Calling all Internationals

By Staff
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Exhibitor Ernest Henry, Hamburg, Pa., sets to oiling his engines before starting the day's run.
Exhibitor Ernest Henry, Hamburg, Pa., sets to oiling his engines before starting the day's run.
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Robert Smith, Schnecksville, Pa., brought a trailer full of vintage mowers and gas engines. Note the rare Deyo engine at front right.
Robert Smith, Schnecksville, Pa., brought a trailer full of vintage mowers and gas engines. Note the rare Deyo engine at front right.
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Kevin Berger (back to camera) talks with an attendee about restoration work done on the museum's 40 HP Bessemer.
Kevin Berger (back to camera) talks with an attendee about restoration work done on the museum's 40 HP Bessemer.
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Ron Wildermuth's extensively reworked Ford Model A conversion tractor.
Ron Wildermuth's extensively reworked Ford Model A conversion tractor.

The Schuylkill County Agriculture Museum hosted its first
tractor and gas engine show Oct. 6-7, 2001. The show was held in
conjunction with the Schuylkill County Fall Festival at the
Schuylkill County Fairgrounds, two miles east of Summit Station,
Pa.

The Fall Festival, an annual event for the past few years,
always had a few tractors and engines displayed by local
enthusiasts, but last fall museum members decided to take a more
active role in the celebration, partnering with the fair
association to start up the new show.

When Saturday morning dawned we had about 20 tractors in the
display area, most of which participated in an afternoon parade
through the fairgrounds.

Included among the assortment of Farmalls, John Deere and other
machines was an unusual home-built unit that started out as a Model
A Ford tractor conversion. The old Model A had been modified so
many times over the years that very little of the original unit
remained. Nonetheless, Ron Wildermuth, who found and dragged the
Ford’s carcass out of the woods, managed to restore it to
running condition.

Another 30 tractors arrived throughout the morning for the
antique tractor pull, which was delayed for a couple of hours after
some morning rains. After a little bit of surface preparation, how
ever, the track was in excellent condition and for the next few
hours the pulling track was the main focus of attention.

We had about 50 large engines on display, as well as a working
exhibit of model engines. Robert Smith, Schnecksville, Pa., arrived
with a collection of antique lawn mowers and gas engines mounted on
his trailer, including an unusual Deyo engine from the 1912 era.
Deyos have a peculiar valve arrangement whereby a long rocker arm
coming directly off the cam gear actuates the exhaust valve. This
engine was in wonderful original condition, running beautifully
throughout the show.

Ernest Henry from nearby Hamburg, Pa., brought a half-dozen
nicely restored engines, including an Associated Chore Boy belted
to a reciprocating hacksaw, which he used to demonstrate how these
old machines could earn their keep. Bob Kubisch of Martinsville,
N.J., showed up with four engines and had two of them at work on a
washing machine and a butter churn. On the model side, Henry Turbo
and Harold Berkheiser had a group of beautifully crafted models
demonstrating how old gas engines had been put to use in days past.
Their model hay baler was kept busy all weekend making miniature
bales for souvenirs.

The featured engine on our first show pin was the Bessemer, a
Pennsylvania-built engine. Our club has a 40 HP Bessemer donated in
memory of Robert Obenreder by his family. This engine was removed
from a roller mill in Fryburg, Pa. It was originally shipped from
the Bessemer factory to J.G. Obenreder on Oct. 16, 1906, and is
believed to have powered the mill into the 1940s. Most Bessemer
engines earned their keep on the oil fields of western Pennsylvania
and surrounding states, but this one spent its life in the cramped
quarters of the mill’s basement. A crew from the ag museum
spent two days dismantling and hoisting it from beneath the mill,
piece by piece. It was carefully restored and last summer during
fair week it barked back to life after over 50 years of
slumber.

Our club also provides a small manifold for steam whistle
enthusiasts to make a little noise, the whistles blown on air
provided by a 1927 Ingersoll-Rand portable compressor recently
restored to operation.

In the ag museum’s building, volunteers were on hand to
explain the operation of the extensive collection of old farm and
home implements, machines and appliances. For this year’s show
we are completing an addition to our museum, which will create a
display area 40 feet wide and almost 300 feet long under one
continuous roof. We are very excited about the new addition and
creating more accessible displays for our ever-expanding
collection. To encourage a good turnout we had no admission fee and
no fee for selling at the swap meet located in the engine and
tractor area. We heard many positive comments about the wonderful
facility we have.

Elsewhere on the grounds committee members set up food
demonstrations, making a host of wonderful foods. Fresh apple
butter, apple cider, country scrapple (a Pennsylvania Dutch
delicacy – you don’t want to know the ingredients, but it sure
tastes good!) and a sausage-stuffing demonstration were part of the
schedule. Lots of fresh made soups kept everyone well fed. One of
the large fair buildings was dedicated to crafters, who provided a
variety of beautifully made items. People may have arrived empty
handed, but when they exited the gates they were clutching bags
full of purchases -as well as stomachs full of homemade food.

Our show dates for 2002 are Oct. 5-6. The gates will be open all
day on the 4th for early arrivals and setting up displays.
Primitive camping is available (free of course – we want you to
feel welcome!) and a limited number of spaces are available with
water and electric for whatever you feel like donating. This year
we are featuring anything International Harvester – tractors,
engines, implements, equipment and any other items produced
throughout the long history of International Harvester. We would
like to see a great turnout this year to grow our show. You can
check out our ad on page 327 of the Steam and Gas Show Directory
for more information. Looking forward to seeing you in October.

Contact engine enthusiast Brian C. Ferrence at: Box 78, Summit
Station, PA 17979, (570) 754-7249, or e-mail:
Bferenc@hotmail.com

  • Published on Sep 1, 2002
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