HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Goderich Illustrated Signal-Star, 1889-03-25, Page 66 GODERICH ILL USTRA TED SIGNAL -STAR.
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That Have Given a Name to Goderich.
The Home of the Salt Industry—Its Large
Lumbering Facilities — Lake
I;l otes—Tne Board of
Trade, &c.
THE SALT BUSINESS,
GODERICH has long been known as
the centre of the salt industry of
Canada, the number of wells sunk here at
various times, and the aggregate out-
put exceeding those at all other points.
Salt was first discovered here in 1866,
the find being a result of the oil fever
which at that time raged throughout
Western Ontario. Petrolia and other
points were reporting great oil strikes,
and with the belief that the oil bed
extended into this section also, a com-
pany was formed to sink a well. The
capital stock was $10,000, and the spot
selected on the river flats where now
stands the village of Saltford. The
late Samuel Platt was the leading
spirit in the 'movement, and to his
energy and perseverance was due the
discovery of salt. Somewhere about
700 feet had been reached in the bor-
ing.without striking oil, and the direc-
tors of the company were then dis-
posed to give up the search as useless.
Mr. Platt, however; had not lost faith in the
ultimate success of the quest, and the
County Council was induced to offer a
bonus of one thousand dollars to secure
the boring to at least 1,000. feet. Work
was resumed, and just within the 1,000
feet salt was struck, and from this point
are five wells in operation, employing on an lumber camps on the north shore of Lake
average twenty-five men each, and with a Huron and the Georgian Bay, and we have
total capacity of 1,800 barrels of salt per unrivalled piling grounds for the storage of
•day of twenty-four hours. The brine from lumber from the fleet of schooners which
the Goderich wells is of remarkable purity, bring the " cuts " here from the mills, where
and the product of our works competes suc- they are assorted for shipment. The break-
cessfully with the best English salt. Each water on the north of the harbor and the
docks to the east and south are fully occu-
pied each season, the breakwater, t�vhich is
leased by the Government as a piling
ground,returning quite a handsome revenue.
The amount handled each season runs from
12,000,000 to 15,000,000 feet. The Grand
Trunk Railway has tracks all through the
lumber yards, and when the C. P. R. ex-
tension from Guelph is completed Goderich
will have facilities for the handling and
shipment of lumber not excelled in Canada.
Two large planing mills are run here,
one of which manufactures extensive -
]y the most improved school furni-
ture, and the advantages possessed by.
our town in the lumber trade make
it one of the most desirable locations
for building up a very large export
trade in manufactured sash, doors and
blinds. The growing demand for this
material in the Canadian Northwest,
and in Australia and South America,
makes the present a most favorable
opportunity for the development of
its manufacture in Goderich.
SHIPBUILDING
was at one time a very extensive in-
dustry in Goderich, but of late years
comparatively little was done until
1887-88, when three fine tugs for the
fishing trade were built here, in ad-
dition to the usual amount of repair-
ing and rebuilding. At present a large
grade, from the finest dairy and table, up schooner is being constructed which will
to coarse salt for the improvement of land, have a capacity of .some 20,000 bushels, or
is manufactured here, and in the great Pro- ' 320,000 feet of lumber.
vincial fairs of our Dominion Goderich fine
salt has won first place for dairying and
packing purposes.
In connection with three of these salt
A. M'D. ALLAN, THE FIRST
WESTERN
PRESIDENT OF NORTH -
FAIR.
THE FISHING TRADE.
The fishing fleet which has its headquart-
ers at Goderich represents a very large pro-
portion of the great business of lake fishing
NORTH-WESTERN FAIR BUILDINGS AND HORSE TRACK.
grew the great salt industry of Canada,
which has now a capacity practically
unlimited. The business has fluctuated
more or less from that period up to the
present time, as new wells were sunk at
other points, but Goderich has always held
works there are extensive cooperages, which
supply all the barrels required for shipping
the salt.
THE LUMBER TRADE
Has found a most convenient point for its
development in Goderich. Our excellent
the lead over other towns. At present there harbor is an easy sailing distance from the
which is carried on in the inland waters of
Canada. The present fishing grounds are
in the neighborhood of Manitoulin Island,
but a considerable portion of the shipments
is made through Goderich, and here the
fle.;t is prepared in the spring for the
season's work, the winter quarters being in