1973 REPORT

By Staff
Published on March 1, 1974
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Courtesy of Donald G. Beach, 2734 Chaffee St., National City, California 92050
Courtesy of Donald G. Beach, 2734 Chaffee St., National City, California 92050
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Courtesy of Donald G. Beach, 2734 Chaffee Street, National City, California 92050 [see Show Report].
Courtesy of Donald G. Beach, 2734 Chaffee Street, National City, California 92050 [see Show Report].
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Courtesy of Arlo Jurney, F3 Kingsland Tr. Crt., 520 - 75 Ave. S.W.,Calgary, Alberta.
Courtesy of Arlo Jurney, F3 Kingsland Tr. Crt., 520 - 75 Ave. S.W.,Calgary, Alberta.
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2734 Chaffee St., National City, California 92050

The year just past has produced it’s share of joy and
hardships for most of us, but in retrospect it must be counted as a
time well spent for those associated with the Early Day Gas Engines
and Tractors. We (some three hundred seventy-one at latest count)
have joined together in ‘adults at play’ grand style a
number of times. These include the International Date Festival at
Indio, California in Feb., the Antelope Valley Fair in Lancaster,
California in Sept., the Tropico Gold Camp event near Rosamond,
California in March. The largest event of the year again was the
Santee Lakes Festival at Santee, California in June. Our Fall
meeting was at the Orange County Fairgrounds in October and there
were other activities which deserve much comment also. The Swap
Meet, held at Al Krueger’s place in Long Beach was a notable
attraction. The Hemet Fair and the Orange County Fair drew large
crowds of people eager to view these strange snorting, hissing,
popping and slushing iron monsters from an earlier day.

All-in-all it has been a busy year with many of the members of
Branch 9 involved in a wide variety of club activities. As we hope
the accompanying pictures will show, we performed the usual stunts
involving our old iron and equipment, such as pumping water (great
quantities of it in some instances, like when Wes Hamilton and Jim
Wyse fired up the Clark four-banger and belted it to a 6-inch pump
to squirt water half way across Santee lake). We ground enough corn
to feed all the chickens that are left in San Diego County with
some left over to export to Logan County, Nebraska! The girls baked
corn bread and iron-pot beans in the Country Kitchen enough for
half a dozen overage threshing crews — and passed out samples to
all those fortunate people who chanced to pass that way when the
oven was opened. Old fashioned ice cream, frozen with ice and salt
and turned by hand, was another delicacy enjoyed by a large and
appreciative group of youngsters (to age 83).

An activity which has received too little attention has been one
of the busiest at all the events. This is the publications stand
set up and operated by John Molamphy. Perhaps it would be more
accurate to state that the operation was by Ruth Molamphy and Ida
Ashbeck — as John seems to be frequently off chasing something or
other at the far reaches of the fair grounds!

Perhaps it would be well to make a few comments in regard to
specifics of some of the shows we have been involved in this past
year. At the Santee Lakes Festival, which is located in Santee,
near El Cajon, California we counted ninety-one engines, ten
tractors, four model engines, and fifty-seven pieces of operating
equipment. The 5th Fall Show at the Fair Grounds in Costa Mesa,
California attracted sixty-five gas engines, two steam engines,
fourteen tractors, six pieces of tractor equipment, and thirty
pieces of other operating equipment. As the Spring Show was held in
conjunction with the Santee Lakes Festival, the Festival crowd of
several thousand people helped to add to the old engine
festivities. The Fall Show was held after the Orange County Fair,
at which we sponsored a display, this giving us some publicity
which attracted a large crowd of spectators — some of whom became
so interested that they joined the club and started collecting old
iron on their own account.

Top left – 50 HP Western engine restored and exhibited by Greg
Johnson of Anaheim,; top right- Heider tractor by Rock Island Plow
Co.restored and exhibited by Eric Rosehau from Villa Park; bottom
left -10 HP Fairbanks-Morse restored and exhibited by Al Krueger of
Long Beach and bottom right photo is an oil well steam engine,
circa 1872, restored and exhibited by Jim Bove of Los Angeles – all
cities are in California. Pictures by Greg Johnson. – California
Early Day Gas & Engine 9 Tractor Assn.

We feel not enough has been said and shown to make folks aware
of our Early Day Country Kitchen. The ladies of the Early Day Gas
Engine and Tractor Association take great delight in their
accomplishments in the kitchen. We men, who stand to reap the
benefits of these culinary arts, applaud and encourage them in
their efforts. The line of credits for activities would be far too
long to list, but a representative group might be appropriate. A
quilting bee has been held at least two times, and the quilt then
raffled off to a lucky winner. When we peer into the kitchen we may
find Beverly Krueger baking cinnamon rolls (yum, yum!), Betty May
baking light bread, Ida Ashbeck cooking ham and beans or chicken
and dumplings, while Martha Coss churns butter, Marge Hennen bakes
muffins (delicious!) and Helen Tietsort and her group of women
operate the quilting frame and treadle sewing machine. Some of the
names we recall in this activity are Mrs. Freiling, Mrs. Bartel and
two or more whose names have escaped us.

The popcorn popping machine brought by Carl Bergman has been
attended in beautiful and gourmet fashion by Diane Helwig and Alta
Bergman.

We noted quite a large group of first-time exhibitors this year
— a sure sign that the hobby is growing in numbers. Some names
that come to mind are Warren Pelnarsch, of Lindhall, California,
with his F & J 2-1/2 hp hothead; Patrick Copplin of Downey,
showing his Sears 1915 7 hp Economy pulling a buzz saw; Jack
McGibbon of Lancaster showed a 1-1/2 hp F-M pulling a
Fairbanks-Morse air compressor. At Costa Mesa we became acquainted
with Mr. Bartel showing a beautiful pair of Stovers, one C-T 1 and
the other C-T 2. Emil Payne of Santa Ana appeared this year also
showing a 2-cycle Wade drag saw.

Let’s Look To 1974!! More of the same . . . The Spring Show
in June…….Perhaps a Threshing Bee, the Fall Show in Costa Mesa
and several Fan-Events make this an exciting prospect.

This picture was taken in 1923 at Vulcan, Alberta. The Separator
is a 23′ Aultmann Taylor which was significant for its
‘Starved Rooster’ emblem. It was powered by a 15-27 H.P.
Case gas engine. This outfit was owned by W. H. Jurney &
Sons.

Top left pictures shows us Joe and Jim Whipple entertaining with
their drag saw operation. They live in Lakeside, California and are
here sawing slabs for the spectators at Santee Festival. Top center
is John Molamphy from Long Beach appears pleased at the results of
his restoration efforts as he compressed air with this 1917 Schramm
at the International Date Festival in Indio, California. Top right
shows some happy swappers exchanging goodies at the Swap Meet held
at Long Beach at Al Krueger’s place.

Bottom left – two happy modelers observe the results of months
of painstaking work as they watch these miniatures pop and saw
wood. Del Grupe and Don Rothgarn proudly display a Model f-M [1
3/4′ x 1 7/8′] and a Model Witte [3/4′ x 1-1/2′].
Center shot is Lee Stephens of Costa Mesa and his cross-mounted
Case tractor in tiptop operating condition and it is a fine
attraction at any Gas-Up. This time it is at the Santee Lakes
Festival. At bottom right – Jack and Bill Arbuckle are justly proud
of their neat little Model T Speedster. They took a price in the
Antique Auto Show at Santee Festival. They also showed a pump rig
driven by a Hercules engine at the engine show. Photos – Don
Beach.

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