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HomeMy WebLinkAboutClinton News-Record, 1974-04-18, Page 1.20 Cents Clinton, Ontario 109th Year No. 16 41111.611 Thursday, April 18, 1974 Weather 1974 141 LO APRIL ;973 HI LO • 9 38 18 40 30 10 49 23 39 25 1.1 53 32 37 22 12 58 43 '.42 25 13 67 46 '37 22 14 64 45 48 g3 15 38 33 61 35 Rainfall .86" Tornado hits area . Tornado cuts power lines Ted Doyle, far right, talks to reporters and neighbours on Sunday beside his 50-foot trailer that was demolished when a tornado went through Hibbert Township Sunday afternoon. Ten other people who were visiting Mr. Doyle at the time escaped serious injury. The twister also knocked out five hydro transmission towers serving Huron County, causing an estimated $500,000 damage. (News-Record photo) Complete hydro service was restored to Huron County on Wednesday morning af- ter a temporary by-pass hydro line was constructed around the five 130-foot hydro towers' that were knocked down or damaged after a tornado touched down last Sunday, afternoon in Perth County, just one , mile from the Teckersmith-. Hibbert Townline, and one Mile south of St. Calumban:, ,$ !... About 50 Ontario Hydro men from Clin- ton, London, and Toronto worked 16 hours each day on Monday and Tuesdayin an at- tempt to restore service to the 230,000 volt line. Power was off to Clinton, Goderich; Blyth, Stratford; Seaforth, Bayfield, Brussels, Mitchell and parts of Exeter and Hensel! anywhere' from three hours to nine hours last Sunday as Hydro crews rerouted the power to the area through a smaller 115,000 volt line that could only carry about half the load in Huron County. The tornado struck the area during a violent thunderstorm that swept through the area on Sunday afternoon, dumping up to an inch of rain on some parts of the area, as well as hail. No one was seriously injured in the area where the tornado touched down, but ten persons escaped near death when a 50-foot house trailer belonging' to Ted Doyle of Hibbert Township was rolled over twice abbtiC2:45 p.m. as the tornado passed and the $12,000 trailer was completely demolished. A near-by barn was completely flattened and the debris scattered for half a mile. Several other barns in the area were damaged including a barn on the farm of Joe O'Reilly which contained 32 cattle, which were not injured. Walter Palmer, the Clinton area manager for Ontario Hydro, said it would take to the end of the month to put up the five new 130-foot towers in the area, "if everything goes veil." He .said that new top sections would Horse pull at Spring Fair Woe race 'Tony Alalet of London COUldn`t Walt tot the Hully taiully, Bayfield Llond Bunny Bundle Canoe Race to start last Friday, as he took an unexpected dunking bolero the rade Was even started, Mote than $200 was raised tot the crippled children from the event, which was held In pdorinq rain, (News-Record photo) Thee object to Bayfield bid • 'BayneId has received three objections. to a notice of expropriation served on river flats at the mouth of the Bayfield River. The flats are claimed by Blue Anchor In- vestment Ltd,, a private company headed by St, Thomas lawyer William O. Herald. The company operates a trailer park near the site and has begun preparation for a marina on the flits, The village initiated .expropriation prOceedings because it does not recognize Blue Anchor's elaiM to the land, Reeve Ed Oddleifson said the company must proVe in court that it owns the land. One of the objections was filed by Blue Anchor, The others were by R. H. Peevers of London, and Donald Coutts, both sum- mer boaters in Bayfield. Reeve Oddleifson said last week his 'Council has asked for a hearing, which would beheld under an appointee from the. attorney-general's office, "We hope 'to have the hearing date by the end of the month,". the reeve said, The village recently lost an injunction bid to. prohibit Blue Anchor from con- tinning soil removal and site preparation of the marina. Further court appearances have not been scheduled on the _ownership, issue. $163,000 to be spent Vanastra rec, centre approved have to be fabricated for three of the towers, while the other two downed towers would have to be completely replaced, Cost is estimated to be around $500,000. A I.00- ton crane was brought in Wednesday from Hamilton to assist in the repairs. It is nearly seven years this month since a tornado cut a swath of destruction from Hensel! to , only ,a S hort distance from the path of last Sunday's tornado. More than 70 persons who made up 38 entries braved pouring rain and cold water last Good Friday as they raised over $200 in the second annual Hully Gully, Bayfield Lions Bunny Bundle Canoe Race for Crip- pled Children. The race, which was divided into six classes, started at the Hully Gully bridge on the Bannockburn River and part of it ended at the Varna Bridge on the Bayfield River, while the rest battled the river to BaYfield. International stock car driver Earl Ross from Ailsa Craig and Montreal Alloutte. linebacker Glen Wier from Dorchester were among the 38 entries. Tim Kyle and Dave Parker from Clinton were first in the novelty class in a boat made from one inch by 12 inch boards and a sheet of plywood, and Bert Lammers was second in a dugout made from a willow log. Doug and Paul Drinkwater from St, Marys, were first in the family class, with Arnold and Ron Taylor from Brucefield in second spot, and Roland and Russell Gib- son from Komoka in third. In the service club and media class, Ralph Droiste and Tom Bell from St. Marys were first. They were followed by Simon Willemse and Bill Knapp from. Parkhill, Rodger Quick and Charlie A horse pull will be the opening night at- traction at the Clinton Spring Fair, the Huron Central Agriculture Society learned at their meeting last week. The horse pull will be staged Friday May 31, the opening day of the Fair, A special show is also being planned for the Sunday of the Fair when it is hoped that Gospel Group can be lined up. The small membership present at the meeting learned that the Clinton Spring Fair is 'hoping to move up to a "B" Fair next year, increasing their chances at government grants and prize money. They also learned that the Kinsmen will be run- ning their Beer Garden at the Fair again this year. BY J.F. When it looked last Sunday as if the area was going to be without power for 24 hours, yours truly found himself out of gas and no way of getting it; because nearly all gas station pumps are run by an electric motor. But two ingenious fellows at McPhersorts Supertest came up with a bright idea on how to keep the autos in fuel: work the pump by hand. Naturally, that required a lot of brute force to turn over the pump and believe ine, my arm is still sore from the effort, as are those of several other customers who were doing likewise, But, lady luck being on the side" of the good, the tank was nearly a quarter filled and I nearly exhausted when the newer came back on, *** In a story in last week's News-Record about the Centennial Committee's summer auction and flea market, the phone number for "Skip" Winter was wrong. It should be 482.6692, * * The Clinton „Colts Intertnecliate Baseball Club are finalizing plans for the 1974 season at a meeting this coming Sunday at 12 noon at the atom BY WILMA OKE A Vanastra Recreation Area will be for- med at Vanaitra. The Ontario Municipal Boikrd will approve the project. Eleven residents presented a petition for it to members of Tuckerstnith council at their meeting last Tuesday night. The petition bears 96 names or 79 percent of the names of registered property owners and,requests that the township set up the recreation area. The go ahead was made when Cleve Coombs of Egmondville made the motion to accept the petition and this was secon- ded, by Vince Fowlie of Vanastra. Clerk James McIntosh was authorized to prepare the necessary by law. Dick Lehnen was spokesman for the group and outlined the proposal. The by- law, will authorize the appointment by council of members to the recreation coun- cil 'consisting of two members of Tucker- smith Council (the reeve and one other member) and five area residents. The council members are Reeve Elgin Thomp- son and Deputy Reeve Ervin Sillery. The council named the five area residents and the clerk will contact them to see if they will accept the appointment. The Clerk will apply to the Ontario ministry of community and social services for grants on the arena, hall and school. These are estimated to be $30,000, The petitioners have agreed they will support the proposed project through taxes levied against their respective properties of 12 mills for 1974 and designates registered plans 22 and 23 of the,recreation area. It is estimated that each will be paying about $17.40. Tuckersmith„ council finance the pTekiedt by debenture salee'-'0 $130,009 payable in 20 years, Browning from Parkhill, Earl Ross' and Carmen Pickering of Ailsa Craig and Glen Wier and Ed Grey of Dorchester. Mary Jeffery and George Van Esbroeck of Hensall topped the mixed class, and were followed by Ted Girard and Kathy Cook from Wood ham and Bonnie Ross and Norma Quick from Ailsa Craig. In the kayak class, Len McCoy of Lon- don was first, followed by Tony Risler of London. Greg and Ted Cowan of Brussels were first home in the men's open class and were followed by Peter Black and Arnold Pearson of St. Marys, Bill Eleves and Ken Fowler of Port Stanley, Gary Dunlop and George Wilson of Lucan, and George and Carl Foley from St. Marys. Levis Contracting Company of Clinton last Tuesday night was given the contract for the reconstruction of Dunlop, Orange and Mary Streets in Clinton. The $83,175 contract, the only one sub- mitted, calls for the rebuilding and paving of Dunlop Street between North and King Streets, Orange Street between Mary and Capital expenditures are expected to be $163,012. A community hall and curling rink will be purchased, plus furnishings and equipment., A picnic pavillion will be erected, a baseball diamond will be built, and a swimming pool and other equipment purchased. Mr. Lehnen outlined sources of revenue BY MILVENA ERICKSON The Ontario ministry of transportation and communication has turned down a request from the Bayfield Village council for a flashing amber light at the curve on Highway 21 at Clan Gregor Square, but council did not accept the ministry's an- swer and will initiate their own study of the traffic situation on the curve, Council learned Monday night at their meeting that a study done by the ministry showed the light was not necessary, but council felt that very few of the accidents and near accidents were reported to the Ontario Provincial Police, who patrol the Village. The Bayfield study will be forwar- ded to the ministry for reconsideration. Council .also received a letter from the Town of Seaforth asking the village for a report on the recreational programs plan- ned in Bayfield, so Seaforth could compile a brochure on recreational programs available in the county. Dunlop Streets and .Joseph Street between Isaac and North Streets. The contract was approved subject to the approval of the town's engineer, B.M. Ross of Goderich, and the Ontario ministry of transportation and communication. The tender was $7,000 more than the cost estimated by the engineer. Clinton has applied to the niinistry of transportation and communication for ex- tra subsidy to cover the project, but has received no word yet on approval of their bid. Levis Contracting also received the con- tract to put the final coat of asphalt on Raglan and Townsend Streets, which were rebuilt last year. (continued on page 2) The Clinton Lions Club's Easter Seal funds campaign is still $213 short of its 1074 objective of $1,350, according to A. Laurie Colquhoun, chairman of the Lions Easter Seal Crippled Children's commit- tee, The ,322 donors had contributed $1,137 Up to Tuesday noon of this week. This is a smaller percentage of donors than previous yearS, when approximately one-quarter of the 1,750 appeal letters were mailed batik ;with donations. This Means there are still over 100 persons who' have not contributed, The Clinton Lions, one. of 233 service clubs in the province who collect funds for the Ontario Society of Crippled Children, sent appeal letters and seats to Clinton, the five rural routes arid Brucefield and its rural routes. Half of the funds collected locally for the Crippled Children are sent to the Ontario Society for its work with crippled children and administration, and the other half, less such as fees against those persons using the pool, curling rink and playing minor hockey and so on; hall rental; community dances; tuck shop etc. In other business, council appointed Dick Eisler, of Goderich, as animal control of- (continuod on pegs 2) Mrs. Rita M. Clark wrote council asking them to improve the road in front of her house on Cameron Street. Council said the matter would be lobked after as soon as the road condition has dried enough to permit work. Council also received a complaint from Mrs. Tony Davidson on the condition of a property near her home: Bayfield will look into projects that could be carried out in the Village by the SWEEP crew from the Ausable-Bayfield Conservation Authority. SWEEP is a provincially financed summer work program for students. In other business, council accepted the tender of $60.35,per ton for calcium'frorn Pollard Brothers. The calcium, used for dust control, will be put on the roads as soon as the new gravel is spread. Council is also looking for estimates for repairing and painting of the Library, and council was reminded of the meeting of the Association of Municipalities of Ontario in Port Elgin on May 3 and 4. it all," he said. There could come the day, Mr. Higgins said, when the use of gas and oil as a primary energy source could be banned by law because they would be more valuable in the petro-chemical industry. He cited the case of natural gas, which is a prime ingredient in fertilizers. He also said that the energy crisis was still a very serious thine, even though the continued on page 2, Larry Higgin4 expenses (mostly postage) stayi in the local service club's charitable trust account to be used only for crippled children's work. In recent years, the Clinton Lions have not spent all their funds on crippled children and have periodically donated ex- cess monies to the London and District Crippled Children's treatment Centre, where children' from the area are treated if they need hospital or Clinical care. The local chairman is pleased to see many donors putting eight-cent stamps on the return envelopes instead of having the committee pay the ten-cent postage due rate, Mr. ONlquhouti Said the Easter Seal campaign will continue to the end of April, to enable as Many persons as poSiible to contribute to the fund. If you have lost or Mislaid your pink return envelope, donations can be sent to ,A,L Colquhoun, Clinton Lions Easter Seal committee, Box 410, Clinton Ontario. Society members also decided to have the Senior Ladies Queen contest again this year. It was initiated at last year's Fair. In- stead of ribbons, the Society decided in the poultry class to add 25 cents to`each class of prize money. The Society learned that Robert Morgan has offered his antique player to be used in the parade and CKNX radio is to be con- tacted for the three day program which this year runs on May 31, and June 1 and 2. Exhibitors are reminded to contact Ross Lovett as soon as possible to reserve their space at the Fair. A phone booth will also be installed on the Fairgrounds this year. At their next meeting on April 24 at 9 p.m. the Society will meet with the Clinton Town Council. Canoe race raises $200 Re-construction contracts let Bayfield refused traffic light Energy frffitfli 1.0• t here Canada could be caught in the centre of from coal or iitielear powered generators, the energy crisis even though she has suc- Canada he said has a large . souece of ceeded in cushioning the blow in the mean- uranium to power her nuclear power plants time, Larry Higgins economist and load if it "doesn't do something stupid and sell production supervisor at Ontario Hydro's Toronto office said in Clinton last Wed- nesday night (April 10). Mr. Higgins was speaking to about 100 contractors, builders, and electricians from Huron, Perth, and Lambton Counties who, had gathered for the special information and equipment display night put on by the Clinton Region of Ontario Hydro at the Clinton Legion. Mr. Higgins said the energy crunch would be felt in the next ten years or so when demand, especially in the United States, would far outstrip supplies. Oil and gas reserves would be low for the United States in 1985 and could be low in Canada at that time, depending on how much of her supplies Canada sells to the U.S. Mr. Higgins told the contractors that much of the short fall would be met with electrical power, which would come either Easter Seal drive short