THE BI-CENTENNIAL PIONEER STEAM DAYS

Lake Elmo is located a few miles east of St. Paul and is easily
accessible to people from Wisconsin, the Twin City area, out-state
Minnesota, and surrounding states. July 10 and 11 were the dates of
the 1976 show with no sign of rain and just enough clouds to keep
the sun back enough to be enjoyable for the people who came.

Activity consisted of lumber sawing of big logs by the Axley saw
outfit of Eyota, Minnesota, oat threshing from a shed stacked with
bundles from last year’s crop and small gas engine exhibits.
Adam Villieux exhibited several toy size steam engines, all running
on steam piped from a 20 HP Nichols & Shepard engine in care of
Bud Wolf. Also included in this exhibit was a 3 HP steam
engine.

Gerald Jacobson of 2125 Cedar, Marshfield, Wisconsin, operated a
buckwheat flour mill, grinding flour which he packaged and sold to
buckwheat hungry spectators. A model Rumely Oil Pull built and
owned by George Wilson of Rice Lake, Wisconsin, was used for power
on the mill. Mr. Wilson also toured the grounds, pulling a light
wagon giving rides to youngsters.

The highlight of the 1976 Lake Elmo show was the 110 HP Case on
exhibition with engineers Ted Knack and Gene Rogeman in charge. Mr.
Frederich purchased the engine in the summer of 1975. It performed
well on a large lumber saw owned and operated by Axley Brothers of
Eyota, Minnesota.

Fred Hermel was operating a 28 HP Minneapolis engine, which was
purchased by Mr. Frederich from the Hermel family of Waterville,
Minnesota. It is a 1917 model and Fred Hermel’s father used it
for threshing and lumber sawing. Mr. Hermel, senior, was an engine
dealer and at times, owned a 22 HP Minneapolis; two Rumelys, one a
35 HP and the other, a 25 HP; a 110 HP Reeves and an 80 HP Case.
Fred told me his father used the 35 HP Rumely to ‘thaw out the
town’ of Waterville, when in the winter of 1935-36, the Arctic
Circle seemed to move to Minnesota with temperatures at Waterville
of 35° to 40° below zero. Intense cold invaded many areas of the
northwest that winter.

A Case steam engine operated by Adam Villieux was belted to a
McCormick Deering thresher, threshing oats from last year’s
crop, stacked in a shed.

George Mochinske of Winsted, Minnesota, brought his 1/3 scale
model advance traction engine.

In the gas tractor exhibit, a 30-60 Aultman and Taylor, and a
35-70 Minneapolis both owned by Mr. Frederich, were the big
tractors, but including a Townsend tractor, there was a large
exhibit of gas and oil tractors used on farms from the early
1900’s to the present day. One was a single cylinder IHC
tractor built about 1910. It has two flywheels and a cooling system
with circulating water running over a screen up front.

In the small gas engine exhibit, Frank Spelter of Eagan had
three small gas engines.

Bob Holler of Richfield, Minnesota had five gas engines on
exhibit; also antique small tools, etc; antique toys and small toy
traction engines.

Les Goetzke of west St. Paul had five gas engines.

Both Holler and Goetzke are members of the Early Day Gas Engine
Club and Tractor Association, Inc., St. Croix Valley, Branch No. 1.
Over 150 gas engines are owned in the St. Croix Early Day Gas
Engine Club.

George Wilson had a 3 HP International, and his miniature gas
engine. It is 1′ bore and 1′ stroke.

Myron Ochterhof had three engines running; each engine operating
three machines. Three pump jacks; a cream separator; a Hero fanning
mill; a corn sheller; also a sausage grinder; grindstone and
washing machine were all in operation.

Rupert Wheeler had a 2 HP Rock Island Monitor Pumpjack engine; a
2 HP Novo; and a 1 HP Iroquois.

Duane Nelson of Chisago City, Minnesota showed six small
engines. In the exhibit was a 3 HP Fairbanks Morse and an
International with both 3 HP and 5 HP rating.

Bill Trotter of Barron, Wisconsin and a member of the Hungry
Hollow Gas Engine Club of Rice Lake, Wisconsin brought his 5 HP
Monitor; a 5 HP Bulldog and a 6 HP Witte.

In the antique auto exhibit a 1904 Cadillac and a 1907 Stanley
Steamer were the object of inquisitive spectators.

The 1976 Bicentennial Lake Elmo Pioneer Steam Days Show was a
success and Lehart Frederich and his associates are looking forward
to an even better show in 1977.