HomeMy WebLinkAboutTimes-Advocate, 1981-12-16, Page 1GB barn, stock destroyed
Usborne house roof damaged
Fires cause extensive damage
Two area fires this week arrived about 15 minutes
resulted in loss of well over ''titer.
$200,000.
On Wednesday, around
noon, a fire badly damaged
the home of a young Kirkton
area couple, while on
Thursday, fire levelled a
barn on the Grand Bend area
farm of Gerry Love.
Love was in his home when
a Huron County snow plow
driver rushed in to alert him
"He came in just as a neigh-
bour telephoned me to ask
where all the black smoke
was coming from," Love
said. The plow operator had
radioed the fire department
from his cab, and the trucks
Love estimates he lost 200
cattle, 75 hens, two tractors,
a feed wagon and a porn
grinder. The three-year-old
barn was a total lass and will
cost about $200,000 to
replace.
The barn's urethane in-
sulation probably killed the
cattle before the flames did,
he felt. "We broke into the
barn and the calves were
already dead, long before the
fire got to them." The in-
sulation releases a deadly
gas during combustion.
Love said the two men and
some neighbours saved 70 of
the animals, which are now
sheltered in Hensall. An
insurance adjuster has
looked at them, he said.
Love said he may do some
clean-up this winter, but
reconstruction will definitely
have to wait until the spring
Hope to get
bus idea
into gear
AT FIRE SCENE — Tenant Jim Wilkinson, left talks with
owner Theodore Vink, at the scene of Wednesday's fire in
Usborne that caused extensive damage.
Response is good
at Christmas centre
The Exeter Christmas
bureau is abundantly sup-
plied with gift items this
year, thanks to local groups,
thoughtful individuals,
churches and two mer-
chants, according to bureau
coordinator Liz Bell.
"The generosity of the
community has been very
good. This kind of responses
makes us feel that many
people are really behind the
project," she said.
A brief inspection at the
bureau on Main Street
showed that it was filled with
an assortment of children's_
and adult clothing, wino -c1 It
never used. Over 200 food
items have been supplied,
and the town's two shoe
stores have made donations
of their own: about 30 new
pairs of boots now await an
owner.
Some churches made
White Gift contributions and
a few individuals made out
cheques, Mrs. Bell said.
Some United Church
Women's Groups and
Women's Institutes also
chipped in.
Mrs. Bell said the target
group in the area probably
numbers about 60 families,
or just over 130 children,
many of whom are
teenagers. But the abun-
dance of donations means
"there will likely be a new
pair of jeans or pyjamas
per child available."
The Lioness, who are -
looking after the operation of
the bureau this year, will
help each recipient mother
select the items she needs for
her family. They were
scheduled to .arrive every, 80:
minutes beginning Monday.
Cheques for Christmas
dinners will be sent from the
Goderich office of Family
and Children's Services.
This year, 17,000 will be sent
out this way. •
"We had expected to
handle more families this
year than last but we didn't
anticipate the volume that
we got," Mrs. Bell said. In
1980, the bureau attended to
35 families.
Four area crashes
involve one. driver
Four of the six accidents
investigated by the Exeter
OPP detachment this week
involved only one vehicle.
Wednesday, a vehicle
driven by Sharon Young,
Hensall struck a hydro pole
on Concession road 2-3 of
Stephen township, south of
Highway 83. Damage was
estimated at 5650.
Damages were listed at
12,000, Thursday when a
vehicle driven by Harold
Shore, Goderich rolled over
into a ditch on Highway 21, a
kilometre north of Highway
84. Shore suffered minor
injuries.
Ronald Clarke, Huron
Park sustained minor in-
juries Friday when the
vehicle he was driving slid
into a ditch on Concession 8-9
of Stephen township, north of
County road 4. Damage was
set at 1300.
Sunday, a vehicle driven
by Brian Rader, Dashwood
struck a cement building on
the W.G. Thompson lot in
Hensall after striking a
patch of ice. Damage was
listed at 11,000.
The second Mishap which
occurred Wednesday in-
volved vehicles driven by
William Armstrong, RR 1,
Dashwood and John
McDougall, Hensall. They
collided at the intersection of
Highways 4 and 84 in Hensall
causing damages of $2,000.
Mao Wednesday, vehicles
driven by Frederick Camp-
bell, Hensall and Daniel
Elliott, RR 2, Zurich were
in collision on King Street in
Hensall with resulting
damages totalling 1700.
at least. He is the third
generation owner of the
family farm.
The barn and livestock are
partially covered by in-
surance. He said he wasn't
sure how the fire started,
except that it broke out in the
main barn and spread to the
feed room adjoining it.
House damaged
The Wednesday noon fire
damaged a house owned by
Theodore Vink on concession
14-15 of Usborne Township,
about half a mile south of
Highway 83.
His tenant, Jim Wilkinson,
notified the Exeter and Area
fire department and flames
were shooting out of the roof
when they arrived. damage was sustained in the
Mrs. Vink told the T -A that ceiling and one wall. She said
in addition to the roof, preliminary estimates in-
dicate it will cost between
Please turn to page 3
HIDDEN FROM VIEW — The heavy driving snow of last Wednesday prevented Gerry love
from seeing the fire in his born sooner. Firefighters were recalled to the scene Friday nicht
when the smouldering remains once again started to burn.
.K
USBORNE HOME DAMAGED — It is expected to cost between 510,000 and 520,000 to
repair damage caused by a fire at a home owned by Theodore Vink on Usborne concession
14, Wednesday. Flames were shooting through the roof when Exeter firemen arrived and
they're shown here after the fire was subdued. That's Fire Chief Gary Middleton poppina
his head through a hole in the roof to the left of the chimney where the blaze started.
'f
An enthusiastic hotel
owner has come up with a
"great idea" and hopes to
rally support from other
regional pub owners to make
it work.
Doug Johnson, owner of
the Dashwood Hotel, began a
shuttle bus service which
ran from Exeter, to Hensall,
Zurich and Mt. Carmel, to
the Dashwood Hotel.
Unfortunately, only 10 peo-
ple rode the service's in-
augural run on December 4
and only about five the
following evening.
"Everybody we talked to
thought it was a great idea,"
Johnson said. but lamented
the fact that while the plan
stirred up interest it did not
stir up riders.
Johnson had rented a
school bus for the weekend.
He said the 15 people riding
it did not justify the rental
charges.
He said Monday that he
had gotten "a lot of static for
not running the bus this
y,rwMndd, w but addgl the
"is'' looking but
renting a
smaller van for the service.
While people were in-
terested in the bus, he said
people did not want to spend
the entire evening in just one
pub.
In this area. he said people
like to travel around to the
other hotels. visiting more
than one spot in an evening.
. "If I could get other hotel
owners to chip in," Johnson
suggested. maybe the bus
could run on a regular
schedule. every hour.
He said he plans to contact
five or six other hotels.
Many places have to fight
for every customer Johnson
admitted. but he said he felt
the service would benefit
hotels with slower business
as people would then be
arriving by the busload.
"If you take even 10 people
off the road," the hotel
owner reasoned, you might
save one of them from a
serious accident.
He feels that plan is only
viable though if some of the
other hotels get involved. He
offered to organize the
system if others chip in to
help pay for it.
"1 think it would be a great
idea." Johnson said. "It
takes a lot of pressure off
police and off the people go-
ing out."
The hourly bus runs would
allow people to visit several
places. and return home ear-
ly if they wished.
"If you fill that bus up,"
he said. "you'll have a lot of
people having fun."
r
SANTA GOBS MUSICAL — Santa Claus took to the piano at the Exeter Firemen's Chr st-
mos party Sunday to pound out a rendition of Jingle Bells. Enjoying the tune were Shawn
Heywood and Jason McFalls. T -A photo
Serving *oath Huron, North Middlesex
One Hundred and Ninth Year
8
voc
& North Lambton Since 1873
EXETER, ONTARIO; DECEMBER 16, 1981
040
Price Per Copy 40 cents
HURON'S 1982 WARDEN — Harold Robinson, reeve of Howick township was elected
Warden of Huron County on December 8. Outgoing Warden Fred Hoberer of Zurich
presented Robinson with the chain of office, a govel and key to the county.
SS elects slate
Staffaman heads board
Trustee John O'Leary RR
2. Staffa was elected as
chairman of the Huron -
Perth Separate School Board
at its inauguration meeting
here.
Chairman O'Leary, star-
ting his sixth year as a
trustee. defeated 1981 vice-
chairman Vincent Young for
the position. Keith
Montgomery of Wingham
was acclaimed as vice-
chairman of the board.
Representing Hibbert,
Logan and Dublin on the
board. chairman O'Leary
said the board's two main
thrusts for 1982 will be to
hold spending to a minium
and "struggling with the
nuts and bolts" of im-
plementing special educa-
tion into the system.
A farmer. chairman
O'Leary said he has served
on all committees of the
board. He is also a member
of the Knight's of Columbus.
Vice-chairman Mont-
gomery. who is also starting
his sixth year on the board,
said he has served on all
committees except for
transportation. As a school
bus owner and also in the
NO TALKS
No meetings between the
Huron County Board of
Education and the secondary
school teachers regarding
contract talks have yet been
set.
Education Relations Com-
mission appointed mediator
Prof. Jeffrey Gandz of Lon-
don said Monday morning,
"it will be in the new year",
before a meeting will be
held.
The last meeting between
the two groups was held
prior to the release of a fact
finder's report, October 26.
At that time the board
offerred 536,000 as max-
imum salary, an offer the
teachers rejected.
fertilizer business, vice-
chairman Montgomery said
he declares a conflict of in-
terest during any discussion
relating to school bus
operations.
Representing Kinloss.
Blyth. Huliet. Wingharn.
Turnherry. Howick. Grey.
Brussels. and Morris. vice-
chairman Montgomery said
he would try to keep taxes
down. because so many are
Seeks plan
amendment
An amendment to the
county of Huron official plan
concerning property adja-
cent to the Exeter Golf and
Country ('Luh has been set
for Fehruary 4, 1982.
At a recent meeting,
township of Usborne of-
ficials along with Huron
planner Gary Davidson and
a representative of Lerner
and Lerner Associates
agreed to a meeting to hear
representations for and
against the proposed amend-
ment
Lerner and Lerner
Associates representing golf
course owner :\Ilan Westcott
are making application for a
second offier41 Plan amend-
ment proposing a restricted
agricultural designation
around the Exeter Golf and
Country ('Luh at Lot 11.
Concession 2.
in regard to a complaint
from Frank Anderson on the
Coates municipal drain,
council instructed the clerk
to reply that the complaint
has been investigated and
found to he unfounded.
Council members agreed
that Mr. Anderson has not
accepted repeated in-
vitations to inspect the un-
covered drain. which should
he re-covered before winter
and that the engineer deems
the drain fully adequate for
Please turn to page 3
unemployed. He is also a
member of the Knight's of
Columbus.
Three district men
get jail sentences
Three area men were
given jail sentences when
they appeared before Judge
W.G. Cochrane in Exeter
court, Tuesday.
Henry Eisenschink, RR 1
Exeter, was sentenced to 10
days in jail when he ap-
peared for sentence on a
charge of possession of
marijuana for the purpose of
trafficking.
Given 14 -day jail terms
were Frederick Ducharme,
RR 2 Zurich, and Ricky R.
Bilcke, Exeter. They were
sentenced for impaired
driving and driving with a
blood alcohol level over the
legal limit respectively and
Judge Cochrane placed them
on the Temporary Absence
Program so they could serve
their terms and continue
their employment.
Eisenschink was charged
with the drug offence on
October 29 after Exeter OPP
and town police joined in a
raid on his property on
Stephen concession 4 south of
Highway 83 and seized 16
pounds of marijuana valued
at around 16,500.
Plants were found growing
in a greenhouse and garden
and there were boxes and
plastic bags in several areas
containing leaves.
When he appeared for
sentence on Tuesday,
Eisenschink said he grew the
marijuana as an experiment
and did not intend to sell it
and said he had no com-
mercial intent.
Ducharme was given two
14 -day jail terms, to be
served concurrently, plus a
fine of 5200 and another of $50
when he appeared on four
charges.
He pleaded guilty to two
charges of impaired driving
and two of failing to provide
a breath sample. The two
sets of charges arose out of
incidents on successive days
in September when he was
stopped by Exeter OPP on
one day and Grand Bend
OPP on the other.
Bilcke was charged with
driving with a blood alcohol
level over the legal limit of 80
mgs. on October 30 and
pleaded guilty to the charge.
He had a previous con-
viction.
Fined 1300 or 30 days each
for driving with a blood
alcohol content over the
legal limit were Roger
McKnight, Exeter, formerly
of RR 6 Goderich, and
William George Lovie, RR 3
Parkhill. Each was given 60
days in which to pay the fine.
McKnight was charged on
September 29 after his car
collided with a store in
Hensall and a guard rail on
- Highway 84, with resulting
damage of 12,300.
Lovie's charge was laid on
September 13 after he was
involved in a collision with
another vehicle on the Gore
Road, west of Concession B
of Stephen Township.
Damage in that collision was
52,400. A breathalizer test
showed a reading of 205 mgs.
Also fined 5300 or 30 days
were James John
McVeeney, Ailsa Craig, and
David L. Doerksen, London.
McVeeney pleaded guilty
to the October 16 ar, cult
(causing bodily harm a
Crediton man, while
Doerksen was convicted on a
charge of possession of
stolen property involving a
Please turn to page 3
A DELICIOUS LUNCH -- Grode six students at Exeter Public School enjoyed o del,c.n,.< 1 4.,,t .•'•,ite,,,+,e+vc,t noon.
Friday. Some of the cooks are shown here. From the left are Patti Biert na Rhordo T,•,,,h 'I T. 4. a'r • 101 ti her Mike
Soldan and Charles Bradford. -4 ohoto
Get to eat new food
Literature study rewarded
"We learn by doing" was
put into practice last week
when Mr. Soldan's grade six
class at Exeter Public School
brought recipes and
prepared "Tourtiere".
In a selection called
"Neighbours" from the book
GiRL iN A RED RiVER
COAT" students read about
two playmates, one of
French Canadian heritage
who shared in the delight of
eating a tourtiere. The
reading group was assigned
the task of finding a recipe
for the dish, then putting the
recipes into practice.
The main ingredients are
finely chopped or ground
pork and beef, bay leaf,
oregano seasoning and
mashed potatoes, baked in a
pie pastry
Classmates shared the
tasks of shopping, frying,
rolling, mixing and baking
the dishes but the best part
was in the eating of the meal
- "Chez Robert" avec
salade, des legumes and
fresh raw turnip, and, of
course, dessert compliments
of our moms.
Everyone agreed the
tourtiere was a delicious
change. it is the traditional
French Canadian dish
served on Christmas Eve
after mass.
The effort was rewarding
with most students coming
back for seconds (some
teachers did too')
•