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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Exeter Times-Advocate, 1975-11-13, Page 5RECEIVING SALUTE — Exeter Legion officials are receiving the salute from the City of London Police Band during the Remembrance Day ceremonies here Sunday. From the left; Earl Guenther, Sylvanie Conn, Ted Pooley, Doug Brintnell, Legion president and Cliff Brintnell, made man, I could. But when I say that to anyone I always add that God has been behind me all the way." vprvoR -rier 4 PP,- -r7e4crta klaG. SPY.O. t esel, dome▪ ?▪ We eleJef rakaudP eceto4Y dY YouR eo4P.Veo, Dear Neighbors: Many of you will ,remember us as the M&R SHOPPE, and before that, the L&R Shoppe, the name our Store carried for many years. Since becoming The BEEHIVE, we've remodeled the Store, expanded our stock, and created the most complete and modern year-round shopping facility in the area. We specialize in infants' and children's furnishings and have large assortments of ladies' and men's wear as well. We take pride in keeping prices down all year long. Too many shoppers feel that Grand Bend prices are "tourist prices." That is not true at The BEEHIVE. Our regular prices for brand-name merchandise are com- petitive with any other area store. This is a personal message to you — to tell you of our terrific Storewide Pre-Christmas WALL-TO-WALL SALE. We have entirely too much inventory, and to sell as much as possible we have marked down every price in our $85,000 stock, with savings and bargains in every department in the Store. This letter is an invitation to you to come to The BEEHIVE, starting Friday, Nov. 14th, through Sunday, Nov. 23rd, to get the best buys. (We'll be open both Sundays from 1:00 to 5:00 p.m., and Friday evenings until 9:00 p.m.) If you come early you'll have first choice of all merchandise. Please present this letter or otherwise identify yourself, to receive the lowest sale prices. If you have a good friend or relative who did not receive a letter, please bring them with you as a guest. Such savings and bargains you haven't seen for a long time (and now just in time for Christmas): DISHCLOTHS, 27c each; TEA TOWELS, 43c each! Wabasso TOWEL SETS, which were $7.98, now priced at $4.77! Tex-Made SHEET SETS (fitted bottom, flat sheet & two cases, double size), which sell regularly for $22.95, now priced at $14.77! Canadian CAMPER COATS, now priced at $8.66, $16.66 & $20.00 (33 1/3% off)! PANTYHOSE, now as low as 76c per pair, and our best quality ("All-Day Secret") priced at 3 pair for $2.97! HUSH PUPPIES (entire stock) - 33 1/3% off! KEDS Running Shoes & Canvas Shoes (entire stock) - HALF PRICE! ALL WOMEN'S WEAR (slacks, pant suits, tops, blouses, coats) - HALF-PRICE! ALL SUMMER FOOTWEAR (sandals, runners, canvas shoes) - HALF-PRICE! ALL MEN'S CLOTHING (casual suits, slacks, Shelby sweaters) - 33.1/3% off! Many - HALF-PRICE! ALL CHILDREN'S WEAR - 25% off; (closeouts - 33 1/3% off!) ALL INFANTS' WEAR - 20% off; (closeouts - 33 1 /3 % off)! ALL MEN'S & WOMEN'S SHOES - 33 1/3% off; CHILDREN'S SHOES - 20% off! MEN'S JACKETS & SWEATSHIRTS - 33 1/3% off! Many - HALF-PRICE! ALL HEAVY WORK CLOTHING & COVERALLS - Closing out at our cost! MEN'S SHORT-SLEEVED SHIRTS, Half-Price; LONG-SLEEVED, 20% off! MEN'S LONG-JOHNS, 33 1/3% off; OTHER UNDERWEAR, 20% off! BOOT JEANS, which sold regularly at $15.95, now priced at $10.88! ALL TOWELS, SHEETS, BEDSPREADS, etc. - 20% off! Very sincerely yours, FREE GIFT SCARF TO EACH LADY '''ATAII;EY FOR RETURNING THIS LETTER M44,1,1,0 Marie & Ralph McKinnon, The BEEHIVE Department Store GRAND BEND N . 57725 2-41)ptriat IP GOOD ONLY UNTIL T 0 T H E ORDER OF -6(7A-E1 41;4 tit Cbttk NOV. 29, 1975 :. .;.:.:... i.!) .....,.. .:.. ,.. ........ i ... $5 0 4.) CREDIT NOT BANKABLE /;,' ,,..„,„." FIVE DOLLARS :'-';', .,./0' OR NEGOTIABLE "%"' 4./ AND NO CENTS d; C, . . ... *!1 ::....'.. ..,... .1 •. ... ';11 ',:... :.:::•:. GOOD FOR 0.00 on purchase of $.50 or over The Beehive Deportment Store GOOD FOR $2.50 on Purchase of 05 ot over GOOD FOR S1.06 on purthint of $10 or over Infants. Children's - Men's - Women's Clothing & root wed,' Discount Not Available On Fair Traded Items main St. GRAND BEND ( Phone 238-2154 ..,.-.4,..-..-..r...-.-.-...-.-.-..r...-:.:.:-.—r—..-:,....:...,,...r.,ffun•Nr..r.,:,......t,:mt.....-,N:....r:•:•:r..:-:,r.r.:•:T.-:•:,:mwa.K•m,w.:.yp.•,;j) iiiisilmmusimeinnolonmel I GRAND BEND Sylvanus Cann the apple butter mill. Included in his other ventures were farming in Usborne and Goderich townships, trucking between Exeter and London, river driving on the Pacific Coast and serving in the army during World War I. When asked his age, he con- fides, "I'm in my 89th year, but my memory's as fresh as any schoolboy's," He was born on Nobvember 12, 1886 and was raised on a farm in Usborne township. His mother died when he was seven, and when he was nine, his father broke his back. For 27 years, Mr. Cann Sr, remained an invalid. Sylvanus enjoyed school, but the tragic circumstances prevented his regular attendance in classes, He was enrolled for only one summer and two win- ters. Most of his education resulted from "knocking around." As a 'young man, he spent 5 years river driving on the Pacific Coast from Vancouver Island to Vitailiiington State. Through a f41113w worker, he learned that a..: factory in the west needed a night fireman. Although he had no engineering experience, he craved for the adventure. How did he get the job? "The truth didn't bother me as much then as it does now," he admits. "I told a devilish lief " Sylvahus professed to be an engineer and claimed he left his trade only because he hated- working indoors. He asked a few discreet questions, and he noted that the boiler system reminded him of the old threshers back home. Nevertheless, his first shift in the boiler room was a W.W. I VETERANS AT BANQUET — Exeter's veterans were honored guests at the Remembrance Day banquet at the Legion hall. From the left: Archie Dodd, Norman Norry, Joe White, Horace Pfaff, Wilfred Reeves, Sylvanus Cann, the oldest living veteran from Exeter, John K. Cornish, and Bill Snell,. T-A photo • To the following people who are the winners of $10 Gift Certificates in our 7 0th anniversary draw. • JUL McLELLAN, Kippen • DONNA BAKER, Dashwood • DOROTHY BALSDON, Exeter • HELEN HODGINS, Exeter • MRS. CARPENTER, Exeter • AUDREY FAIRBAIRN, Exeter • BRENDA COATES, Centralia • BETTY BEER, Hensall • LAWRENCE HILL, Crediton • JULIE LUTHER, Grand Bend We would like to extend our sincere appreciation to all those who visited our store and helped make our 10th Anniversary Salebration a success. Winners are asked to please pick up their gift certificates by December 31st. r Gift Shopping (ttAlliel The Store Where JEWELLER Is Easy EXPTER Exeter's oldest veteran. remembers colorful career By ELAINE TOWNSHEND Sylvanus Cann, the oldest living member of Exeter branch 167 of the Canadian Legion, at- tended the Remembrance Day 1..egion dinner Tuesday night, highlighting the festivities in honor of area men and all Canadian soldiers who died in service to their country during both world wars, "I tackled everything and anything in my life," declares Mr, Sylvanus Cann, a former resident of Exeter. He is best remembered in town for the 25 years in which he ran nightmare, He describes running from the injector to the lubricator and back again "like a raving maniac." By morning, he was exhausted, but somehow he survived three or four months on the job. After five Veers of river driving, he returned to the Exeter area. A few years before World. War I he and his wife, the former Mary Ellen Ferguson of Clan- deboye, settled in Exeter. For two years, he was the town's butcher, and as a sideline, he grew Dutch Sets. With the outbreak of the war, he left his wife and three small children to join the 43rd Cameron Highlanders, Ile was proud to be a soldier and proud to wear the uniform, serving four years with the army overseas. In the winter of 1918, his bat- talion was stationed in a small Belgium town. The day before Christmas he read the order, "Corporal Cann on duty to Canada, leaving tomorrow night on civilian train." The next day he watched his battalion move out. He recalls, "I wasn't an emotional man, but that day I cried. I never saw those men again." Because his trip home was postponed several times, he didn't arrive in Exeter until February 1919. He had con- sidered remaining in the army, but he decided his family needed him more. Returning to Exeter for the November 11 Legion services has since become a tradition for him. In the summer of 1919, he bought the apple butter mill from Ambrose Cottle. He believes the property originally contained the Verity Plough Works Plant. The L.C.B.O. store is now located on the site. Sylvanus paid $1600 for Cottle's Mill with a down payment of $300 and the balance at 5 percent, He borrowed the $300 from his friend and lawyer, Mr. Stanbury, who cautioned him because he knew nothing about making apple butter. ' Sylvanqs assured him that he would learn quickly, and he did. Because pf his engineering experience on the west coast, he had no hesitation about managing a steam plant, He didn't buy fire clay or brick, Instead, he collected broken fire bricks and gathered clay from the bottoms of wells to build the arches and fire walls under the bpiler, In 25 years of service, only one repair job was required — a small patch in the fire wall Learning to cook the apple butter was tricky, but he per- sisted. By the end of the first season, he was regarded as a first-rate cook. During his initial year of operation, apples were scarce, but the second season yielded a bumper crop, One morning wagons and buggies lined main street for 13/4 blocks in front of the mill, They carried thousands of sacks of apples. When the building was filled, the customers piled the bags outside. Sylvanus marked each sack with a coloured crayon, Later he learned that three local factories had burned, leaving him to handle the bulk of the harvest. For five weeks, his plant ran continually; he worked day and night with only one neighbour to relieve him, The mill closed down at eight o'clock each Sunday morning and steamed up again at seven o'clock in the evening. That year it operated until Christmas eve. By the end of the season, sugar sold at $28 for 100 pounds. The inexperienced apple butter manufacturer relied on the coloured crayons and on his wit to sort the thousands of bags of produce, He proudly reports he mixed up only two batches. After the second year, he bought the engine, boiler and cooker from another plant. His uncle helped him move the equipment and set it up in his own mill. He wasn't content to hold Just one job. For three years, beginning in 1921, he ran a daily trucking service between Exeter and London. He also farmed now and again. After mere than twenty years in the apple butter business, he established himself as a reputable manufacturer. The manager of the Canadian Can- ners asked him to .teach and to supervise the cooks in the large company. Although Sylvanus was flattered, he refused for two reasons. Firstly, World War II was threatening and the'local families needed apple butter. Secondly, he had become attached to his customers. The children, who used to come in their mothers' arms, now bought apple butter for their own families, Sylvanus and Nellie, as her friends called Mary Cann, wanted to remain a part of the community. A few years later "natural causes" forced him to sell the mill. Times were changing; the orchards were disappearing, and the demand for apple butter was dwindling. The business was no longer economical. He hauled the machinery to a farm, he had recently bought, near Bayfield. The apple butter equipment was sold twice after Sylvanus owned it. Both buyers asked him to help them set it up, but he was busy on the farm. He advised them to obtain a blueprint at Mildmay. Neither of the men followed his advice, though, and the equipment was eventually scrapped. "I didn't know anything about blueprints; I never had one or needed one. I had the lay-out in my head, and I still do," he in- terjects. Sylvanus and his wife raised their eleven children in the living quarters next to the Exeter mill. One son was killed in Italy during World War II, Mrs. Cann died shortly after they moved to the Bayfield farm, and for almost thirty years, Sylvanus lived alone in the huge farmhouse, He sounds a little wistful when he comments, "My castle's empty now." Ill health sent him to the Clinton Hospital for several weeks early this year. His family didn't want him to live alone after he left the hospital. He finally agreed with them and moved in with his daughter, Jean, and his son-in-law, George Stevenson, of Guelph. "It was a shake-up, at first," he admits. "But now I'm living on top of the earth." Meanwhile Jean jokes, "I have to watch Dad. There are seven widows on our block, and he's the, only widower!" Jean and George own a small house on the Cann property, north of Bayfield, where they spend most of their weekends and holidays. Sylvanus likes to visit the old house. He sits on the veranda or listens to his favourite music — the bagpipes — on the record player. It's an excellent spot for him to reminisce about his life. He has much to remember — farming in Usborne and Gordarich town- ships, river driving on the Pacific Coast, serving four years with the army and manufacturing apple butter for twenty-five years. His most precious memories, of course, centre around his wife and children and the many years they lived in Exeter. Seven members of their family are still living; one son, Bruce, remains in town, All of them have families and homes of their own, and they've given Sylvanus thirty-one grandchildren and seventeen great-grandchildren to boast about. "I have no education, but I've enjoyed everything I ever did or attempted to do," he concludes. "If any man could stick out his chest and call himself a self V