The Hobby Lobby, with more room for displays, was again an
attraction for both men and women. The small models, of which there
were a great many in charge of Carleton Weisel of Hillsdale, Mich.,
were in another part of the same building which housed the Hobby
Lobby, as was also the Trading Post, in charge of Scott Baltosser
of West Unity, O.
A list of exhibitors of engines follows: (if not complete,
please notify the secretary). The list was compiled by Elmer
Ransburg, of Quincy, Michigan.
Forrest Williamson’s 23-90 Baker, Tank Wagon; William
Benner, 25 Russell; Elmer Egbert, 12 Frick; John Lemmer, 16
Russell, A. D. Baker No. 1; John Harper, 18 Buffalo Pitts; Louis
David’s 40 Avery, Road-Roller, and Louis David’s and
Delbert Reich’s 19 Port Huron; Irel Ash baugh, 20 Minneapolis;
Clare Richmond’s 23-90 Baker, Rumely Separator; Ralph
Lindsay’s 18-50 Case; Paul Myers’ 16 Case; Alfred
Sandy’s 21 Baker; LeRoy Blaker’s 25 Port Huron, 65 Case;
Delbert Reich’s Model Advance-Rumely; J. D. Bower’s Model
Engine and Tank Wagon; Chas. E. Zimmerman’s Model Traction
Engine; Ralph Shelburne’s Miniature Engine; F. W. Bloom’s
roller and straw baler, separator and tank wagon; Wm. Eby, Small
Engine; Henry Foll, Model Advance-Rumely; Patricia Gaeke, James
Fleming Traction Engine; Lyndon Conrad, Small Russell; Ralph
Shelburne, Model Advance; Carleton Weisel, Many Small Models.
Mr. C. C. Campbell of 207 S. Edison Avenue, Tampa 6, Fla., sends
us this photo of a Keck-Gonnerman No. 1359, which he found when
visiting: in Indiana the summer of 1952. It was taken Sept. 3rd.
The front wheels are worn smooth and the drivers almost as bad,
evidently she had made a lot of mileage in rough territory. It is
now pulling a small saw mill. Note the ‘Fodder in the
Shock’ across the highway at the left of the picture.
The old cars were owned by members of the Pioneer Auto Club of
Ft. Wayne, Indiana.
The crowd for the three days was estimated at well in excess of
25,000. Members from Oregon, Washington, California, Canada, New
York (Long Island), Alabama and Florida. Ralph Lindsay of Beverly
Hills, California, saw for the first time the engine he purchased
after being bitten with the steam engine bug at the 1952 reunion at
Blaker’s. The engine has been put in fine shape by James
Whitbey, who was the engineer during the reunion.
Movies were shown in the Grange Building Thursday and Friday
nights, with Clare Ringle showing some of his prize-winning colored
slides. Geo. D. Winter sent one of his movies from his home in
Pipestone, Minn., Dwight Baldwin and Chas. Harrison were among
others who showed their films.
The highlight of the women’s program Friday afternoon was
the singing of the Williams County Chorus, with the 20 members in
costume and coming to the program on a wagon pulled by F.
Williamson’s rubber-tired Baker, after making the rounds of the
race track. After they sang a song dedicated to Mr. F. J. Wood, he
pleased them by singing them a song in Norwegian, which he learned
as a boy in lumber camps.
The same officers were re-elected by both groups. An invitation
was extended by the Montpelier Chamber of Commerce to hold the 1954
reunion at the same place, with the invitation being accepted by
the president, LeRoy W. Blaker.
