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MRS. JIM WILSON, MRS. RALPH BAILEY, LOU BAILEY INSPECTING DAMAGE AT BAILEY
• RESIDENCE ON MARLBORO
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There were liht•bearted Moments as well as heart-break
involved in Thursday s disaster in the area.
Some of both are recounted here in capsule form:
Reg McDonald woke Up li'Arlay wondering why his head was
so sore. He finally arrived at the conclusion it was caused from the
large hunks of hail which battered him while he was moving cars, out
of the water's path at Larry Snider Motors,
Bob.Dinney and his staff worked for a long time sponging
up water from the floor in the north Section of the showroom, Not
realizing the torrents of water heading toward them, the men were
soaking up water with rags and had emptied several buckets before
they were suddenly immersed in ankle-deep water,
— Bob's plan to knock a hole in the rear wall to allow the
water to escape appeared practical and a hurried call went home to
his wife to rush up with the necessary equipment to open the
make-shift drain. However, he hadn't bargained for one thing. His
wife couldn't get from her home to the store due to the high flood
waters blocking the streets.
— When the storm drain started to flow its banks, Mrs. Al
Flynn, an employee of the T-A, decided to call the editor and see if
he wanted a picture before their home floated away, Within minutes
she realized it wasn't a joke because water was spilling around the
house.
— Gerald Webb saw the water rising behind his Main St. office
and rushed out to move his car. He managed to get the vehicle
started, but as he was backing it to safety, it dropped into a hole and
stalled and he had to abandon it to the rising waters which flooded
the interior.
— Raking leaves is nothing new for residents in Exeter, but
getting out their fall equipment in the middle of July was a new
experience. Most lawns were completely covered with leaves
shredded from trees by the rain and hail.
— Cardboard boxes were at a premium in the community.
Those that weren't soaked were quickly sought by people wanting
them to load up leaves and rubbish and the supply quickly was
exhausted,
— Harry DeVries was interrupted from his task of holding back
a sea of water from getting in his basement windows by a telephone
ktK call from fellow T-A employee Don Stephens, "Is this our night to
water the lawn?" was the question posed by his neighbor.
— News of the disaster received national coverage. Mrs. Beth
Batten, vacationing in Saskatchewan, phoned home to find out what
was going on. Jack Smith also received a telephone call from a
brother in British Columbia who had heard of the storm. No doubt
many other residents received calls from concerned friends and
relatives in distant places.
— One local man told Free Press reporters about having plans
to move from his present home which was flooded. However, for Mr,
and Mrs. Robert Coates it was a case of having moved too soon. The
recreation room in their new home behind Victoria Park was badly
damaged by flood waters and the grime it brought with it.
— Some peop1.e made the mistake of blocking cellar drains in
an attempt to keep water out. However, the pressure of the water
pushed up from below and plaster in the upstair portions of their
homes were cracked.
— Councillor Ross Dobson reported that the top soil placed on
the north bank of the river by the Lions had washed away. Fellow
Councillor Helen Jermyn told him he could reclaim some of it from
her basement. The Lions bridge at the park was washed up to the
dam and some picnic tables in the river flats were sent floating down
stream.
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RON DAGG OF T. W. JOHNSTONE LTD. INSPECTING ROAD DAMAGE AT ANN-WILLIAM
INTERSECTION Appliance repair men
do a rushing business
All the appliance repair
services in Exeter have been
, rushed off their feet since the
flash flood of late Thursday
afternoon.
Harold Gunn of Traquair's
Hardware said, "We are up to
our necks with service calls. Ours
have mainly been on freezers
whichmakes it an urgent job with
perishable foods thawing out."
On most of the freezers, the
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AGNES REGAN CLEANING UP IN COUNTY HEALTH UNIT OFFICE
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VIEW OF MIMS S'IltEET DITItING FLOOt)
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NURSES DIPPING OUT WATER, INHALLWAYOF SOUTH IlltttON HOSPITAL
inductions set
at area churches
Two area ministers are being
inducted in special services
planned for tomorrow night,
Friday.
The Rev. Glen Wright will be
inducted as minister of the new
Exeter United Church pastoral
charge and Rev. Douglas Warren
will be inducted into the
Crediton United Church charge.
The Exeter service at the
former James Street church will
be conducted by Rev. Donald
Beck of Bayfield. Rev. Stewart
Miner of Thames Road will be in
charge of the induction and Rev.
Allan Grose of Fullerton will
bring the message.
At Crediton, Rev. Clarence
McClenaghan will conduct the
opening worship service and the
induction of Rev. Warren while
Rev. Leonard Warr of Victoria
Street church in Goderich will
preach.
Little insurance
on flood loss
It would appear that few
Exeter and district homeowners
are covered by insurance that
will pay for damages to their
homes as a result of last week's
flash flood.
Both John Burke Ltd. and
Hodgson Limited spokesmen
report they have never written a
flood insurance policy although
some agents believe it is available
"at a price".
The normal storm insurance
policy carried on homes covers
damage from wind or hail, or
water damage if the water gets
into the home through a hole
caused initially by wind or hail
storm.
It will not pay for damage
caused by water which backs up
into the home through a sewer
pipe, for instance, or pours into
the home because of excessive
rainfall.
Most cars damaged in
Thursday's flood are covered
under the comprehensive
portion of the automobile
insurance policies. Both Exeter
insurance firms advise they are
processing many claims from car
owners.
County clerk-treasurer John
Berry believes the loss at the
Huron County Health Unit
office in the basement of South
Huron Hospital is covered under
a composite floater policy from
Frank Cowan and Company.
Described as a general policy
covering 411 conditions, it Covers
only equipment, furnishings, etc.
Mr. 13erry said insurance
adjustors are at work now to
determine the exact limitations
on the policy held by the
county, but "at the moment we
believe we are covered".
relay controls had shorted out.
The owner of Traquair's also
said there was quite a run on the
purchases of "sopping up"
equipment.
At Russell's electric washers
and dryers were the big concern
with more than 30 in for repair.
"The motors are just wet and we
take them off and put them in
an oven fora couple of hours to
dry out completely," said Jim
Russell.
Russell's are also repairing
television sets, clocks and radios
that were struck with lightning.
At Exeter Electric, Jim
Hewitt said he had never seen as
much damage to television sets
from any lightning storm before.
Hewitt added, "There must
have been a lot of power surges
as a lot of fuses, breakers and
light bulbs were blown out
during the storm. Other
appliances being repaired by
Exeter Electric are washers,
dryers, clocks and floor
polishers. Hewitt said the
average repair bill for a television
set would be from $15 to $25.
Fisher's Hardware has been
busy repairing windows and
screens that were damaged.
Numerous window panes were
broken by the large hail stones.
Windows in several houses in
Exeter were shattered and six
windows at the farm home of
Archie Webber of Concession 3,
Stephen Township were broken.
Mery Cudmore of Cudmore
Heating said, "Although I have
been spending most of the time
at the hospital making repairs,
we have had 15 calls on furnace
motors. We are letting the
motors sit to dry out. I feel the
hospital is first priority."
Tornado signs
after flooding
Some Exeter area residents
may have thought they could
face any of nature's blows after
Thursday's storm and flood, and
there were reports Sunday night
that they just might be put to
the test.
Weather officials in Windsor
and Chatham were tracking a
disturbance in that area and
tornado warnings were issued. In
the path of that tornado were
Exeter and several area
communities.
Police and civic officials Were
advised of the impending storm
and in Exeter the local fire
brigade members were advised to
be on alert. Several went to the
fire hall to be ready for any
action required.
In addition, the police
rounded up a sound truck to be
used to give warnings to
residents if the need arose, and
the local nursing homes were
made aware of the danger.
Fortunately the storm
dissipated before reaching this
area.
Stephen Reeve Jim 1-layter
was one of those advised about
the tornado and he spent a
couple of hours sitting out on a
picnic table watching the skies
for any indication of its
proximity so he could sound the
alarm in DashWood.
He indicated the skies looked
very wild at times, but no
indications or a tornado were
evident,
NURSES' TRAINING ROOM AT SOUTH HURON HOSPITAL
BOB DINNEY INSPECTING DAMAGED MERCHANDISE IN BASEMENT