of the model tent which this year was incorporated with antiques. There were several miniature engines that actually ran under their own power with style and characteristics of the full sized engines they represented.
Howard Wakeman had a 70 year old Kelsey printing press in a corner of the model tent and was printing souvenir calendars for those that passed by. Flea markets were also located in the tent as well as George Petty’s usual market across the way.
Shingle making and sawing were of interest at the very successful and friendly Show on the Eastern Shore of Maryland, August, 1970.
Mr. Schaefer’s very miniature gasoline engine was proudly displayed alongside his small model York Gasoline engine. Both are a great credit to the patience and skill of the maker and delighted many people at numerous 1970 Mid-Atlantic Shows.
Roland Reigle was our Master of Ceremonies again this year. As usual an excellent job was done both as announcer and as auctioneer. We made about $200.00 this year from an assortment of donated items. A special thanks to those who had items to donate.
The mini-tractor pull was held Saturday evening at 6:00 P.M. The later time of day took the rush out of the after noon schedule. More people could en joy the pull. Ray Gysel won the 300-600lb. class pulling 900 lbs. Morris Van De Walle took the 601-850 lb. class pulling 1600 lbs. Al Raton walked away with the 851-1100 lb. class pulling 2000 lbs. Rod Bush took top honors in the 1101-1400 lb. class pulling 2600 lbs.
Mary Johnson, Dorothy Smith, Clare Luteyn, Laura Reigle and many of the other women were kept busy at the Headquarters tent and on the gate during the show. A job well done.
Dave Shearns had his 20-35 oil pull on Abe Johnsons Case Separator. Frank Orbaker puts in wheat every year and was lucky enough to get it cut and off for the show in between the rains this year.
One very unusual engine was a 2 cylinder opposed New Way owned by Ron Rolfe of Schoharie, New York. The engine was originally used on an oil barge on the Barge Canal to pump oil. It is a hit & miss with two buzz coils, one for each cylinder, air-cooled by two fans, runs at 450 RPM and was manufactured at Lansing, Michigan around 1912.
There was a display of gas lights in this area. Dick Wood and family had an exhibition of antique washing, corn shelling and grinding.
Directly across from the Woods display was Hines & Cooks 6 horsepower Foos running quietly at 320 RPM. There was a piggy back display of Witte engines near here. Todd Rolfe had a 12 horsepower on trucks and Charles Dygert had a 2 horsepower on the back.
Some unfamiliar names that I ran across were Gamo, Murry & Tregereha, London, Caille, Bully-eye and Wood pecker.
Wolseley 2 hp. built Birmingham during the 1930’s. Originally used to drive sheep shearing machinery. Owned by Mrs. M. E. Pilcher, Ryem, Sussex.
Picture taken by Denis at a typical English Antique Steam and Gas Engine Show in England.
Austin, built 1918 at Birmingham. Twin cylinder engine originally part of an Austin-Light plant. Built as lighting sets during the first world war, now very rare. Owned by Messrs. R. Tryhorn and K. Maynard, Bury, Sussex.
Associated 2? hp. built Iowa 1918. Petrol/paraffin, low tension ignition. Carries the nameplate of a Cheltenham dealer. Owned by Richard Peskett, Gray-shott, Hinkhead, Surrey.
Picture taken by Denis at the England Show this past summer.
Jay Hill from Montrose, Pennsylvania, brought up his magnificent yoke of oxen. They spent the weekend roaming the grounds pulling a covered wagon load of youngsters of all ages. A good time was had by young and old.
Richard Snyder from Covington, Pennsylvania, had his 5-10 horsepower, 1912 Avery here also. This is a one of a kind machine. Ted McCauIey had a Rome road grader running. This ma chine was built around the 10-20 McCormick-Deering chassis.
The firemen and the Ladies Auxiliary are to be commended for their efforts in the preparation of the grounds. They supplied us with the sound system. Their hot dog concession was a bee-hive of activity. On Sunday they also held a chicken bar-be-que. Hank Kotvis and some of the firemen got together and baled up the straw. Alan Bushmann supplied the power to the Case baler with a 10-20 Titan.
As you came down the fairway, you couldn’t help but notice the many out of state exhibitors. There were several fellows from Canada this year. Jeff Kline brought a trailer load of beautifully restored engines. He was helped by Pete Storm, also of Canada who had a fabulous 1 horsepower Lazier. The boys north of the border do an out standing job of restoration and are to be commended for their workmanship and distance they travel to get to our show. Their show up in Milton, Ontario, Canada, is a highlight in antique engine shows.
There were also exhibitors from Ohio and Pennsylvania. The boys from Tioga are our close allies.
The exhibitors from the Hudson-Mohawk and the Central New York Chapters of the Pioneer Gas Engine Association are not to be slighted for fortitude either. It takes a lot of work from everyone to put on a good show.
I don’t want anyone to feel slighted because I forgot to mention them in this article as I am writing this from memory. I hope to make up for some oversights by sending in pictures and stories to Gas Engine Magazine.
East Coast enthusiasts were given a special treat by a visitor from Illinois, Mr. Frank Warner of the Early Days Gas Engine and Tractor Association, Genesco, Illinois, who brought along a number of excellent small working models of internal combustion engines.
A fantastic Three Cylinder Monster, that originally powered a tug boat and later operated a bridge was brought in pieces to the Club’s premises at Kinzers 1965. After many hours of loving labor by the Rough and Tumble members, it was running again at their August 1970 Show.
I have seen a number of pictures of cream separator engines in various collections, but don’t recall one of the complete machine, so here are two shots of an Automatic Cream Separator taken at the Justin Hingtgen show in 1969. The owner’s name was not on the machine. These machines were built according to my information by the Standard Separator Company of Milwaukee, Wisconsin.