HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Huron Expositor, 1975-06-26, Page 6• ro. Akar.
.V.89_14 'E POI 41,)N 1075
We Need Used
Cars & Trucks
Now's the time to trade up
to a 1975 Ford
HIGHEST TRADE-IN
ALLOWANCES PAID
HERE'S
A CAR
FOR YOU
AT A PRICE
YOU'LL LIKE
1971 MAVERICK GRABBER 302 V-8,
automatic, mini console, bucket seats, radio,
whitewalls. Licence DJL554
1973 TORINO 4-door sedan equipped with
select air-conditioning, AM/FM stereo with tape,
automatic. Licence DFU538
1972 FORD LTD BROUGHAM 4 door hardtop,
automatic, power steering and power brakes,
radio, temperature control, air conditioning,
Licence DFM517
19,1 NOVA 4-door sedan, 6 'cylinder,
automatic, radio. Licence DFX432
1968 PLYMOUTH FURY III 2-door hardtop, V-
8, automatic, power steering, power brakes.
Before inspection. Licence DFX443
1971 CHEV CAPRICE 2-door hardtop, V-8,
automatic, power steering, power brakes, radio.
Licence DUM704
1973 PONTIAC LE MANS 2-door hardtop, V-8,
automatic, power steering, power brakes,
AM/FM, vinyl top. Licence DKH798
9995
'3295
'2795
1195
695
'2395
'3695
TRUCKS
1974 FORD F250 Styleside pickup, 360 V-8,
automatic, 7500 GVW package, 8.75x16.5 10 4495
ply tires, long-arm western mirrors, only 14,000 #
one -owner miles. Licence 884-200.
1972 FORD 1/2 ton, 8 cylinder, standard
:iansmission, heavy duty suspension. Licence
C67784
1973 FORD 1/2 ton, 8 cylinder, standard
transmission, heavy duty suspension. Licence
C55535
1967 FORD F700dump truck, as is, where is
L ii9c e7n2c e
FORD
M82 7 r329`50
pickup, 8 cylinder, automatic,
heavy duty suspension, western mirrors, rear
step bumper. Licence H68942
'2595
'3295
9195
'2795
,:arry Snider Motors
LIMITED
EXETER 235-1640 LONDON 2 4/-4 I 91
Open Weekdays Until 9:00 Saturdays Until 640
at was it to IRre
Setiforth in 1875? lot
01.1,Nl(rsiPs 11 1 t Ill ",
11 111111 Rl 11N1
(ill• I 's 1 Ult 1 1 I le) Ut
SEAFORTH
JEWELLERS
• fl y Susan White)
Nif.e had. Jules Verse's time
014Chitie, we could go back and
field Out. But since we don't and-
We can't we have to put a let of
tittle bits of information together
Wiry and get a feeling, a realistic
picture of what it was like to live
in Seaforth in 1875.
After all, the fact that Seaforth
was here, a flourishing. newly
incorporated town, is the excuse
for celebrating this Centennial
weekend. It seems only fair to try
and discover what life was like for
the nearly 3000 souls who lived
here then.
First of all, the good citizens of
1875 would be shocked out of
their shoes to learn that 1975 is
International Women's Year. The
idea of designating a special year
to mark -se.% women's
eceomplishments and encourage
them to try bigger and better
things would seem ludicrous to
them.
They were people whose birth
announcements in the Expositor
of the day said "JONES: The
wife of Mr. Henry Jones.
McKillop, a son. June 2. 1875."
It's obvious from looking through
1875 Expositors that women.
though they worked as milliners.
clerks, flax pickets and teachers.
were seen and jot heard.
Seaforth bed a flourishing
literary and debating setinety in
1875 and a Mechanic's Institute
or Library. but if women Acre
members, they did not speak, for
there is no record of their
participation in newspaper
accounts of these organization's
activities.
Not Idle
All this is not to say that
Seaforth women in 1875 were
idle. They had large families --the
Expositor records the death of
one woman 'taken way in the
prime of life from a young and
interesting family ". who left c.
seven yo ung children: Women
could get their household' flour
ground at the Egmondville Mill.
They did most of the household
sewing. cooking and provisioning
and they shopped.
Advertisements in 1875 papers
offer %hawk furs, clouds(?),
mourning dress goods, oysters by
the gallon. fresh and good. a sale
orr buffalo robe's." lobster and
salmon
If she was lucky, a Seaforth
woman in 1875 would have a
servant or two to help her keep
her big household functioning.
An article in the Expositor from
England told about a house for
destitute girls there that taught
them to he servants. "not the
better type".
These lucky girls were
encouraged to stay at their jobs
by what the Expositor calls
"admirable incentives''. After six
months service, the home invited
faithful servant girls back to a tea
party and after they'd served in
the same household for a year.
they were given prizes ,at a
Christmas party. If W•ornen in
general had it had. servants had it
worse.
But all was of gloom and doom
for the ladies of 1875, Women
after all did not get the vote in
Canada until 1918: they were
ha rdly considered whole people
in 1875.
The idea of the equality of the
sexes didn't have niuch of a firm
footing with the editor of the
Expositor. When a male teacher
resigned his post at SPS because
he wanted more money. the
editor comments that he doesn't
see how a male teacher could live
on $500 a year. He suggests that
the school board hire instead a
female teacher "who could be got
for $350 or $400. or better yet
hire two female teachers for little
more than what one man would
cost. t'
The Expositor tells about "one
smart old lady". a Mrs. McMillan
of Tuckersmith, who at 90 years
old, danced the first reel at her
granddaughter's wedding.
Aside from the women's
question, what did Seaforth
people of 1875 think about other
burning issues? If the results of
debating society discussions are
any indication, they favoured
abolishing capital punishment,
they 'were against compulsory
education and voting and they
liked the idea of taxing churches.
It appears some of the debators
were' far Ahead of their times.
Schools were being organized into
township systems in 1875 and
writers to the editor of the
Eepositor debated that question.
They had many of the same
problems with their governments
that we have now .
Spelling Bees
Spelling bees were all the rage
then and the Expositor editor
suggests. tongue in cheek, a
nose! bee. We should hate a big
spelling bee with the councils of
Tuckcrsmith and McKillop on one
side and the Scaforth council on
the other, he says. Crowd's of
people would pay to come and
watch and "a sufficient sum could
be raised to gravel the Kippen
road and shovel out the snow hole
at Grieye's Hifl—next winter."
Although the Ktppen road,is no
longer gra% el. it is still often
called the worse" for wear. And
there yy crc quite a few car
accidents last winter in the snow
tunnel on the hill north of
Grieye's bridge.
The rights of labour , too got
pretty short . shrift from the
Expositor editor. In the winter of
1875 he reports that the coopers
of town are out on srike for five
cents per barrel for their wares.
He prints a letter giving the
management point of view on the'
strike but the next week declines
to publish an answer for a cooper.
"as our available space is
occupied with, more important
matters."
It seems from contemporary
accounts that the Seaforth of 1875
was rather an unsightly place.
Streets were patholed in the
Spring and mud holes when it
rained. Cows, pigs and sheep
roamed the town at their leisure,
or so one letter writer to the
Expositor claims.
If the livestock didn't get you,
the smell would. Correspondents
wrote to the editor complaining
that melting snow exposed
"heaps of rubbish and filth in
backyards!" Another. man
complains that the streets are
repositories for manure, piles of
lumber, brush and stones and
calls the. sidewalks ."deplorable".
The Expositor editor comments
on • the,, . delegidated fraree
buildings that line Main St; and
congratulates some merchants
who've replaced the "unsightly
verandahs". in front of their
stores with nicer looking awnings.
The fire of 1877. perhaps a
blessing in disguise. took care of
therundown frame stores, but the
people of 1875 didn't know, that
and made do ---even adding
additions to rickety frame stores,
a practise that the editor objected
to.
A writer in Belden's Huron
County Atlas of 1879 says that
although Scaforth citizens haq
lots of 'initiative as individuals,
the public improvements of the
town as a whole are "of a very low
standard". He cites the need for a
new market building and town
hall, good water supply and fire
protection and warns that
Seaforth's boom could fall apart if
these things aren't taken care of.
City fathers arc moving to make
these improvements, though, he
adds. •
Roads Bad
The rural townships weren't
exempt from criticism about
public intprovements. One letter
writer complains that the roads
from McKillop and Tuckersnlith
into Seaforth are so bad that in
one half mile stretch there were
seven sleighs upset in one half
day.
Seatorth was a boom town in the
1870's. The Atlas says that its
prosperity in 18'9 was amazing,
especially since it started as a
swamp and didn't enjoy any
advantages of location.
Life in Seaforth was
undoubtedly good for many. or as
good as it could be inside the
restrictions of a rigid Victorian
social order. Salt was the big
industry. By 1879 there were
three salt works in town, pumping
brine out of the ground and using
tons of wood to evapo rate the
water. •
The Expositor notes that the
salt works were closed for a time
in February, 1875 because the
market was toe "putting men
out of eorkeand slow log the trade
in town".
The salt was packed in barrels
for shipment and thus one of
Seaforth's secondary industries
tas Mr. Volmar's barrel factory.
1 : men were t o ' !ling out 500
barrels a day. the Expositor
reports. thanks Ili labour say ing
de% ices, Formerly 20 -mem tv ere
needed to turn out 350 barrels.
The Expositor felt though that
Seaford) needed more industry.
In an editorial in 11575 the editor
warned that the country trade. on
w hich Seaforth YY as so dependent.
was not going to get any bigger as
all surrounding tar , is Y..re
sc•itled. The editor said that the
taw n council should actiYely seek
manufacturing industry for
Seaforth and pay bonuses if
necessary to bring factories here,
How to Make Farm Pay
The farms'that Seaforth w as so
dependent on were much
different than they are today.
Another Expositor article
suggests how to make a farm pay
best. The author say's the average
90 acre farm needs 5 cows and
offspring. 2 mares and 2 colts. C '
hogs and some poultry. "Butter
and eggS will keep the house in
groceties and children in
clothes."
Thirty acres should be used
for grazing th,e stock, and the
remaining sixty should be
cropped--planted with wheat'
barley, peas and potatoes. By
following this author's plan, a
farmer could realize a total
income of 51,210 per year. The
article is available in old bound
copies of the Expositor. if any
modern farmer would like some.
tips!
There was a bouyant optimism
about Seaforth's future. An ad
from John's and Rowctiffe,
undertaking business, predicts a
street railway for `Seaforth "if
things continue to 'prosper as at
present." A reporter in the
Hamilton Times comments on the
"smart business smack of the
people" here.
"The merchant does not stand
at his door with a pipe in his teeth
and an idiotical look on his
countenance, but, on the other
hand,: is behind his counter as
quick as a needle and sharp as a
razor." The 'Hamilton paper also
says that there were few or no
loafers on downtown corners or at
the market.
The contents of._ the 1875
Congratulations to the people of
SEAFORTH
on your 100th Birthdap
from one of your newest businesses
GARRY BANNON
Painting - Decorating - Paper hanging
527.158-2 — - Free estimates
-. r Seaforth
Old man of 64
It certainly was a dangerous
time. One man was 'killed by
falling dow n some st airs in a
Seaforth grocery .:ore---he is
called "an old man of 64".
Keeping its r eaders virtuous
and on the right track scents to
hay(' been part of the Expositor's
self appointed job. Every week
Fwv-iiies anti *renal tales are
printed --- about budgetting
money and staving healthy. Pay
cash, not credit. don't scold and
think before you speak. were the
topics of three stories one week,
There was advice to the
lot elorn in the form of a full page
romantic~ novel every week.
There was practical advice •••
like how to make a good warm
blanket from layers of
newspapers encased in a calico
cover.
Murders, abductions and other
interestsing,crimes from all over
Canada were reported in short
items on the front page.
We think we are well informed
about public affairs, what with
radio and the national news. But
this small town weekly carried
many columns of detail about
parliament and national questions
every week. And there were often
letters to the editor from readers
who were very interested in the
same subjects.
It would be interesting to step
back to Seaforth of 1875, but not
to stay there. It's a safe bet that
women anyway would much
prefer to live in this town in more
enlightened 1975.
Smiles
Seaforth papers arc an interesting
reflection of M• hat society was like
then. Every seek the newspaper
reports rather grizzly home, farm
and industrial accidents -- people
being hit by fallen trees, arms
getting caught in saws and
machinery and ..htlyirvt burn, tl
front pots of hot water from
cooks! oy es
Game warden: "Say, you're
hunting with last year's license."
Hunter: "That's all right. I'm
only shooting at the ones I missed
last year:"
Wife, reading husband's
fortune card to him: ".You are a
leader of men- You are brave,
handsome, strong and popular
with the ladies." She paused, "It
has your weight wrong, too."
This rno vailable at a special price from
• 379.95
youti exped
and then same:
Splendid reports were given by
Mrs.I'Vlay Habkirk and Mrs. Irene
Smith, who had attended Rebek-
ah Assembly sessions in Toronto
Final plans were made for the
float in this Saturdays' Centennia
parade. when Edelweiss Rebekal'
Lodge met Monday evening with
Mr. Foster Bennett. noble grand
presiding. The float is beint
organized by a committee repre-
sentative of the Rebekah and Odd
Fellows CPT ' committee.
Rebekahs °Ian Centennial float
Mabel Turnbull
Visitors were.Mr.,and Mrs. Ed
Speers, Oakville and daughter
Ann, with the former's mother
Mrs. , Olive Muir.
The staff had an outing this
week, a pool party and pot-luck
supper at Mrs. June Martene's
home, Egmondville.
Unit 2 of Northside.. LI.C.W.
held their meeting here on
Tuesday afternoon. The-meeting
opened with the hymn 'What a
Friend We Have in Jesus". Bible
story: The Youth of Jesus as a
carpenter. Bible Study Matt 3
13-17. Hymn 'All people that on
Earth do dwell'.
Kilbarchan staff
has pool party
CUTTING THE ANNIVEFSARY CAKE — Two longtime members of Varna and
Goshen United Churches ::ut the 50th Anniversary cake at the service in Varna
Sunday which marked the •ormation of the United Church in Canada, Mrs. Sherlock
Keyes of Varna and Mrs. Richard Robinson, Goshen did the honours. along with
Minister Rev. A.. Taylor. (Photo by Mrs. Bill Chlessell)
•
40101101qMtaarte,.."----
The refna
Lots Sce 111 t:
Piano Solo Mrs. Mabel Crouch,
reading "The Good Samaritan",
bird pictures 'and talk by Eula
Kellar who concentrated on the
bright colour of birds using the
oriole as an example. A favourite
hymn "Take Time to Be Holy",
Mrs. Crouch favoured with a
second piano solo by request.
The meeting closed with the
Mizpah benedietionfollOwed by a
delicious lunch.
Thank you Unit 2 for your
kindness.
The meeting was in charge of
Mrs. Thelma Dale.
last week as representati.e and
scholar. respectiy.
The treasurer's report • w as
given by Mrs. Lillian Grunimett
and the flower and card financial
report by Mrs. Peter Malcolm..
.She also reported on cards. treats
etc sent out.
Mrs. Gordan ['apple won the
mystery prize and Mrs. Papple's
committee convened a delicious
lunch . following the meeting.
Lodge will resume meeting's on
September • 8. with a pot-luck
. Model F7 5200.
Phone 291-4610
ARNOLD STINNISSEN
LIFE HEALTH and ACCIDENT
— Registered Retirement Pensions —
Income Tax Deduetable Registered
Retirement Annuities - tir-
- REPRESENTING —
Sun Life Assurance
Company Of Canada
TELEPHONE: 527-0410
117 GODERICH ST. EAST,— SEAFORTII
supper and exchange of Sunshine
Pal gifts. VIM1010.101111k•
VACATION CARE
PROGRAM FOR
SENIOR CITIZENS
Ritz Lutheran Villa in
Mitchell wilt operate a
vacation care program
for senior citizens.
This .program is
approved by the
Ministry Y of
Community and Social
Services. The purpose
is to care for a senior
person while the
family takes a
vacation.
For futher information
contact
RITZ LUTHERAN
VILLA,.
Box 1000,
MITCHELL, OnWio
Phone 348-8612
From Inglis: a 15.1 cu. ft. No-Frost refrigerator
at a Special Spring Price!
The Indli.s Liber:rdr is a
17e kind .
rehaer_, , ave
ve:-‘- 1:7nce has
Liu]: :: :he .•
rna-ts
ajle Er s:.
its t'eezer
men:.
freezer „4.0,17 =lc': -.he
freecer
140 '1--3,:.‘f
Modern Appliance Centre
102 Main St. E. Listowel We Deliver - We• service what we sell