Joliet, Illinois
The Northeastern Wisconsin Steam Club held their first
threshermen’s reunion September 12th and 13th, 1953 at the
Kewaunee County Fair Grounds in Luxemburg, Wisconsin.
Congratulations for a fine show are extended to Jim Rabas, Algoma,
Wis., president of the Club; R. Gordon Clark, Green Bay, Wis.,
president of the Kewaunee County Fair Association, and to
many others for their fine cooperation.
Ten steam engines were in operation. Three are owned by Jim
Rabas, one a 20-70 Nichols & Shepard, a 65 Case, and the third
a 24-85 Minn., boiler and engine mounted on a rubber tired truck
chassis that is capable of pulling 70,000 pounds on the drawbar.
Other Case engines were a 45 owned by Marvin Saenger of Lark, Wis.,
and a 65 owned by Gardner township, Door County, Wis., a 50 hp. of
Harold Jens of Elkart Lake, Wis., and the 65 of Joseph Krueger,
Ellisville.
R. Gordon Clark entered a 12 hp. Rumely built in 1897, and
believed to be the oldest intact engine in that region. Herman
Hopfensperger entered a double cylinder Reeves and ‘The
400’, a 70-year-old Case boiler on which was mounted a double
cylinder engine, and mounted on a truck chassis.
Highlight of the program was a race of three engines mounted on
truck chassis. The Northwest of Walter Culp, the Minn., of Jim
Rabas, and the Case of Jos. Krueger. Walter Culp’s Northwest
won. His engine has speed in excess of 40 miles per hour. Other
exhibits included a 1915 ‘0-40’ Case gas tractor owned by
Gus Deucher, a 45 hp. Eagle and a Moline owned by Howard Kaster of
Casco, Wisconsin, a 32 inch Minn. separator owned by Jim Rabas,
bought in 1927, and a very old 1897 Belle City separator, hand fed
and with straw carrier, owned by Jim Keuster, of Clintonville,
Wisconsin.
Three fine Models were shown by Clarence Mirk of Milwaukee, Wis.
Frank Heimerl of St. Nazranz, Wis. and Orwin C. Burmeister of
Kewaunee, Wis., were the owners. An ancient reaper, a dog-power
treadmill, and modern machinery were also on display.
