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Home My WebLink AboutLakeshore Advance, 2013-10-02, Page 76 Lakeshore Advance • Wednesday, October 2, 2013 All hands lost Permanent memorial 011 Wexford shipwreck marks 100th anniversary of sinking Lynda Hallman-Rapley Lakeshore Advance It was a dark and stormy night - literally. It was November 9th 1913 and the Wexford ship left Fort Wil- liam (Thunder Bay) on route to Goderich with 96,000 bushels of wheat. Reaching Goderich a storm that had been coining in fast resulted in the ship being lost on the lake. It would be another 87 years before it was recovered. The SS Wexford was a steel hulled, propeller driven bulk freighter built by Uoxford, Wil- liams & Sons, Ltd. at Sunderland, Great Britain in 1883. On Novemember 9th there were 23 people on board- mostly crew under the master of Captain Frank Bruce Cameron of Colling- wood.l le was known as one dun! most capable masters of the lake. Referred to as the White I lurri- cane of 1913, this storm raged for four days over a landmass the size of western Europe. Wind gusts on lakes hit 144 km/h. Waves peaked at 10.5 metres, All told, them were 310 mariners who died In the four- day storm that hit In November and more than 19 ships were destroyed. Author Paul Carmol writes that Sunday November 9th began with rain, turning to sleet, but to the west, the cold air had created a November gale. When it col- lided with a warns front from south of the lakes, moving quickly north, it triggered a weather bomb. In other historic docu- ments we learn the locals talked about a school dance in Exeter the night before with little insight as to what the next day would bring. The townspeople of 41# The Municipality of Lambton Shores LIVING IN LAMBTON SHORES... A weekly Update on tho Municipal Evonts in your Community Administration Department - 7883 Amleleco m Parkway. Forest. Ontario NON 'JO Tel 1-877-786-2335, 519-786-2335 Fax 519-786.2135 Email admrmstrahon(0lamblonslxxes (a Visit our Web Site al www Ieit ttw Mlrxns 1'o COMMUNITY GRANTS... The Lambton Shores Community Grant Application is now available online at w sw.lambtonsfiores.ca 01 al any Lambton Shores Municipal office. Community Grant applications requesting funds or in-kind donations from the Municipality of Lambton Stores for 2014 must be submitted by October 31, 2013 Completed applications can be mailed to - The Municipality of Lambton Shores. Community Services Department Attn• Acting Facilitator of Recreation and Leisure 9575 Port Franks Road. R R 01 Thedford, ON NOM 2N0 Completed applications can also be hand -delivered to any Lambton Shores muniopal office addressed to the Acting Facilitator or faxed to 519.243-3500 Staff is available by appointment to discuss the policy and application forms If you have any questions. comments or concerns, or would like to set up an appointment with Maff, please contact the Community Services Department, 1-868.943.1400 or email sproutal a m bionshones.c0. BULK ITEM MANAGEMENT OPTIONS There are many options in our local community and surrounding area to dispose or donate large items that you may no longer need or that do not work. For more information please contact the Municipality of Lambton Shores Community Services Department at 1-866-943-1400 or see our flyer on lino at http:Nwww.lamblonshores.catliving/municipal service s/oarbagerecvdlin gandcompostina.htm REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL Provision of Professional Services for the Re -Design of the Expansion and Upgrade of tho Grand Bend Area Wastewater Treatment Facility, Including Main Pumping Station Upgrades. MUNICIPALITY OF LAMHTON SttORI' and MUNICIPALITY OF SOUTH HURON The Municipality of l amblon Shores. in partnership with the Munk g)aldy of South 440 1)0, mote% proposals from engineering firms to provide professional 111114•H 00 10101041 10 the re design. approvals, re-tendenng, inspection and construction ednixestretkwn for the 11spariskrl and uptrad" of the Grand Bend Area Wastewater Treatment Fat lily totaled awn Mosnnl 1 11111 in 1110 Munw reality of South Huron The contract also includes the design, appwuvali, IMklerkng irllpelikwi and constriction administration kw upgrad.x to Grand Bend s Main Sanitary Pumping 'Malkin (1,9•2) located at Gill Road and Main Street Fest to khat estimated cowl of 11e prowl. imitating engineering design, Inspection and a4k11wx{limon, r001Ilutkxl, alt I.wnlngencMs. Is approximately $20 OM The RFP document will be made aval1at411 mina' Snotam er 2.I. 1011 and r an poo ar i 011041 111 wire lelntitonsh, 11, le (local Government -) Capital Pnyc(t1 ► Tenders & ill Pa) All proponents must register with the Municipality y using the form attached to this RI P Io ensure that they are provided with anyfall addenda that are issued Proponents who do not register may not receive any additional information or a4d a dum% relating to This protect Submissions will be rorewexl no later Man 11:00 a m. l tical TIr,se, November 1, 3013 and %hili be addressed to Carol McKenzie, Clerk, Forest Office, 1003 Amlelecoet Parkway Forest ON, NON 130. Any o I, rnf catwwn or request for additux al kdlwmatitio timid INI 10101%1M 1141 Inlet than the date inlkailed in the 811' document, and must be submitted u1 willing by tax or "rend to Brent Kittmer. P Eng , Drecior of Ccxlt nundy Sorvk 0% bknttmereplambtonshores ca Fax 519-243.3500 wive lamblonshoms rot PUBLIC MEETING - BUILDING PERMIT FEES 1)11 Munu-np,lhty nI I,InitlloIt Shores will Ut 1lnithni) .1 (ud111i nu e'bnl) Irl Thursday, October 17th, 2013 ;al 7 011 p „1 .rill prtlplo••I•II .1111. 1,,,• ,•1., t„'h,' Il,ul,rn,l 1'„rni 1 1 r•r•. ,t11/0r,1y1 r 11,u1yr. ik•..U.t.unl-hu ( ,1,111111 11,.1' • ,11. 11111' I LEAF PICKUP PROGRAM - Fall Program 2013 Lambton Shorn' Residents: Please be advised that leaves raked onto the street 4r pd0s m tho sk001 01 1111,41 will nal (we collected This poses a danger to pedestrians, bicycles and motorists and ran cause drainage problems 1 aaVO%,011 1111 bagged for pickup by the Community Services Department This program is in effot l September 30th November ler 2Jnd, and i1 as follows 1 All leaves must be bagged in clear plastic bags 2 Each bag must be tagged with % a garbage sticker 3 Only loaves will be picked up, not garbage or brush please 4 All bags must be placed al the curb for pickup 5 Leaves will be picked up sometime during the week as time and quantity dictate 6 if your leaves aro missed please call 519-243-1400. toil free 1-866.943-1400 or the municipal uffx 0 nmutsl you Hitt pi, kap •1.�• I , 5- '640 t• '• • 1 a Diver John Charest supplies a photo of him anchoring the wreath onto the Wexford during Saturday's ceremony, Goderich said they went to church on a clear, cold Sunday morning and emerged In a whiteout. One elan was quoted as saying they heard the wailing of a ship's siren that afternoon - later thought to be a 250 -foot freighter the Wexford - "but nothing could be seen.” In the end the ship was lost on Lake I luron with all hands on November 9, 1913. On Saturday, on Grand Bend's waters descendants, historians and a dive team along with the Save our Shipwrecks getup with chair Krlssy Nichol ventured back to the spot to lay a wreath on the wreckage. Robert Gordon said, of his uncle Orin Gordon who was the Wheelstnan, from what he knew, the ship had left Port Wil- liam for'itlronto on Thursday. " She had survived the first northerly gale and passed through the locks at Sault Ste. Marie on Saturday. Sunday morning, she was sighted north Of Goderich. 'Hien she vanished" I le said Orin Gordon was not among the five sailors wearing cork life packets with "Wexford" stenciled on then who were found on the beach between Goderich and Grand Bend. Nothing more of hint is known.,." Robert Orin had turned 16 on November 9th, 1913, the day of the storm. Busies were found on shores from Goderich to Kettle Point, many never being identified, Save Ontario Shipwrecks, 1 luron Shores Chapter hosted the moving event Satur- day with the installation of a permanent memorial wreath on the Wexford ship- wreck.'1 he wreath anchoring was part of a ceremony to honour the crew of the Wex- ford and to commemorate the 100th anni- versary of the sinking of the ship. As the divers on Planet Express from Port Franks waited with the wreath in hand, a bell tolled in memory of the 23, and then 23 carnations were thrown Into the water. Diver John Charest then did the ceremonial dive to lay the wreath. Over the years Charest has done many dives to the Wexford with some incredible photography. "This was an emotional event," said Robert Bruce Wattle, whose great uncle was the captain of the Wexford. CONTINUED > PAGE 7 Angler Don Chalmers (Loft) found the ship wreck In 2000. On Saturday he spoke to Robert Bruce Wattle, whose groat uncle was the captain of the Wexford.