The Huron Expositor, 1975-01-16, Page 6Fire Area Board,
Melvin Craig was appointed to
Wingham and District Hospital
Board. •
Walter • Shortreed was
appointed to SeafortIrCaramtinity
Hospital Board.
Thorne Riddell & Co., London
were appointed.auditors for 1975.
By-law No, 2, 1975 was passed
authorizing the Treasurer and
Reeve to borrow on the credit of
' the municipality up to $135,000
from the Canadian Imperial Bank
'ofCommerce, Wingham.
The treasurer was authorized to
pay road employees monthly.
The next meeting will he held
February 3, at 1 p.m.
Road accounts of $12,907,86
and General Accounts of 7,400.79
for a total of $20,308.65 were
passed for payment. 4
A Food Handlers
Seminar
Will be held in the following
locations ••
Goderich, Jan. 27,
Assessmeiit Office board
room, Giaucester Terrace
Exelir, Jan 28
Ladies Auxiliary Roam', South
Huron Hospital, Exeter
Seaforth, Jan. 29
Seaforth Community Hospital
Board Room, 24 Centennial
Drive, Seaforth
Wingham, Jan. 30
Huron County Health Unit
Office, Catherine St.
Winghatri
All interested persons are
invited to attend this seminar
Please contact:
Huron County •
Health Unit '
524-8301
or
1400265-4485
by Jan. 24, 1975
Maternity Wear
AT
'THE SEPARATE SHOPPE
MAIN•donirgR CLibiTON
OPEN 2-6 P.M. CLOSED WEDNESDAYS
.Clear hospital donation
A donation was made to the
War Memorial Children's Hospi-
tal London;: at Monday nights
meeting of Edelweiss Rebekah
Lodge, with Mrs. Foster Bennett,
noble grand, presiding.
Many thank you notes were
read for visitations made and gifts
and treats received at Christmas,
including one from Westminister
Hospital on behalf of the lodge's
adopted patient there.
The annual speaking competi-
tion for selected high school
students in the district is set for
February 28 at Clinton. The
winner will take part in the Youth
Pilgrimage the United Nations.
The event is sponsored annually
by district Rebekah and 100F
lodges.
Afternoon euchres are planned
for February 13 (St. Valentines)
and March 13 (St-Patricks). A
joint 100F and Rebekah Euchre is
set Tdr January 22nd at 8:00 p.m.
May 7 has been selected as the
date for an event to mark the
town's Centennial, as well as
observing the lodge's 63rd anni-
versary.
USE
EXPOSITOR ,
WANT - ADS
Phone 527-0240
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(By W.E.Elliott)
"Bill" Forrest cared little for tb.:
democratic process -- he never marked a
ballot. He cared ei/effless for constituted
" authority; he sued His Majesty the King
and won. Born on a Stanley Township
farm, he became owner of several farms in
Tuckersmith but never operated them.
Unmarried, he lived for much of the time in
, a shack at Godcrich harbor, his base for 45
years of partnership with the Bermingham(
Construction Company. He died 22 years
ago, but is remembered by many for his
, great voice,, great stature, great heart,
great everything. '
*vitt ..."He was a colOrful figure," said the
Signal Star, "and his giant stature of six -
s Iii.'",fetTsiivett4ttcdo getter 'iss-•*art , Most'
of additional service area is now under construc-
tion. This will more than triple our present
service area, enabling us to serve you better.
During this construction our car lot is all jammed
up. We must reduce our car inventory.
WE'RE
Expanding •
Here are just a few of the fine
USED CARS AVAILABLE
1974 PONTIAC PARISIENNE
BROUGHAM, four door hardtop finished
bronze with contrasting beige ekiinyl
top and saddle vinyl interior, equipped
with 350 cu. in. V-8 engine, turbo hydra-
matic, power steering, , power brakes,
AM/PM stereo, shade lite windshield
and many other extras. Lic.
$4495, HCS698 •
1973 BUICK LE SABRE, Custom four door
sedan, exceptionally well cared for by
the original owner, finished in maroon
with contrasting beige vinyl top and
matching beige vinyl interior? Equip-
ped with V-8 engine, automatic trans-
., -mission, power steering, power brakes,$3795.
shade lite 'windshield, deluxe wheel
covers! ett. Lic. HEK307
1972 PONTIAC• LE MANS, two door
hardtop, finished in meadow green
metallic with matching green, cloth and
vinyl trim, only 19,000 original miles,
equipped with 350 cu. in, V-8 engine,
turbo hydramatic transmissionp custom
radio, rear window defogger, etc.
tic. DJJ131 $2695.
1971 BUICK, four door estate wagon.
This fine automobile is equipped with
all the optional equipment you would
expect on this type of car. These are-
just a few of the extras: automatic
climate control, power windows, power
seats, AM/FM" stereo; cruise control
and many more extras. Lic.
JKB923 - • Price $3395.,
1970 PLYMOUTH VALIANT; four door
sedan, refinished in a very niceyellow
with contrasting black interior.,This kar
is in excellent condition, driven only.
41,000 miles by the original owner,
equipped with six cylinder engine,
automatic transmission, radio.
tic, DHY017
1970 FORD TORINO, two door hardtop,
refinished and reconditioned from
bumper to bumper, equipped with V-8
engine, automatic transmission,' power
steering, power brakes, custom sport
mirrors, radio, etc. tic. DHU727 . $2095.
• sA
$1(A,5
your PONTIAC-DUCK dealer
WEST END GARAGE
82 HURON ST. OF -MITCHELL LTD
'348-8932
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hAcarris sets i975 scildti‘s HURON Ei(POSITOR, JANUARY 16, 1975
• ••••vI •
Bill Forest
Salaries for township officials
were,set, at the Morris Township
inaugural meeting lag Monday.
They are; Clerk - Helen Martin
$3,500; Treasurer, George Michie
$1200.; Poundkeepers:- Carl ,
Johnston, Clarence Goll, Ross
Turvey, Harvey Edgar, John
Bowinan; Wayne Hopper,
Clarence Yuji!: Mervin Pipe,
George Michie, Sam Fear, Robt.
--Bird. Wm. Craig, Geo' . Blake,
Rae Huether.
Live nook Valuers: Glen
Casemore and Ken Taylor at
$5.00 for 1st hour and $3.00 for
extra hours plus 15 cents per
mile. Fenceviewers ($10,00 each)
Northeast: John Nixon, Milo
Casemore, , Bert Hastings;
Northeast: John CArdiff,
Peacock, Jas, Bowman;
Southwest: Jas, Wilson, Wm,
Soucb. Bruce Richmond;
Southeast: Kenneth McDonald,
George Blake. . Clarence
McCutcheon. Gradermen: Jas.
Casemore and John Smith at
) $4.50 per hour. Labour Wages:
s3gi0 per hour: Tile Drainage
Loan Inspector: George Michie at
$10.00 per inspection; Waste
Disposal Supervisor: Adam Smith
at $3.00 per hour.
Council also decided to set up a
Recreation Committee for the
township. ,
Wm. McArter. road
superintendent will receive $4.50
per how plus 15 cents per hour
plus $25.00 per month for
' bookkeeping and Credit Union
Savings benefits of 2%.
Remuneration for Reeve will be
$750.00; Deputy Reeve and
Councillors $600.00' each.
Rev. John Roberts conducted a
short devotional period.
Convention expenses for
attendance at one convention
were set at $15 per day plus
expenses.
Councillor Robt. Grasby was
named to represent Morris on
Maitland Valley Conservation
Authority for two years.
Wm, Stevenson and Councillor
Sam Pletch were recommended
for appointment to , East
Wawanosh Recreation, Parks and
Community Centre Baord.
Reeve Wm. Elston and
Councillor Thos. - Miller were
appointed ,to Blyth District Fire
Area Board for Morris.
Deputy Reeve Jas. Mair and
Councillor Pletch will represent
Morris on Wineham and District
parts," according to James Scott, author of
The Settlement of Huron County. "He was
big all the way through -- a man with a
big heart, a big mind, a big body, and one
of the biggest visions of this country that
any man ever had. On top Of it all, he wore
one of the biggest black Stetsons I have
ever seen on -the head of a man"
The Forrests came 'from Peterhead in
Aberdeenshire ' and settled in the
Hillsgreen area of Stanley. where William
L . Forrest was born . (In his will the
middle name is given as Lurence; "'''
obituary as Laverne.) In later years he was
owner of a farm on the Blind Line.
Forrest was widely' known in Great Lakes
ports as- a dredging. contractor in
partnership with the Bermingham
Construction Company of Hamilton, which
has been associated. with Goderich harbor
works for three generations of the family
right up, to 1974, when-ireanstructed a
303-fool wall cast of the Goderich Elevator
& Transit building. Present head of the
firm is William Bermingham.
Forrest and the Bermingham company
were associated in construction of the outer
breakwalls, 500 feet of rock-filled timber
cribs with a concrete superstructure above
water level. Previously, entry to the port
had been extremely hazardous'for ships in
stormy weather.
According to recollections of John
("Spike") Bermingham. the tug
W.L.Forrest was bnitrin Me winter 'of
1910-11 " by a man ,named Babb." That
would have to be Capt. William Babb.
In 1923, a Signal Star item announced
that "Contractor Bermingham is having a
new scow built on Harbor Island and
repairing his equipment." (Ship Island and
Forrest Island were names applied at
orious times to the-same property.).
• In 1929, the Goderich Elevator &
Transit Co. built a million-bushel addition
to its elevator. and Forrest was in the
picture, as related by the Signal-Star:
"Forrest's new dredge commenced
operations on Tuesday'in the eastern slip of
the harbor, opposite the new elevator
structure.' The tug Forrest arrived back
from Collingwood at the week-end and is
assisting in the work. Forrest's scows were
used in towing along the lake front the
mammoth steel marine leg, 90 feet long."
The late Gavin Green in one of hisbooks
recorded that "the government made Bill
Forrest move to the mainland and took
away part of the island. Bill wants
$100,000."
• The Signal-Star called it Forrest's Island
and recalled that "once the Canadian
Government took issue with Forrest about
whether the island really was his. They
belati dredging at it, but in a court action
Mr. Forrest's squatter's rights were
upheld."
That, however, is an over-simplificatitM
of the litigation. A gat/eh-Intent contractor's
dredge interfered with Forrest's island and
e hopped right in with an injunction. Mr.
Justice Middleton at Osgoode Hall issued
an interim injunction restraining the Boone
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Bill • Forrest ..(left), and Bill
Bermingham in190£§, evidently ,on a
Goderich pier. They were partners in
Bermingham Construction at the turn
of the century, when tugs and horses
were common methods for
transporting -materials for4obs such
as the superstructure of • the
breakwalls outside Goderich harbor.
Contracting & Construction Company from
Interfering with Ship /Island in connection
with the dredging operations in Goderich
harbor.
Forrest, who had used the island for
some years as a yard for the building of
dredges, and scows, claimed to have a
Crown lease from the Ontario MidiSter of
Lands and Forests, dated August 16, 1929.
The Registry Office record of harbor
lands and water lots showed that , Forrest
had "a license of occupancy" from the
Ontario deparmtment of lands and forests
from July 10. 19-29. 'He was to pay $75 per
year for this nine-tenths of an acre
property. Then he obtained a proper lease
from August 16, for a period of 20 years.
Dredging at the"harbor ceased as a result
o Judge Middleton's injunction, but on
October 3 it was dissolved and the
contractor resumed work. Counsel for the
federal authorities told the court the
government would expropriate "any
interest held by W.L.Forrest in the lands in
question."
Accordingly, notice of expropriation was
given on the same date by the federal
department of public works on behalf of
H.M. the King. "except fixtures. if any,"
and a blue print was attached.
Thus challenged by the Crown, Forrest
now took King George V as represented
by the Ontario department of lands and
forests and also as represented by the
Dominion department of public works. The
Goderich Star reported this move on July
10, 1934..
Nothing resulted for some years. at least
nothing that required -a Registry Office
entry. until the King (Ontario) and the
King (Canada) evidently got together in a
compromise, with the-Town of Goderich as
a third party. Their decision was channeled
through the Ontario Municipal Board, of
which R.S.Colter was chairman at the time.
An order dated June 9r, 1942, was issued,
annexing Forrest's Island to the
municipality. Following is the teat:
""In the matter of Bylacer '19 of 1942, an
application for the annexation thereto of
certain lands.
"Upon reading the qualified comments
of the department of public works and
transport of the Dominion of Canada and
the department. of lands and forests of the
Province of Ontario; Ordered that the lands ,
described by R.W.Code, O.L.S, be and
the same are hereby annexed to the Town
of Goderich from this date."
In surveyor's terms, the island was then
described as follows,: "Southern limit of
} 'Ship Street produced to the centre of the
old channel connecting the Maitland River
with Lake Huron, thence along said
present boundary along the centre of said
channel to the central ,waterway of the
Maitland River in a n ortheast direction
following the several windings of the main
channel ofthe river to the intersection with
Aline' on a bearing due north from the
intersection of the north limit of Caledonia.
Terrace and the fast limit of. Waterloo
Street'', etc. -,Z" '•
X11 of `which r;7 vo- ancient lastorye
inasmuch as th;;e'•6 ed remnant of the
island 20Iyears lat4tr was dredged: away,
giVIng more room fot grain ships rounding
to the marine leg 'at,the Goderich elevator.
DAte of-the "first bite" was July 16., 1962.
W.L.Forrest had died 10 years earlier, in
HaileYbury Hospital, in his 82nd year. He
had suffertifd a stroke. The funeral service.
was held at Seaforth.
John ("Spike")' Bermingham knew
Forrest well, and set down his own
character sketch. He wrote: ' •
"Bill's parents were very strict Scotch
Presbyterians and he got such a belly-fulf
of religion in his early ycattli'that it acted in
reverse. After he left home, the only time
he ever crossed the threshold of a church
was when he attended the funeral of a
friend or relative, and then he couldn't get
•out fast enough when the service was over .
"Bill's 'education stopped at Grade
three, yet in his later yea'r's he could and
would quote long passages of, Bobby
Burns, Shakespeare and Kipling when they
-appropriately suited the occasion. While in
manhood he practised-no religion, he had
his own creed, ,and it was a pretty good
one. He was meticulously honest, and his
word was sacred when once given. He was
generous to a fault when' he had acquired
some wealth, but he used to say 'when
was a boy on the farm, the purchase of a
two-cent stamp for a letter was a serious
consideration.'
"While his vocabulary was phenomenal,
and most of his earthy similes were coarse
and original, part of his creed was that he
never ate meat' on Fridays probably
because Dad (Wm. Bermingham) was a
Roman Catholic, and he always went on
the water wagon during Lent, never
touching a drop of liquor,
"He grew into a veritable giant of a man,
six feet four, and about 250 to 260 pounds,'
and he literally didn't know his own
strength. Dad used to tell of a time when
their job was laying a 10-inch diameter
case iron watermain. The trenches were
dug by hand by a" gang of about 20
laborers, mostly Italians, and the pipe was
strung along the top of the spoil bank,
where it could be easily rolled into the
trench and the leaded joint made. .r> One
day, a 16-ft. pipe rolled down the side away
from the trench. and Bill went with about'
10 men to retrieve it. After a futile effort on
the part of the ItalianS, Bill let a roar out of
him and ordered the men out of the ay .
He weift 'to the end of the pipe, lifted it
waisthigh and then onto his shoulders. He
walked toward the point of balance, then
up the bank and laid it down by the same
method in reverse. Dad looked •up
hisTrautwine (the • Engineers' Bible) and
discovered that the pipe weighed 827
pounds.
"Bill never 'told me much about the
years, between his leaving the farm and
teaming up with
Dad at age 32 in about 1905 or 1906, but I
know he worked almost exclusively on
marine construction jobs,. and was a
foreman on such work when they met,"
A winter picture of Forrest's Island at the east end
of Goderich harbor, at the time when Forrest was,
,building dredges and scows thereon.
He was big all the way
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