Tractor, engine show remembers machines of old

Unique tractors and forgotten technologies were featured during the 24th annual Southeast Kansas Old Time Gas Engine and Tractor Club Show, held Friday and Saturday on the grounds of the Crawford County Historical Museum.

“We’re down somewhat on attendance this year, but had a nice turnout of exhibits,” said Joe Winter, show director. “We have some unique old engines and several unusual big tractors. A lot of people haven’t seen these items before, much less know how they work.”

Even Dave Han, McCune, a mechanic most of his life, didn’t know what he had in the small device his son found in a junk pile that had come out of an old school.

“I put it in my junk pile for eight years, then I saw an article in a magazine and found out that it’s a hot air engine, made sometime between 1903 and 1911,” Han said. “It runs on hot air expanding and cool air contracting. It’s an external combustion engine, and they used it for things like dental drills and vacuum pumps in labs.”

He said that the concept of the process was developed by Robert Stirling in the early 1800s.

“They were trying to find an alternative to steam engines because steam was dangerous,” Han said. “Then electricity came along, and that was it.”

Dean Harris displayed some of his Rock Island hit-and-miss engines, including his favorite, one manufactured in 1914.

“I have a complete set of Rock Island,” he said. “These are one or two horsepower and they were used for pumping water or running a washing machine."

Harris enjoys finding and repairing old engines.

“You find an old, froze-up engine, work with it a few months and try to put it back together so it works, then you hear that first pop,” he said.
Harris regrets that more young people aren’t getting interested in the machinery of the past.

“They don’t understand, they’ll ask what something is, and I don’t know where to start,” Harris said. “I grew up on a farm and I feel sorry for people who live in town and never had those experiences.”

Another unique item was the 1904 Holsman Model 3, which looks like a buggy that should be pulled by a horse.

“It’s a true horseless carriage,” said owner Dean McKibben, Liberal, Mo.

The carriage has a tiller lever for steering, and the wheels resemble wagon wheels.

“Back then most roads were mud paths, and they needed something that could go over those paths without getting stuck in the mud and ruts,” McKibben said.

He found it and purchased it over the Internet. The early auto was beautifully restored by a previous owner.

“They tell me that it will go up to 30 or 40 miles an hour, and that’s faster than I want to drive it,” McKibben said.

Other exhibits included a series of miniature farm machines created by the late Allen Smith. They are maintained by proud grandson Andy Smith.

“We also had a garden tractor pull, which is a fun thing for the kids to do, and a rolling pin toss and skillet throw for women Saturday morning,” Joe Winter said. “This show is a thing to have fun at.”