SHOW REPORT Cheraw, S.C.

Margaret & Robert Rogers, Antique Acres, Cheraw, S. C.

Exhibitors, button-wearers, skimmer-wearers, etc. from 21 states
and Canada shook up the 5,700 residents of this little town in
April, 1970.

In April, 1971, you enlarged your numbers about tenfold, you
came from 26 states and Canada, and you shook up patrons of several
multi-state TV networks, radio stations, and the press from the two
Carolinas.

These patrons had missed the show and clamored for views, so
three weeks following the show, fifty per cent of each Farm and
Home TV program consisted of scenes from the antics of Antique
Acres.

Nearly every TV news hour had three to five minute spots.

Cameramen, programmers, splicers, writers, etc. will arrive Oct.
24 to begin putting together TV programs that will precede, rather
than follow, the ’72 show scheduled for Friday, Saturday and
Sunday, April 7, 8, and 9.

Two weeks prior to the ’72 show, approximately 30 top
newspaper writers and photographers, along with a number of 
TV newsmen and cameramen, are converging here to receive a good
feed, pictures and material. Instead of covering Dixie with dew,
they plan to cover it with pictures and write-ups of exhibitors and
their engines.

This petite lady amazes me. She operates her own traction engine
at the Mamouth Milton Show. The morning after the Steam-era show I
returned to the grounds for a few snapshots. She and Mrs. Sherwood
Hume of Milton, Ontario, Canada were supervising the loading of the
big machinery. I suspect that had the author known Mrs. Webb and
Mrs. Hume he could never have imagined the words for the song,
‘How you gonna keep ’em down on the farm?’ (Antique
Acres show report tells about Dennis. Picture by Dayton Nichols,
Stafford, N. Y.

Courtesy of Robert Rogers, Antique Acres, Cheraw, South Carolina
29520.

Bill Strayer of Diilsburg, Pa. tells some first timers what a
steam show is all about. The enlarged camper area for 72 has hot
showers, City water and sewage, electricity and afternoon shade.
Camperites light a bonfire at night and show movies and slides of
their home state shows.

We plan to roll out the Red Red Carpet for exhibitors April
7-8-9-72. Many extras including a nighttime roast oyster, chicken
bog, and charcoal fire for special orders. Photo by Martin
Peterson, St. Cloud, Fla. Courtesy of Robert Rogers, Antique Acres,
Cheraw, S. C. 29520.

Modelists, Regalia wearers, and skimmer topped registrants from
26 states and Canada really amazed Carolinians. Never before had
they seen or heard of the various models and engines. As a result
of exhibitors showings, we will be televised over nine states
preceeding the next Steam-up. Robert Roberts Jr. of Easten, Md. is
the proud exhibitor of the steam powered ferris wheel. Robert’s
home show is Eastern Shore, Federalsburg, Md. I cannot identify the
owners of other models. We have tripled the size of our model area
and the TV people plan on remaining three full days, so please
return with your models and regalia April7-8-9-72. Photo by Martin
Peterson, St. Cloud, Fla. Courtesy of Robert Rogers, Antique Acres,
Cheraw, S. C. 29520.

Is a remote controlled Traction seems
to have strayed afar,so far that
neither Bus Longrod of Albion, New
York nor James Riley of Rising Sun,
Maryland recorded or identified the
engines exhibitor. Owner, please advise
me your name and please bring it back to
Cheraw next April 7-8-9. Photo by Martin
Peterson, St. Cloude, Florida.

Is our third and final Stanley Steamer
arriving just before ’71 show. We
need ‘Tenders’ to demonstrate and
explain them at the Third Annual
Steam-up in April 7-8-9 of 1972.
Courtesy of Robert Rogers, Antique
Acres, Cheraw, South Carolina 29520.

Now see what you exhibitors with your engines, humor, badges,
plaques, skimmers, fellowship and antics have gone and done.

This Rebel’s pre-show apprehension, indecision, etc. began
fading Wednesday before Friday’s opening when Dick Spink of
Buffalo and Dayton Nichols of Stafford, N. Y. arrived and stated
that they, together with Mr. and Mrs. Dennis Webb of Beamsville,
Ontario, Canada, would rotate on the mike and keep things
moving.

Then Bus Long rod of Albion, N. Y. and Jim Riley of Rising Sun,
Maryland, arrived and assumed responsibility for the model and gas
areas.

Archie Cline, Bobby Miller, Arnold Broadway and others from N.
C., together with Ken Mattis from Ohio arrived and fired the
traction and stationary boilers.

Exhibitors having over 200 models and 57 gas engines arrived
from twenty-six states and makeshift they did. Never before have I
seen so many self-sufficient people work together. We had
stockpiled sawhorses and ply boards so modelers quickly set up
table extensions. Right there was proof that this fellow should see
only a few other shows this year. Stay home and prepare for 1972
was the dictate of the day.

Three days of 72 degree bright sunshine was heavenly to those
who left four feet of snow sixteen hours earlier.

Attendance exceed five thousand this year compared to two
thousand at our first annual in 1970. We expect ten to fifteen
thousand in ’72.

One of Margaret’s yardmen overlooked burning a pile of logs
in the camper area and at first dark someone lit it. A crowd soon
gathered and Dayton Nichols, Bus Long rod and others showed movies
and slides. The bonfire group increased in numbers each night as
those staying at motels returned for the activities. The bonfires
or something brought out the poetry in A.L. Spencer of Corning, N.
Y. This is just one of the many cases where exhibitors converted
our omissions into fun for everyone.

Another blunder is evolving into a natural. The Booster Club
erroneously erected their big food tent in a manner that nearly
shut off the view of the blacksmith shop. The blacksmith is now
located between Gold Rush Junction and Mule Town. It is hoped that
if R. O. Angle of Rocky Mount, Va., Louis Gillinger of Martinsburg,
W. Va., or Sam Osborne of New Oxford, Pa. are not familiar with
blacksmithing gold mine equipment, that they will return with
someone who is. They shod mules that powered our sweep. Mule owners
down here are still talking about ‘de three genelmens dat
shoes.’

Jimmy Thomas of Cheraw is relocating his tracks and will
hereafter run his steam train across the dam, from Central R.R.
Station to Gold Rush Junction, a new railroad station so named
because of its proximity to the Gold Stamp Mill, where young and
old can pan for gold.

Creek water heretofore wasting through the gorge is diverted
through sluices whereby ladies can pan for rubies. A tumbler
polishes the stones. This means operators are needed, so send us
names and addresses of rock hounds, far and near.

The old saying that ‘One man’s meat is another man’s
poison,’ has a lot of merit when it comes to traction engines.
Flue trouble in the 50-HP Peerless must have pleased one man.
Seconds after the boiler cooled, he was inside. He went in
spotlessly clean and suave, but came out drooping and made a
perfect imitation of Al Jolson. After church services Sunday
morning, Margaret (Mrs. Rogers) asked him how he got so clean so
quick. He held his ear lobe back and proudly exhibited a discolored
spot purposely left there. Yep, you guessed him: Dennis Webb of
Beamsville, Ontario, Canada.

Exhibitor signs on these side by side models hatched an idea.
Hereafter our Big Typewriter (Headliner) will custom make
exhibitors signs that will have about four lines. The two top lines
will emphasize the name and address of exhibitor, whereby camera
shots will identify.

For example: George & Marge Mathews, Lakewood, N. J. will be
the top two lines and will have the same size lettering as Antique
Acres, Cheraw, S. C. which will be the bottom line. Thanks Ed,
bring another good idea along with this engine next April 7-8-9.
Courtesy of Robert Rogers, Antique Acres, Cheraw, South Carolina
29520.

Refueling this boiler was a major attraction and a large crowd
gathered. Very few had ever seen a boiler. When members of the
younger generation asked what they were doing, one old
‘funner’ said, ‘intestine transplant.’ They did not
question the transplant, but they could not understand why the
surgeons did not wear white uniforms.

After returning North, five exhibitors mailed pictures snapped
here of themselves in shirtsleeves, along with pictures of their
homes, or sections of their homes, where snow hid the sections from
the windows downward and eaves upward.

Nearly every modeler preferred air to steam. After a brief
delay, a larger compressor arrived. Milo Powers was evidently in
charge of air at Alexander this year and taught everyone some
do’s and don’ts. Well, Instructor Powers, after returning
to Cheraw, two air compressors were belted to two steam engines and
two boilers covered by two sheds. That gas engine you wrestled for
hours in the N. Y. rain was convincing. Our model area is now three
times as large as when everyone elbowed for space last April. How
about it, Milo, you take charge of air here next April?

Mrs. Elmer Shaefer was smiling as she returned to Yoe, having
had a successful sale on subscriptions, books, etc. This little
lady intrigues me and I often ponder the name of the physiology she
uses that works so perfectly. At one of the shows up North her
table disappeared before she used it. That little lady raised heck
on top of heck. Have you ever trot lined all night for catfish way
deep into Hell Hole Swamp, Berkley County, South Carolina during
alligator mating season? Right then this Rebel decided that never
would Mrs. Shaefer’s table disappear if she ever exhibited in
Cheraw. As good luck would have it, Mrs. Shaefer, Elmer, Mrs.
Ritzman from Enola and the Dave Egans from Mechanicsburg, arrived
and asked for a table. After Mrs. Shaefer approved table size and
location, a pick handle was given my best ‘order follower’
and he was told not to let anyone near that table until that little
lady returned with supplies and took possession. The effect of Mrs.
Shaefer’s remarks up North reminded me of a story I tell about
a child-bragging sister. When sis enrolled her child in school she
told the teacher that her child learned fast, was well behaved,
would give no trouble, and that the child was not to be spanked.
The teacher asked her what she was supposed to do just in case the
child did misbehave. Sis said, ‘just in case she does, slap the
child next to her and that her child would catch on and discontinue
doing wrong.’ Mrs. Shaefer sure as heck mowed down enough
people for the guilty table-snatcher to get the message. At any
rate, I caught on, and nobody got slapped. Now, Mrs. Shaefer,
don’t get mad; Margaret and I think you are the greatest.

While this story was being told to the group, a messenger stated
that the tital 10-20 was running unattended and that it was
knocking. Sherwood Hume from Milton, Canada, volunteered to fix it.
He returned shortly and one of the ‘funners’ asked him if
he ‘wrenched it, sistorized it, or Shaeferized it, i.e., did it
correct itself after he threatened it, or did he have to slap the
surrounding engines?’ We have 30 or 40 unrestored engines that
need to be wrenched with loving care, sistorized or Shaeferized.
‘Come wrench some. Come Shaeferize some.’

Margaret is proud of her gardening accomplishment as a result of
praises from exhibitors’ wives and especially proud of a front
page color photograph on a Philadelphia Sunday paper, accompanied
by an article entitled ‘Flower Power Down In Dixie.’ I told
her that Dan Roberts of Candor, N. Y., Ken Dennis of Florida and
Dick Spink of Buffalo, wanted landscaped camper spaces with their
names permanently mounted on them. She readily agreed when I told
her that Don and Ken would take charge of camper reservations,
registrations, needs, etc. A few tears appeared when I told her
that we may have to move about 30 of her 30-year-old azaleas,
camellias, etc. to make room for more campers. Her problem is that
she has ‘Mo-‘n-Mo-itus,’ i.e., she wants Mo-‘n-Mo
campers and Mo-‘n-Mo flowers but cannot get Mo-‘n-Mo land.
She likes steam and exhibits models that include an overhead crank
and a walking beam. She wants camper exhibitors and has had me busy
running water and electric lines to newly landscaped camper areas.
More exhibitors are bringing campers in ’72. They liked the
72-degree weather, hot showers, shade trees, stream, water falls,
water wheels, etc.

Many would-be members are not; the membership register was
frequently blocked by numerous bucks crowding around the four young
ladies in charge. How we blundered through and registered 222
family memberships, goodness knows. 1970 family memberships totaled
eighty-six. Why don’t some of you wives get together on a
rotation basis and ‘come register some?’ What say, Irene
… Dot?

Two-horse wagons, one-horse wagons, buggies, sleighs, huckster
wagons, hay rakes, spray machines, and nearly everything that has
wheels have been modified and equipped to replace two large tents
and their fixed tables. Stainless steel steam tables from which
meals will be served buffet style have replaced conventional beds
on two wagons.

Equipment for preparing and serving French fries, hots, burgers,
barbecue (hot and not hot) are mounted on individual wagons spotted
throughout the area. The ice cream set-up is on a two-horse
sled.

Wide table-high flats have replaced conventional wagon beds.
These mobile tables can be used by flea markets, for eating, and
general use.

Each of the twenty wagons has its own overhanging roof, some of
which are of the covered wagon species. Stainless steel is used
wherever food is present. About ten new rides will supplement the
steam traction and steam train rides. Our working equipment, etc.
have more than doubled. About 181 operators, etc. are needed to
keep them going.

We anticipate from 10 to 20 thousand attendance in 1972, for the
simple reason following the show. People phoned and came for the
’72 show dates. Our direct mailing list exceeds 6,000 and will
be read by about 20,000.

Those exhibitors wearing our buttons and ribbons, and more
especially, their home state ribbons on their shirts and camps,
really woke up the merchants up town in Cheraw. The Chamber of
Commerce and Merchants’ Association is expressing appreciation
next year with free rides and tours for the ladies. There will be
many exciting going on all over the town during the ’72 show
days, including home tours, classic auto show, art displays, etc.
Please wear your insignias, etc. when you sightsee and shop. On
behalf of the City Council and the citizens of Cheraw, Honorable
Miller Ingram, Mayor of Cheraw, wrote a thank-you for coming and
please come back letter to every registered exhibitor, worker and
show official.

Certain areas, camper spaces, ‘things,’ etc. will be
named after exhibitors. For example:

‘Sage City’ is an area recognizing D. C. Sage, Bradford,
Pa., who gave us an early day oil well pump that we activate with a
water wheel.

‘Spinks Spot’ is the name of Dick Spinks permanent
camper space. Dick is from Buffalo, and was head M. C. in 1971.

‘Strayers Strut’ is for Bill Strayer, Dillsboro, Pa. For
some reason, unknown at present, ‘something should be named
‘Strayer Strut.” Bill was not an exhibitor in the true
sense. So far as we know, he just strutted around, talked, and
soaked up sunshine for a few days. A lot of curious Carolinians who
had not heretofore heard of a steam-up, after talking to Bill, went
home better enlightened (experts) on steam-ups and as a result of
this enlightenment, every exhibitor, be they for steam, gas, flea
or what not, all will be appreciated more. So instead of saying
‘Come tend some,’ to Bill, I say, ‘Come strut
some.’

 EXHIBITOR HONOR ROLL

The Exhibitor Honor Roll section of our Bulletin Board provides
headings for Canada and fifty states. Exhibitors’ names and
addresses embossed on metal, are permanently mounted thereon. Help,
everybody, let me know of omissions.

The Honor Roll is being published in two parts in an
advertisement in this trade magazine. The first part hopefully
appears in this issue.

This Honor Roll begins in 1970 with D. C. Sage, our first
exhibitor, and will be kept current. We define exhibitors as
individuals who operate their own equipment or our equipment,
workers and participants in a broad sense. All are considered our
ambassadors, and they are leaders in their home state associations
as well as this one. Most of them have pictures, slides or movies.
Please contact them or write us. They will ‘Tell it like it
is.’

The best to all and, ‘Come tend Some.’ McKee of Waverly,
Iowa did an abundant business.

And so we come to the aftermath of the storm. As I walked
outside the morning of Sept. 5, the almost complete stillness was
quite a shock after the noise and excitement of the past four days.
I felt a twinge of sadness as I looked around at the few campers
that were left and the rows of machinery now standing motionless.
It had truly been a good show and certainly my most enjoyable, but
it was over for another year and only the calm after the big storm
remained.

Of course, there were a few bursts of activity in the following
month with machinery to be put away and things wound up to get the
Acres settled in for the winter months. But they now took on their
individual sounds as perhaps one day you’d hear only the hum of
the saw mill and the next a lone tractor plowing in the fields.

But there’s always next year and already plans are being
made. One of the major decisions, to yet be voted on, is a possible
change in our show dates. As soon as this is decided, the dates
will be made available to this magazine. There will also be an
election of officers.

The show of 1971 covered at least five acres of ground and at
each new showing more room seems to be required. Many of the
members are still looking for Antique pieces and some have them and
are still in the process of being restored. Among the new items
coming up for the ’72 show are a 60 HP Case Steamer, recently
purchased from the Scheafer family by Mr. Scharine and Son, to be
completely restored; plowing, in competition with the Smolik
engines, with a 15-30 Townsend oil tractor that looks like a steam
engine, but ain’t, owned by A. J. Fischels and John
Sundermeyer; also, a Minneapolis 35-70 owned by John Sundermeyer.
This tractor mentioned in last year’s show report is still in
the process of being restored by John and Mr. Harold Pries. By just
looking at it, it would seem that very little has been done. But
behind the scenes where you can not see, they have accomplished
quite a lot. Such as, blocks being rebored, dry walls being pushed
in and bored, pistons machined to fit all new valves for it, and
parts gathered for it from wherever they could be obtained. This
tractor may not be completely finished for the 1972 show, but will
at least be running.

bored, pistons machined to fit all new valves for it, and parts
gathered for it from wherever they could be obtained. This tractor
may not be completely finished for the 1972 show, but will at least
be running.

The officers and members of Antique Acres seem to be big
thinkers and are always looking to the future, so one never really
knows what one might see at the 1972 show. But trust us to give you
the best possible show. We may be the second largest show in Iowa,
but we try harder!!