Clinton News-Record, 1976-06-24, Page 591,
Village volunteer firemen
Iasi Qf primie brigades
Mostly taken tram infOrtnetlen Ford track WS* Parr-baSed and a
given at Bayfield Branch of special tank wasbuiltforftby the
Miran County Historical Society local *amen. In order to be able
by J.R. Havey an April 1,1970. to trenSPort more welter* a
Veda/. GMC gasoline truck Was
The following *Mount of the obtained- The MO original trucks'
Bayfield Volunteer Fire bad been SOW and eSenteellY the
AstoCiation should pat -to- shame Fard, and- he -GMC nig) were -
all those people who must have disposed ot and a city of London
things banded to them on a sneer used fire truck with capacity of
platter. These men got busy and 250 gallons was purchasedin
created workable Useful and a 2,200 gallon tanker bought
equipment from whatever they in Goderich in 190_9,_A new por
could find. table pumper was added in 1970
It was the direct result of the and a generator to be used where
spectacular blaze that could have there is a power failure at the
wiped out half the village if there scene of the fire. A cistern with a
had been a wind that night. Even
without the wind, burning
shingles were showering a
number of houses and buildings
to the north and charred debris
was found half a mile away. It
was August 30,1947.
Mrs. Rhynes, who was entering
Fowlie's Store looked over
toward the Ritz Hotel and asked.
"Do you suppose that could be a
fire?" It was indeed. The «Ritz
burned to the ground.
After the initial excitement
died down, a number of men of
the village began talking
seriously about what could be
done to prevent another near
catastrophe and a meeting was
held at the Little Inn on
December 1 with the following
residents in attendance: 'George
Little. Ken Brandon. Ed Weston,
Jack Howard, Lloyd Scotchmer,
Tom Castle. Charlie Toms.
Arnold Makins, Percy Neston,
Grafton Weston, Hugh Gilmour,
Ernie Hovey, Ted Mack, Les
Elliott, Grant Turner, Mel
Davidson. Reg Francis. Murt
capacity of 3,000 gstliens had been
constructed in 1953 at therear of
the fire hall to give a more
convenient water supply.
When the first equipment was
bought, it was first stored at J.
McKenzie's but a fire hall where
the water in the tank would not
freeze was needed so, on the first
Saturday in November Les
Elliott. Walter Westlake and
Hugh .Gilmour met with the
Village Trustees at the proposed
site by the Town Hall. This land
was leased for 100 years.
Again. economy was practised,
an old building being purchased
from Lloyd Scotchmer for $100
and the lumber from it used. Not
one dollar went for labour as an
the work was done by the fireman
and other interested citizens. A
Quebec heater was used at first
(Checked morning and night by
Ted Mack and Les Elliott and
later by E.A. Westlake). It was
replaced by a space heater and
then. in 1965, by an oil furnace.
The same year an addition was
built at the south end as a
Merrier and Walter Westlake. meeting place and used during
Not all these men became the winter months hy the men's
active firemen but they helped in euchre club and also for the Lions
many ways. Among the officers directort' meetings. It has also
elected were: fire chief, Walter served as a polling booth.
Westlake president. Ernie The territory protected by this
Hovey; vice president. Grant Fire Association extends south of
Turner: secretary. Reg. Francis the village to the Snowden farm,
and treasurer. Les Elliott, an east to the Goshen Line, North to
office which he still holds. the Varna road and back to
An appeal for funds was made Bayfield: also five miles north on
to the public,in January 1948. and Hwy. 21 to the Cut line. east to the
by the end of that year. over 10th concession. south to the
91,000 had been raised through Bayfield Line and back to
private donations, dances. grants Bayfield.
of 6100 and 9150 from Goderich They have been called to barn
and Stanley Townships, and 9200 fires, house fires. and fires in
from the Lions Club. trees. grass. cottages. stores,
Lloyd Scotchrner, Mel Davison boats, garages. workshops.
and Jack Sturgeon Sr. were the woodpiles. tractors. cars, trucks.
village trustees m 1947 and the a threshing machine. a gas well,
first two with George Little went sawmill and a gas pump. They
to Goderich and purchased a • have also answered calls for
pump and motor which, later, assistance at automobile ac -
was turned over to the Fire cidents. drownings and ' heart
Association by the Council. attacks.
Instead of expecting help from a Fire insurance rates were
higher source to procure further reduced as a result of this
equipment. the firemen bought a association's work. the brigade
four-wheel drive army truck and being rated as one of the best in
dug a 500 gallon tank out of the Ontario in a community of this
ground at the Bayfield Garage. size by .the Ontario Fire Mar -
A second army -truck was shall.
acquired as well as 150 feet of A siren was installed in 1949 on
hose. a fog nozzle. a hand ex- the roof of the present Village
tinguisher, a first aid kit and Market and was operated by the
public liability insurance. In 1950 switchboard until 1966 when
a pump was bought for 5133 for phones were changed over to
filling the tank truck. - dial. A new siren was then placed
Two years later. a new 1951 on the Town Hall and red "fire
CONGRATULATIONS BAYFIELD
ON YOUR 100th BIRTHDAY
CLINTON NEWS -RECORD, T URSDAY, JUNE 7,4, 197
A Ore in 1922 destroyed the first three buildings on the right in this photograph.
phones" were put in the homes of
Don Warner, Les Elliott. Jack
Sturgeon, Riess Kerr and P.
Renner and at the fire _ball.
These were for incoming call
only: When sornediae- dialed 565-
2626 all the red phones would ring
and whoever took the calls would
each notify a certain of firemen.
Today. 1976. fire phones are still
in the first three homes men-
tioned plus Pat Graham's and
Don Hair's.
Officers are: chief, Don
Warner: assistant. Arnold
Makin; president. Pat Graham;
sedretary. Raymond Scotchmer
and treasurer, Leslie Elliott
The 1976 fire brigade is: Don
Warner. Reg Francis. Joe Koene,
Bob Orr, Don Johnston.
Raymond Scotchmer. Ken
Brandon. Bill Talbot, Jack
Memo, Gary Treibneri Don
Hair. Steve Argyle, Tom
Penhale, Dave Johnston. Walter
Turner, Pat Graham.' Arnold
Makins, Jim Francis, Bob Snell.
Ctiff Utter. Don Lindsey and Les
Elliott.
Since 1970 more smoke masks
have been bought and the
equipment kept up to date and in
good repair.
The Big Fire of November,
1922. as told by Eucy R. Woods.
It was Sunday night. November
26. 1922. Mrs. Woods had driven
Jean and Ethel to Clinton, had
played the organ at Bayfield
Trinity Church and then had gone
to the barn as the horse had been
so sweated when she had
returned from Clinton.
Entering the house afterward,
and passing through the dark
dining room she saw what looked
like lightning run up Green-
slade's barn. She thought she
must be mistaken but called Lucy
and before they could get to the
•
window the barn hayloft exploded
into flames.
Wm. Stinson.. visiting atWoods.
ran up to tell the Kings and
Greenslades. Kings had put hot
ashes into a barrel at the back of
their property and it had taken
fire,. This crept along the fence to
Greenslade's barn. If Bayfield
had had a fire department. only
the barn would have burned as
the heavy snowfall would have
helped protect nearby buildings.
but in those days, the residents
were helpless against the demon
fire.
Those who rushed to the scene
began carrying out furniture and
personal belongings. The King's
had the bakery and library and
the living quarters: Green-
slade's, a confectionary with the
living quarters above: Drell,
mannes, a tailor shop, patent
medicines. drycleaning. the post -
office and their upstairs living
quarters.
Part of the Woods furniture, the
post office papers and books from
the Drehmann building and other •
possessions were carried across
to the F.A. Edwards store and
some to the Albion Hotel •
Lucy was in a hysterical state
and her mother took time to say
firmly, "Oh be quiet. We have
another house. (the Hut) but
those people. King's. Green-
slade's and Drehmann's
haven't."
Rita Harrison and Mrs. Woods
carried snow in pails (there had
been a 9 inch fall) and kept the
upper and lower window sills
from burning. The windows were
cracked from the heat and the
paint on one bed blistered.
Several fires started in the eaves
and shingles but were put out.
When water was thrown on the
house. steam came off in clouds.
Wm. Stinson, Bob Blair and
Wm. Jowett were in Woods' barn
loft with pails of water and wet
bags.
As these big frame buildings.
Greenslade's barn and house and
store. Drehmann's and _Kings.
went up in flames, the town was
so bright that a newspaper could
be read in a home down on
Bayfield Terrace without the aid
of a lamp.
it was indeed a night of terror
and residents felt that only the
heavy snowfall had saved many
of the other homes and buildings.
The Middleton -Jowett.
Home at the Grove
Taken from the Clinton News -
Record. Thursday May 1,1930,
Those having phones in the
village were awakened about 2
o'clock on Wednesday morning
last by the fire alarm call to learn
from Clinton Central that J.W.
Jowett's house was on fire. Many
rushed to the scene but were
unable to save the building. The
fire which broke, out in the back
kitchen was first discovered by
Rose Finley whose attention was
attracted by the light on her
window.
The fire had then broken out
through the roof of the back
kitchen which. with the garage.
was joined to the main building.
She aroused the household but
Mr. Jowett was unable to combat
the flames single-handed and, by
the time help arrived. it had gone
too far.
The contents in the main part of
the house were nearly -all saved
but one of his cars was burned '
and one of the little cocker
spaniels was missing. Mr. Jowett
has suffered a heavy loss. He is
unable to account for the origin of
the fire unless it was caused by
(continued on page 7B)
BEST WISHES TO THE
VILLAGE OF BAYFIELD ON ITS
100th ANNIVERSARY
We are proud to be
a part of the community
and look forward to serving,
you in Bayfield's Second Century.
0'
McLEOD sow
ma FISHERY
NORTH DOCK 545.2470
BMW, ONTARIO
Proprietors: KAY & DON McLEOD
OPEN 10 A.M. 105 P.M. TUESDAY TO SUNDAY