HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Wingham Advance-Times, 1954-07-28, Page 15Mr. John Dinsley of the Dinsley Development of Electricity
Delayed Several Times
We Relieve it is the intention of
Robert Tennant to Start a hack lino House had several incandescent lights
as soon as the d.P.R, arrives in Wing
ham. —News item 3,887*
PUt in his house this week. —News
item 1891.
NOW
Have That Family
Portrait Taken
When All
The Family Is
Together!
IANVILLE
HAMMERTON
STUDIO
The first mention of electricity in
the Town of Wingham goes back to
August, 1885, when it was announced
that the newly-purchased premises of
Barkley and MpCrimmon, opposite the
Exchange Hotel, would be open for
business and lighted with electricity.
Leggo Ireland had fixed up a small
electric light plant in the building
and it was hoped this would be quite*
a curiosity for the local people and
would be a big drawing card.
In October of the same year men
tion was made that the woollen mill
owned by Inglis and Co. had been fit
ted with a complete electric light
system. The machinery and fittings
were put in by Leggo Ireland on trial
and if the purpose was properly serv
ed, they would retain the equipment
permanently. Eight lamps were used to
light the mill.
These electric lights worked perfect
ly and it was announced that they
would be permanent fixtures. In'ad
dition to these lights, Inglis & Co,
had the mill fitted throughout with
new steam pipes to further improve
the heating. The firm seems to have
been advanced in its ideas, for it was
not until later that other firms com
menced to talk of steam heating.
Street Lights
There were lots of problems to
solve before electric lights were fin
ally established in Wingham. In Oc
tober, 1888, a representative of the Re
liable Electric Light Company of Wat
erford, proposed installing electric)
lights at 25c per light per night for1
illumination on the streets. It was.
suggested that the equipment be plac
ed in town for a trial period of one
month. The company was more com
monly known as the Reliance Electric
Light Co., and is the term that is used
to identify it hereafter.
Apparently the offer of the Reliance
company was not accepted and in
March, 1889 the Ball Electric Light
Co. offered to supply the town with
la 50-light double armature dynamo
and 50 arc lamps for $2,250 or 25
lamps for $1,625, which, with one mile
of “current" would cost $1,875.
tIn July of the same year the Board
of Trade, under the presidency of
Benjamin Willson, held a meeting to
discuss lighting possibilities and it
was decided that oil was scarcely
worth considering. Smaller towns in
the east were abandoning , electricity,
due to the expense and all the mem
bers voted to have a committee get in
formation on gas lighting.
' There followed a series of meetings,
at which representatives from “other
towns explained gas and the cost of
it, but the interest in that method of
lighting finally waned without action
THE WALLPAPER SHOP HAS GIVEN
30 YEARS' SERVICE
IN
PAINTING and DECORATING
IN WINGHAM
Our first paint contract was 2 coats on the exterior
of a frame house (labor only) $14.00
OUR MOTTO HAS ALWAYS BEEN TO GIVE
GOOD WORKMANSHIP FOR MODERATE PRICES
the wallpaper shop
PAINTS WALLPAPER FLOORCOVERINGS GIFTS
being taken.
In January, 1890, the Reliance El
ectric Light Co, put up wires and in
stalled lights entirely on their own
responsibility, no doubt in hope that
once people became accustomed to a
few lights they would prefer to keep
them. When terms were finally dis
cussed, the rate was $60 each for
300 nights of the year for street
lights and 20c per night for one light
for 200 nights; 25c per night for
shops with a small reduction if more
than one light was used. The coun
cil still took no .action and the Ball
Co. representative returned with no
better results.
Edison Offer
In May Mr. J. C. Reading visited
Toronto and Guelph, where he exam
ined the different systems. It was his
opinion that the Edison Incandescent
would be the most suitable here. The
lamps used were 16 candle-power,
which were more than equal to two
coal oil lamps with three-fourths inch
wicks. The price would be from 3 to
5 cents per night. He reported that
there was no danger in handling them
for every lamp had a separate key
to turn the light off and on as re
quired. It would require 32 candle
power for street lighting and it was
estimated to be cheaper than arc
lighting.
Hutton & Price at this time consid
ered rebuilding on their old site (the
I Fisher grist mill) where they had
been burned out, to house the electric
ity plant.
! First Dynamo
The first dynamo in Wingham for
public lighting was installed in the
engine room of the Union Factory by I
the Reliance Electric Light Co. in Feb- <
ruary, 1890 with Chas. Peake of Wat- j
erfora in charge. In May of that
year J. E. Bradwin was engaged to
take charge of the dynamo on Satur
day nights and nights before holidays
and his average wage in that year was
$1.80 per week.
At that time there were six lamp
posts on Josephine Street at the cor
ners of Victoria, John and Patrick
Streets, there was another at the
skating rink, one at Button and Fes
sant’s chair factory, and the sixth
lamp was on the corner of Leopold
and John Streets. These lights were
to be in use on Saturday nights.
By December of that year the num
ber had been increased to 34. includ
ing 2,000 candle-power arc lights and
eight 16 candle-power incandescent
lights.
In November of the same year Gil
christ, Green and Co. then proprietors
of the Union Factory and Mr. Brad
win were still in charge and the man
agement of the electric light plant re
mained in the same hands for the
next 20 years.
In 1891 an incandescent lighting
plant was installed by the Royal El
ectric Co,, of Montreal, for Gilchrist,
Green & Co. In November, 1893 the
plant was moved to the Lower Town
site and was taken over by W. H.
Green under the name of the Wing
ham Electric Co. The plant was fur
ther developed until it consisted of six
small electrical machines. In Feb
ruary, 1893, the Wingham Electric
Light Co., as it was known by that
time, purchased the water privileges
at the lower dam and the race
deepened and a new dam built
other improvements made,
sent power house was built and
eral pieces of new equipment were in
stalled, and by November lights were
supplied from the new power house,
operated by water power.
In 1903. the town purchased the
plant from Mr. Green and in 1908 the
executive committee of the town
council, with Wm. Holmes as mayor,
decided to change the lighting sys
tem and very nearly the entire plant
by changing the multiple machines to
a single generator large enough to
supply the town with light and power
for some years to come.
By the year 1912 electric service
had come into its own inimitable
place, with the establishment of all
day service for the townspeople, rath
er than power after dark only. Thus
it became possible.t to commence the
use of the myriads of appliances
which have, since that day, changed
our world from one of drudgery to
the age of Case. At the same time
the Water and Electric Light Com
mission rented the north half of
Grey store for a display room to
in the sale of electric household
pliances.
Before amalgamation with the Hy
dro Electric Power Commission of
Ontario, while the town was operating
on its own source of supply, the cost
per kilowatt hour was 13c.
Though prices may have altered
considerably since that time, the lo-
I
The
pal Public Utilities Commission is now
a unit of the Ontario-wide Hydro sys
tem which guarantees such a contin-
uo us flow of power that modern
homes and industries accept the ser-
vice without thought of the struggles
which brought this modern conven
ience into being.
REV. JOHN POLLOCK
The Whigham Advance-Times, Wednesday, July 28, 1*54 'Pwpe Flfteea
work of the society with such con
viction that a mass meeting, which
followed in the town hall, was a decid
ed success. *
I ' *
| NLr, Pollock addressed 750 people at
the meeting and Mr. Miller presented
slides depicting the work of this or
ganization. The climax of the meet
ing was reached when Mr. Elliott
undertook the organization of a so
ciety for Wingham.
CHILDREN’S AID SOCIETY
County Officer G. M. Elliott, of the
Children's Aid Society of Huron Coun
ty, accompanied by Rev, C, R. Miller,
of Berlin, and Rev. John Pollock of
Goderich, visited Wingham in Febru
ary 1912 in an effort to form a Wing
ham branch to the society.
Rev. Miller occupied the pulpits of
the Methodist and Presbyterian
churches morning and evening respec
tively, while Rev. Pollock preached in
the Anglican and Baptist churches for
these services. They presented the
}recalls that at that time each minister
’ supplied his own organist, soloist or
’ choir.
I Mr. Pollock has been retired for the?
|past six years, having supplied' for a
| few years following Ms resignation at
| Whitechurch. He was minister °f the
Presbyterian Church there for four*
teen years and is well known in this
vicinity.
The officers elected were: Hon.
president, A. H. Musgrove, M-P.P,;
president, Abner Cosens; secretary,
John F. Groves and treasurer, C. P.
Smith. The ministers of the various
churches were appointed vice-presi
dents and two ladies of each church
were named by the ministers to
on the executive committee.
act
Radio Programs ;
Mr. Pollock is the only surviving 5
minister who was active on “Church ■
of the Air" broadcasts when they
were originated by CKNX, preaching
his first radio sermon during the first
or second week of the program. He
I <&Wingham Brass Band won second
I money at Clinton in the Doherty Or-
* gan Company competition, the famous
t Waterloo band taking first. When the
i boys arrived home on the evening
I train they were met by a host of
i friends and conducted down Josephine
| Street by a torch light procession-
J—News item 1885,
James Netterfield and family, of
i Lower Wingham, and James H. Net-
terfield and family, have removed to
North pakota, —News item 1896.
I
I wish to take advantage of the opportunity to convey
to the town of Wingham, and to the many people in
the surrounding country who make up this interesting
community, that 75 years is a long time to look back,
but it brings to mind many interesting memories that
we cherish more and more as the years roll by.
Living as I do just outside Wingham area, nevertheless
my association with the Wingham people has always
been pleasant and very much worth while.
I wish your celebration every success, and trust the
Wingham Old Boys will migrate back in ever increas
ing numbers during your three-day Anniversary. I
even hope to be with you, and I wish the committee
in charge the fullest cooperation.
CARDIFF
COMPLIMENTS OF
Miller Wholesale
LIMITED
TOBACCOS CONFECTIONERY
SUNDRIES
SERVING WINGHAM
WITHIN A RADIUS
SPEEDILY AND
AND DISTRICT
OF 25 MILES
EFFICIENTLY