September/October 1995
Kevin M. Small,
Box 92 Portersville, Pennsylvania 16051
RELATED CONTENT
A Worthington Ingersol Rand cooler engine.''...
The Rollag Reunion had stack threshing''...
Several old steam threshing engines''...
Aultman-Taylor outfit''...
Aultman-Taylor outfit''...
The author engineers Austin Monk's 40x120 HP Peer less at
the Barnes Steam and Power Show. This engine pulled the 20 bottom
plow almost effortlessly on 150 lbs. of steam. Behind is a 22 HP
Minneapolis owned by the Barnes family, pulling a 6 or an 8 bottom
Avery plow, Ward Barnes engineer.
Every steam engine buff can recall their most memorable trips to
look at engines or their favorite shows. In August of 1994, I took
one of those most memorable trips to Montana.
I left home on the 20th and first stopped at the Dover, Ohio,
steam show, which is always a good one. Then on Sunday night, I
embarked on a 1,160 mile journey to the 'Big Sky' state. My
first stop was in Billings, where I visited Oscar Cooke's
Dreamland. There are not too many places where you can see a 110 HP
Daniel Best engine! There are many rare and unusual tractors and
machinery at Oscar's. After an enjoyable day there, I got a
room for the night and set out for Yellowstone National Park the
next day. I must say that Montana has the most beautiful mountains,
forests and scenery that I have ever seen in my life. I didn't
realize there are over 350 miles of road and 1,000 miles of hiking
trails in Yellowstone! I drove through 125 miles and saw much
wildlife, including elk, American bison, mule deer, and pronghorns.
Regretfully, I turned around and headed for Belgrade which was the
main reason for the trip in the first place. I arrived that evening
on the 25th and was greeted by Virginia Barnes whose entire family
puts on the Barnes Steam and Power Show. I also met my friend Gary
Yaeger whom I met for the first time at the 50th N. T. A. Reunion
in Wauseon, Ohio. After a good night's rest, the show began on
the 26th. That morning I met Austin Monk whom I've known since
the Tri-State Historical Steam Show in Finleyville, Pennsylvania,
back in 1987.
Austin had told me way back in '87 that I should come to
Belgrade, and seven years later I was quite happy to meet him again
at 'his' show. Around 10:00 a.m. it was time to plow. Oh
boy! This is what I've wanted to see! Austin's 40 x 120 HP
Geiser Peerless and a 20-bottom John Deere plow. John Schrock of
Mason, Michigan, was the engineer on the first round and Gary
Yaeger of Whitefish, Montana, fired the Peerless all eight rounds.
The Peerless seemed to pull the 20-14' bottom plow effortlessly
on 150 lbs. of steam. Then Sunday afternoon I was the engineer on
the Peerless! It was an absolute thrill to plow with this engine
that I've wanted to see since I was a 14-year-old boy. Many
other steam men got to plow with it, including Dale Richardson, Jim
Schrock, Carl and Kim Tuttle, Kenneth Kelley and Michael Yaeger.
After I got done plowing, I walked over to Austin and shook his
hand and patted him on the shoulder and thanked him over and over
again.
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