HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 1992-07-01, Page 58PAGE A26. THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, JULY 1,1992.
East Wawanosh Township 125th Anniversary Commemorative Edition
Published by North Huron Citizen
Co-ops did a booming business in 1921
continued from page A25
Association show a total of $3,613 with net
profits of $1.60. By contrast, by the late
1980's the Belgrave and Aubum UCO's were
selling more than $4 million worth of
products.
In 1921 there were 37 members of the
Belgrave group, but the membership
dropped to 15 over the next six years. By
1931, however, membership had climbed
back to 106 members. By the late 1980's the
total had reached 567 members for the
Belgrave and Aubum branches with a total
membership investment of $170,240.
The early co-ops had no permanent home.
Orders were pooled, the merchandise
ordered into Belgrave on the old London,
Huron and Bruce branch of the Grand Trunk
Railway (fondly nicknamed the Butter and
Eggs Special). When the shipment arrived,
farmers would travel to the station just east
of Belgrave and pay for their goods. Buying
on credit was unheard of at the time. Having
farmers pick up their orders at the station
saved the cost of storage.
The social aspect of the co-op was still a
big factor in the early days. Picnics were
held in summer featuring races and ball
games. In winter, monthly meetings were
held in members' homes where, after the
business was attended to, a social time was
held. There were co-op concerts with a keen
rivalry between teams from Morris and East
Wawanosh. There were debates, prior to
which there were sometimes oyster suppers.
In 1921 the co-op purchased a hay press
Your "Wheels of Freedom" Store
Health and Homecare Services
Oxygen Delivery System
Includes Oxygen Concentrators, Liquid
Oxygen, Cylinder Oxygen &
accessories.
Aerosol Therapy Systems
includes Medical Compressors
and bought hay from farmers within a 20-
mile radius of Belgrave. Robert Scott, Dan
Ferguson and Simon Hallahan were the main
operators of the press. In a history published
at the time of the Co-op's 50th anniversary
Simon Hallahan recalled how Joe Miller
had, in one day, weighed and piled 32 tons
of hay himself. Another time, W.J. Hallahan,
then a young boy, was driving a team with
the engine down McGee's Hill at the 10th
line bridge in East Wawanosh when the
tongue broke and the horses ran away. W. J.
was rescued by his brother Simon who took
him to hospital where it was discovered he
had a broken jaw and fractured arm.
In 1921 the co-op did a booming business
in shingles with John McGill having to
safeguard $1500 in receipts until he could
get to the bank after farmers had picked up
all their shingles. Still, the co-op ended the
year with a $500 deficit.
In 1935 the co-op began operating its own
fertilizer mixer in an old grain elevator
building that C.R. Coultes owned near the
railway station in Morris township. That
year $7,600 worth of fertilizer was sold
through the operation and sales continued to
be brisk until the mixer and engine were sold
in the mid-forties.
In 1940 the Canadian National Railway
announced it would close the railway line
between Clinton and Wingham, bringing
new problems to the co-op. The railway was
the main source of transportation for the co
op's goods. Hard work by people like Martin
Grasby and C.R. Coultes collected names on
Special Project Systems
Including C.P.A.P. Apnea Monitoring,
T.E.N.S. Units & Aspiration
Rehabilitation/Convalescent Equip
Hospital Beds (electric, manual),
Alternating Air Flow Mattresses,
Wheelchairs, Scooters, Commodes,
Walkers/Canes
large petitions but the railway was
abandoned anyway.
Along the way the co-op got involved in
the betterment of the community. Working
with the Women's Institute, the group
EDWARD
FUELS
Serving you from
Goderich, Clinton
& Teeswater
- Fuels & Lubes -
- Hi Efficiency Heating & Cooling -
Goderich Clinton Teeswater
524-8386 482-7381 392-6100
More Choices,
MrvrA Fnitiirnc
pushed for, and got, a caution light in the
middle of the Belgrave business section and
street lights elsewhere in the village. A
resolution was sent to the Federation of
continued on page A 28
J
MED-E-OX
Home Respiratory & Medical Equipment
524 2020 1800-265-5500 Fax 524-2222
282B Suncoast Dr.
GODERICH
WEDELIVER Q
russels Livestock
Sale Days
Tues 9:00 a.m.
Fed Cattle & Cows
Thurs. 11:00 a.m.
Veal Calves, sheep
Goats & Lambs
Fri. 11:00 a.m.
Stockers & Pigs
YOUR COMPACT TRACTOR HEADQUARTERS
• Choose from 9 models under 40 HP with synchromesh,
collar shift or hydrostatic transmission.
• A variety of easy to operate implements are available and
each one features simple hookup.
Congratulations East Wawanosh
Township on your 125th
Anniversary!
Congratulations East Wawanosh
on your 125th Anniversary
887-6461 Leonard Gamble
I LilLfil
EXETER
HWY NO. 4, N.
(519) 235-1115
Lawn & Garden
CENTRE
(A Division of Huron Tractor)
BLYTH
HWY NO. 4, N.
(519) 523-4244