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HomeMy WebLinkAboutClinton News-Record, 1970-04-23, Page 14IA The •.Q.liron News-13PcPrO, Thprsclay, April. 23 1970 Members of the winning team of the season for Bayfield Bowling Club were (I. to r.) Mrs. and Mr. AI Hutchings, Mr. and Mrs. L. Huffman and Mr. and Mrs. M. Thompson.—photo by A. - Bel'chamber. Bayfield Bowling Club held its annual banquet in the Bayfield Community Centre auditorium Saturday night, April 11. Members of the winning playoff team are seen here with their trophies (L to r.) Mr. and Mrs. Mcllwain, Mrs. and Mrs. J. Reder and Mr. and Mrs, R. Turner. — photo by A. Bellchamber. A history of the Bayfield Volunteer Fire Association -Want to Learn To , DRIVE? WE.34. TEACH YOU - We -1/Vpn'I Get MO At You (We Only pp That With Our QWn Wives) FRED SMITH or SWAN ROSS 5244350 TO ALL OWNERS AND HARBOURERS OF DOGS ALL DOGS MUST BE TIED FURTHERMORE, 1970 dog tags are now due and failure to purchase same immediately wilt be considered an offence. Charges will be laid for either of the above offences. LLOY15-WE8TLAKE t Chief of Pbike.. How come over 500,000 thrifty Canadians are willing to pay more for a Lawn-Boy? telt4s;IvalitTc7: Exclusive Finger-Tip start Adjustable handle Clog-free Grasscatcher Bushel-sized, mildew-proof bag, snaps on and off Discharge chute at the front, slanted down for safety Safety switch and primer 2-cycle, 3-hp engine Vibration-absorbing engine mount 2-speed cutting: normal and heavy duty Polyurethane air cleaner Finger-tip wheel height adjustment 6 cutting heights It's taken us 17 years to perfect the 1970 Lawn-Boy. You can see them all at your dealer's right now-- ga s-powered, electric, commercial, self-propelled. 10 great models in all. World's biggest Lawit•loy mower muffler Years from now you'll know it was worth it, Lightweight, rust-proof magnesium housing Special spring-steel blade with stiffener, for level cutting Double blade-housing for safety's sake And an exclusive 2-year warranty Sell-cleaning, smooth tread wheels 1.11Vvit•Tloy i!olitottri# 'safets, standards, A product of Outboard Marine Corporator' of Canada Ltd., Peterborough, Canada, makers of gvinrude and ;toting& outboard motors; 0MG Stern Drive engines, Snow Cruiser anowniobiles and Pioneer Chain Saws. 1 W. PECK AUTO ELECTRIC 54 ktNG ST. (Next TO The Post Office) Pt C~fV 48/4851 irAikes' • HISTORICAL SOCIETY A meeting of the Bayfield Branch of Huron County Historical Society was held on Monday, April 13 and was presided over by Mrs. A. S. Morton. The March minutes were read by Mrs. Marie Watson and Mrs. J. E. Mayman gave the treasurer's report. It was announced that E. W. Oddleifson has been appointed, vice-chairman of the Bayfield Branch. The meeting went on record as opposing the suggested change of name for the County society. Mr. and Mrs. Philip DuBoulay will be the special speakers at the May meeting, the topic to be "Plants in the Bayfield Area". A special showing of Mrs. R. Poth's excellent slides of local interest will be given in August. The theme of this year's Fall Fair exhibit will be "Apples--the part they have played in the life of the village". Hostesses for the evening were: Mrs. F. A. Clift, Mrs. J. H. Cobb, Mrs. Philip DuBoulay. - The following brief was presented to the meeting by Ernie Hovey. Early Saturday evening, August 30, 1947, the Ritz Hotel was completely destroyed in a spectacular blaze which attracted hundreds of people from near and far. A direct result of this disaster was the formation of the Bayfield Volunteer Fire Association. A meeting was held at the Little Inn on December 1 with the following residents- in attendance: George Little, Ken Brandon, Ed. Weston, Jack Howard, Lloyd Scotchmer, Tom Castle, Charlie Thorns, Arnold Makins, Percy Weston, Grafton Weston, Hugh Gilmore, Ernie Hovey, Ted Mack, Les Elliott, Grant Turner, Mel Davidson, Reg. Francis, Mert Merner, and Walter Westlake. Not all of these men became active firemen, but they helped in many ways. Among the officers elected were — Fire Chief, Walter Westlake, Pres., Ernie Hovey, vice- p res., Grant Turner, Secretary, Reg. Francis, and Treasurer, Les. Elliott, an office he still holds. In 1947 the Village trustees were Lloyd Scotchmer, Mel. Davidson and Jack Sturgeon Sr. Lloyd, Mel and George Little went to Goderich and purchased a pump and motor which, later,' Was turned over to the Fire Association by the Council. In February, 1948, the firemen bought a four-wheel drive army » truck for $800.00 from Ken Merner. The 500 gal. tank which was put on this truck was dug out of the ground with picks and shovels at the Bayfield Garage. . a humble beginning. The truck was kept in J. MacKenzies garage, now F. A. Clift's, which was unheated and there was the problem of the water freezing in the tank. On the first Saturday in November, -',Les Elliott, Walter Westlake and Hugh Gilmore met with the council at.the proposed site for a new fire hail to determine the best location, and this land was leased for 100 years. For $100.00 an old building was purchased from Lloyd Scotchmer and the lumber from it -was used to build the hall. (The new doors, bought in 1959, cost $540.00). Not one dollar was spent for labour as all the work was done by firemen and other interested citizens. The first stove used was a Quebec heater, which was checked morning and night by Ted Mack and Les Elliott. Later, this service was performed by E. A. Westlake, without charge, until a space heater was purchased, which later was replaced by an oil furnace in 1965. This same year an addition was built at the South end of the fire hall.as &meeting place: It is used during the winter months by the men's Euchre Club; the Lions' DireCters meetings are held there; and it has also served as a polling booth. BACK TO 1949 A second army truck was acquired as well as 150' of hose, a fog nozzle, a hand extinguisher, a First Aid Kit, and Public Liability Insurance. In 1950 a pump was bought for $133.00 for filling the tank truck. Two years later, a new 1951 Ford truck was purchased and a special tank was built for it by the local firemen. In order to be able to transport more water, a GMC gasoline truck was obtained. Meanwhile, the two original trucks had been sold, one of which, we believe, is still used by the Brucefield Fire Brigade. Eventually, the Ford and GMC trucks were sold, and the present equipment consists of a City of London used fire truck With a capacity of 250 gal., purchased in 1968; and a 2200 gal. tanker bought in Goderich in 1969. This year, 1970, we have added a new portable pumper worth $700.00 and a generator to be used in cases where there is a power failure at the scene of a fire. During the years many other pieces of equipment have been accumulated, such as, ladders, lights, masks, clothing, etc. One particularly valuable item is a Pnealator, presented to the fire brigade by the Bayfield Beach Association, sparked by Jack Tillmann of London. In the Spring of 1953, it was agreed that a more convenient water supply was needed. So, a cistern with a capacity of 3000 gal. was constructed at the rear of the fire hall. No doubt you are wondering how this enterprise has been financed. Initially, an appeal for funds was made to the public in January, 1948, and the first donation was received from W. R. Jowett, By the end of that year over $1,000.00 had been raised through private donations, two dances, grants of $100 and $150 from Goderich and Stanley Townships, and $200 from the Lions Club. Carnivals were held in the late summer, beside the town hall, for several years, and over $1,900.00 was raised in this manner. Many dances were put on in the Town Hall and they ;brought in close to $900.00.,,, There lliave been-annual"- grants from the Village of Bayfield, Goderich Township and Stanley Township; gratuities from the Fire Insurance Companies; fees for, hauling water to farms; gifts fromorganizations, and donations still are received regularly from individuals, in appreciation of our efforts. Not only did the firemen donate their time and labour in the rebuilding of equipment and its maintenance, constructing the fire hall, fighting fires, putting on dances, etc, flooding the arena and church shed for skating, but they also loaned money to the association on several occasions, free of interest, when there was a financial emergency. This was truly a whole-hearted community effort, which resulted in fire insurance rates being greatly reduced by the Fire Insurance Underwriters, when the brigade was rated as one of the best in Ontario in a community of this size, by the Ontario Fire Marshal. The territory protected by us extends south of the Village to Drysdale, east to the Goshen Line, north to the Varna Road and back to Bayfield; also, five miles north on Highway 21 to the Cut Line, east to the 11th concession, south to the Bayfield Line, and from its eastern extremity back to Bayfield. Unfortunately, records are unavailabIC` for the first four years, but from 1952-1969 inclusive, the firemen have answered 231 calls. There were 34 barn fires; 88 house fires, 49 of which started in chimneys; 43 grass; and the balance included stores, boats, garages, workshops, wood piles, tractors, cars, trucks, a threshing machine, trees, a gas well, saw mill, gaspump, etc. etc. The brigade received calls for assistance at two automobile accidents;' seven drowiiings and three or more heart attacks. ' Once again, I would like to mention the year 1949, for it was then that the first siren was installed on the roof of the present "Village Market", and was operated by the switchboard until 1966. In May of that year, phones were changed over to dial, A new siren was placed on the town hall and "fire" phones were put in the homes of P. Renner, D. Warner, Les Elliott, J. Sturgeon and R. Kerr and at the fire hall. These phones are red in colour and are for incoming calls only. When someone dials 565-2626, all five red phones ring. Whoever answers first, takes the message, while the others listen, and then presses a button on the red phone which starts the siren. The firemen's wives, for it is usually they who take the messages, each notify a certain number of firemen as to the whereabouts of the fire. Since the formation of the brigade the following men have served: Walter Westlake, George Little, Lloyd Scotchmer; Ted Mack, Grant Turner, Spencer Ervine, Jimmy Gemeinhardt, Fred Weston, Jack Sturgeon. At present, there are six of the original members still "on active duty," — Les Elliott, Arnold Makins, Reg. Francis, Mert Merner, and Ernie Hovey, who have served continuously, and Ken Brandon. The Fire Chief is Russell Kerr and, the other members are Bob Turner, Elwood Mitchell, Don Warner, Don Johnston, Murray Garrett, Raymond Scotchmer, Cliff Utter, Joe Koene, Jimmy Francis, Jack Merner, Percy Renner, Allan Hutchings and Pat Graham. Prior to the Ritz, a number of places of business in the Main Street area had been destroyed by fire. Amongst these were the Sawmill, 1904; Evaporator, 1905, Johnstone's Bakery; Ward's Blacksmith Shop; and on .,Dec. 3, 1922, there were three wiped out—Drehmann's, which housed a tailor shop, the Post Office, Patent Medicines, and Dry Cleaning; Geo. Greenslades Confectionery; and King's Bake Shop. These three stores were situated where Mackie's Barber Shop and the Presbyterian Church are located and the lot in between. It was the heavy snow on the roofs which saved other near by buildings. In all fairness, it should be recorded, that in October, 1926, when the Fred Weston barn The Datsun 240-Z Sports is everything you've ever wanted in a GT. Superb styling. Thrilling performance (top speed 125 mph). Advanced safety engineering. Outstanding handling. Enviable luxury for 2 people. And a fastback that opens wide to swallow loads of luggage. All this for around four grand. A steal. GERALD'S SUPERTEST Datsun Sales & Service PHONE 527-1010 — SEAFORTH Note . Soybean and White Bean Growers — application deadline • for these two crops is June 1st. THE CROP INSURANCE COMMISSION OF ONTARIO Parliament Buildings, Toronto 5, Ontario Crop Insurance details and application forms available from: Blyth GEORG!istii WATT' Phone 523.9217 PETER A. ROY CIA INSURANCE 17 Gibbings St. Clinton 482-9357 burned, Mrs, (Dr.) Ninian Woods was seen hurrying down Main Street, on her way to the fire. carrying two pails and a small ladder. So, actually, .8ayfield's first brigade consisted of one determined women.