HomeMy WebLinkAboutClinton News-Record, 1976-06-24, Page 34Village
Rayfield, like many
placearly days. An intern iet n theme
paper 1 ec. 15, 1884, reads,
tender' of Mr. Reid, tinsmi
six lamps to be placed on
Main St. was accepted
Council."
Jan. 23, 1885 - "Our s
tamps are a great improve
and, when regularly lighted
be great benefit."
Evidently the lamp lighter
not 4 a very good job and
receiving some criticism. No
now alive can tell us anyt
about these lamps. If anyone
any information about th
please contact Mrs. Ethel P
Bayfield.
A further article reads: Aug
1889, Electric lighting comes
Clinton. Ten electric lights are
be erected on the street in Clint
- 2000 candle power and in use
nights. The company is to supp
lights to anyone in town at
cents a night. Lights to burn un
11 o'clock and. on any spec
order by the Mayor. until 12 p
(Could that cost figure have be
correct? Surely not. )
In 1897, Bayfield had its fi
electric lights when Mr. .1
Donaldson purchased "a
electric light plant". This' w
operated m connection with h
sawmill, sawdust and - slab
furnished the steam power for th
dynamo.
The New Era Jan. 22, 189
stated - "The electric light
started to work Monda
evening."
Evidently there were problem
because we read "Feb. 26, Th
electric lights, after some delay
are operating again. It is full
expected that there will be n
more trouble with them. Mr
Ingham manager of the electric
light plant in Seaforth, assisted J
Donaldson to get the electric
lights in order for Tuesday
evening.
Mar. 12, The Electric light
plant is in full blast now and the
Bayfield people have good light.
John Patterson is electrician and
engineer.
But ail did not go well for we
read May 14, J. Donaldson is
putting in a new electric light
plant: May 21. the electric lights
were out on Monday night as a
new engine was being put in. it
was purchased from E. Leonard
& Sons. London; June 9, several
business places and private
houses are using the light and the
streets are lit.
The wiring in the buildings was
exposed and run through par-
titions by boring holes. There was
only one light in a room, usually,
a cord hanging down from the
ceiling with a bulb at the end. At
first there were no shades, These
gave up statusfor hydro power in 1927
other holes for wires cooed still be seen Etect�c Light Co. on Tuesday
in its in some of the older buildings i.e., evening were negotiating with the men severe taco d ters nno work con- t that time, so wa and against' but nothing
t'linion the River Hotel well on into this Village Council for the as done
'The century.purpose of tinuousiy in the bush cutting trees By 1902, over 100 municipalities
introducing their lights into for logs to be sawed at the mill. were
th, for The charge was 2c per light Bayfield." The supply of sawdust and slabs systemsoperating their own little
the which were on from dusk to It was two months later Mr. ran out and wood had to be ob- tth dynamos and were
by midnight but sometimes there Donaldson put in his plant. He did tained to keepthe dynamooolong for a centralized supply_
would be a "blackout" at nota going A few years tatter, B.aYfield
operate it long before selling so, rather than lose money on the residents. voted again. Clinton
treet unexpected and embarrassing to William Jowett who lived in the venture, went moments" so oil lamps were house on the Square now called One of the little Jowett 5s h p hut �tst am unanimous News -Record vote **Practically an
.
will always kept ready for emergency "Clifton." engines that operated the Bayfield todayin favour
en in
use. It was not a profitable en- dynamo is now • owned by the town beinglinkedn the of the
hydro -
did Of course there were the terprlse by any means as few Historical Society. being donated electricpower
was scoffers and many were the jokes would in the 1 put the lights into their by Mr. Pollock Varna. cour and only 7
one about Bayfield electric lights, as homes, nor would the Villa were polled in favour 17
hang the following will show. Council add to the number of residents was taken in regard to 1. a vote of agHydr hadre measure.
has Anxious Ratepayer, "Where street lights. There were ver* electricity andathe results were65 shed Stratford
the did you say the electric lights
oth. were to be placed?"
�on�tepued on Rhe 13A)
Councillor. seeking Re-
. 9, election, "Oh, anywhere. I think
to one in front of your place would
to be nice. But I fncy that will be
on decided after the election."
300
i3.n2 A Poem
til
ial
m.
en
rst
as
n
as
is
$
e
$
Y
s
e
0
by Jack Bailey
The electric lights of Bayfield,
Are not correctly run
A greenhorn for an engineer
His name is Patterson.
There is one light upon "The
Bank"'
And it shines right across
Another one beside it
Shines out for Murdoch Ross.
Another one at the corner
And yet we do not stop
The brightest one of all is at
George Erwin's blacksmith shop.
Another at the post -office
Another for 'Tailor Mac'
And. since there are no more that
way,
I think I will comeback.
Now. if you are out walking,
You all must be aware
• The rest of the electric lights
Are 'round Clan Gregor Square.
Now when those lights are bur-
ning
They'd be out for half an hour
But we did not miss them - much -
They were - sixteen candlepower.
Some of those old bulbs with
their tiny little filaments are still
around (52 volts. 16 can-
dlepower.)
When electric lights were first
talked about, there were many
rumours and the Bayfield
correspondent wrote in the Huron
News -Record Mar. 6. 1895
"Improvements are the order of
the day. Bayfield is to have
electricity for lighting purposes -
the incandescent and the arc
system., The power from
Thompson's dam is to drive the
dynamo. Zurich and Blake are to
get power from the same sour-
ce."
Well,
that certainly did not
happen. But probably Bayfield's
lights came about as a result of
this meeting. Nov. 27, 1896 - "The
The
Albion
Hotel
A Tradition in Bayfield
for over 1.00 years
Dining and Fully
Licensed Privileges
OPEN 7 DAYS A WEEK
Mon. thru Thurs.. 14 noon - 10 p.m.
Fri. &'Sat.. 12 noon - 11 p.m.
&Adel s, 5 p -m. - 7 pare.
Sunday Reservations Preferred
565-'2641'
The Albion Hotel
has-been operated
as a hotel for
nearly 120 years
and has been
restored and
maintained in the
original at-
mosphere . of that
era.
Enjoy the
traditional mode
of aur Centennial.
Make the Aeon
Rotel your stoplbr
an evening of
relaxation.
1
1
1
1
1
Around the turn of the century
this little steam engine was used for Bayfield's electricity. The engine
was•donated to the Bayfield Historical Society by Ernie Pollock ,of Varna in 1970. Merton Merner put
the engine in working order.
Happy 100th Birthday
Bayfield!
from everyone at
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Steve Steep
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A tradition of service to Clinton. Bayfield and area since 1948.
Our sincere thanks to all our customers for their support in the
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