HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Exeter Times-Advocate, 1956-07-26, Page 1THOUSANDS OF FISH DIE—Deputy Game Warden Hank Green, of Anne St., points
.to a mess of dead fish which haye been killed by pollution in the Aufcable River west
of Exeter. He reports thousands of fish have died during the past three days, in
cluding pike, pickerel and black bass. Game Warden Roy.Bellinger, Clinton, says he
has received a number of complaints in past years but, although officials have been
notified', nothing has been done about it. „ —T-A Photo
ADDITION NEARS COMPLETION—Major addition to Exeter Legion Memorial Hall is
nearing completion. Exterior construction has been completed and' plumbing and
electrical work is progressing. Most of the labour has been donated by members work
ing in gangs at night. Above, left to right, are President Reg McDonald, Jack Cut
ting, Doug Triebner, Max Harness and Bob Sanders, Men hope the building will be
ready in September. —T-A Photo
Bend Losing Thousands
Over Shallow Harbour?
Is Grand Bend losing thousands-
of tourist dollars because of in
adequate harbour1 facilities?
Men connected with the boom
ing boating business think so.
Fisherman John Manore, who
provides service^ for boat own
ers, says the number of yachts
which have visited Grand Bend
this year has been cut to less
than 50. “In other years,-we’ve
had from 200 to 350 cruisers
dock here.1-1
Glenn Brenner, another boat
man, says, “It’s bad all right.
Any decent boat can’t get up
the river to dock. The Bend is
losing plenty of revenue from
wealthy yachtsmen.”'
Both men cited a July 4 in-
dadent when 40 cruisers from
■jeb-oit, who wanted to stay at
Mirand Bend, had to continue on
■p to Port Elgin. One of the
boat owners said the Americans
spent $1,000 to $1,500 over the
weekend.
Main problem is the shallow
ness . of the river, caused by
silting and low water level.
Council negotiated with the
A u S a b 1 e River Conservation
Authority this spring for assist
ance in dredging but the Author
ity claims it has no jurisdiction
over the river from the Blue
Water Highway to the mouth.
Because it’s a man-made chan
nel (it was cut through in the
1920’s), this portion comes under
the municipal drainage act.
Seek Action In. Fill
sue since the Authority decision
in the spring but Reeve James
Dalton says some action will be
taken this fall. “It’s quite a
complicated thing. We have to
find out where the responsibility
lies and what procedure we have
to take to get something done.11
Rocks, sand and silt menace
even the smallest spf/Bb>ts using
the river. Sandbars -hear the
mouth come within .two feet of
the water level.
A number of craft have been
damaged this summer.
Glen Brenner said he under
stands the federal government
has let a contract for piling
along the wharf “but I don’t
know whether they’ll be doing
Doerr Pictures
Receive Honors
Three prints submitted by Exe
ter photographer, Jack Doerr,
have received awards of merit
in a continent-wide photographic
show in Chicago this week,
The show is held annually in
connection with the convention
of the Photographers* Associa
tion of America, which includes
both Canadian and American
lonsmeh. Up to 4,000 prints are
submitted and judged by master
photographers.
Earlier this year, Mr. Doerr
received honors for his prints at,
theytcenvention of the Ontario
anything this year or not.”
John Manore said water level
was the lowest it’s been for six
or seven years.
Both bbatsmen believe facili
ties could be mostly improved
for small craft as well as cabin
cruisers.
Owners complain about heavy
growth of weeds and under
brush along the river shore and
the lack of docking accommoda
tion for light craft. They sug
gest conditions could be im
proved without excessive cost.
Electrical outlets and water
should be provided, for visiting
cruisers, boatsmen say.
Increase Business
In some other resorts, busi
ness from boat owners has in
creased fantastically Because of
improved facilities and attempts
to make the nautical visitors
welcome.
“It’s a bad situation in Grand
Bend right now, but we Can’t
seem to get enough push behind
it to make improvements,” said
John Mahore. The boating busi
ness, he said,* has reached a
record peak this year “and it’s
going to be bigger.”
“We have the best attractions
of any resorts on the lake,” con
tinued Manore. “Grand Bend
tan offer one of the nicest golf
courses around, a beautiful’
beach, excellent dance hall and
a liquor store; There’s no reason
why wt couldn’t attract a lot
more boat owners.”
Added Glen Brenner: “We
could have the best .harbour on
1
THE EXETER TIMES-ADVOCATE, JULY 26r 1956Eighty-Second Year
..I,,.,.............,, m JI.n!~*WW|*
Let $140^000 Contract
PAVE NO. 83 THIS
*
..........—... w—-
Prica Par Copy 7 Canlt
Despite the threat of & law
suit, majority, of garage owners
in town are determined to fight
for the adoption of the controver
sial bylaw which would force all
stations to close at regular hours
and provide evening and holiday
service on a schedule basis.
The petitioners plan to inter
view council again at its next
meeting on Tuesday, August 7,
and they hope to have 75 percent
in favor.
Council delayed passing of the
bylaw last meeting because it
wasn’t complete. A missing sheet
in the document was found the
day after, however
As it stands now,
i her of years, have signed the pe
tition. Two service station opera
tors, both new to town, are op-
| posed.
I Ward Fritz, owner of a station
| at the north end, has threatened
council with legal action if the
bylaw is passed.
In the meantime, the volun
tary closing agreement among
garage operators, which has been in affect for a number of
years, seems to be falling apart.
Five stations were open Sunday,
j Most of the owners' seeking the
! bylaw said this week they would
i start to sta.y open nights and
'■ weekends, too, if the bylaw
... .. ........ dght licenced I doesn’t go through. Howevef,
gas distributors, most of whom [ mosl °f them^don’t want to stay
have been in business for a num- *....... 4.............“
Fish Victims
Of Pollution
Pollution in the Ausablc river
west of Exeter is killing thou
sands of fish.
Deputy Game Warden Hank
Green, of Arne St,, said the fish
began dying on Sunday. By Mon-i
day night, there were hundreds
floating down the river.
The pollution victims include
game fish—pike, -pickerel, and
black bass. Majority, however,
are carp, suckers, catfish and
minnows.
Game Warden Roy Bellinger,
Clinton, said “There have been
complaints about it every year
but nothing’s ever done. Decom
position of waste robs the water
of oxygen and the fish suffo
cate.”
Pollution has been attributed
to waste from the canning fac
tory- and sewage from town
drains. Mr. Bellinger said the
canning factory has a satisfac
tory treatment system put it
overflows.
“It-makes you wonder,”- said
deputy Green. ““If ’you catch'one
fish out of season, you..can-.be>
fined; hundreds are killed this
way but nothing happens.”
open extra hours if they can
help it. “We’ve been through
this business of everybody being
ferently. We certainly have to
look at the number of hours our
men work—the government
makes us do that.”
Could Care Less?
Larry Snider owner of Larry
Snider Motors Ltd.'. “I suppose
if council doesn’t want to pro
tect the garages in town, we at
the south end could care less.
The south end garages could put
on a show of their own and we
might be able to take quite a
bit of business away from town
garages, even more so than
those at the north end.”
“But nobody can get all the
business and we’ve all been
working together so that every
body gets his share of the busi
ness. That’s the way it should
be.”this business of everybody being “Town council, apparently,
open nights and holidays be- (doesn’t want to. protect the old
fore, said one owner. “Nobody established businesses which
makes any money.”
The Times-Advocate sought
comments from owners this
week. All but the two opposed
to the bylaw, Bob Moloy and
Fred Bonnet, expressed opinions:
250 Depend On Industry
Russ Snell, of South End Serv-
i ice: “We’re still fighting for our
rights and I think we’ll get the
bylaw in two or three weeks.”
“There are 250 people in town
who depend on their living from
the garage business and they de
serve consideration.”
Frank Mathers, of Mathers
Bros,: “We’re in favor of the
bylaw but if it- doesn’t go
through, we’re definitely
to stay open nights and
days.”
Ulric SneU, president of
Bros. Ltd.: “I certainly
council has had enough repre
sentation for all garage opera
tors to prove that ths majority
want to take turns. And in fair
ness to the help, I think that’s
the proper thing to do.”
“I don’t think council is con
sidering the number of people
Employed-in this industry and the
hours- they’.would have to work.
If’they did, I think we would
look at this matter a little dif-
—Please Turn To Page 14
going
holi-
Snell
think
It Happened Last Year
Will Toll Be Worse?
The morning of Friday, July
29, 1955, passed without record
ing a motor vehicle fatality any
where in the province. Civic Holi
day weekend had begun quietly.
But at 35 minutes after noon,
an unattended vehicle started to
roll of its own accord, mounted
a curb and struck down a child
of 31/2 years. A weekend of traf
fic destruction, injury and death
had started. Twenty-two more
people, — drivers, passengers
and pedestrians were io lose
their lives in traffic accidents.
At 7:40 p.m., Friday, a driver,
having passed two other vehicles
and still being in the left lane, came upon a curve at speed and
was unable to hold the road.
A passenger died in the roll-over.
Two more passengers were killed
about three hours later at an
other location on the same high
way .... attempting to make
a left hand turn, into a motel,
the driver pulled over the centre
line of the road and an oncoming
vehicle,- unhble to get’ round or
stop, plowed into the standing
car.
An hour and 45 minutes later,
a pedestrian on another highway,
walking with her back to the
traffic was unnoticed, struck and
killed. Saturday morning passed
without another fatal motor ve
hicle incident. In the early after
noon, a child was struck while
trying to run across a highway.
The final half-hour of the day
proved disastrous. Five people
lost their lives in four accidents.
TWo pedestrians “on highways
were- struck and killed in separ
ate collisions. A bus passenger
lost her life when another vehicle
ran-into' the rear of a stopped
bus as it was unloading pas
sengers. And a driver and his
passenger both died of their in
juries when they failed to get
round a truck which had devel
oped motor trouble and with rear
warning lights flashing, was pul
ling off onto the shoulder.
At 2:20 Sunday morning, a
highway pedestrian, walking
with the traffic, was struck, and
killed. At 4:45 that afternoon,
on a divided highway another
fatality occurred. The road was
wet and as the driver braked
for traffic slowing- down ahead,
he swung into the passing lane,
skidded and overturned. A pas
senger died Of injuries.
Two hours later, in Eastern
Ontario, another passenger died
when a vehicle was permitted
to go out of control on a gravel
road. After -violent swerving
from’ side to- side, it flipped in
to the ditch. Other occupants
-r-PJease Turn To Page 14
{Officials Startled
''' <
i Contract for paving of High-! this portion for paving.
way 83 from Exeter to Russel- The contract, which amount*
kdale has been let to F. A. Stone- to $140,921, also includes patch*
Shouse and Son Ltd., Sarnia Tom .ing on Highways 4 and 23.
; Pryde, Huron MLA announced i Engineer Roy Barrett, head of
this week. i the Stratford Department of the
Department of Highways hopes » Ontario Department of High-
the road will be completed before ■ ways, was optimistic about thf
winter but rains this summer completion of the road this year,
I have seriously delayed work on “Despite the wet weather, I think
the eastern end of the 12-mileI we’re getting into a position
stretch. Keillor Construction Co. J where it will be possible to pava
Ltd., St. Thomas, is preparing i the road before winter.”
No Edition
Next Week
Members of the Times-Ad
vocate staff will take their
annual holidays next week.
The office will be closed
from Ju1/ 30 until August 7,
the day after Civic Hobday.
There will be no issue on
Thursday, August 2.
Correspondents and con
tributors are asked to sub
mit their news as early as
possible the following week
in order to give the staff an
opportunity to include an ex
tra week’s news-in the Aug
ust 9 edition.
When paving contract is com
pleted, the entire length of No,
83, from the Bluewater Highway
to Russeldale, will be hard top
ped. This will mean Exeter and
district motorists will be able
to travel on paved roads all th«
way to Toronto and other eastern
cities.
Produce Firm
Not Bankrupt
Exeter Produce and Stor
age Company has- not gone
bankrupt, as reported in The
Times-Advocate last week.
The company h .s applied,
under The Bankruptcy Act,
for approval of a proposal
by which it will continue to
Operate and pay off its debts
over a period of years.
Earl Neil, manager of the
local plant,, said the business
has been operating' at a. pro
fit in recent years and pros
pects for the future looks
bright.
Farmers, he said, have re
ceived full payment for their
produce in the past and the
present proposal before the
courts will not affect pay
ments in the future.
The Times-Advocate re
grets the inconvenience and
misunderstanding caused by
the erroneous report of last
week and extends its apolo-
n
9
Reeve Defends Police
In Grand Bend Drive
Grand Bend merchants, who
earlier this yeai- demanded a
police crackdown on rowdyism
and lawbreaking in the summer
resort, are now beginning to hol
ler “uncle” in view of. the inten
sive campaign waged by the
OPP. '
Some refreshment and enter
tainment stand operators are
complaining the crackdown is
driving away business. They re
port tourists are objecting to
rigid law enforcement of police.
Reeve Jim Dalton stands solid
ly behind police: “Personally, I
think they’re doing a good job.
You can notice the difference by
the better class of tourists on
the street.”
.r„. “Of course,, in a campaign of
this kind, you’re going to trample
on a few toes? and naturally,
these people will, be antagonis
tic.”
Chief complaint seems to be
wholesale inspection of cars for
liquor. Complainers say police
order people out of cars to
search them even if there’s, no
reason to suspect them. Visitors
parked watching the crowd go by
have been disturbed, they say.
Reeve Dalton defends police
on this issue; “There’s no doubt
in my mind that in past years
there’s been a lot .of bootlegging
in cars. It’s difficult for police
to catch them selling—the only
way to prevent it is to search
the cars.”
a
RCAF Trend
To Bachelors
Change in the type of person
nel now stationed at RCAF Cen
tralia is responsible for the-de*
ebne in demand for housing
throughout the district, air forca
officials said this week.
Single personnel, who live in
barracks on the station, are
replacing married men with fam
ilies as flying training instruc-.
tors.
Concern over the drop in hous
ing demand has been expressed
by landlords in town and area
who are having trouble finding
tennants for their apartments,
listings in The Times-Advocate
in the “For Rent” column hava
totalled as high as- 30 - week.
No Reduction In Personnel
Air force officials said the. de-
ebne is not due to a reduction
in personnel but because most
of the new instructors are bache
lors. In one section alone, 12
single men have replaced mar
ried personnel.
This situation may fluctuate
but, in general, the trend toward
more single men will continue,
a spokesman said. Younger meh •
are gradually replacing older ;
personnel, many of whom were
in the air force during .the se- -
epnd wdrld* wal‘. *'‘
One official suggested the ans-
Avar to the housing probleih
might .be for Exeter to provide,
more eligible, young ladies‘:fpr
, air force bacKelolrs., They could
marry, and .demand for .ap^rt-
“We want everyone to have
good time at Grand Bend but not
if they’re going to.have fun at
the expense of everyone else,"
the reeve said.
.. Generally, business is down at
the resort because, of the cold
summer. Complainers say the
police drive is 'making things
worse.
Others, however, report an in
crease in sales and a better class
of tourists as a result of the cam
paign. More marripd couples,
families, and older people are
frequenting the resort.
Difference, In Establishments
Perhaps,the -reason for the ap
parent parodox in opinion is the
difference'in establishments
which cater to. vacationers. One
section, including grocery, cloth
ing and staple-goods stores, de
pend on the .tourists v.ho stay
aw week at a time. Others, like
gas stations and hot dog stands and ,d<Smantt
require a more. youthful tran-| ments would increase,
sient crowd to keep their cash i
registering ringing,.
One businessman' told. The ’
Times-Advocate this- .week that
there is quite an agitation for a;
change in. policing methods and I
that complaints may come to a |
head in a public meeting. “We’ve
got to dd something soon or ______.
some of us will 'b.e out of busi- wh0 have been working, in* gangs
ness,” he said.
“We need law and order but on the addition to their memo*
Hall Addition
Near Finish
j Members of -Exeter # Legipn,
whn hsvp btMsn working in*
nights and hobdays for .weeks
sometimes police can go too riai hall, hope to have the build-
fa1’- I ing completed in time for the
Asks To Be Jailed,
But Changes Mind
A man who demanded that he
be locked up along with his pals
on a liquor charge changed his
mind in Grand Bend court Tues
day.
On July 1, when police picked
up two pf his pals for illegal
possession of liquor, Marcotte
demanded that the constable
lock him up too because he
owned part of the beer. Police
obliged;
But in court Tuesday, Marcotte
had changed his tune. He denied
owning any of the beer. His case
was dismissed by Magistrate J.
Thirty to forty .charges, mostly
minor liquor, traffic and bylaw
counts, are being laid by police
weekly. Fines' in the regular
Tuesday morning court at the
Bend sometimes total over
$1,000.
After last sea^oh, council com
plained bitterly that . police
weren’t doing enough to CQntrol
lawlessness and rowdyism- and
that hoodlum gangs were’ driv
ing respectable tourists ' away.
After s.everal conferences with
provincial police officals. the
council succeeded in' getting a
bigger force and a promise of
stricter enforcement. •
Now they’re, getting more than
—Please. Turn to Page'14
opening dance in September.
Exterior construction of th#
72x32 addition .is almost com
pleted. • Plumbing, and electrical
work is being done. Members
are planning a bee Saturday to
pour the cellar floor.
The addition forms a “T”; at
the east end of the building.
Dance floor is extended through
the main portion of the building
and dressing rooms and kitchen
will be installed on the sides.
The branch has added a 22x14
stage on the east end of the
building for presentations of
plays and accomodation for
orchestras. ’ *
Legionaire Cliff Brintnelf is
in charge of the -construction.
3$
3
■y‘■I 0
OBI
op*?
I*
NO MARILYN BELL FOR HURON? Despite the distance swim craze that’s hit To-
route and Vancouver^ there’s ne attempt being planned to cross. Lake Huron, accord
ing to Grand Bend and Michigan officials. The second person made it across Lake
Ontario Monday but nobody’s tried to swim the 45 miles across Lake Huron, Above,
Marilyn Bell of Toronto, in Victoria to swim the difficult Juan de Fuca straits, laughs
...... A .. .. .^411, ..... a/' wIs aYVi JhiViik .♦ViA .. ..'TAJIilfiL
Current craze for cross-lake
swimming hasn’t hit Lake Hu
ron yet. ■ ‘
’ The Times-Advocate made an
exhaustive check this week, but
failed to discover any Marilyn
Bells or Cliff Lumsdons prepar
ing, to try,a long-distance swim,
Toronto's going crazy over
swims across. Lake Ontario but
there’s nobody on Huron’s shore
excited about these watei- feats.
In fact, most officials are
Startled at the suggestion of
such a thing.
“Swim across Lake Huron?
Never heard of such’ a thing,”
said Grand Bend Reeve Jim
Dalton. “I’m afraid they’d have
quite a struggle getting across.”
John Manore, veteran fisher
man, said the lake was about
45 miles wide at Grand Bend.
He doesn’t think anyone * has
ever tried to swim across it.
“Don't' Suggest It”
Cpl. Neil Chamberlain, in
charge of the provincial, police
detachment at the summer re
sort, howled: “Don’t suggest
such a thing! We don’t want to
get involved in one of those
things—we’ve got enough on our
hands now?’
Just to m a k e sure there
weren’t any preparations being
made for a swim from the other
side of the lake. The Times-
Advocate called Elmer Teller,
mayor of Lexington, a small
resort opposite Grand Bend.
“Nope?’ the mayor said,
“There’s nothing like that go*
ing on around here—at
■nothing that' I know of?'’-
“I don’t know if