Otterbein, Ind.
The Illiana Steam and Hobby Club donated their work, time and
efforts September 14, 15, and 16 to help at the Home Hospital Fair
at the Tippe-canoe County Fairgrounds, Lafayette, Indiana.
This year $15,785 was cleared which will be used for equipment
for the Pediatric Unit. Last year the $ 15,396 cleared was all used
The Country Fair was one for the whole family with no carnival,
no admission fee and no parking fee.
Although the steam engine part of the Fair did not bring in too
much money, it provided the atmosphere and was both historical and
educational.
The steam engines were all busy doing something all the time.
The Baker engine belonging to Merlin Warwick, Dayton, Ind. pulled
the grinder. The Undermounted A very of Glen J. Brutus, Pine
Village, worked the Prony brake of Otto Klutzke, Lafayette, Ind.
Together Fred Paul and Monte Thacker of Frankfort using a P C &
P Road Locomotive gave rides to children.
The model engines belonged to: Mr. and Mrs. M. C. Lake, of South
Bend, who had an Advance with which they pulled the grinder or
chopper. John Bash, Greenfield, who had a Baker, and brought a fan
with him to demonstrate the power of his engine. A small wagon was
hitched behind his engine and he pulled ground meal over to the
building across the mall to be sold.
Carter Dalton, of Ambia, who had a Case and used his engine on
the corn chopper. Charles Dilden, of Dayton, who had a model dynamo
engine and a walking beam. Mr. and Mrs. Fred Heide, of Niles, Mich,
brought an accordian and brought joy to the hearts with their
music.
Leonard Mann, of Otterbein, brought a Kenwood grist mill with
stone burrs from France, and a Kelly Duplex and Blackhawk grinders
which ground the corn, wheat, buckwheat, and rye; a Hawkeye rope
machine which made rope; a corn chopper, and a Stover hit and miss
gas engine.
Sears and Wards furnished the woodworking tools, and toy wooden
steam engines were made by Al Torrenga, William M. Briggs, Robert
and Joan Davis.
The onlookers, adults and children felt that all this was a
visit to the past, a real-life view of the way our forefathers
lived.
The history of our people was written into things their hands
made and used. Henry Ford has said, ‘A piece of machinery or
anything made is like a bok, if you can but read it.’
Through rendering community service the Club members found that
real happiness is found in serving others.
