HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 1996-09-04, Page 24PAGE A-4. TILE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 4, 1996.
35th Pioneer Thresher Reunion
Welcome to the
35TH ANNIVERSARY
REUNION
of the
Huron Pioneer Thresher & Hobby Association Inc.
September 6, 7 & 8, 1996
at the Blyth Fair Grounds
President's Greetings
On behalf of myself and all our members, I
would like to invite you to our 35th annual
steam show. This year you will notice new
and unique exhibits and activities.
We at the show have one common theme
which is the cornerstone of our club:
"To Foster the Spirit of Heritage with Family,
Friends, and Community, through the
exhibiting of our traditions, machinery and
music."
Mike Andrews
President
ENTERTAINMENT
Wednesday, September 4, 1996
* Campers Jam Session
Featuring Old Time Dancing
Teaching Available
Auditorium 8:00 p.m. - Lois Hodgins M.C.
Steel Shed 8:00 p.m. - Bev Hanson M.C.
Thursday, September 5, 1996
* Fiddle Jam Session
Steel Shed #1 8:00 p.m. - Lois Hodgins M.C.
Steel Shed #2 8:00 p.m. - Bev Hanson M.C.
* All musicians welcome
Friday, September 6, 1996
* Dance - Pierce Orchestra
8:00 p.m. - Midnight
Saturday, September 7, 1996
* Dance - Joe Tin's Orchestra
9:00 p.m. - 1:00 a.m.
CKNX Country Video Dance, and the Friday
and Saturday Night Dance Under Authority
of the Special Occasion Permit. Proceeds go
toward Community Betterment. Age of
Majority Required.
Friday
8:00 a.m.
Elementary Student Activity Day
Senior Citizens Day
Admission for Senior Citizens
$2.00 (Friday Only)
Saturday Sunday
8:00 a-m. 8:00 a.m.
Admission: $4.00 per person
Children 12 & under - $1.00
Children 12 & under - when accompanied
by an adult - FREE!
Members must have 1996 membership
Special Events
Competitions
Saturday and Sunday only
Log Sawing Competition
Belt Setting Competition
Bag Tying Competition
Tractor Pull Competition
NEW EXHIBITS
• Ruston Engine
1927 Ruston MK4M
500 6 hp weighing 75 tons
• Steam Calliope
• Border Collie
Demonstration
(Sheep & Ducks)
• Feature Tractor
Allis Chalmers
1954 "C" Allis Chalmers
with hydraulics
People Movers available for
on-grounds transportation
Free Parking
Free Shuttle Bus Service
New attractions planned for 35th Reunion
HERDING — The Clarkhome
border collies will be putting on a
show at the Reunion for the first
time this year ..The dogs, owned
and trained by Jim Clark, will
show how border collie herding
was done mid-19th century
Britain.
The 35th anniversary of the Huron Pioneer
Thresher and Hobby Association Inc. is
going to be a celebration again, not only as it
is the 35th year, but also because of the new
exhibits which are going to be present.
The Reunion Committee has planned three
new exhibits this year while a number of
other exhibits have been dramatically
expanded.
The first new exhibit is "The Thomson
Mighty Steam Calliope", which was
obtained by_the Thomson family in 1960 and
took three years to restore. The calliope,
built in 1897, is only one of the two known
in Canada! It measures 22 feet long, and
weighs 12 tonnes. It has 66 whistles and
carries about 100 lbs. of steam pressure. It is
played by a manual keyboard, and needs a
full time fireman to keep up to the steam
pressure. The calliope burns either wood or
Silver Creek
one of many
Continued from A-3
silo, tramping the stalks flat as the corn came
in. By the time this was all done, it was time
to begin threshing again.
In 1927, Simon Hallahan became the
manager and thresher for the Syndicate. Bill
Hallahan took over the duties of separator
operator, while Hugh Blair became the Tank
Man. Simon continued as engineer until
1937, when Blair moved to the position of
separator operator.
Trends of the time forced changes in the
Syndicate during the late 1930s. Stook
threshing became more popular, the season
became shorter and more, smaller threshing
outfits appeared. In November, 1937, half
of the Syndicate bought out the other half,
and Hugh Blair took over the managing
duties.
In 1939, a second-hand Waterloo was
purchased and put into use until 1942, when
Blair bought out the remaining shares and
introduced his John Deere gasoline tractor.
He continued to operate until 1966.
The Silver Creek Syndicate was only one
of many privately-owned threshing outfits.
In East Wawanosh alone, others were owned
by Sam Walsh, George Jordan, Fred J. Cook,
Russell Walker, Jim Coultcs and Albert
Gower.
EDITOR'S NOTE: This history was
adapted from the history "East Wawanosh
1867-1967.
coal.
The next exhibit is a 1927 Ruston Engine
MK4 M-500 bhp, weighing in at a massive
75 tonnes. A trailer which is over 50 feet
long, 20 feet high with 40 wheels is used to
transport this impressive engine. The
"Ruston" is owned and operated by Walter
Dedman of Cambridge, Ontario. The
restoration process took over four years to
complete. It is quite an inspiring sight to
watch the Ruston operate, with its eight
valve rods working in time, and the large
side shaft and flywheel turning with the
engine running at a speed of 214 rpm.
Originally, the Ruston was delivered to
Ontario in 1927 and was installed to a
generator to produce the electricity supply
for the city's pumping station. It truly is a
sight for people who have never seen this
mammoth engine before.
The third exhibit ist the Clarkhome border
collies. Jim Clark will be bringing border
collies along with his sheep and ducks for
demonstrations. Clark and his dogs have
performed in herding demonstrations all
across southwestern Ontario. Many dogs are
directly from Britain and trained by Clark.
Border collie herding, as known today, was
developed in the mid-19th century in the
sheep raising borders of England and
Scotland to act as working sheep dogs. Its.
Continued on A-5
NEW TO REUNION — The
Thomson Mighty Steam Calliope,
obtained by the Thomson family
in 1960, is one of only two known
in Canada. Built in 1896, it took
three years of restoration.