AN OLD KELLY MAN
I can tell you about O. S. Kelly Threshing Machines and steam
engines and they also built feed grinders. We pulled them with
horse power in the early days of my life. The thresher was hand fed
as I cut bands for it when I was 8 years old.
The outfit got too small as our runs got bigger and father
traded it for a 6hp. portable Kelly engine. The machine has a
swinging stacker mounted on a four wheel truck and it had web
slats.
As I got older I hauled water and learned to feed the machine
and that was a hot job. As time went by there were stacks of grain
to thresh and so the threshing outfit was traded in to O. S. Kelly
Company for an 8hp. traction engine and the machine was still a
hand fed machine, I cannot remember the size.
We sawed wood for the neighbors in the winter time and did
custom feed grinding with the 8hp. engine. It was easy to fire and
a very handy engine. I was then operating the engine.
I still love steam. I have a son who bought a Case 45. I steam
it up and drive it around the yard often. I do enjoy it.
FRANK HUDACHEK, 105 E. 5th Street, West Liberty, Iowa
THRESHER DAY JULY 11th
I am enclosing a photo of my Rumely double engine threshing
October 7th, 1956. I had a Thresher Day July 11th, 1956. Threshed
oats that made 85bu. to the acre. Had a large crowd, around 6 to 7
hundred. The old as well as the young. The younger ones asked funny
questions, like when we shut down they would say, ‘Sure runs
quiet’.
Had four 50 foot rolls of movies taken and they are a real treat
as I can see Threshing anytime now.
October 7th, 1956 I threshed some stacked oats and barley. Had
to move l miles to thresh some oats. I sure got a big bang
lumbering toward the stacks. Brought back fond memories, and had
another nice crowd Roy Kite, N. P. Nelson, brother Brubaker, all of
Bird City, Kansas. Christie Tanger of Wanneta, Nebraska, and a host
of others close around.
In the picture yours truly is just finishing firing engine. I
was real still and the dust as you can see is thick.
Luck to the ALBUM and the good
PIONEER ENGINEERS CLUB SOCIAL MEETING
The Pioneer Engineers Club of Indiana held their first social
meeting of the year at the Rush County Conservation Club House
January 31, 1959
Door were open at 2:00p. m., so members could come early so as
to become better acquainted with their fellow members. A dandy
pitch-in dinner was served at 6:00p.m., E.S.T. to which all did
ample justice.
After dinner the highlight of the evening was the presentation
of a Life Membership to Mr. and Mrs. Nelson Howard by our president
of the club, Mr. Ray Jones. Mr. Howard is a Charter Member and past
president, and a very active member. Mrs. Howard is also a very
active member and willing at all times to help the club.
The Life Memberships are given to active members when they reach
the age of 70 years.
After a ‘thank you’ speech from Mr. Howard, pictures
were shown on steam threshing, saw milling, and other work that was
done with the old steam traction engine.
At a late hour all departed for their homes having enjoyed the
dinner and the meeting of their fellow members. As to the weather,
it was quite a change from last year’s zero weather when we had
our social meeting on February 3, 1958.
JOHN J. MENCHOFER, Sec., 3520 W. 12th St., Indianapolis 22,
Indiana, Rain Bow P. O.
