HomeMy WebLinkAboutHuron Pioneer Thresher and Hobby Association Thresher Reunion, 1987-09-09, Page 10PAGE A-10. THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 9, 1987.
First engine built in 1901
Continued from page 9
negotiating with the Port Huron
Engine and Thresher Company of
Port Huron, Michigan, to build its
engines in Canada for the Cana
dian market.
The first Port Huron traction
engine, a 14 hp. model, was built at
the Seaforth plant in 1901, and sold
to J. Williamson of Walton. These
well-proportioned side-mounted
engines with their long boilers and
corrugated rear wheels increased
in size over the next few years, but
theoriginaldesign underwent only
minor alterations.
Tandem compounds were most
ly built at first, but gradually the
demand was for simple engines
only. Robert Bell's most popular
engine for use on Ontario farms
had a 9*/i inch x 10 inch cylinder,
and was rated at 21 horsepower;
Almost anyone
can enter contests
Almost anyone with special
talent can enter either of the two
main entertainment events at the
Thresher Reunion, the Old Tyme
Fiddle Contest, held on Saturday,
September 12, starting at 2 p.m.;
and the Step Dancing Competition,
held on Sunday, September 13,
starting at 2 p.m.
The Fiddle Contest is divided
into four sections: Senior (65 years
old and over); Intermediate (64
years old and under); Junior (16
years old and under; and Open (any
age).
A contestant may enter in one
class only, and all contestants must
play a waltz, jig and hoedown, in
that order. If a contestant wins the
Open Class three years in a row, he
is not eligible to compete the
following year.
The Step Dancing Competition
has six divisions: Nineyearsold
and under (reel only); 12 years old
and under (Old Tyme reel); 12
years and under (clog, jig and reel -
in that order); Open (clog, jig and
reel); Junior Group (12 years old
Welcome
Blyth
Congratulations to the Pioneer
Thresher Association on their
26th Reunion
John, Bev, Rick, Anne Elliott
& Barb Snell
ELLIOTT
INSURANC
BROKERS
LIMITED
GENERAL X
Rick Elliott T Jy r. John Elliott
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Established 1910
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519-523-4481
4 GENERATIONS SINCF 1910
-----------—-----■-----:I -x Li. I -----iu ■ q./'I-i7!*"
but later the 10 x 10 cylinder, rated
at 24 hp., took over as the most
popular model. The boilers for the
24hp. engineswerebuiltwitha
flatter water bottom, longer flues
and a shorter smoke box, and with
the addition of the company’s
heavy-duty road roller wheels,
made to fit the side-mounted
engine, many owners were able to
switch wheels in order to use their
engines for other farm and road
work before the threshing season
opened.
In 1904, Bell and Finlayson
opened a branch office and ware
housein Winnipeg, andafewyears
later, expanded again to Saska
toon, to accommodate the growing
demand as the western provinces
opened up for agriculture.
The company tried to cope with
the fast-growing Canadian west by
and under); and Open Group. A
“group” consists of three or more
dancers; and any contestant may
enter in only one individual and one
group class. Contestants in Group
Dancing may use any step-dancing
routine.
No entry fee is required in either
contest, but all entrants MUST
register before the show starts;
registration on both days begins at
1 p.m.
Prizes in both competitions are
as follows: First, trophy and $10;
second, $6; third, $4; each addi
tional entry, $3. In the Group
Step-dancing classes, first prize is
$25; second prize is $15; and third
prize is $10. All contestant’s gate
admission will be refunded, and
will be included with their prize
money.
In both competitions, judges’
marks are available following the
contest.
For further information on these
events, contact Jamboree and
Dance Chairman Gladys Van
Egmond at 482-7249.
equipping its boilers to burn straw,
and by building engines in the 26
hp. simple and 27 hp. tandem
compound sizes, and greatly in
creasing the strength of the
gearing, but it soon became
apparent that side-mounted en
gines could not stand up to the
strain of heavy plowing, so Robert
Bell and John Finlayson set out to
design a rear-mounted engine.
The new engine was thoroughly
tested, andcameintoproduction in
1912. It was designed to relieve the
boilerofall gearing strain, and
consisted of an independent steel
frame on which the crank shaft,
intermediate gear shaft, counter
shaft and rear axle were mounted.
The high pressure boiler simply
rested on cradles. An open-bottom
firebox and heavy, flat, spoked
drive-wheels were adopted, but
the actual engine details, including
the improved Grimes reverse-gear
and horizontal, sliding friction
clutch were not changed on the new
engine.
Two sizes of this engine were
manufactured: a 30 hp. with 11
inchx 11 inch cylinder, and a 26hp.
with 101/2 x 11 inch cylinder both
designed for use on large western
Continued on page 11
RR 6, Goderich
Welcome
to everyone
who is in Blyth this
weekend for the
26th Threshermen’s
Reunion.
Dickson’s
Auto
Bl„.h RCPa'r523 97O6
IVe are glad to have
you here.
Welcome Visitors
to the 26th Reunion of the Pioneer Thresher
& Hobby Association in Blyth
DOWNTOWN BLYTH
SINCE 1894
FAMOUS FOR WOOL AND LEATHER PRODUCTS
WOOLANO
LEATHER
PRODUCTS
All of Us
at
West Wawanosh
Mutual Insurance Co.
in Dungannon
wish all of you
a great 26th
Pioneer Thresher
Reunion
529-7922
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Backhoeing
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&
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Monday to Wednesday 9 a.m.-6 p.m.
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