Clinton News-Record, 1971-08-19, Page 8.flayfield Historical society
studies birds and plants
BY FRIG EARL
For its August meeting the
Bayfield Historical society
arranged a delightful summer
evening program on some
aspects of birds, plants and
flowers chiefly of this area.
Mrs. A, S. Morton, the
chai rma n, remarked when
introducing the speaker that on
first thought this might seem to
be somewhat out of the field of
history. But to look at the 60 or
more mounted plant specimens
from the herbarium of Mr. and
Mrs. Philip Du Boulay and hear
the discussion of the threatened
extinction of the Eastern
Bluebird in this area, as given by
Mr. Harvey MacDougal, soon
made clear that these are closely
related to environment. And
environment is of prime
importance in the history of
man. Indeed, it has often been a
determining force.
Some of our own pioneers
left the beautiful but
unproductive rocks and lakes of
Eastern Ontario to settle on the
fertile slopes of Huron's rolling
land. When reading the journals
of early settlers one realizes how
important the native plants were
for foods, dyes and medicines.
Mrs. Sinscoe, wife of the first
Governor of Upper Canada,
observed in 1795 at Niagara,
"The mopntain is covered with a
sweet purple flower, the roots of
which infused in brandy make a
wholesome cordial, It is called
Oswego Bitter. It is a wild Balm
of Gilead and an Oil may be
extracted from it. The leaves
dried are good in pea soup and
forced meat."
Mr. MacDougal, an enthusiast
for the Eastern Bluebird told of
its threatened extinction in this
area.
Its problems, aside from
pesticides, have been the
disappearance of cedar fence
posts, in ,which it likes to nest,
the starling and English sparrow
which displace it and lasts and
the severe winter of 1957-58
when its feeding grounds were
lost. But Mr. MacDougal believes
something can be done to
encourage the return of numbers
of
see, as a 1971 program next
September, 50 more bird homes,
plans,
c
put in suitable places, in
of which
huiecbhirdhse. hadfIe waost:lelmpliiekeantod
addition to the 15 which have
already been set up in the
v
"We might just recapture
some of the lost magic of long
ago," he said in closing.
The Du Boulay pressed plants
were divided into groups. (1)
Those used in vegetable dyeing;
(2) those used by the Indians as
foods and medicines and (3) a
collection of ferns.
An individual card of the wild
rice plant pointed out that it was
for long on this continent man's
most staple grain. Each
mounting carried information
about when and where it had
been gathered and its native use.
An excellent collection of books
were laid 'out for browsing. The
more than 60 persons present
enjoyed examining these and
carried on a prolonged lively
discussion.
BY LIZA WILLIAMS
Bay field village council
meeting was dominated Monday
night by many involved
discussions of projects, plans,
and problems which the village
of Bayfield faces at the moment.
While not much new business
was introduced, the
Tuyll—Margaret drainage
scheme, dust on the road, the
question of severance, the cost
of pipes and drains, all were
discussed.
The main problem which will
have new action considered to
solve it is the noise and
disturbance caused during the
night by youngsters on the
street. Numerous complaints
have resulted in the concern of
the council, and the
contemplation of a decision to
take action.
Mr, Eric Earl visited council
with a petition signed by 109
people in support of the
proposed charge in i3ayfield'e
liquor laws. Council accepted
the request, and will proceed
with the standard action of
referring it to the L.C.H.Q,
The Fiuron County Health
Unit sent - a bulletin with
information concerning
guidelines for community noise.
Noise is classified as; • (1)
Residential, (2) Industrial, (3)
Motor Vehicles, and (4) Power
Appliances and construction,
Under the Farm Tax
Reduction Program, farmers will
receive a 25 percent rebate, as
last year,
Praise for
the fire department
BY ERIC EARL
The fire siren cut loose again on Friday night about 7:30 just
when I had finally started the lawn mower and made a couple of
swipes up and down the back lot.
I hate cutting the lawn but when I finally get around to it (mainly
because my wife says she'll leave me if I don't get it cut) the only
thing that stops me is if I run out of gas or it gets too dark to see,
but this was an emergency.
I turned the lawn mower over to my "ever lovin" and told her to
keep her feet out from under it and took off for the fire.
' 'There was no trouble finding this one because a great cloud of
smoke was billowing up into the sky over toward Clan Gregor
Square. "Holy smoke," I thought, "Maybe it's the lumber yard."
When I arrived there, everything was o.k., but flames were shooting
up into the sky behind jack Merner's gas service station so I got over
there post haste to find the Bayfield volunteer firemen in action.
The Bayfield volunteer fire department consists of a group of
men that will drop anything at any time to answer the call for help.
These men are:
Fire Chief, Russ Kerr; president, Pat Graham; treasurer, Les
Elliott; secretary, Ernie Hovey; Don Warner, Don Johnston, Ken
Brandon, Mert Merner, Murray Garrett, Ray Scotchmer, Cliff Utter,
Joe Koene, Reg Francis, Bob Turner, Jim Francis, Arnold Makins,
Jack Merrier, Percy Renner, Al Hutchings and Bill Talbot.
All these men were not at this particular fire, but I'll bet all that
were within earshot of the siren were there and they were doing a
good job preventing the fire from spreading.
"Where was the fire?" you ask. It was a small building behind
Ken Merner's house on Howard St. E. The building was demolished.
* *
Mr. and Mrs. Ross Merrill and family and their guests: Mr. and
Mrs. Milton Wiltse; Mr. and Mrs. Cecil Elliott, Barbara and Don; Mr.
and Mrs. Frank Potter; Mr. and Mrs. Ross Trewartha; Mr, and Mrs.
George Colclough and Wayne; Mr. Elwin Merrill; Mr. John Merrill
and Mr. Ivan Merrill, all of Clinton; Miss Faye Merrill, London; Mr.
and Mrs. Grant Jones, Kippen and Mr. Wayne Cantelon, R. R, 3,
Seaforth, attended the anniversary service on Sunday morning at St.
Andrew's United Church, Bayfield.
After the service, a picnic dinner was enjoyed in Clan Gregor
Square, where Mr. and Mrs. Roy Wheeler, Paul and Raymond of,
Clinton joined them.
• ,The safternoonsys spent playing baseball, swimming and visiting,,
INFORMATION MEETING SCHEDULED FOR CLINTON
An information meeting on Pro-S11, the liquid premix silage
additive for beef and dairy tattle; and Neguvon, a warble fly control
product, will be held Tuesday, .August 24, at 800 p.m, et the
Ontario Department of Agriculture and Food Board Room, Clinton.
Company representatives, Wm, Kilmer, of Brockville Chemical
Industries Ltd., and Don Hall, of Greets Cross, will be in attendance
to discuss their products.
This is an open meeting sponsored by the Huron Comity Beef
Improverneet Association,
Area beef and dairy producers are welcome.
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A
8 ,ClintonNews-Repord, Thursday, August 19, 1971
ambling with, Lucy , Bayfield council holds discussions
BY LUCY lit WOODS
FINAL PART
In 1903 the flour mill was moved to a point just below the Mill
hill road and slightly to the north, Miss Cecil McLeod remembers
that she thought she helped so much by pushing in the moving from
below Colena Street, north to a spot about the south west end of the
present bridge. This is where Lucy remembers it. Just at the bottom
of the hill a track went off to a platform where grain was taken in/
and grist piled up for the farmers. And then the teams of horses
went on and turned up the old mill road with their loads:
Here James Thomson set up steamy powered machinery.
According to Harold Pollock, Goderich, a. miller was hired and the
flour was called "Probatum" ,But it did not gray.
Danny McDonald was employed as engineer to keep the steam
up, One small boy of those days relates how custom grinding came
in one day and James Thomson said "Yes sir!" "No, sir our
engineer is sick so our mills are not operating today."
About 1895 (according to a water colour done that year by Mrs.
Metcalf of squared timbers lying scattered about behind the dam)
the saw mill adjoining the flour mill in its original site was taken
down and moved to a spot about half a mile in the bush on the 3rd
concession opposite John D. Woods 4th Concession (now owned by
the Sparks). Here James Thomson and his son Lewis sawed logs for
Mr. and Mrs. James Thomson
some years before bringing the mill down and incorporating it in the
flour mill which at this time was only grinding grist.
After lying idle for a few years James Thomson sold the boiler
and engine for scrap metal. Menno D. Steckle bought the saw mill in
1920 for $90 and moved it onto his farm Lot 8, Concession 13
(Bronson Line) It was a Bell solid toothed saw and he put in a
serrated tooth saw.
When Menno Steckle, Jr. bought his farm, Lot 10, Con, 12
Stanley, he bought the old flour mill building in 1920 from Lewis
Thomson for $200.00 They took it down and moved the timbers
and lumber to his farm. He recalls that the old smoke stack was
leaning cv er on some cedar trees and they took it down. Lewis was
very nervous lest there be an accident and he kept clear of it. The
Steckles transferred all the machinery over the river to the Thomson
farm and stored it in the barn. Menno recalls that Lewis intended to
use the elev ators from the mill for some underground drainage
project on the farm.
The stones for grinding the flour were left lying On the river bank.
They were later acquired by Dr. Wm. F. Metcalf and hauled up to his
property from the river bed on a stone boat in the winter. The iron
on one had broken and the stones deteriorated so that it could not be
pieced together again. But the other was in good condition and has
been preserved for use as a outside summer table by Miss Jessie
Metcalf.
Menno Steckle moved the saw mill from his father's farm to his
own where he operated it for years. Since his retirement to Zurich,
his brother Asa Steckle operates it.
In 1907 romance blossomed for Lewis, There was the old brick
house on the brink of the river. So Lewis tore it down reclaimed the
pink brick and other materials which could be salvaged and started
to build a home on a plateau half-way up the bank.
His fianceeer isited at the'Fhomson home. She• chose :the site and
plan. It was probably completed in 1908. But as the old saying goes
"There's many a slip twixt the cup and the lip" and Lewis knew
disappointment when she broke the engagement, The lady died
shortly afterwards. Thus he never lived in his house of dreams.
For some years it was rented to Wm. Sturgeon and family. Mr.
and Mrs. Billingsley occupied it for awhile, and also Mr, and Mrs.
Newton Sturgeon.
On January 8 1947 the house and part of the mill lots was sold
to BR. Kneeshaw and his wife Elizabeth (daughter of Mrs.Vioiet
Walters) Toledq Ohiq some of the land having been expropriated
by the Ontario Department of Highways for the approach to the
new bridge built 1947.
The Kneeshaws occupied it in the summers until the fall of 1951
when it was purchased by James H. and Hazel Hutchings.
They had made considerable improvements to the house just
before it burned on December 24, 1960.
The Hutchings family was away at the time. A passing motorist,
Tommy Baues saw smoke coming from the roof and gar e the alarm.
Everything was lost including all the wedding gifts of Mr. and Mrs.
Alan Hutchings who were living with his parents.
The origin of the blaze was a mystery. To those first on the scene
it seemed to hat e started in the old pantry.
While cleaning up the debris the Hutchings found a corner stone
with the following contents. King Edward VII one cent pieces-1903
and 1904. (Could be dates hare been symbolic?— part of the
London Advertise; Saturday, November 2, 1907 and a New
Testament. Written on the fly leaf is "Bayfield November 3, 1907
and in short, hand (Lewis had had a business course) a message which
is difficult to decipher but could read: "The secular residence of
Lewis Thomson and his better half; we thank a most benevolent
lady."
As a young man Lewis joined the Canadian Reserve Army. He
was a Lieutenant and had been working for his captaincy when war
was declared in 1914. After the Canadian Armed Forces were
:nobilized, owing to his age and home responsibilities he was given
an honourable discharge.
In the first concert staged in the Town Hall for Patriotic
purposes he played a prottinent role in what was described, at the
• time,as the best concert ever put oh here.
Lucy does not recall much of the program, but with Dr. G.W.
Smith as accompanist and Hobby Bailey and Alex Aitken (bankers)
one number "Ship Ahoy!" with one in a pseudo ship of cardboard
drawn across the stage, went with a rollicking tune in liv ely tempo,
It brought down the house, And then she never forgot the striking
figure of Lewis Thomson in his Lieutenant's summer uniform.
Dr. G.W Smith enlisted in the Canadian Army Medical Corp in
1015 and was posted to the Orkney Islands where he continued to
reside after the war.
Alex Aitken, a riatiVe of Scotland, also enlisted but returned to
Canada.
Lewis Thomson was a tall/dignified gentleman. He inherited his
mother's keen intellect and understanding of legal matters. He was
known as A good swordsman and as long as he was able, delighted in
daring the sword dances. To young boys who were his friends and
neighbours he would allow them to use a word and try to teach
them the art of fencing.
"Of course," said one "he always won because he knew how to
defend himself".
IRENE'S
LAUNDROMAT & DRY CLEANERS
15 Rattenbury St. E., Clinton 482-7833
INTRODUCES - - -
Steam Pressi ng
SPECIAL
TROUSERS OR SLACKS
CLEANED AND PRESSED
50' ea.
ONE DAY SERVICE
NOW WE ARE OFFERING
DRY CLEANING IN BULK
OR INDIVIDUAL PIECES
HOURS —Mon. Through Sat., 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
WOODED
LOTS
20 registered lots, over 15,000 sq. ft. Adjacent to
Lake Huron, one mile from Douglas Point. 12 miles
from Kincardine and Pert Elgin. Open roads, hydro
available. No restrictions, suitable for trailers. Priced
from $2,600.00. f=inancing available.
40 acres adjacent to Lake Huron, draft plan for 85
lots, one mile from Douglas Point. Excellent terms.
Will consider trade.
WRITE TO
SOUTHAMPTON
CONSTRUCTION
BOX 312
LIMITED
KINCARDINE
or phone
396.07942
The Department of Trapsport
senta circular outlining
additional maintenance
expenditures;
A discussion of the problem
of the Hayfield dump arose in
council, arriving at the
conclusion that mandatory
recycling of s .rbage and trash
will eventis have to take
place.
Council was reminded that
Saturday at 2 p,m, is the
ratepayers' meeting.
The streetlights on, main
street must be installed by the
hydro, as they are on hydro
poles.
Plans, sketches, maps,
descriptions, and cost estimates
regarding the Tuyll-Margaret
drainage system have been
completed by the reeve, and a
special meeting of council was
held Wednesday night to discuss
them and the final plans
regarding tenders for the job.
Councillor MacFadden moved
that the bills be paid.
Road superintendent John
Lindsay called it to the attention
of council that a new and more
powerful chain saw is needed,