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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Huron Expositor, 1972-06-08, Page 2fipositor Since 1860, Serving Os Community First Eut SEAFORTH: ONTARIO. every 'IbtlIltulaar morning by IVIeLEAN BURROS., Pubirielters Ltxl. ANDREW Y. McLEAN, Edi,tor Member Canadian Weekly Newspaper Association Ontario Weekly Newspaper Association and Audit Bureau of Circulation Newspapers Subscriptien Rates: Canada (in advance) $8.00 a Year Outside Canada (in advance) $10.00 a Year SINGLE COPIES — 20 CENIS EACH Second Class Mail Registration Ntunber 0696 Telephone 527-0240 SEAFORTH, ONTARIO, June' 1, 19.72 Everybody gains by factory use I. Back in the early' 90's - eighty years ago - when this picture of the then Broadfoot and Box Furniture factory...was taken the business was among the largest employers in Seaforth, as this picture indicated. The picture was taken from Market Street looking north a nd a few years later a three storey addition was ,erected on the open area at the left of the picture completing the rectangular building as it appears today. The To the Editor rectory building is to,.. be demolished to provide a site for a senior citizens housing' project. The picture was loaned by Mrs. Frank Kling:. Her father, the late W, G. Edmunds, Per many years was i n charge of the finishing department with Broadfoot and Box and later with' the Canada Furniture Co., who later 'took over the business. Recalls early days of furniture factory Dear Editor: I would like you to have this history of the former furniture factory in the next issue of your valuable paper. These dates are pretty near as I can tell you at present., John Broadfoot started a planing mill around 1870 I would think on this land. About' 1885- he took in as a partner, William Box and the town gave a bonus of $10,000 to build an L shaped brick building three storeys high. There was a market square on the land and that was the reason for building the.L shaped building. The factory employed around seventy- five men. They made bedroom suites, sideboards and other lines 'as well. The wages for apprentice to the different trades was around $3 per week to start and later when" they became journey men was from $1.50 to $2. for a day of 10 hours, About the, turn of the century, The Canada Furniture Company purchased the hupiness, and Mir. Box became the manager. In '1906 'the toWn gave the C.F.M. a.bonus of $20,000 to build an addition and make the building newly square: Frank Gutter- adge had the contract for the brick work and •Joseph Keating the frame work. The writer of this article was engaged to work with Mr. Keating and helped place all the large beams and joists in place. The foremen• of the different trades at that time were Messrs. Langstrath, Reid Edmonds & Hartry. A large quantity of the lumber used was drawn in with teams of horses from McDonalds sawmill at Walton. The C.F.M. operated the factory until 1931 when it was closed and the machinery was moved away to Woodstock. Liter E. Box purchased the building and at a later date when the second' World War was on Mr. Box sold it to Hesky' Flax Co. This was a war industry and oper- ated only for a short time. Since that time the building has had several owners and has deteriorated to a great extent. The, north, part was demolished not long ago. I think vacant land or other buildings could have been purchased without under- taking this big job of demolishing this building. On• the other,. hand I do not see any necessity of building theie apart- ments. The town would be tied up with the government. Elderly people that are living in apartments • will likely vacate these and move into these new units and leave some people that own the apart- ments with vacancies. It will deprive them of part of their income. I might mention one building - the former Boy Scouts hall on Main Street contains two stores that could 'be made into four apartments. I believe that vacant lots across the street would have been more appropriate and less costly. There are a number of other locations' that would have been more suitable and are . adjacent to sewers and the main street for shopping for elderly _people. _I do not believe in the town buying any mdfre old buildings to renovate for example the Van Egmond house. I have had a lot of experience in building and renovating houses. You cannot figure out the cost. It is always a lot more when you finish thei job and then there are repairs, and upkeep. ' I wish every person interested in this project the best of success. Walter Murray 567 Rill St., Corunna, Ont. From Aiy Window --By Shirley J. Keller — "They won't split them," he reported: "Let's have breakfast, mom, I'm hungry and the morning is almost over." There was no use to argue. I climbed out of the sack, dressed grudgingly and went to the galley to Whip up sonny's snack. "You gotta put the fishing pole to- gether," my youngest informed me. I remembered, too well, that he was right. His fishing rod had come securely wrap- ped in one of these confounded plastic packages. The contents were cemplete, needing only to be assembled. I'll approach this thing systematically, I 'told myself. I'll lay everything out on the table and begin at the beginning and surely, oh surely, I'll have enough brhin- power to figure it out., My son stood at my knee watching. ' Waiting. Wondering. As I 'fingered the sinkers and the weights and the leaders and the flies, my son observed, fully confident, I suppose, that I knew exactly what I was doing. Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, had a rod assembled with the reel on one end and the hook' on the other. It looked good, My son was ' satisfied. I was proud as punch. We set off for the lake, stopping only lOng enough to buy a can of worms .. and to have our rod checked by a couple of experienced fishermen who only shook • their heads in disbelief. Once at the water's edge, fear grip- ,' ped me. I suddenly realized that one of those creepy, crawly creatures in the can was going to have to be threaded onto the hook, I prayed for strengti and received something better - a teenaged boy who loved :to fish who was willing to bait the hook for us. My young son watched enthralled as our newfound friend tore the helpless worm into pieces, 'threaded one wriggling end onto the hook and left the other wriggly part wriggling in the can. I "Could y ,i0p:"14:w my son how to cast the Iine?" d, playing his eager- ness to the absolute limit. Be would be delighted he told me, throwing the line into the water. "Now., reel' it in slowly," the boy told my son, handing him the rod. My son did as he was told and was the only member of our trio who was not at all surprised when there was a foot-long rainbow trout on the hook! , I was speechless for once. So was our new friend. But not my son. "Can I go swimming now?" he asked, fishing over as far as he was concerned and time to get on with other things. ,„., So there I stood - son and new friend escaping along the beach... I was' alone except for one smelly, flopping, gasping, dying trout on the end of a line. For this, I'd spent a lifetime of preparation and risen from sleep in the middle of the night? I couldn't believe it. t., Plans'which were an- nounced this atek. to uti- lize'the former Boshart plant 'are an excellent. .solution to the continuing problem of putting the empty building to use. While detalls'have not been worked out preliminary study has indicated the building can be readily adapted to its proposed use. This coupled with the fact that its use en- sures that Canadian Tire will obtain the floor space it needs and at the same time continue as a business on Main Street __makes the proposal par- ticularly attractive to the town. Do, you, occasionally, have the feeling that you'd like to stand up, preferably in some public place, and, scream, "Stop the world! I wanna get off!"? This urge, which is becoming a com- pulsion,'• seems to be hitting me more often lately. Perhaps it's the first, faint symptom of senility. Twenty yeais ago, when our kids were babies and I was leading the hectic, 72- hour.. a week life. of a weekly editor., I accomplished a great deal. ' I still found _time to play the odd game, of poker (and odd is the word), catch opening day of the trout season, get in a few rounds of golf a week, see the latest Movie, play with the kids and tell them bed-time stories, and fight with my wife. Today, the kids are grown up and -,gOne, and my weekly chores have been pared to a reasonable number of hours. Yet I find myself so' beleaguered that haven't played poker for five years, haven't wet a line or sliced a drive this spring, haven'kseen a movie for a year and a, half, and scarcely have time to fight with my wife. DOn't say it. "He's getting old." This is pure malice. I catf .still, out- dance and out-drink most twenty-year- olds. was going to add out-fight. But let's put it this way.. I can still outrun any coward my age, or up to ten years y6unger. I can still swim a hundred yards in half an hour; I can walk a block in twenty minutes, with time out for catching my breath. I can hit a golf ball 200 yards with a mere 60-mile tailwind. • Don't say it. "He's caught up in a social whirl." That's. pure imagination. The only social whirl around here is trying' to 'decide Whether we should go over and visit Grandad, or ask ,him to cofne and, visit us. No, it's 'something else. What, in the world of all that is ridiculous, is happening, in the piline of my life, when I should be coasting a little after years of uphill . pedalling? It's .the rotten world, that's what it is. The ,danged thing is flying around faster and faster on its axis, whatever the scientists may say. The days are getting shorter and shorter, the years are flipping by like somebody shuffling cards, and every- body is wishing the weekend would come , or saying, "Thank God, it's Friday." And alI God's chillun seem to know it. The kids are into drugs and sex as though they'd just been invented and might be out of style tomorrow. There will be regret that the building cannot be used as a factory.. Des- pite continuing efforts during the years in which it has been empty no such use for it has been found. It seems industry today demands a building—that is on one level and reflects todays planning. and design. Fortunately no basic. principal was involved in considering the necessary. change in the zoning by- law and council. was.able to act quickly in adopting an amendment.' It is to be hoped that provincial authorities will act as quickly in giving their approval. The trout streams are polluted. It's easier to' flop and watch an old Movie on television, with forty-six coinmercials, than to venture into the dark theatre and become involved. play an anemic and safe, game of bridge instead of 'an erratic and bril- liant game of poker. The golf courses are so crowded it takes ,all day to play a round. And even 'playing 'around is no fun anymore. Everybody, instead of view- ing it with the delighted horror of a generation ago, has an instant analysis of the whole affair, in pseudo-psychological terms. It used to be fun to fight with my furnace,, man against the beast. Offen it won, but at least I had the satisfaction of giving it a few good belts with the coal shovel. Try that with your friendly oil dealer and you'll wind up with a law. suit. Everybody is sick to death of taxes, always going up, however cleverly' dis- guised; of politicians, who seem more concerned with scoring a point, for or against, than in leading; of the lousy postal service. ' of the growing army of slobs who diddle the rest of us and live on unemployment insurance or welfare. The majority of Canadians are sick to death of ,those darlings' of the self- styled 'intellectural leaders; anti-Amer- icanism; lack of "true Canadian culture", whatever thatis; bilingualism, a perfect example of the real being conned by the ideals However, don't feel that I'm giving, up. The only people who seem to get ahead these days are those who dig in their heels; the garbage collectors, posties and ceps, who are now making a decent (and 'in the, opinion of many, an indecent) wage; the'farmer who re- fuses to sell out to a corporation be- cause he believes in what he's doing; the ,odd teacher who refuses to be shut Up by a smothering administration. Perhaps if we all dug in our heels a bit, the world would not be going to hell in a wheel-barrow. Or going around. so fast. I'm Willing. , How about you? Maybe too many of us feel that we're a voice in the 'wilderness. Not so. That's where Christ gave the gears to the devil. And see what happened. Maybe I sound disgruntled. I'm not. I'm as griintled as 'they come. And one of the main reasons is that I've just learned that, my favourite uncle, at the age of -80, is getting married to a broth of a girl of 72. As Jewish writers have it, "I should live so long!" Sugar and Spice by Bill Smiley When you are six years old and the sun is shining you don't take time to consider your mother. That's what I found out recently when my youngest son and I spent the whole day together - alone - and at the family trailer. I had purposely 'kept our youngest up a little later ,than usual so he would rest a little While longer •i0 the morning - and let-mother rest with him. I discovered' my plot hadn't worked .when the little lad stroked my face about 7 a.m. and told me he wanted to go fishing. I've never fished in My, life. I've accompanied a few fishermen in my time as they fished, but I've not been inclined to try my hand at fishing. It just has not appealled to me. You can imagine my enthusiasm at 7 a.m. for a fishing jaunt with my boy who also didn't know anything about the sport.' "You have, to have worms," I told him, my diabolical mind alert as I rolled over in my bed. "Get dressed and go, outside and find some." , t He must have obeyed because I heard not' another word from him for about five precious minutes. But like the swallows, he was back, just as perdistent as ever. "There aren't any worms out there-," he told me. "But we can buy some. They are only fifty Cents for a dozen." "Go ask if you can buy half a dpzen," I told him, hoping that this errand would give me more time to snooze. Four niinutes later he was back again. 0 -- _In the Years Agone • JUNE 4, 1897. Mr. Smillie of Tuckersmith, had a narrow escape at Exeter while on his way to Crediton for a load of bricks. His horses became frightened and ran away, throwing him out on the hard road, bruising him considerably. John Dundas of Leadbury, . has had his house reshingled. Adam Dodds, also of Leadbury has the stonework for his new barn com- pleted. A young man, who has been working for Robert McLaren, Hensall, for some months went away early a few mornings ago in his working clothes , and although he had wages due him, up to the time of writing his whereabouts had not been discovered. Robert Bell Jr: is beginning this week to excavate for the foundation of his new A i id. brick block. The brethren of Britannia Masonic Lodge, Seaforth, to the number of about forty, met for the purpose Of , spending a farewell evening with A. R, Sampson, of the Dominion Bank, who is going to Lindsay. A pleasant feature was the presentation of a beautiful Masonic jewel. S. Reid, formerly of Harlock, is now comfortably located in their new home on the Mill Road, Tuckeramith, Mr. Reid having leased the farm formerly occu- pied by Alex Gray. D. D. Wilson left for Winnipeg where he goes to attend the meeting of General Assembly. Herbert Crich of Tuckersmith, has disposed of a fine young Durham bull to Thos. Elder of Kippen. L. Proctor 'of Canatance left for Blue- vale, where he' will assist Mr, McDonald in making cheese. JUNE 2, 1922. Many farmers at Kippen are now busy getting in the bean crop and a large acreage is being sown. Farmers in this vicinity are following the advice of Ski John A, McDonald and are not putting all their eggs' in one basket. Mr. and Mrs. Wm. T. Caldwell 'of Hensall", celebrated their golden wedding anniversary and a most pleasant time was spent. Mr. Caldwell was married to Alice Chamberlain and their family of seven sons and five daughters are all' living. Levi Rands, Hensall, while unloading some heavy barrels of oil had the mis- fortune to receive very painful injuries to his back and legs, owing to the barrel slipping and crushing against hire. The villagers of Hensall were called ,on to vote on the by-law for anexpenditure of $24,000 for a, new High and Public School. Mrs. J.. H. McLaughlin of Walton met with a 'very serious accident at her home. She *as in the barn feeding some chickens, when she stepped on a loose board of a trap deer and fell through to , the stable below onto the cement floor. JUNE 6, 1947. Miss Marguerite Westcott; daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Arnold Westcott of Seaforth, was among the graduating class , at Hamilton General Hospital. Mrs. E. A. McMaster, entertained in honor of Miss Isabel McKellar, bride elect, when twenty-five guests were pre- sent. During the evening bingo was played and Miss Karen Kidd sang h solo. Miss McKellar was presented with several lovely cups and saucers and candle stick tumblers. Lunch was served by the hoStess, assisted by Mrs. Paul, Brady, Miss Alice Reid and Mrs. R. H. Williams. ' -^ - Alistair Wigg graduated this week from University of Toronto School of Institutional Management. Don Steph- enson, son - of Mr. and Mrs. Le6 Ste- phenson, was successful in passing his second year at the school of Practical Science Mot T.Max division. He ob- tained honors for the second year in succession. Following an acute heart attack, Fred. S. Savauge, one of Seaforth's prominent business men died early Friday morn- ing. Re was born in Lindsay, 69 years ago and came to Seatorth in 1910 and established, the jewellery and optical business of Savauge and stollery. • I