Attendance was over 5,200 paid admissions at the gate at
Canandaigua, New York, about 500 over last year, at the 1981 show
of the New York Steam Engine Association, Inc.
After we attended the rally, we checked with Harlan Castner,
president, and his wife Janice, secretary, who live at Penn
Yan.
‘We had no rain on the four days of the show,’ Harlan
said, ‘but we had it just about every night. It watered down
the dust.’
Drag saw owned by Clifford Rugg, of Cattaragus, New York, at
Canandaigua show. Rugg is first in left; beside him is Wilbur Bueg,
of Webster. (Stemgas photo)
The saw mill, at the Canandaigua show is powered by the 1917
Frick 16 HP of Frank Orbaker, Fairville, New York. It is operated
by Ed Worden, of Seneca Falls, New York, who had his right hand
amputated in a corn chopper accident years ago. Ed manages very
well indeed. (Stemgas photo)
Walt Molloy, of Dundee, New York, seen here at Canandaigua,
calls this engine his ‘baby waker.’ It’s an unusual
combination, which is used to provide rides at steam and gas shows.
Walt figures it has been in about 160 parades. The carriage
attached, shown with a few riders, is a ‘half-built
stagecoach.’ (Stemgas photo)
Helping the big 80 HP Case move along are several little boys,
developing muscle. The engine is owned by Jim Erdle, Canandaigua.
(Stemgas photo)
John Smith, of Penn Yan, New York, is proud of his
horse-operated Spencer’s Hercules box press, with which he is
shown at Canandaigua, New York show.
The press, made by J. A. Spencer of Dwight, Illinois, produces
bales weighing about 200 pounds each. It was made in the teens of
this century, and went out of use about 1934 or 1935.
‘I worked on them in the 1930s,’ Smith recalls. ‘We
brought the hay into the barn loose, and worked with the press in
the wintertime.’
Smith also had a 1921 Frick 50 HP at the show. His wood was wet
the day we saw him, so he was fueling with corn cobs. (Stemgas
photo)
Final membership for 1981 was 843, Janice reported. The club is
21 years old, one of the oldest in New York State.
Her show tally listed 92 flea market stalls rented, and over 130
campers. Camping privileges on the grounds go to members only.
The association owns the property on which it holds its meets,
having made the purchase last year. Harlan said he’d like to
see the erection of a new office, and a pavilion so that spectators
would be protected from rain. He thought a permanent fence would be
advisable, to close out the annual custom of renting snow
fence.
The Castners live at Route 3, Carrol Road, Penn Yan, New York
14527. Their telephone number is 315-536-9495.
