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The Exeter Times-Advocate, 1954-01-21, Page 2Page 2 THE TIMES-ADVOCATE, EXETER, ONTARIO, THURSDAY MORNING, JANUARY 21, 1954 This Journal shall always fight for progress, reform and public welfare, never be afraid to attack wrong, never belong to any political party, never be satisfied with merely print­ ing news. THURSDAY MORNING, JANUARY 21, 1954 JASPER By Simpkins No Objection Councillors' Salaries Increases Incentive More, Please Mayor Charlotte Whitton, of Ottawa, expounded some thought - provoking argu­ ments on the trend of government during her visit to London last week. The colorful mayor contended tl^e con­ trol of the people’s money was being taken farther and farther away from them. She said that in 1980, the municipalities, where the citizens’ control is most direct, collected 40% of all taxes with the federal govern­ ment getting only 25%. Now Ottawa, the branch of government farthest from the peo­ ple, gets over G5% while the municipalities receive less than 15%. Her alarm over this development appears well founded. More and more control seems to be centering in the federal government, a trend that brings more socialism, more centralized power and less democracy. More Charlotte Whittons are needed to bring the control of government back to the people. Interesting Exeter councils have in the past dis­ regarded town planning as a venture too large for a small town. It is interesting to see this town’s running mate, Clinton, get­ ting into the planning business in a big way. Although the Clinton board is achieving little materially at the present time, press reports indicate that it is solidifying its position with the rural areas and organizing to the point where it will have some definite and serious effect upon the management and development of the town and area in the future. We feel that town planning is not only a good idea but a necessity for progressive and systematic growth. It is particularly essential if the town’s present industrial pro­ motion committee is able to meet with any success. The activities and the progress of the Clinton board should be watched with ser­ ious interest by all the “small” towns and villages in this area. We have no objection to the increase in salary which Exeter councillors voted them­ selves at the inaugural council session last week. The town fathers upped their ante from $5 a meeting (or about $120 a year) to $200 annually. Although many of the older men of the community, who served for years in muni­ cipal office without any remuneration, may resent the tendency towards compensation for public service, we feel it is not an un­ reasonable action in this day and age. Today a premium is placed on time and the amount of hours that are demanded of council members is inestiamble. Outside of regular meetings, there are countless consul­ tations and conferences throughout the week in addition to the committee and board meet­ ings which the councillors must attend, The time required to carry out the ob­ ligations of being a member of council has discouraged many from entering the field. Il means that only those men who are en­ gaged in an occupation which allows them to take the necessary time can consider the task. This*is contrary to the principle of de­ mocracy which holds that any person, re­ gardless of position in life, is eligible to be elected to public office. The $200 salary cannot be considered in any way as compensation for the job. How­ ever, it does add some incentive and it is a token payment for service. Managing a municipality today is big business—the town spends around $150,000 a year. In the light of this, the salaries of the managers are far from exorbitant. “I wish we could have brought back that cute bear we saw at the lake.” As the "TIMES" Go By li illl III11 liiUHtll !l HH itlUtHtllll HIIIKIIII IHltlllUHtlllHI lllll IIIHHIIIII Jottings By J.M.S. The Great Exeter Fire The following letter accompan­ ied by a couple of pictures lias been received by Elmore Harness from an anonymous writer who has a fine sense of humor. One of the pictures was taken at the time ‘of the big fire in the Com­ mercial Hotel, It shows the sjnoke from the fire engulfing the Cent­ ral Hotel, I am sorry the picture was not satisfactory for repro­ duction. However, I think many of our older subscribers will get some pleasure in reminiscing on some of the characters men­ tioned.* * * * This appalling catastrophe, oc­ curring shortly after the turn of the century on a bright May day, undoubtedly overshadowed the Great Chicago Fire. The photo, taken in the down­ town hotel area, shows the huge Commerical Hotel (W. Barrows, prop.) aflame and burning fierce­ ly, whilst the even larger Central Hotel (W. T. Acheson, prop.) is engulfed in flame and billowing smoke. The far-famed Advocate office is ablaze also. The Harness shop has ’been consumed but all the Harnesses escaped, although Jack was slightly singed. Amidst crackling flames and falling debris, jnost of the cltL sens remained calm. They were magnificent ‘in their time of trial! Quickly the streets were cleared. Horse-drawn ambulances, hastily converted from other ve­ hicles, stood by in front of the hospital ready to evacuate the injured. ‘Sturdy, solid citizens mounted guard at the intersections to pre­ vent looting and maintain order. Amidst all this holocaust they courageously stood their ground. In the left foreground two of these heroes are very evident. Just look at the phot<5 a minute please? Just how this earth-shaking event originated is uncertain but it would seem that after robbing the Sovereign Bank of Canada (plainly visible at the cornex* of James and Main) the- robbers may have set the fire to cover their nefarious operations, Next to the Commerical Hotel, sheltered in the doorway of the famous Sanders’ Candy Shop (Mrs. M. Sanders, proprietress), it is possible to discern two small boys—orphans, no doubt, who have found temporary refuge from the blistering heat and choking smoke. In the background, the bell tower of the town hall can be seen. Probably the bell was clanging madly, propelled by one Pong Kwong, proprietor of the Modern Steam Laundry, while dotted along the thoroughfare at strategic positions are visible othei' horse-drawn vehicles be­ longing possibly to the Exeter Police Department, Gillespie First Aid and Transporation, J, A. Stewart Gas Works and Charles B. Snell Electric Lighting and Powei’ Company, these and few others being the only vehicles permitted in the disaster district. From the steel-domed observation tower of the original Bishop Building (right foreground), worried watchers were most like­ ly noting the progress, of the flames and planning control measures. The strangest part of the whole ordeal was that the tremendous speed of this strange event was stunning and the damage done trifling. Within minutes it had started, flared up and died out. Such rapidity so dazed the resi­ dents that to this day none of them even remember it. Here's To Crime (The Printed Word) Those who are accustomed to deplore and view with alarm frequently find cause for disapproval in the newspapers’ habit of playing up stories of crime and violence, thereby catering to the so-called baser tastes of their readers. Since newspapers continue their way undisturbed by the reformers, it may be taken for granted that these baser tastes are shared by the majority of read­ ers. It might be suspected that the reform­ ers themselves read the stories pretty thor­ oughly before they complain to the editor. If news of crime and violence were re­ moved from the general news pages the average newspaper would seem dull indeed. The stories remaining for expanded treat- ?ment would mainly be based on what peo­ ple of some permanent or transitory prom­ inence have said. As it is, a dull day in the news-gathering world will find the latest ’thoughts of Senator McCarthy, Rita Hay­ worth or the Red Dean of Canterbury gain­ ing the prominence of the front page.- A really good murder has this much in its favor, that it is something that has hap­ pened. Irrespective of the morals of the case, it can be enjoyed without apology by both reporters and readers. If there is an element of mystery in it, so much the better. The story then becomes a serial. From the time the chief of police announces that an arrest will be made in a few days or hours, the ex­ perienced reader, rightly interpreting this as meaning that the police haven’t the least idea of who the criminal is, can prepare for at least a week of solid pleasure. Reformers and deplorers notwithstand­ ing, the taste for reading about crime is not to be judged too harshly. The reader may look upon the criminal as something of a benefactor in providing a spot of color for a dull world, but it is the reformer who gets up petitions in the criminal’s behalf when the penalty for his crime is at last imposed. By that time the ungrateful reader of crime stories is deep in the latest mystery. Ooops! Somehow or other in our editorial on the SHDHS addition last week we became confused over the Exeter Public School ad­ dition. We pointed out that if the two-room addition to the public school cost $80,000, a four-room extension to the high school might run around $150,000. That calculation on our part was hardly necessary because the $80,000 public school expenditure was for four rooms, not two. Now we’d hate to go over the whole proposal again since it would only confuse you more and we’d probably find ourselves making some other silly mistake. The only thing we’ll say is, ifjyou’re still interested at this point, that correcting this error would make the “pay-as-you-go” proposal of last week easier still—providing it’s within the realm of regulations, of course. Sand Please* (The Hamilton Spectator) Given the choice between skidding and being suddenly blinded, the average motorist ■would probably pick the former as the lesser danger. It can happen, however, that he has no choice and finds himself forcibly offered the latter. The sanding of roads in snowy or icy w eather is an admirable idea—provided it is done with sand. There is grave doubt in the minds of a good many Hamilton suburb­ dwellers, however, whether the stuff spread on some highways—notably No. 2—during Tuesday’s snow could claim to be anything but plain dirt. By the evening rush hour the roads were covered with a thick layer of a brew composed of salt, melted snow and what appeared to be garden soil, having both the colox- and the consistency of a thick puree mongole. It flew up from the tires of the occasional speeding cai’ (and there al­ ways are such, regardless of road conditions) and plastered the windshields of overtaken vehicles with a sudden opaque film which the wiper blades could not remove. Some drivers found they had to stop every mile or less and clean the glass with a rag, if they were going to see through it at all. This is not written to belittle the work of the Provincial Highways people, who have a remarkable record of promptness in open­ ing or keeping open the roads in winter storms. But it may serve as a reminder that the materials used in the job need careful watching if one danger is not to be substi­ tuted for another. Exeter ®tme5=^iibotate Times Established 1873 Amalgamated 1.924 Advocate Established 1881 Published Each Thursday Morning at Exeter, Ontario An Independent Newspaper Devoted to the Interests of the Town of Exeter and District Authorized as Second Class Mail, Post Office Department, Ottawa Member of the Canadian Weekly Newspaper Association Member of the Ontario-Quebec Division of the CWNA Member of the Audit Bureau of Circulation ’ Paid-in-Advance Circulation as of September 30, 1953 2,474 SUBSCRIPTION RATES Canada (in advance) 83.00 per year *** U.S.A. (in advance) $4.00 per year Published by The Exeter Times-Advocate Limited 50 YEARS AGO Fifty years ago this week no paper was printed and the fol­ lowing explanation appeared in the January 28 issue of the Ex­ eter Times: Owing to the serious crippled state of the railroad service, due to the many and frequent storms of snow, our bundle of papers failed to reach us in due time (noi’ has it yet arrived) for publication last week. The wires were set to work here and in Toronto, but no trace could be had of the missing bundle as it no doubt had been side - tracked and there it re­ mains. Hope deferred yet still ex­ pectant, we had to forego getting out the Times. . We might say here, that this is the first instance wherein this paper has missed one issue dur­ ing its history of 31 years and we trust this explanation will make matters right with our many subscribers and patrons generally. 25 YEARS AGO The farewell to Rev. James Foote and family took the form of a banquet at Caven Church attended by 200 members. W. R. Elliott was re-elected president of Exeter Agricultural Society at the annual meeting. Others elected were, vice-presi­ dents Fred Ellerington and Col. W. J. Heaman; secretary, R, G. Seldon, and treasurer, T. S. Woods. Mrs. Louis Day died in Lon- dn at the age 8? 08. She was born in England and was married to Mr. Day shortly after her arrival in Canada in July 1894. Besides her husband, four daugh­ ters and a son survive. A January thaw and rains caused flood conditions in this area. Some farmers have as much as 50 acres under water and are wondering what the ef­ fect on the fall wheat will be. Mr. L. V. Hogarth has pur­ chased the property of the late Thomas Kernick in Exeter North. 15 YEARS AGO • Mr. and Mrs. Godfrey Wein, of Crediton, on January 15 cele­ brated their golden wedding an­ Fire Chief Resigns At Monday night’s council meeting the resignation of Fire Chief Walter Bennett was ac­ cepted with regret, the motion embodying acknowledgment o f his faithful service to the town. In his letter the fire chief offered his assistance and advice when required and expressed apprecia­ tion of the cooperation of the several mayors under whom he had served. (Mitchell Advocate) Ono Casualty At least one casualty occurred among the 200 odd wild ducks which make their home on the Thames River here, concentrated mostly in the vicinity of Victoria, Bridge. Duriny the sub-zero tem­ peratures of Sunday night and Monday morning one of the numerous drakes of the flock ap­ parently broke a wing on landing and by morning the bird was frozen solid into the fast forming ice. Mr. Kennedy, owner of a nearby poolroom assisted by others finally chopped the bird out of the ice and placed it in a box’ behind the oil heater where it was thawed out, and where its injuries were discovered. (St. Marys Journal-Argus) niversary at their home. Thirty- five relatives and friends attend­ ed the dinner in honor of the occasion. Mrs. James Weekes has pre­ sented a beautiful silver tankard in a glass case to the Library Board. It was won by the Exeter fire brigade at a tournament in Brantford in 1885 as first prize in a hose-reel race. The late Mr. Weekes was fire chief for many years. Harold Hockey was injured while riding his bicycle when he was struck by a car driven by Cliestei’ Dunn, neax* the south end of Exeter. Phyllis Louise Prduty, 19-year- old daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Clayton Prouty, died in Victoria Hospital from complications fol­ lowing sinus trouble. She had been attending London Normal School. Mrs. Jeffery Fisher, the for­ mer Martha Kestle, died January 17 in her sixty-ninth year. The Thames Road Farmers’ Club reported the year’s business amounted to approximately $10,- 000. William Stone was elected president, James Hodgert, vice- president and Percy Passmore, secretary-treasu rer. IO YEARS AGO An instructor, P/O John F. Henning, of Alien, B.C., and a student pilot, ■Adam Di Filippo, of Hamilton, lost their lives when their plane crashed in a low fly­ ing area in Hibbert township. The plane struck a chimney on the farm home, of Stanley Dow and crashed oxi the neighboring farm of Donald McKinnon. Mr. Louis Day, Sr., was honor­ ed by Trivitt Memorial Church upon his resignation after 25 years as vestry clerk. W. C. F. Oestricher was elect­ ed president of Exeter Agricul­ tural Society at the annual meet­ ing. Excellent weather has pre­ vailed d.uring the past week. There is little snow and high­ ways and concessions are open to traffic. Mrs. Harold Taylor was elect­ ed president of Usborne Red Cross Unit No. 17. Mrs. Harold Hunter is vice-president and Mrs. Verne P i n c o m b e , secretary­ treasurer. iiiiiiniiiiiiHiiiiniiiiiHiHiitinMHiiiitiiiHiiiiHiiiiitiiiniiiiiiiitiHiiininuiini News From Our NEIGHBORS No Sewage Damage There need be no feai1 on the part of Egmondville residents concerning damage resulting from Seaforth’s proposed sewage plant, members of Tuckersmith Council were assured Monday night as they waited on Seaforth Council. Reeve James Doig told coun­ cil there was concern among those Egmondville residents ad­ joining Silver Creek that the re­ sults of treated sewage In the creek would be detrimental. Mayor McMaster assured the delegation that the new plant would not leave any odor, and that the water would be safer than at present. He told Reeve Doig that the water could be used for watering animals and, if necessary, still used for human consumption. The proposed system would provide partial treatment as re­ commended by the Ontario De­ part of Health. It would be built large enough so it could be used to service the whole town, and later oft could be adjusted to give complete treatment. (Huren Expositor) The Voice Of Temperance Huron County is one of the largest “dry” areas in Ontario. We of Huron would do well occasionally to recall the story of the long struggle against drink that our fathers and grand­ fathers fought for nearly half a century. Hullett Township adopt­ ed Local Option in 1905, one of the’ first municipalities in the Province to do so. By 1913 three townships, two villages and three towns in Huron remained in the “wet” column, due to the 60 per cent handicap. In 1914 The Cana­ da Temperance Act was carried with a majority of 2,60’3; This act wiped out all legal outlets for the sale of liquor in our county. Later, in 1919 and in 1924, Huron voted sti-ongly in favor of the Ontario Temperance Act. In the latter year, when On­ tario voted to retain the O.T.A., by a majority of 34,051, more than one-third of this came from Huron, to be exact 11,9 45. The Courts have frequently compli­ mented our county on its com­ parative freedom from crime. That is not surprising. The more freely the liquor flows the busier are the courts. “Seventy-five per cent of all criminal cases jn my court involved drink,” declared a judge of 30 years’ experience. Let us in Huron hold fast to our proud position as a temperate county. (advertisement) IFF, POP'S Taxi Service Phones: Exeter 357 and 54R-r>3 LinimenT I Si =* \ 2 s H. J. CORNISH & CO CERTIFIED PUBLIC ACCOUNTANTS H. J. Cornish, L. F. Cornish, D. Mitchell 294 DUNDAS ST LONDON, ONT. that's 18-month-old Donna, herched, in her high chair. fl. Uisaut {o’lQtyci, ww4.... THE BEU TELEPHONE COMPAMT OF CANADA "When you have to do everything for two small children it’s not easy to leave the house even for essential shopping,” says Mrs. Bernard Renaud of 755 Desaulniers Blvd., St. Lambert, Que. "I’ve really appreciated our telephone in the last few years. It means I can still pick up bargains I see in the paper and do my shopping in a matter of minutes ... by telephone. So, my ’phone saves me money and gives me time to do other things that crowd my busy day. That’s why I think one of the best bargains I ever bought was our telephoixe!” Lindenfields Ltd. Hardware January Specials! BATH TUBS - t 5-Ft. Cast Iron Brass Bath 5-Ft. Steel Recess 'Suaiini- Bath $75.00 $65.00 CHINA BASIN5 Faucets with Pop-Up Waste Fitting 17x19 China Basin with JBack Faucets with Pop-Up Waste 18x20 China Basin Wall Hnng Toilets Close Coupled $35 Phone 161 Lindenfields Ltd Stainless Steel Sinks $42.00 Exeter