We thank the Good Lord for beautiful weather again for the Stump
town Steam Threshers Reunion which was held Saturday and Sunday,
September 12,13,1981.
A large crowd, approximately 3500 to 4000, was present for both
days. Saturday’s show officially began at 9:00 a.m. with the
raising of ‘Old Glory’ and a prayer by our M.C., Mickey
MacDonald. Then the sawmill, shingle mill, corn meal machine,
thresher, bailer, power-eater generator all got down to business.
Gasoline Alley, with approximately 125 engines and displays, also
went into action. The steam models were hooked up to Jed
Crowe’s Peerless portable which provided plenty of steam.
‘Gas Tractor Row’ consisted of 43 tractors with the
‘Green Line J.D.’s’ being the most numerous. Grady
Smith exhibited his Shay locomotive model and put in several miles
running back and forth on 80 feet of track.
Gary Arnold operated his ?-scale sawmill and ?’ scale model
engine making ‘yard-stick’ sawed boards for everyone’s
delight. Tom Hatcher and son showed their scale model Case engines
and water wagon. Ray Covault displayed his ?-scale model Greyhound
which he built from pictures of the 24 HP Greyhound.
At 1:00 each day the annual slow engine race and block race got
under way in two classes: antique and ?-scale. The winners of the
slow engine and block race was as follows: Saturday’s slow
engine race (antique)- Henry Niemiec, 12 HP Russell. Sunday’s
slow engine race (antique)–Gary Ludwig, 24 HP Greyhound.
Saturday’s slow engine race (? -scale)–Bill Arnold, Scale
Model (Goat). Sunday’s slow engine race (? scale)–Earl
Hamilton, Scale Model (Case). Saturday’s block race
(antique)–Doc Saffell, Peerless. Sunday’s block race
(antique)– John McDowell, Baker. Saturday’s block race (?
-scale)–Earl Hamilton, ? -scale Case. Sunday’s block race (?
-scale)–Criss Arnold, ? -scale, ‘Goat’.
At 2:30 the Ladies Auxiliary announced that Mrs. Anna Burton of
Scio was chosen the Thresherman’s Queen and William Flowers of
Adena was awarded the Thresher-man of the Year.
At 3:00 the tobacco spitting contest sponsored by Mail Pouch was
held. The winners were as follows: 1st place:
Randy Ammounds, Fairview, West Virginia (15′, 3′).
2nd place: Ray Wright, Bellaire, Ohio (15′,
2′). 3rd place: Kip Carson, New Athens, Ohio
(14′, 9′). 4th place: Buddy Ammounds,
(14′, 6′). 5th place: Terry Erdos, New
Athens, Ohio, (12′, 9′).
At 4:00 each day the grand parade was held with all portable
units entering. The wagon backing contest was held at 7:00 Saturday
evening. Don Boroski, our president, won in the wide front end
category in 39 seconds and Mark Lyle won in the tricycle category
in 46 seconds.
At 7:30 a quilt made by the Ladies Auxiliary was auctioned off
and brought $76.00. A quilt was raffled off Sunday afternoon and
was won by Fern Scott of Freeport, Ohio.
Eight o’clock was the start of the fiddling contest with
Bert Toole in charge. The winners were as follows: Over 30 class:
1st place: Jim Ady, Woodsfield, Ohio. 2nd
place: Dorman Jefferies, Toronto, Ohio. 3rd
place: Floyd Warren, Cortland, Ohio. Under 30
class: Larry Stahl, Barnesville, Ohio.
Each winner received a ‘trophy. After the contest, Carl
Porter played several tunes on his harmonica and then a jam session
of all the fiddlers and their accompanists was held. Earl Hamilton,
Ray Covault and Mrs. Kenny Siddle were the judges. We were honored
by the presence of Kenny Siddle, a Ohio and West Virginia Champion
Fiddler who played several tunes including ‘Mocking
Bird.’
Sunday’s show opened with church services at 9:00 with
Marion Rogers in charge and music led by Mrs. Anna Burton and the
Stump town Quartet. A total of 8 full-sized antique traction
engines, 2 full-sized portable antique engines, 3 ?-scale traction
engines (steam), 3?-scale traction engines (steam), 15 stationary
steam engines, 125 gasoline engines, 43 gas tractors, several
antique cars and trucks, 1 full size sawmill, 1 ?-scale sawmill, 3
threshers, 2 bailers, a power eater generator, 1 ensilage cutter, 1
shingle mill, 1 sawmill and a corn meal machine (stone burr) were
exhibited.
The New Athens Firemen’s Auxiliary did a fine job feeding
the crowd, along with Lee Nichols’ candy apples and popcorn and
Mr. Beebee’s ice cream stand. Three huge kettles full of bean
soup and corn bread were sold each day.
The Stump town Steam Threshers officers and directors wish to
thank all who helped make this year’s show a success. A special
thanks goes to all the exhibitors who showed their equipment and to
all the spectators. Without these people, there wouldn’t be a
show. The 1982 show will be held September 11 and 12, the weekend
after Labor Day.
