HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Brussels Post, 1980-06-04, Page 21' THE BRUSSELS POST, JUNE 4, 1980 — .21:
° BY DEBBIE RANNEY
Seventy-five years ago, a major event
Occurred in Brusselg history. That event,--a
' fire or a conflagration as the May 28, 1905
edition of the Post called it, resulted in the
loss of many businesses.
Included in what went up in flames were
the Queen's and American hotels; barns;
S.T. Flum's and P. Scott's Blacksmith
Shops; F,.Adams Pump Works; R.K. Ross's.
Flour Cober and Sons' Carriage
Factory; Edwards' Shop; T.T. Thomson's;
Mrs. Strachan's and Mrs. Qrieve's resi-
dences and stables belonging to George
Edwards, Walter; Lowry, Thuell Bros., and
John Cousley.
On the Thursday afternoon the week
before, the, large barns of the Queen's Hotel
caught fire, apparently caused by' some
workmen putting up eavestroughing.
According to the Post, "Almost in an
instant, the flames covered the building and
the hay ,and other inflammable' matter.,
burned like a torch.;
"The fire alarm was rung and a rush made
for the fire engine, but for some reason a
considerable time elapsed before water was
thrown and in the meantime the high wind
was fanning the blaze into a perfect fury."
ACROSS THE STREET
The fire soon swept across Thomas street
into Walker's livery barn and Plum's
blacksmith shop and westward to T.T.
Thomson's residence. The first building was
saved due mostly.' to a metal roof, but
apparently the others were not so fOrtnnate.
Other buildings were destroyed as flying
-embers started a blaze in the Anierioan
Hotel Stable and, it sand. the sheds soon fell,
but before this happened, fire was Carried:
into P. Scott's blaeksmith ,shop and the
adjoining pump, works of F: Adams.
According to the Post, ' Strachait's
cottage, south of the American stable and
Geo. Edwards' stable were ablaze also and,
-soon levelled to, the ground. Across Mill
Street, the fire fiend leaped and the
implement shop of Fletcher Sparling, Geo.
Edwards' planing mill, R.K. Ross's flouring
mill, Mrs.' Grieve's dwelling,and the stables
of Walter Lowry and Thuell Bros. burned
like match wood and only by energetic work,
the electric light power house was Saved."
A;gale of wind then lifted the fire across
the river to Jno. Cousley's stable and the
brick carriage factory of J. Cober and Sons,
and they too, were consumed. If all this
weren't bad the intense heat from burning
wood at Ross's mill adjaCent to the fire
engine stand cempelled H. James and Harry
Mooney to shut down the engine and it was
feared that the fire might be destroyed, "by
the elements it was constructed , to annihil-
ate."
. CLOSE: CALLS .
Apparently many other buildings in the
pathway of the fire had close calls but were
saved as the result of bucket brigades
manned by men, women and children. A
cottage owned 'by a Mrs, Alcock alongside
Walker's livery was scorched,
The Queen's Hotel could have met its
;doom at,the same time, as fire had caught
the cornice but was saved due to some,
hard working, men on the roof.
According to the 'Post, the losses were
impossible to estimate at that time, , but
for
"many
th
e thousands o
devastation" f
doll ars
and w wt ut ihde nloatr gpeai yy
increased price of building material the
" question of rebuilding was a very expensive
one.
Besides giving the major details of this
fire, the Post in a little side column
headlined Little Sparks, gave interesting but
lesser details of the fire and added little
homilys such as "Fire is a good servant, but
a bad master," '
1877 FIRE
Some of the other little details noted under
this column were that, "Some of the older
residents called up incidents in connection
With the "big" fire of 1877; some estimate
the total loss at from $35,000 upwards;
Mayor Watson of Listowel was in town and
telephoned Chairman Hay of the Fire ,and
Water Commission to send their fire engine
which was soon dispatched by a special train
from PalMerston.
In the next week's paper, it mentions
those who decided to rebuild' after their
losses. They were Joseph. Querin who was
going, to rebuild a stable; Harry James, the
owner of the American Hotel who was going
to build a similar stable on his property; P.
Soft, the blacksmith; S.T. , Plum who
'secured the blacksmith shop known as the
John Whynn property where he attended to
customers; R.K. Ross who had the flour mill
decided not to'rebuild, but sold his property
to. Walter Lowry who was going to fit it up for
a stable to replace the one he had burned.
The Brussels Post stated it was expected
that Fred Adams would rebuild as "he has a •.
fine trade established that he could hardly
afford to cast aside. In his loss' were many
dollars worth of. partially finished butter
prints." The Cober Carriage Factory had not
decided at that point whether it ' would
rebuild or not.
INSURANCE
What is, interesting to note is the amount
of insurance the different businesses and
people were paid such as: Joseph Querin on
stables, $1,100; Thos. Thomas, $325 on
household effects; Jas. Stretton, $400 on
house; S.T. Plum, shop, $500; Mrs. Strachan
cottage, $300; H, James, stable, $700;
McLennan and BroadfoOl, contents stable,
$300; Fred. Adams., shop and contents,
$1,300; P. Scott, shop and contents, $375;
Walter Lowry, shop, stable and consents,
$5,500; Mrs. Alcock,. damage to house, $30.
It had cost the town $22.00 for the Listowel
fire engine'and members of the Brigade. The
special train from. Palmerston ,necessary to
convey the Listowel contingent would have
to be paid for also.
I . '
. .
' 0 • ' ,.
Gorrie minister named Canon Laramie .
speaker. Mrs. Jas. Moloney and
Sunday visitors of Mrs.
Vernon. Barlow were Mr. and ' Christopher spent the week with Mrs. John McCutcheon
Mrs. Foster Morrell.: of and visited Mr..., John
Guelph Mrs. Myrtle Smith McCutcheon who fell while
and Mr..Gordon , Cook of painting the windovv,landing
Owen Sound; Mr. Homer on the patio and was, taken to
Barlow of - Listowel; Mr. Listowel Memorial Hospital
Grant Barlow) Misses Lorric ,,by ambulance.
Cindy and Connie Barlow of MUTUAL LIFE CHOIR
Bill Morley. I
The airport is very . Is
concerned about the
Correspondent
MRS.. GEORGE BROWN'
335-3424
At the 124th Synod of
the Diocese of Huron the Rt.
Rev. David Ragg, conferred
the Title of "Canon" upon
eight clergy of the Diocese.
The Installation took place at
the Anglican Cathedral
Church of St. Paul's London
on, May 25th the Feast of
Pentecost. The eight clergy
included the Rev. Orrence
Laramie of Gorrie and
Fordwich.
The others were: The Rev.
Allan Young of London;*The
Rev. , Keith Brett of
Brantford; The Rev. William
Graham of Windsor; The
Rev. William ToWnson of St.
Thomas; The Rev. William
Buxton of Clarksburg; 'The
Rev. Sidney Lupton of
Mrs. Bill Hogg was
hostess on May 10 for a
miscellaneous shower in
honour of Miss Dianne
Brown bride elect with 25
neighbours and friends
attending. Mrs. Sandy
Gibson conducted the
contests. Julie' Gibson and
Cheryl Fudger presented the
gifts. The hostess assisted by
Betty Wheeler and Mrs. Jack
Sanburn served lunch.
On May 17 Mrs. John
Fudger of Harriston
entertained at a
miscellaneous shower in
honour of her daughter-in-
law to be Miss Dianne Brown
for relatives and friends of
the groom to-be,. with 20
attending. She was assisted
by her daughter Mrs. Dan
Heffernan of Southampton.
On. May 17 Mrs. Sandy
Gibson aunt of the bride-
to-be held a miscellaneous
shower at her home on
Sunday with 25 relatives
attending. Mrs. Don Gibson
of Monkton assisting and
conducting the Kitchen bin
go. Julie and Jaime Gibson
presenting the gifts.
BRIDE TO BE HONOURED
A bridal shower was held
at the home of Mts. Nellie
Taylor in honour of Miss
Colleen Carson,. on . Sunday,
June 1. The bride-to-be, her
mother Mrs. Dick Carson,
and the groom-to-be's
mother Mrs: Donn a Crosbie
of Sheddon were escorted to
the seats of honour. Heather
McDonald of Brussels and
Marian Ross of Cambridge
presented the gifts. Mrs.
Maurice Irvine of Brockville
arranged the bows on an
apron and presented it to
Colleen to model. Colleen
thanked everyone. Lunch
was served by the hostess,
assisted by Mrs. Norman
Carson of Rockport and Mts.
Airt: Gibson Wroxeter,
BRIDAL SHOWER
Colleen Carson, Gorrie, a
bride to be in early July was
a guest of honour at a bridal
shower on Sunday evening
June 1st at the home of Mrs.
Lionel Johnston.
Friends and neighbours
presented miscellaneous
gifts to the bride' elect 'to
which she fittingly replied.
Assisting in serving lunch
were Anne and Lori Moir,
Odel Michel, Lynda Gowing,
Kingston;' Margaret Carson
Rockport and Peggy Irvine of
Brockville.
Mrs. Donna Crosbie of
Sheddon mother of the
groom tote and Mrs. Agnes
Timm, Listowelagrand 'mother
of the bride to be were
honoured guests.
Every week more and more'
people discover what mighty
jobs are accomplished by low
cost Post Want Ads, Dial
Brussels 887-6641.
Burlington. ,
Mr. and Mrs. Harold
Robinson. spent Sunday with
Mr. and Mrs. Clinton Honey-
ford of Gowanstovvn.
BY SHARON DIETZ
Huron County Council
passed a motion to support
the Goderich Airport's
objection to the automation
of the Environment Canada.
Weather Station at the
Airport, when they met on ,
Thursday, May 29.
Letters of objection will be
sent from the county to
Environment Canada and
Transport. Canada voicing
the county's objection to the
move.
Environment Canada
recently announced plans to
automate the Goderich
Weather Station, thereby
eliminating the need for
personnel at the facility. The
computerized weather
system will feed statistical
information to the weather
network but local pilots,
boaters and residents will not
be able to obtain any weather
The Mutual Life Choir of
Waterloo presented an
evening of music in the
Gorrie. United -Church on
Tuesday evening. Mr.
information from the station.
"An automated station
only gives you temperature,
humidity and wind direction,
the things you can get from a
wall." commented warden
automation of the station,
Donald A. Landry was the
conductor and. Dale Cowley
the pianist with over twenty
members in the choir.
Among, those taking solo
parts were Bob Grainger,
Judy Cox, Valerie Freund,
Dorothy Mitchell, Jurie
Eichhol and Bonnie '
Armour, and June Eichhol
also sang a duet.
This musical evening was
wHI attended and was
enjoyed by all.
Services, Environment
Canada were in Goderich
during, the past week to
(Continued on Page 24)
BERG
ales —. Service]
FREE ESTIMATES I
° Barn Cleaners
I
o Bunk Feeders I
o Stabling
Donald G. Ives
R.R.02, Blyth
Phone:
Brussels 887-9024
Tillsonburgi The Rev. Coster
Scovil of Strathroy.
PERSONALS '
Mr. and. Mrs. Elmer
Farrish and Mrs. Jasper
Farrish; and Mrs. Ge6rge
Adams of Wroxeter, R.R.2
' visited Wednesday at the
home of Mrs. Norman
McCully of St. Marys.
Mr. and Mrs. George
Gregg and Geordie of
Toronto spent the weekend
with Mr. and. Mrs: William
Thornton.
Mr. and Mrs. Wm. A.
Smith accompanied by
Mrs. Vera Hastings of.
Brussels attended the annual
reunion of the, Seventh
Medium Regiment of the
Royal Canadian Artillery
which was held at the
Canadian Legion in Lindsay
on Saturday, May 31. The
Lindsay Pipe Band led the
parade to the Cenotaph on
Sunday. Rev. Gordon
Goodrich, Padre I was the
speaker.
Mr. and Mrs,. George
Brown visited Sunday
evening at the home of Mr.
and Mrs. Wm. Doig near
Molesworth.
Mr. and Mrs. Henry
Ackersviller, Colleen, Nancy
and Randy of Stratford,
R.R.1, visited Sunday at the
I home of Mr. and Mrs. 'Fred
Hayden.
Sunday, School
Anniversary and Flower
'service will be held. Sunday,
June 8 at 11 a.m. in the
Gorrie United Church..
Wesley Ball, Jr. will conduct
the service and his mother
Mrs. Dorothy Ball of
Thamesford .will -be the
Gorrie brides Dianne Brown
Colleen Carson honored
Huronob ects to automation
barometer on your kitchen r
said Morley because pilots Installation
need to know what the
weather is like up around
3,000 feet.
Morley made his
comments after council voted
on the motion by former
reeve John Tinney, reeve of
Hay.
"Environment Canada is
only interested in
centralizing the weather
stations in London."
observed reeve Morley.
Representatives from the
Atmospheric Environment
. .
J.E. LONGSTAFF
MAITLAND VALLEY
Insurance Agency Ltd.
'Auto - Fire - Casualty Life
BRUSSELS MONKTON
887.6663 Murray biadaii 347-2241
-OPTOMETRIST-
SEAFORTH 527.1240
Monday to Friday 9.5:30
Saturday 9.12:00
FREE PARKING
ON PREMISES
Closed Wednesdays
By Appointment