Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Wingham Advance-Times, 1963-05-02, Page 5tainton's OUTSTANDING Values for SPRANG L.AWN-BOY with exclusive FINGER -tip START IF YOU CAN LIFT A FINGER YOU CAN START THE NEW LAWN BOY — THE WORLD'S EASIEST STARTING POWER MOWER. TERMS AVAILABLE FERTILIZER and SOIL CONDITIONER NOW HAS MORE POWER THAN EVER BEFORE AND TWO CUTTING SPEEDS. DON'T BUY ANY OTHER POWER MOWER UNTIL YOU TRY STARTING THE QUIET NEW LAWN BOY. MANY OTHER OUTSTANDING EXCLUSIVE FEATURES INCLUDING 2 YEAR WARRANTY. 19" DELUXE MODEL ONLY... $89.50 LESS YouR TRADE IN SO -GREEN 20-$1.98; 80-$4.95 MILORGANITE 50-$3.65 CIL EVERGREEN ....20-$1.95; 40-$2.95; 80-$4.95 CIL 4-12-10, for Gardens 80-$3.00; 5c Ib. SHEEP MANURE ...25-$1.55; 50-$2.85; 100-$4.95 BONE MEAL .... 5-60c; 10-95c; 25-$1.95; 50-$3.45 CHORE MASTER TILLERS THE GREATEST TILLERS ON EARTH! CHOREMASTER NUMBER 1 CHOICE FOR POWER, PERFORMANCE AND PRICE. •Back up with power with fully enclosed reverse transmission. •Break hardest ground and cultivate too, with 1 set of reversible tines. EASY TERMS PRICED FROM 113.95 ELIMINATE BELT REPLACEMENT WITH CONE -AND -DISC DIRECT DRIVE. TILLERS FOR EVERY GARDEN 3 BIG FEATURE -PACKED MODELS GENUINE SPHAGNUM PEAT MOSS Lawn Grass Seed "Special" A mixture of Kentucky Blue Grass, Creeping Red Fescue, Red Top Rye Grass 55c LB. SUPER PERMA-GREEN A mixture of finest lawn seeds including 15°0 Mer - ion Kentucky Blue Grass 95c LB. 4 cu. ft. $3.45 6 cu. ft. $5.10 CORNINGWARE SAUCEPAN SET 32 -oz., 48 -oz., 56 -oz. Saucepans. 3 covers, 1 cradle, 1 handle N SPECIAL S1588 Reg. $18.95 SAVE $3.07 NOW AN EASY WAY TO CLEAN RUGS AT HOME! NEW B1seII Shampoo Master ONLY $9 .98 Applicator and Rug Cleaner PLAYGROUND SLIDE. This 6' slide features safety steps and slide. $10.99 Wingham Advance -Times, Thursday, May 2, 190:3 Page 5 Six Years to Build Castle, Destroyed by Fire overnight This is a brief story of aMc- Laren's Castle. In 18611James McLaren came out to Canada from Callender, Scotland. He took up :inn acres of land on the Caledon Moun- tains south of the Forks of the Credit. This is not far from l3elfountain, at the Caledon Mountain, south of Orangeville. He brought out stone masons and carpenters from Scotland and they embarked on a gigan- tic project. On a promontory they start- ed to erect a castle that was a replica of one in Perthshire, Scotland. SIX LONG YEARS It was a herculean task. As many as a dozen stone masons worked for six years. Granite was taken out of the nearby mountains, cut, and hauled by oxen to the building site. Lisse Perry was the head mas- on and contractor. John Muir was the master carpenter on the job. The carpenters were equally busily engaged over the years. They brought down giant oaks and maples and formed huge timbers and boards. The main door, for instance, was solid oak and three inches thick. There were 18 rooms, some with ceilings 16 feet high. A stone tower rose to a height of 54 feet. A circular staircase led to the top of the 54 -foot tower. SECRET MEETINGS McLaren's Castle had an his- toric interest in Ontario in var- ious ways. The great attic on the third floor served as the secret meeting place for Grange meetings in a day when this organization was not held in high regard. This later develop- ed into the Co-op movement. The castle had many fine features. In the full size base- ment was the well, 200 feet deep. The largest room in the castle was the master bedroom on the second floor. The living room was about 20 feet square and the dining room was approximately the same size. There were many fire places. The property remained in the McLaren family until 1937. BLACK PERIOD In 1937 the property was sold to a lumber company. The lumber company was interested only in the hundred acres of prime maple trees. The com- pany used the castle as a bunk- house for the scores of wood- cutters and sawers. When the company cut out all the: merchandise timber, it abandoned the property and the great stone castle. St. Clair Low of Toronto bought the property but he never made: use of it. After a year he sold the ,r(U acres in- cluding the castle to James Day Ross. Mr. Ross at that time lived in Oakville and held his law office in Toronto. A HOME AGAIN; J. D. Ross did some work on the castle and moved with his wife and two daughters to the property. He continued to drive to his office at Toronto daily. Over the next few years the Ross family spent about $20,000 on renovations. They knocked out some partitions, rewired the place, installed modern plumbing and installed three oil furnaces. One furnace heated the main rooms on the ground floor. An- other furnace heated an apart- ment of five rooms. A third furnace, in the third floor attic, heated the bedrooms down on the second floor. On the land, the Ross family kept Angus cattle, purebred pigs, and also had riding horses Susan Ross, 19, won several prizes in horse shows. Maggie, 10, also enjoyed riding. Two years ago, following the Caledon Horse Show at Caledon Fall fair, there was a party at the castle. FIRE After the partygoers had gone home, fire broke out and several thousand dollars dam- age was done. The fire was extinguished by Orangeville Firefighters. Following the fire, more improvements and alterations were made to the building. One night in March, 1963, Mr. Ross had gone into Brampton on business. Mrs. Ross and the two girls had been up, enjoying a fire in the fireplace. They went upstairs to bed and it was sometime later they smelled smoke. They rushed down to find the living room in flames. The fire department and Mr. Ross were called. When Mr. Ross arrived, he found the fire- men there. THREE BRIGADES It was not long until three fire brigades were on the scene. It was three hours before the fire was brought under control. Mrs. Ross and the two girls took nut their clothes and went I TV the homes of neighbors. Mr. Ross stayed with a couple of the firemen until seen o'clock Thursday morning. Damage in the second fire was a few thousand doll.trs hitt the roof was itttact and it INas not beyond repair. The owners lead enough in- surance that they could have made the repairs and replaced damaged furniture. This they were planning to do. However, since rhe castle was not inhabitable, they spent the next night with neighbors. BREAKS OUT Sometime during Thursday night the fire broke out again. When George Scott on the 4th line awoke about dawn, be saw smoke and flames shooting high into the sky. He tele- phoned the fire brigade again and then called the house where Mr. and Mrs. Ross were staying. Because there had been no person on the property, the second (or third if you include the 1961 occasion) fire had a start of several hours. By the time the firemen ar- rived Friday morning it was too late to bring the flames in check. DEVASTATED The entire building was devastated. Everything was lost, including all the furniture, the family's personal posses- sions and even their two pet dogs. IN RUINS After one hundred years this landmark is now in ruins. However, it was home to the Ross family for nine years. In fact, Maggie Ross, aged 10, could riot recall any other. No matter what home she has from this time on, Maggie will al- ways remember she grew up in a castle. Are there many other Canadian children who can say the same? -- Orangeville Banner. ORANGE "FLOWERS" For each serving: score the rind on an orange into 6 or 8 wedges. Then, resting it on the bud end, cut through to the centre of each wedge, leaving just enough skin at the bottom to hold the pieces together. The effect will be that of an opening flower. Pull off one section at a time, to eat with the fingers, watermelon style. • TOILET SEAT Solid Moulded Plastic finish. turquoise, white pink or blue $4.49 Nylon DUST MOPS Special $1.49 PLAYGROUND SET Features two swings with safety seat and chain plus glider ride. Lifetime nylon bearings. 600 19.99 GALVANIZED Large Size 14 -gal. capacity GARBAGE CAN, SLEEPING BAGS 100% CELACLOUD FILLED, HUNTER'S FLAN- NEL LINING, FULL ZIPPER. Reg. $14.00 quality. SPECIAL -- $10.88 S.PONGE MOP '$1.99 ,.-.. ebplacement Sponges in stock SPECIAL 32.99 BROWNIES DONATE—Members of the Wingham Brownies raised over $38.00 last fall when they collected baskets which were sold to a Lucknow fruit dealer. This week, six members with perfect attendance during the year, were chosen to present a rug and curtains to the Golden Circle School for Retarded Children. The gifts were purchased by the Brownies with the funds raised last fall. Making the presentation were, left to right, front: Marion Willie, Susan Kreger, Luanne Lavergne; back row: Brownie Leader Mrs. Norman Elliott, Rhonda Bell, Marilyn Tiffin, Sandra Tif- fin, and Mrs. Jack Reavie, teacher at the school. —Advance -Times Photo.