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HomeMy WebLinkAboutTimes-Advocate, 1981-05-21, Page 31bas engine festival a success Chugga-chugga POP! Chugga-chugga BANG! ! If you have sensitive ears, then the place for you wasn't at Lambton Heritage Museum Sunday afternoon. The continual operation of many gas engines, along with music from a Wurlitzer organ and band, plus the tooting of a steam whistle created a near -deafening din. But, if it really bothered anyone, they didn't let on, as young and old alike enjoyed the visiting exhibits during the museum's special gas engine day. Curator Robert Tremain reports a very successful day, with about 100 ex- hibitors and helpers, and 900 visitors, making a total of 1000 people present for the Gas Engine Festival. On- again-off-again rain showers failed to dampen the spirits of the crowd. Most of the gas engines shown were made in the ear- ly 1900's. The gas engine was an essential item on the farm- according to ex- hibitors their gas engines took care of such jobs as pumping water, churning butter or sawing wood. Hugh Miller of Thamesville says that his 1918 Mogul gas engine was probably used to power a buzz saw. But for him, it's now "just a toy". Miller left the four horse power machin- running while he visited other exhibits. Unlike some of the others, his gas engine ran very quietly, Miller said that it only required a small amount of gas to operate, and was an economical source of power. Some of the smaller gas engines were much noiser, with irregular banging and popping. But all were run- ning. Don Harris of St. Thomas had a 1927 "Sally Saw" which was powered by a small gas engine. The saw, with a circular blade, soon cut up small logs, and was probably a forerunner to today's chain saw. Adding to the noise of the chugging gas engines was a steam engine, complete with a loud whistle, which operator Bill Jackson of Wyoming would blast whenever children gathered around. Providing a circus at- mosphere, was the Wurlitzer marching band organ. While the turn -of -the -century organ was probably operated by a gas engine at one time, it is now runnig on electricity. The organ played calliope -like music, backed up by the ratatatat of drums. Onlookers were amazed by the continuous music from an organ which nobody played. Also on display were a number of antique cars. Models from the 20's, 30's and 40's attracted many senior citizens who reminisced about when they owned a similar. car.. Among the most attrac- tive cars was a 1931 cream coloured Auburn owned by Jean Kershaw of Sarnia. A special feature at this year's gas engine day Was a visiting exhibit from the National Museum of Science and Technology in Ottawa. The entire operation for the making of wooden pumps has been put on a transport so that it can travel to various exhibitions. Tom Brown of the National Museum says that the pump -making operation will attend about six shows this year. The rest of the time it is at the museum in Ottawa. Brown shows onlookers how a wooden pump is made, from start to finish. The wooden pumps were used In most homes until the turn of the century, when iron pumps became more readily available. Tamarack logs are hollowed out, and plungers and pump leathers were installed to make a water tight seal. Valves were put in and the spout and handle added. The wooden spout and handle were turned on a lathe. Brown showed the audience the entire operation, and even had a tub of water available to show how one of his finished products would work. Brown said that the an- tique equipment on his por- table exhibit came from a pump factory in Cumberland, Ontario. The factory was inbusiness until about 1940, when the museum obtained the old machinery. Gas engines operate the equipment. The Petrolia Discovery loaned their blacksmith to the local museum for the day. Brian Harrison made dinner triangles to show off the outdated skill. Inside the museum's galleries, Kay Penhale demonstrated basket weav- ing, while Findlay McKinley had a display on chair can- ing. Admission price for the special day was only $1, the, same as the regular admis- sion price to the museum. Tremain says that the funds generated by the speical day, as well as the money made on the sales of refreshments and hot dogs will be put into the general museum coffers. The refreshment booth made the museum about $400. It was staffed by volunteer ladies from Grand Cover Estates. Tremain says that this is the second year for the Gas Engine day, and it will con- tinue as an annual event. The day will be held on the American Memorial Day weekend, because the American visitors seem very interested, he added. Tremain says that the crowd of about 1000 is just right for the museum to han- dle. There were no traffic and parking problems this year, thanks to the recent construction of another driveway. Many of the visitors com- mented on the friendly at- mosphere, Tremain says. Exhibitors were willing to talk about their displays, and the visitors seemed to appreciate that. Tremain says that the museum would like to keep the show at about the same size to retain the personal atmosphere. Rather than expanding the show, they will have shows more otter, he explained. There are five more special days planned for this year, Tremain says. On June 28, members of county coun- cil have been invited for a tour of the museum. Then on July 4 and 5, the public is welcome to attend a quilt §how. As well as the special dis- plays many of Sunday's visitors enjoyed touring the museum's regular displays. The museum features two large galleries in the main building, two barns filled with pioneer farm im- plements,.a slaughter house, a smoke house, and chapel and a pioneer capin. The museum is located on highway 21 south of Grand Bend, near Pinery Provin- cial Park. BUSY BLACKSMITH — Brian Harrison of the Pet'rolio Discovery Museum demonstrated the skill of biacksmithin at Y Latnbton Heritage Museum Sunday. Harrison was making dinner triangles. Staff photo AllY9cate ... ,FY -Ug L OW CARS AT MUSEUM — Young and old alike enjoyed looking over the many antique cars at Lambton Heritage Museum Sunday. Stephanie, 7, Kelly, 4, and Jennifer, 9, along with their father, Keith Argent look at one of the well -kept cars. Page 1A MAY 27, 1981 Price Per Copy 40 Cents Not using village lagoons, Grand Cove manager says The manager of Grand Cove Estates, Bert Pearce, denies that Grand Cove has used Grand Bend's new sewage lagoons. Last week at a meeting of Grand Bend council, Reeve Robert Sharen told the rest of coun- cil that Grand Cove had gone ahead without the village's permission and used the new sewer system and lagoon. Sharen said .That the Cove had been given permission by the Ministry of Environ- ment, and that the village had not been titsulted. This had destroyed the only leverage that council had in forcing the village and the Cove ,to settle on a sewer rate agreement, Sharen said. Because Grand Cove is in Stephen township, the village wanted to charge them double the rate of a village taxpayer for the use of the sewer system. Representatives of Ridge Pine Park, Inc., owners of Grand Cove Estates would not agree to that rate. Coun- cil told them that unless they arrived at a rate agreement, Grand Cove could not use the village's system. Pearce said that Grand Cove has not used the village's system. and what occured last week was a routine "drain down". Pearce says that about once Mary's musings BY MARY ALDERSON Which ministry? 1916 GAS ENGINE = Hugh Miller of Thamesvllle operates a four horse power Mogul gas engine. While the machine was orginally made for kerosene, it is now gas operated. Miller says that the machine originally powered a buzz saw but it is now' just a toy". Staff photo WURUTZIR ORGAN — Lorna and Ed Pittman of RR 2, Grand knd look at the Wuriltier Band Organ on display at lambton Heritage Museum Sunday. The unmanned band provid- ed continuous carnival music. Staff photo We want to have a funeral, but we just can't get anyone to conduct the burial. You see, there's a corpse floating in the Ausable River in front of our house, and nobody cares. Now that I have your attention I'd better explain. But it's not going to be simple. We're just not sure what the deceased is. At first glance, 1 thought it was a dog, because the back ap- peared to be fuzzy. But on second look, I decided it wasn't fuzz, just algae. Now, if you're reading this column over the breakfast table, I suggest you put one or the other down. I thought I'd give you fair warning. My neighbour suggested the poor dead critter was a sheep, and a neighbour on the other side thought it was a deer. Then we caught a glimpse of an ear, and decided that there was a good chance it was a pig. It was floating belly up, of course, and it's surprising how animals all look the same belly up. It spent the Victoria holiday weekend sort of floating around and shifting position. Finally, it became lodged on the boat launching area, just downstream from our home. Unfortunately, it's just upwind. Several people suggested that it be given a poke, and sent on its way again, and attempts were made to do just that. Unfortunately, the critter decided it liked that spot as its final resting place. Besides I felt a little guilty about sending it back to mid river -- it would just turn up on shore elsewhere, and the problem wouldn't be solved. Since I didn't know what next of kin to notify, I decided there must be some level of government who would take care of this rather nasty situation. Here's where the story gets interesting -- you won't believe the bureaucracy I went through to try to find a ministry for dead pigs in rivers. My first call was to the Ausable Bayfield Con- servation Authority. I thought they were the ones who kept our waterways clear. But alas, they are concerned mainly with the river banks, and not the contents of the river. They informed me that the Ministry of Environment looks after water quality control, but added that they doubted the ministry would help. They did. however, have what sounded like a reasonable suggestion. They told me to call the Petrolia office of the Ministry of Natural Resources. This is where the game warden works, and he is the one who looks after dead deer on the road -sides. So I called the Petrolia number, and learned that while they investigate the deaths of wild life, it is in fact, the Ministry of Tran- sportation and Com- munication that cleans up the dead creatures on the roads. But it was doubtful that they would pick up a drowned animal. The game warden's office did have another suggestion - - since my main concern was the health and safety of swimmers and water skiers, why not refer the dead pig problem to the Lambton Health Unit. I called the Sarnia office and explained the situation. They listened sym- pathetically, but when it came time to write down the dead critter's location, they quickly informed me that the Ausable River Cut area was under the jurisdiction of the Forest office of the Lambton Health Unit. I called the Forest office, where they weren't sure what to do. But they said, try the OPP, since they shoot rabid animals for the Health Unit. So I went to the office of the Pinery detachment of the OPP. I didn't want to do it, but I was just doing what I was told. By this time, it was after 5:00 p.m., and the of- fice was closed. However, some obliging employees at Pinery Park's main gate offered to radio a policeman for me. While waiting for the policemen, I did have the opportunity to explain my story to a Ministry of Natural Resources employee at Pinery Park. The policeman was totally baffled when he heard the story, but came over and looked at the pig anyway. He had suggested that it could be towed away by boat, but unfortunately the hot, sunny weather had altered things so that moving it all was nearly impossible. I went back to Pinery assistant superintendent Keith Argent who had listened to the sad story earlier. He made some phone calls to the Chatham office of Ministry of Natural Resources, where he learned that it is the Ministry of Food and Agriculture that removes dead stock. They have a veterinary service in London which did handle such projects -- however, they are presently in the process of turning the job over to the local munitipalities. He promised to take the problem to the Bosanquet township clerk. Finally we had someone who was willing to take some responsibility. The Bosanquet township works crew agreed to conduct burial services for the neglected animal. In doing so, they discovered that it was a sheep, as first guesses had indicated. The apprecia- tion of those of us who live down wind goes out to the men that did the unpleasant task. a year, the Cove gets per- mission from the Ministry of Environment to drain their own two lagoons. Pearce says the Ministry test the effluent in the lagoon to make sure it is "pure" and then it is drained into Walker Drain. "It's only water, not sewage," Pearce stressed. Pearce said that the Ministry advised them that there was no need of drain- ing their lagoons into the village lagoons because it was already treated and pure water. They were ad- vised to bypass the village's pumping station on highway 81 and go directly to Walker Drain. A 12 inch plug was in- stalled to the bypass the village pumping station, Pearce explained. Pearce says that the Cove's lagoons are very clean and working well. Geese, ducks, turtles and frogs make their homes in the lagoon, he explained. But, he added, the Cove's lagoons were always intend- ed as a temporary measure until they could hook into village's sytem. Pearce stressed that until an agreement was reached. they would not use the village's system. "There's no way they (council) could presume we were in their system. We're still using our own lagoon," Pearce said. Sharen said in a separate interview, that they were "indirectly" using the village's lagoon. Sharen said that by trying to bypass the village's system. a vacuum had been created. and the Cove's effluent was now be- ing "siphoned" back into the village system which is not in use yet, in the area of 81 Crescent and Gill Road. Sharen said that he talked to Ministry of Environment officials who admitted that they should have consulted the village before allowing Grand Cove to install the plug. Sharen added that he was concerned about damage, when the Grand Cove effluent backs into the village system. Pearce stressed that if anything was going into the village lines. it was clean treated water. Pearce said that "it was too bad" that there hasn't been any agreement reached between the Cove and the village. "They're dictating a price, and telling us to take it or leave it. there isn't any real negotiating." Pearce said. "We've been trying to find out gallon consumption, and they haven't been able to tell us," he added. He said they 'would not agree on double the village rate. until an ac- tual figure was quoted. At a special meeting of council prior to Monday night's planning board meeting, council voted to bill Grand Cove Estates for the use of the sewer system, retroactive to January 1. Sharen said that they have been able to use the village's system since that time. Clerk Louise Clipperton says she was instructed to bill 242 t -nits at Grand Cove at $153.00 each per month. The figure $153 was reached by doubling $76.50 which is the rate village residents will be paying, Mrs. Clipper- ton says. That rate is es- tablished by the Ministry of Environment. who is in charge of the system, she said. Sprays gravel, charged with careless driving An Exeter man was charg- ed with careless driving after an incident at the cor- ner of Main and Queen Streets in Grand Bend Fri- day evening. Martin Tra- quair of Main Street Exeter was charged after the car he was driving sprayed a nine year old girl with gravel. as it pulled away from a stop sign. Kelly Young of RR 8. Parkhill received minor in- juries. During the week of May 17 to 23. the Grand Bend, detachment of the Ontario Provincial Police laid 41 charges under the liquor licence act; and 20 charges under the highway traffic act. Two thefts were in- vestigated, and three im- paired drivers were charg- ed. Seven disturbances were investigated, and two assault charges were laid. In addition the police handled 89 general occurrences. MAKING WOODEN PUMPS — Tom Brown of the Notional Museum of Science and Technology in Ottawa, brought a travelling exhibit to lombton Heritage Museum on the making of pumps from wood. Brown showed the step by step process, including o demonstration of how the finished product works. Here he makes the pump spout on o turning lathe. PUMPING WATER - A travelling display from the National Museum of Science and Technology in Ottawa demonstrated the ort of making wooden pumps at lombton Heritage Museum Sunday. Bill Blewett of Ipperwosh Beach tries out one of the finished products. Staff photo 1