When Lou-Rich decided to replace an older air compressor at the Front Street plant, a decision had to be made.

Tuesday, August 07, 2001

When Lou-Rich decided to replace an older air compressor at the Front Street plant, a decision had to be made. Would this huge machine and its attached parts have to be scrapped, or could the equipment be donated to some organization where it could be used or put on display?

Dave Wildgrube, Lou-Rich quality technician, said several individuals and groups were contacted. And the one organization which wanted the somewhat antique equipment was the Mitchell County Historical Society of Osage, Iowa.

On Thursday afternoon the air compressor, tank, electric motor, large control panel and other attachments were moved out of the plant, taken across Front Street, and placed in the parking lot next to the railroad tracks.

On Friday morning a van towing a flat bed trailer, plus a semi-tractor with a flat bed trailer, came from Iowa. With the assistance of several forklifts and Lou-Rich personnel, the equipment was loaded on the trailers, chained down, and on the way to Osage about two hours later.

&uot;It was our backup compressor, &uot; Wildgrube said regarding the equipment made by the Garner-Denver firm of Quincy, Ill., about 1927. The compressor was likely installed at the Front Street plant in the early 1930s. according to Wildgrube’s estimate.

&uot;It was still running a few days ago, The new one (its replacement) is more efficient,&uot; he added.

A spokesman for the Osage group said the equipment donated by Lou-Rich will be reassembled and put on display and used later. However, it won’t ready for this weekend, Aug. 11 and 12, for the Sixth Annual Cedar Valley Memories events.

Cedar Valley Memories consists of several buildings and display areas located two miles west of Osage on Iowa Highway 9. This is the home of the Smolik Exhibits, described as the Upper Midwest’s largest collection of rare steam engines and agricultural equipment from the past.

Thus, the air compressor for Lou-Rich in Albert Lea has now become a part of the place where the famous 1901 Frazee gas powered automobile is on display.