1969 WEST COAST REPORT

After seeing his large collection of gas engines, corn shellers
and belt-powered machinery, we went over to his father’s nearby
farm. There in a large barn was a beautifully restored and
operating 32 x 54 Case machine, upon which they had spent over 800
dollars a few years previous repairing and threshed each year with
a late Model LA Case tractor for power. In another tight building,
the opened doors revealed a fully restored and complete 65 Case
steam traction engine boiler reflued and ready to go! They have
used this engine on the machine a few times and up until about 3
years ago, had threshed about 400 acres of oats each year, cutting
with a new John Deere 10-foot power binder and Case tractor and
shocking, then hiring men to pitch bundles and hauling with bundle
wagons pulled with tractors but guess the price and expense of
labor got even too high for this way of doing it. Anyway, it was a
most delightful afternoon with him and the collection.

On the first weekend in June, we again took the annual steam
train ride on the McCloud railroad, out of McCloud, California. We
arrived about 9:30 Sunday morning, before train departure time of
10:00 AM to look around and I wanted to see if I could again ride
in the engine cab all day best I could do was a ride from the shop
down to the train and then after coupling up, making the required
air test, we were off in a rush of steam and thundering noise of
sharp, heavy cracking exhausts as the reverse was shortened and
echoed back from the tall, green timber. The train has to be worked
rather hard to climb up out of the hollow where the sawmill and
town set, before the engineer can ease off on his throttle. I later
managed to ride part way in the cab and this day we went all the
way to the end of the new line at Burney, where it connects up with
the Western Pacific railroad. We had delightful weather and again
it started to sprinkle rain just as the train arrived back in
McCloud about 6:00 PM. The same trip is again scheduled for this
coming June, but with an economy-minded management and new
ownership the 2-6-2 No. 25 may not get the new set of flues and
other boiler work she will need after this year. Her last flue
extension runs out next December. It is too bad to tie up a fine
locomotive like this one is has always had excellent maintenance
and shelter between trips and just a year ago she received new
driver tires, new main pin bushings and bushings on the crank pins
on the drivers.

The middle of July, I went up and helped Godfrey Humann haul in
the last of the bundles and stack them in preparation for his steam
threshing which would take place Aug. 30-31st. Ten acres of wheat
are cut for each show and this provides plenty of threshing for two
machines during the two days of the show.

August saw the Harvey Mikkelson-Oregon steam up take place in
conjunction with the WSFA annual business meeting at Woodburn, the
weekend of August 21st. Richard and I drove up in the car. He left
me off and took off for Washington where it seems he had to see a
girl friend – so I stayed in a motel in Woodburn and helped the
rest of the hard core Steam Fiends get things ready. Harvey
Mikkelson brought in two 12-36 Russels, a 50 Case, 12-20 Oil Pull,
his 22 x 38 McCormick-Deering threshing machine. Hilman Lovlien
brought in his 12-25 Avery tractor – this 2-cylinder opposed
tractor was in nice shape and sounded like a steam engine. Carl
Kirsch brought in the Kirsch-Herman 75 Holt and his Ten
Caterpillar, besides the big fan. Willis Smith brought up his 15
Westinghouse from Springfield. Bill James brought in his 20-70
double simple Nicholas & Shepard engine, 12-36 Case and the
25-75 Buffalo-Pitts with buttstrap boiler a really big engine! Al
Herman had his Sterling hand-feed separator and 25 BEST crawler on
the grounds. Percy Dezotell had his 12-24 Hart-Parr tractor running
and from the Frank Ott stable came his 20 single cylinder IHC Mogul
tractor this was a show stopper and had a loud, popping exhaust.
Leonard Miller had his 14 Aultman-Taylor engine running and pulling
the sprinkling wagon keeping down the dust on the roads and
grounds. There were also some John Deere Model D tractors, a 10-20
Titan nicely restored, and there was Hilman’s 20-40 Oil Pull
and some other tractors I have forgotten, but all operating.

In the gas engine department, Tom Graves had his 20 F & J
engine running, an old washing machine belted up to his Aermotor
pump jack engine and his 6 hp. Foos running. My New Idea No. 2 corn
sheller was belted to a 2 hp. Stover and Eugene Hill had
Harvey’s 5 hp. Stickney belted to his wooden roller mill. Corn
was shelled in the sheller both days of the show and the ground in
the old roller mill believe it was also a Stover. There were also
some other gas engines running and a trailer with steam boiler and
models set up and in operation. Over in the corner of the grounds,
Mr. Hill’s hydraulic dynamometer was giving some of the
steamers and gas tractors a work out the 75 Holt turned 80 hp. and
the 75 Buffalo-Pitts pulled 90 hp. solid in the drive belt. W. E.
Richardson, Frank Ott, Marion Oswalt and others had just gotten the
No. 2 American saw mill, a gift of Joe Richardson, of Orofino,
Idaho, set up and in operation pulled most of the time by
Harvey’s 50 Case under the capable hand of veteran Case man Roy
Heinrich of Hillsboro. At various times, Carl and the 75 Holt and
Frank Ott and his 20 Mogul powered the saw mill and a large number
of logs were sawed up into lumber 3 days of the show. Various
sawmillers took their turn and operated the mill it worked nicely.
In the large tent were refreshments and Percy Dezotell and Marion
Hadley had models of a gas powered threshing rig in operation and
various types of steam engine models in operation this always draws
a large crowd and much comment. Secretary Jack Berry was taking
dues and selling memberships and magazine subscriptions, assisted
by his wife. Out in the movie house, Gene Stoller was showing old
silent movies with palyer piano accompaniment it all added to the
flavor!

Grain had been cut in July with a horse-drawn binder, pulled by
3 large Percheron draft horses brought in from the nearby community
of Veerbordt and then the grain was hauled and stacked on the show
grounds, near Gervais. These same horses hauled some bundles during
the show steam threshing.

Saturday, threshing started off after the parade and I helped
Bill Hermand on the 12-36 Russell for a time. This engine was
belted to the McCormick-Deering separator both days and the straw
threshed from the Sterling hand-feed machine was baled from the
carrier by a 14 x 24 stationary baler, powered by the 20-40
Oil-Pull tractor. Percy Dezotell belted up to this machine on
Saturday and the 20-70 N & S pulled it on Sunday hardly enough
power for this little 21-inch wooden rig! C. D. Carlson and Dr.
Mitchell crewed the Buffalo-Pitts, Rod Pitts was on the other 12-36
Russell and I helped on one Russell one day, the Case and Willis
Smith’s Westing house at various times, besides giving Tom
Graves a hand with the gas engines. Frank Ott, Leonard Miller, Joe
Richardson and Jeff Richardson presided over the sawmill most of
the time both days and it turned out quite a pit full of
sawdust.

Saturday evening, the WSFA annual business meeting was held in a
hall in Gervais after the dinner. All officers and directors were
elected for the ensuing term and such other business brought before
the meeting and completed. Movies and other events furnished the
evenings’ entertainment and it was decided to leave it up to a
committee as to 1970’s meeting and show date.

Threshing, sawmilling and other activities kept both days
occupied and a crowd of about 10,000 were present to take part and
observe the various activities. All events went off as scheduled
and weather was hot and dry perfect threshing weather. The 1970
annual meeting and show is again set for August, 1970 location to
be announced later.

Carl Kirsch was putting the 75 Holt through its paces out in the
middle of the grounds. He was having a ball and you should see him
line up and snap this tractor into the belt in nothing flat. He
also threshed some and belted up to the sawmill part of the time.
This was about the first real WSFA steam threshing the tractor had
to get into action since it was restored about 3 years ago. If I
have missed anything, someone else can report further.

August 29th, I loaded 3 burr grinders, a 10 inch Letz, 6-inch
type C McCormick-Deering and a small 3 inch burr mill size,
together with drive belts and such other related equipment in the
pickup and headed for Gerber and the Humann steam threshing. Upon
arriving and getting located in the motel I then proceeded out to
the farm and unloaded then after getting the Letz mill staked down
and set, belted the 15-30 McCormick-Deering tractor to it and
proceeded to grind shelled corn, milo and barley after getting the
burrs adjusted. I had just finished restoring this grinder and had
not had a chance to really get it adjusted and used until this
time. Also helped get some of the gas engines set up to another
feed grinder and otherwise help get things organized. My son Robert
was along and got checked out on the Best Sixty that he was to
drive in the parade Richard and he otherwise operated the 2-foot
gauge steam locomotive both days and gave many people rides.

On Saturday, things started off with a rush of activity. I was
running the 16 Russell as usual and threshed the first stack of
grain. This was followed by straw baling with mules, then plowing
with mules, steam engines and 2 gas tractors, then 2 ton Holt
pulling a 2-14 bottom plow and I was plowing with the 15-30 on a
3-14 bottom size. Over under the large walnut trees, corn shelling
and grinding followed, with constant gas engine activity with a
Fairbanks-Morse 1-2 hp. belted to a water pump and Karl Muller of
Dixon, was sawing a large log with his Ottawa drag saw. Cliff Hardy
and Jack Lucas had their 25 and 20 Fairbanks-Morse YH engines in
operation, together with some other smaller engines they brought
in, and Dick Squires was grinding feed with my 3-inch burr mill and
a 2 hp. LB McCormick-Deering part of the time. He brought up his F
& J FPE engine and it drew its share of attention. After the
noon whistle, lunch was served by the local 4-H group in the
machine shed and at 1:00 PM, the whistles again blew, after which
the daily parade took place. Leonard Miller was operating the 20
Gaar-Scott, a fellow named McGuire was operating the 20 Advance and
these engines took their turn threshing out stacks of grain each
day.

After the parade, steam and gas threshing again commenced, with
the 16-30 Oil-Pull pulling the 22 x 36 Red River Special machine.
Some of the grain from this machine, while the grain from the 28 x
46 Case machine, pulled by the steamers was bulked into a truck.
The afternoon program was a repeat of the morning schedule and this
was done both days of the show. With the help of Oliver Wilson,
Dick Squires and others we ground nearly 60 bushels of barley,
about as much milo and shelled and ground a large quantity of corn,
all of which was sold. The 1929 GP John Deere tractor was belted to
the 6-inch IHC hammer mill and grinding wheat that was sold for
flour during the show.

Old tractors that were on exhibit included a 18-32 cross-motor
Case, Fordson, 1938 Model D John Deere, just restored, 1924 Sixty
BEST crawler, 2-ton Holt, 18 Yuba Ball-Tread, owned by Jack Lucas,
of Durham 2 1938 IHC TD 35 Diesel crawler tractors and these were
interposed with modern tractors and harvesters. The team of mules
also pulled the Case water wagon around giving the engines a drink
as needed and added much attraction to the show. The crowd totaled
approximately 3,000 people for the two day show, largest to date
since the shows started in 1963.

About a dozen gas engines were on display and in operation all
of the time, most of them doing useful belt work Oliver Wilson was
grinding corn using his 6-7 F-M Z on my 6-inch grinder and I
adjusted the exhaust valve on his 6 hp. F-M it ran much smoother
afterwards. Karl sawed with his log saw until both he and the saw
just laid down and quit. The old Ottawa really had a workout sawing
slabs for everyone who carried them away.

And so another successful steam threshing show closed. Monday
morning, we finished up some stack bottoms, using the 15-30
McCormick-Deering in the belt on the Red River Special machine it
certainly sounded beautiful to these old ears. I then went out and
with Paul’s help, finished plowing the piece of ground where
the plowing demonstrations had been held. There will be another
show in 1971.

In September, Loren M. Wade went up to his old home in Canada
and after completely refluing his Canadaian 25 Reeves special
traction engine, finally steamed it up he said it took right off
and run like a watch. He has still to do more boiler cleaning on it
and other general repair and re-conditioning. He has bought a large
threshing machine to go with it and may thresh this fall (1970). He
also heard from John Hall, of Cape Giradeau, Missouri, who now owns
the former Chris Busch 110 Case this fine engine is now fully
restored and in top running condition.

October saw the fall meeting of Branch No. 6, EDGTA held at the
Noeller farm, near Hughson. This was held over a weekend, with 75
operating gas engines and about 6 old tractors in running order on
display. I had my corn sheller and 6-inch burr grinder belted up to
my 2-hp. KA series Stover and Dick Squires 3 hp. ZA F-M engine
belted to the grinder, shelling and grinding corn, also ground corn
with the 3-inch burr mill and here again were some rare makes on
display. Bryce Morris of Fresno had a rare 1-2 hp. Bulldog restored
and running and Leonard Ruby and his son had a 8 hp. Double Cushman
upright restored and running. Cliff Hardy had his 25 hp. YH F-M and
Union engine along with their accessories operated by belt power.
Various other engines were belted up to water pumps and there was
an old Briggs & Stratton powered Speed Queen washing machine
present and running. Noeller’s had their 15 F-M Oil engine
running very nicely restored as was their rare 3 hp. Sterling this
engine uses one curved rocker arm to operate both intake and
exhaust valve. Glenn Weagent had his steam generating plant on the
grounds and was smoking up a storm as usual. He also supplied steam
to a very old steam pump that came from an old gold mine up in the
Mother Lode. There were 2 T-20 IHC crawler tractors, an orchard
model Caterpillar Thirty, built in 1929,1928 John Deere D owned by
Everett Tomlinson and Dick’s 1936 AO John Deere. This was the
largest number of engines restored and operating since the branch
organized 2 years previous. The crowd totaled about 2-300 people,
on a beautiful fall day. At the short business meeting, it was
decided to have the spring meeting and annual EDGTA National
meeting at the Koster farm, over near Tracy June 6-7th and plans
are now being made toward that end.

Loren Wade held his steam threshing in October and I helped get
the Case machine and engine ready for the Sunday’s event. The
A-W steam road roller was steamed up and operated most of the time
by Wilbur Skaar and he had help some of the time. I ran the Case 50
part of the time and we threshed baled oats and straw had a pile of
straw when finished and the woodpile was smaller. This was a WSFA
steam threshing and with Glenn Weagent’s help and his steam
plant had a great day.

In November, I again helped Godfrey with his late fall plowing
operated the McCormick-Deering 15-30 2 days pulling the 2-14 bottom
plow and with his IHC TD 35 crawler pulling 5-14 bottoms, a lot of
ground was turned over in a short time. I enjoy running these old
tractors they still do as good a work as they ever did. And with
this I bring my report to a close with this note added and restored
2 more engines to my collection – a type M 1 IHC and a IHC LB 1-2
size. This now makes me an even dozen of the gas engines. I took
part in a lot of events last year and 1970 promises to be more of
the same. There are a surprising number of younger people getting
interested in the old gas engines and steam engines out in this
country and naturally we try to help them find engines and get them
going with help, information and parts, if possible. This is as it
should be and may it ever continue on. Next year Mt. Pleasant for
sure (1970).