1515 Long fellow Waterloo, Iowa 50703
August 23, 24, 25 and 26th were the dates for the 20th annual
power show at Antique Acres in Cedar Falls, Iowa.
The show started on a real positive note. The weatherman
predicted excellent weather and the membership anticipated large
crowds. I’m happy to say that no one was disappointed!
Each day seemed to start with one of the engines belting up to
the saw mill, bright and early. Usually providing power was Dean
Bellinger’s nicely restored 20 HP Advance Rumely or the Smolik
Brother’s fine running 22 HP Rumely operated by Charles
Robinson. It seems as though sawyer, Gary Kupka, kept the blade a
turning from early Thursday to late Sunday, breaking only long
enough to pile more logs on the platform.
Every forenoon the engineer’s took their turn on the Baker
fans or the prony brake. Jack Fritcher, got the Smolik’s 110
Case to bark out 140 horses on the brake. The crowd also enjoyed
Stuart Fenton’s big 30-60 Rumely Oil Pull ‘cackling’
away on one of the fans.
The fans were also used in the afternoon as the tractors took
their turn. Many finely restored F-20’s and F-30’s were
exhibited by Derwood Heine and many were pulled in the antique
tractor pull Saturday and Sunday afternoon. Also pulling were
Harold Pries’ collection of Twin City, and Minneapolis
tractors. Both men’s collections are very large and well kept,
I might add.
After enjoying a good lunch many of the spectators enjoyed the
abundance of shade and watched the parade. Each day the parade was
lead by the Pittman’s scale model of a 65 Case, then followed
by most of the equipment on the grounds. But the crowd pleaser had
to be the Smolik’s rare Phoenix Log Hauler. Using 200 pounds of
steam pressure it ‘raced’ by the many spectators at 12
miles an hour. This seems quite fast after watching the other
engines move at a much slower pace.
It seemed as though all of the crowd took in the plowing
demonstration. Nowhere else have I seen such a spectacle. Randy
Schwerin guided the Smolik’s 40-140 cross-compound Reeves
across the field with the 14′ x 14 bottom plow, making it seem
like easy work. People come from all over the world to see this
engine (IMA Sept-Oct 1979 front cover, and Nov-Dec
1984 back) and no one is disappointed. The Smolik Brothers and
Randy Schwerin, all knowledgeable men on steam, keep this engine in
fine shape.
Also doing some plowing was the 110 Case, and Rich Stavely’s
9 HP hitch pulling a 3 bottom plow. I understand this set up is
quite rare.
Rich also used one of his big Belgian horses to power a 1 HP
baler. That is also pretty rare. The old horse had quite a job to
get the big straw stack baled before supper. The 32′ Wood
Brothers separator did a good job of threshing the many loads of
bundles. Dave Fowles’ 16 HP Reeves and the Fischel’s 18 HP
Wood Brothers steam engine provided plenty of power.
Well, I could run on and on, but I’ll save space for someone
else. I know I forgot to mention the two big stationary steam
engines, the gas engines, and much more. But, maybe I can write
again next year.
I would like to thank everyone who participated with this
years’ show, and welcome everyone back to next year’s
reunion, the 22, 23, 24, and 25th of August 1985.
