Secretary New Concord, Ohio
The Old Steam and Gas Club held its fourth annual reunion on
Thursday, Friday and Saturday-July 30, 31 and August 1, 1964.
No one could have asked for more beautiful weather than that
which prevailed during the three days of the show. A conservative
estimate of the number of persons who attended the show would place
the largest attendance of the four shows held by the club thus
far.
One new feature proved to be very popular. On Saturday evening
the ladies of the Bloomfield church served an old fashioned
threshers’ dinner. Two-hundred seventy-five were served and
perhaps another hundred were turned away because no more food was
available, the ladies having prepared to serve only two
hundred.
Another feature greatly enjoyed was a concert given on Friday
evening by the Cambridge barber shop chorus.
Eight engines were in operation on the fans or separators during
the show. There were on exhibition two Russells, one Frick, a
Huber, a Minneapolis, and a Case. In addition to these, two engines
should be mentioned in particular since this was the first year for
these engines. O. W. Nichols of Pickerington, Ohio showed his
George White engine. This is a Canadian engine and is an excellent
show engine and is also in excellent condition. The other engine is
a 23-90 Baker engine owned by George Richey. This engine too is in
excellent condition and attracted much attention. This engine was
purchased new by G. O. Cumins of Hebron, Ohio in 1926. Mr. Cummins
sold it in 1928. Mr. Richey purchased it from Ernest Hiler,
Shandon, Ohio, a town near Hamilton, Ohio in June of this year. Its
number is 17,992.
Threshing and baling of straw was done each day of the show.
Three acres of wheat and eight acres of oats were threshed during
the show. Each day a parade was staged with all of the engines
participating as well as the antique automobiles. Some twenty-five
antique automobiles attracted the attention of lovers of antique
automobiles.
There were approximately twenty-five small gasoline engines
exhibited and running during the show. One of the most unique of
these was a two horse power Bessemer owned by Thomas Hatcher. A
special feature of this engine is not only its quite running but
also its cooling system; a sixteen gallon tank of water is a part
of its cooling system.
Incidentally, three members of our club are prolific collectors.
Thomas Hatcher, George Richey and Forest Taylor own the following
equipment: ten gasoline tractors, dating prior to 1930, one steam
engine, two threshers, thirty-two gas engines, and two antique
cars.
The largest crowd in attendance was on Saturday night to witness
the pony pull. To Don Davis must go much of the credit for the
outstanding success of this feature. Teams from eastern Ohio and
Pennsylvania were entered in this event. Apparently this feature
has become a permanent part of our show.
To all who in any way participated in making our show a success
we express our gratitude. An invitation is cordially extended to
all of our friends to attend the fifth annual show of our club
which will again be held at the Bloomfield Grove on Thursday,
Friday and Saturday July 29, 30, 31, 1965.
