Secretary, 208 E. Church St., Urbana, Ohio
Having just completed our business for the past year the members
of the Miami Valley Steam Threshers Association held an election at
the Edinger Bros. Saw Mill, Urbana, Ohio, to select officers and
board members for 1960. Re-elected to serve during the coming year
were:
George Edinger, Orbana, Ohio…Pres. Chester King, Springfield,
Ohio V-Pres. L. H. Little, Urbana, Ohio……..Sec’y Byron
Beatty, Urbana, Ohio….Treas.
Appointed as chaplain was Dane King, Springfield, Ohio, and as
master of ceremony Paul McQueen, Columbus, Ohio. The dates for next
year’s reunion will be July 29, 30 and 31st, 1960 and the show
will be at the same place, Goshen Memorial Park, Mechanicsburg,
Ohio.
Among the newcomers this year were Earl Webb, Sunbury, with a
21-75 Baker; Lawrence Apgar, Bellefontaine, with a 50 HP Case; John
Lindesmith, Galion, with a 21-75 Baker; and the Drummond Bros.,
Orient, with a 23-90 Baker Special. Our President feels that we
should extend a warm welcome to all who wish to participate.
Last summer the Edinger Brothers bought a 1915
Buffalo-Springfield road roller. With a good cleaning, a little
restoring, and a coat of paint, it was quite an attraction. There
are very few rollers in this area and so far as we know none have
been exhibited recently in Ohio. By the way, they had to buy two
rollers in order to get one, so someone might persuade them to part
with the extra.
The Shawnee Antique Auto Club were on hand Sunday Afternoon for
a parade, potato race, and other stunts; everyone enjoys this part
of the show. The Explorer Scouts did a wonderful job in parking of
cars and the Mechanicsburg High School band added a lot of color to
the engine parade.
R. R. Kiner of Westerville, Ohio, had his 16-50 Reeves at the
show; he tells us this is the only one in Ohio in running order. We
had a new teeter-totter on the grounds and several of the boys had
to try it out. Among those that succeeded were Bill Cleveland with
Tustin’s 16 HP Huber and Bill Farmer with his 19 HP Port
Huron.
For our parades we have a wonderful half-mile track and with all
the engines, calliope, ox teams, burros, and other equipment, it
practically fills the oval. Our master of ceremony, Paul McQueen,
who is also a railroad engineer, always has everything ready for
the highball sign at one o’clock. The saw mill, shingle mill
and the threshing doesn’t have to stop for the parade; they are
located at various points inside the track.
Before going further we want to recognize those
‘regulars’ who do so much to keep the show going from year
to year. Among these are the Tustin’s, George, Russell and Paul
-Roscoe Shiver Decker – Kramer Bros. -Wm. Farmer – Homer Holp and
Son -A. H. Cull – Harold Ary – Lawrence Bretz – Emil Jones – Wm.
Mattox -J. D. Bowers – Lowell Stevens – Bob Fielder – Roy
Craig.
Don Mack, who is ‘Outdoor Editor’ of the Ohio State
Journal, was on the grounds and took movies of the various
activities. This past September he showed his film strip and gave a
review of our show on his weekly television program. The ladies of
the Mechanicsburg Methodist Church served delicious meals and the
pastor, Rev. Taylor, brings his entire congregation to the park for
services on Sunday morning. Numbered among the thousands of
visitors this year were Tom Smith, editor and publisher of
Engineers and Engines, also Earl Logan, president of the Richland
County Steam Threshers Club, Mansfield, Ohio. We hope these
gentlemen can come back next year.
All in all, we had a very successful year and were just amazed
by the attendance. The figures were announced over the public
address system and some old grouch was heard to say ‘the show
is getting too big’. Well, we don’t feel that way for the
slogan for the 1960 show is ‘WE’RE GOING LIKE
’60’.
We want to take this opportunity to extend to all a cordial
invitation to meet with us at Mechanicsburg, Ohio, next July 29, 30
and 31st. We promise three days of good fellowship, a ‘good
head of steam and some pop-off’.
