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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Goderich Signal-Star, 1953-10-22, Page 1• ' • • 106th Year—No, 42 0/1 THE SQUARE • • • • • ''."4" TOWN'S P °bait GODERICH, ONTARIO, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 22nd, 1953 PULATION HITS ALL-TIME HI AND....MERE AND THERE Although the final, official popu- lation figures for Goderich are not yet available, Town Assessor Wit- ham Sturdy knows now an allstime high will be recorded for 1953. Also pleasing are the rosy pros- pects that even a record size population for 1953 will be sur- passed one year from now. Not only present developments, but ,future prospects reflect unmistak- able evidence that Goderich is des- tined for a definite period of ex- pansion over the next few years. It's like "the handwriting on the wall." This forward march has caused us to take a peek into the past. Glancing through the venerable pages of the very first issues of "The Huron Signal"—those of 1848 —a mere 105 years ago—we came across an article on the town of Goderich of those days. It was by Thomas McQueen, first editor of "The Huron Signal" and read, in part; "The town or future city of Goderich, stands upon an eminence on the bank of Lake Huron; perhaps at the height of about 130 feet above the water of the lake. The river Maitland winds down a deep, broad glen on the- north side of the town, and forms one of the peculiar beauties of the place." Note his hopes ex- pressed in words "or future city." Apparently no exact population figure was kept 105 years ago as is intimated isi.sthe- last sentence of the following paragraph: ."The town contains a number of neat and even elegant brick and frame dwellings, but the streets or rather the design, i not of the most uni- form or tasteful description; a large portion of the houses being scattered to and fro, so that there is some difficulty in forming a close estinsafs of the population from the. appearance of the place;- but from oar own observations we would- suppose it contains about one thousand inhabitants." Then, Thomas McQueen describ- ed the ,spirit of Goderich back in 1848: "There is a settled country around Goderich capable of sup- porting a population twenty times the amount of that of Goderich; and during the last two or three years the go-ahead spirit has taken possession of it, building lots are selling _from 25 to '75 pounds, and it exhibits at present .orthe -ap- pearance of a healthy thriving town. It has a branch bank, a custom house, a number of law- yers. Six or seven extensive merchants, half a dozen hotels and taverns, distilleries, breweries, tanneries, -bakeries and butchers, with • an extensive foundry, and mechanics of almost every descrip- tion. And within the last six weeks it has received the iiivalu- able acquisition of two printing presses, and what is perhaps th greatest Of all recommendations, it has only ONE DOCTOR, and the healthiness of the place -seems to prohibit all competition in that honorable and scientific profes- sion." A series of articles on the sur- rounding townships also appear in the same issttes. It tells of Col- borne Township having 34,339 acres of land of which only 4,298 acres were yet unsold. Popula- tion was set at 549, "among Whom," said Thomas McQueen, "are a num- ber of wealthy and intelligent farmecs." Goderich Township had 53,856 acres of land of which 8,040 acres were still unsold. If had a population of 2;801, largest of any of.the surrounding townships. Re- ference was made to "(be village of Stratford" with its population of from 400 to 500 people. Mc- Queen said of it, "a Nourishing little town of only five or six years growth' Hullett Township had 53,818 acres ofs land of which 42806 acres were still unsold and it had a population of 264; There were 397 people in McKillop Town- ship which had 52,841 acres of land of which 42,022 acres were still unsold. , With so much grain in the Can- adian West this year it is likely -that Goderich harbor will see a larger winter fleet than, usual carrying storage grain. Says The „Wiarton Eeho: Maybe we're fortunate in this area that television is not yet common to every honie. A recent story going the rounds is about the little girl whose bedtime story had arrived, after an hour spent before the tele- vision set She told her mother she wanted a drihk before going to bed. Mother said: "I'll get you some milk." The reply was: "But I don't want milk." Mothir sigh- ed: "All right then, alien a bottle of pop and we'll share it." Even that wouldn't do. "I don't want pop," stormed the little girl, "I want Sii17 beer." OVERHEARD ON THE SQUARE —"Watch out for your dogs when the new police take over." Council Decides On Own Police Force For Town SUPER. MARKET! Mr. R. J. Gorki -6, Superin- tendent for A and P Stores visited Goderich on Tuesday, "looking over possible loca- tions for the site of a new super market," according to a news release received by the Signal -Star yesterday from the Toronto office of A and P Stores. Where the new super market might be located and when work will start on it was not stated. It has been known locally for some time now that the A and P Store was seeking a new location since the pre- sent store is inadequate to pro- perly handle its volume of business. It has also been known that the owner of the building has plans for the future to occupy this store when the lease runs out. Car Crash Claims Life Taylor's Corner, about five miles east of Goderich on No. 8 Highway claimed another life early Satur- day morning when a young airman from the RCAF Station in Clinton died shortly after the car he was driving missed the hazardous turn. ,Killed was 19 -year -ole! AC Joseph Michael Paradis, of Charlesburg, P.Q. He died shortly after being admitted to Alexandra Marine and General Hospital 'suffering a frac- tured skull and broken neck. A passenger, AC Claude Michaud, 20, also -of -the Clinton station, was uninjured. 1T. was charged with theft of the car. Name of the car owner was not revealed. The car plowed through a fence, smashed over a culvert and con- tinued into a field where it rolled over. Police said there was no evidence of drinking. Information on the accident was dot made available until late Sat- urday morning pending notification of the next of kin of the victim. The two were believed to have taken the car while the'owner was taking a girl friend home on foot. NAMED PRESIDENT J. D. Thomas of Toronto,•former- ly local manager for Imperial Oil in Goderich, last week was elected president of the world champion- ship -plowing organization. Next year's world plowing match will be hold in Ireland. Beginning January 1, 1954, Gode- rich will be policed by a town police force. At the meeting of Town Council last Friday night decision was made not to renew the contract with "Ontario Provincial Police to supply a municipal detachment here. The decision was made by coun- cil as a committee of the whole after considerable discussion. A chief constable and three con- stables will be hired, Prior to reverting to committee of the whole, council was informed by Town Clerk S. H. Blake that he had contacted Provincial Police Commissioner McNeil in Toronto and was told that the matter of Provincial Police in Goderich had been referred to dile district in- spector in Mount Forest for a re- port. The inspector reported, the clerk quoted the commissioner as saying, that he recommended the hiring of a corporal, four con- stables and a relief constable from May 24 to Labor Day. At present, Goderich is policed by a corporal and three constables. Final Recommendation The clerk added that the com- missioner told him the district in- spector's ' recommendation'" was final. Only one to voice any comment at the open council meeting was Mayor J. E. Huckins who said, "De- finitely we should not go to the expense of six 'policemen in this town. I won't be a party to it. That's my own decision, but I want you to make your own decision." The police issue had been hang- ing fire for some time after a letter was received from police headquarters by council asking a decision on whether the town in- tended to renew its contract with the Provincial Police on December 31. Investigation of the ciist-Of-Polie- ing other centres similar in size to Goderich and the number of men on their police forces was carried out by the council's special com- mittee. In committee of the whole, coun- cil also decided to authorize the special committee to advertise for an experienced chief constable and three experienced •constables to make up the new town force. SPECIAL MEETING Mayor J. E. Huckins said yester- day he was planning to call a special meeting this afternoon of the Town Council to discuss,d,he town's application for 25 more rental homes here.- The mayor said he had been in TormIto on Tuesday to discuss the applica- tion with Department of Planning and Development officials and brought back a draft agreement. ACTS OF VANDALISM For some considerable time now numerous students at the Goderich District Collegiate Institute, under the direction of J. K. Stener, the agriculture teacher, have been doing an impressive landscaping job on the grounds of the Collegiate. The material alone in the work runs to well over $600. Ifo the work were done by other than the students themselves the. project would run into quite a substantial figure. But the beautification is being accomplished as a result of the work of the students themselves. Now along comes some despicable acts of vandalism t�" mar the work of these students. Retently, no less than four Red Maple trees planted by the pupils and valued at $36, have beep broken and destroyed by night marauders. Many gladioli and annuals planted at the front of the Collegiate have been torn from ,the flower beds and thrown around. The agriculture students planned to shortly take the yield and weight of corn in the school experimental plot. Instead, some one has torn the cobs off and thrown them all over the school lot. Beehives have been upset and various other acts of destructiOn have taken place qf late. It is almost unbelievable that such senseless destruction would be undertaken by youngsters accompanied by older ,boys or whoever they might be. But it is certain that once etidence is obtained on who engineered such needless destruc- tion, trouble will be in store for them. . William H. Campbell Marks 97th Birthday At Auburn Auburn's grand old man, Wil- liam II. Campbell, took another I step toward .the centurs mark on Monday by celebrating his 97th 4" birthday with several friends and relatives calling to wish him many happy returns of the day. Mr. Campbell, who was born at Brooklin, Ont., moved at the age of 14 with his parents to Hullett Township and later to a farm in East Wawanosh four miles north of Auburn. After teaching school for a few years, he married Fanny Harrison in 1879 and they settled on the home farm where their grandson Kenneth Campbell, now resides. Mrs. Campbell. passed away 14 years ago -and Mr. Campbell has since made his home with his son Albert, and Mrs. Campbell. Mr. Cam bell, a man of sterling character, hns been always inter- ested in church wofr and for over 50 'years was Bible Chs teacher and is; still an elder at Auburn United Church. He has two sions. Albert, of Auburn, and Colin, of Ottawa: one daughter, Mrs. W. P. Crbzier. nt London, 11 grandchildren and 16 great grandchildren. Mr. Campbell's memoryis still excellent and he enjoys good health. who W. H. CAMPBELL, was 97 on Monday, October • 19. The happy faces show that the pupils of Goderich District Collegiate Institute who took part in the school's annual plowing match last Thursday afternoon enjoyed themselvcr. Gathered around a tractor are front row, left to right: Marcel Buchanan, R.R. 3, Goderic41 Jim Harrison, R.R. 1, Goderich; J. A. Stoner, agriculture 'and agricultural science teacher at the collegiate; John Buchan- an, R.R. 3, Goderich; Don Chisholm, R.R. 3, Goderich; Art Freeman, R.R. 3, Goderich. Back row, left to right: Frank Stingel, Dungannon; Teade Bakker, R.R. 2, Auburn i John Simmons, R.R. 2, Goderich; Bill Longmire, R.R. 2, Goderich; Jim Longmire, R.R. 2, Godetich; Wilfred Hicks, R.R. 2, Goderich; Leonard Hicks, R.R. 2, Goderich —Signat-Star Photo by Henry • George MacVicar Retires, Merchant For Over 50 Years AT THE WATERFRONT Perch fishing was the main ac- - ti.. the f • One of Goderich's oldest busi- nesses changed hands this week and a merchant who has been in business longer than any other merchant in towhas gone into rerirement. George MacVicar, who has oper- ated a boot and shoe 'store on the Square for over 50 years, has sold the business to William W. Ross, who has assisted him in the oper- ation of the store for many years, Mr. MacVicar, who has the repus, tation of being one of the fore- most men in footwear in Western Ontario, started in the boot and shoe business as an errand boy in Goderich for the ' firm of Ephriam-Downing. About 65 years ago, hp went to Toronto and took a position with the wholesale manufacturing firm of Harvey and Van Norman. Travels For Firms the Toronto firm he worked his way through every department in the •company's warehouse and then became a traveller for -that firm, covering the northern part of the province from Barrie to North Bay .for 15 ,years. And the era in which he travel- led 'was one when the traveller took with him trunks full of boots and shoes for the merchants to see. At every town, Mr. MacVicar recalls, the trunks would be un- loaded from the train and he would hire a horge and buggy to take him to merchants in outlying vil- lages. "Often," he recalls, "we would get caught in a snowdrift and we would have to get out and shovel, our way clear." Returns To Goderich It was about 50 year g' ago -that Mr. MacVicar returned to Goderich to go into business once again with Ephriam Downing. He has carried on at the same store ever since. "The changes I have seen would book -from -here to the Court House," he says. When Mr. Mac - Vicar returned, the Court House Park, for instance, was circled with a chain fence. Many changes have' taken place also, in businesses on the Square, he recalls. In place of the many garages around town, there were several livery stables. During the vit y an e main topic con- versation at the harborduring the past week. Phenomenal catches were reported and fishermen were !coming to Goderich by the thous- ands from distant points to .get in on the -record- run.- The Superior arrived last Thurs- day from Chicago with a load of corn. The Quedoc and barge Portadoc arrived on Saturday with the F'orestdale coming into port on Monday with a cargo of oats and barley. The • Forestdale cleared on Tuesday. • „ early part of Mr. MacVicar's career s• • - there . were at least seven hotels ppom in town. But the boot and shoe business: has been Mr. MacVicar's biggest interest for over half a century.' For the past ten years orpe To Chatham Post Reminders Goderich resident manager and In the back shop of his store sales representative for 'm- are reminders of the changes in perial Oil Limited, Mr. John shoe stylings during that, time. Thorpe left this week to assume He still has a couple of pounds of his new post of similar duties in wooden "nails" used in thesmanu-sthe Chatham .district. Mr. _Thorpe facture of shoes before iron and is in his 28th year of service for steel nails were developed. "The Imperial Oil and while in Goderich shoemaker would just take an awl, made many friends. punch a hole in the leather and' He is a past president of the hammer in the wooden nail." he former Goderich Board of Trade, Recording Steward of North Street United Church, is on the Goderich District Collegiate Institute Board and has been active in the Lions Club. A number of farewell gather- ings have been held for Mr. and Mrs. Thorpe who moved on Wed- nesday for their new home at Chatham. At each of these, Mr. Thorpe expressed his liking for Goderich and his regrets on leav- ing. explains. "And (he finished job was just as nice as a modern cob- bler could do." „ The era of the- high-button-gtioe is gone, but Mr. MacVicar still has the buttons and eyelets used in the old footwear and the machinery to insert them in the leather. His retirement "marks the end of a career that would be hard to equal anywhere. "I'd like to' ex- tend to ,Mr. Ross," Mr. M.acVicar says, "good wishes for prosperity and success." Tens Of Thousands Perch Caught Here Last Week -end "Never saw the like of it- before" agreed Bert MacDonald and John Baker on the number of anglers and the number 'of fish they were catching at Goderich harbor Sunday. Both of these Goderich residents have been,10 close ton'h with aetivities at Goderich harbor for about 40- years. . Exceptionally warm and beauti- ful fall weather brought a crowd of anglers estimated at over 1,000 from many parts of Western On- tario and Michigan. They were from Woodstock, Galt, Stratford, London, Chatham, Aylmer, Wind- sor, St. Thomas, Sarnia, Clinton, WincIrdine, Seaforth, St. Marys, Kitchener, Elmira, etc., as well as from Detroit and intermediate Michigan centres. For at least a week previous, the weather had been warm and bright, bringing in the minnows which the Perch fol- . Perch fishing was never better and no matter where you cast in year line up they came—and fast. The south breakwater and the north and south piers were lined with anglers. The south pier even into the harbor as far as the ele- vators was lined with fishermen who were catching perch at a great rate. It is rather unusual to catch perch so far into the harbor and most unusual to catch them at the, rate they were being flipped out of the water on the week -end. Numerous anglers went home with as many as a big potato bag, filled to the brim. Some even had more. Catches by individual ang- lers of from 50 to 75 to 100 perch were common. It is estimated that an average ,catch for the day would be 50 perch. Multiply this by the 1,000 anglers there were present at various times through- out the day and you have a total day's catch of 50,000 perch by hook and line—which makes a lot of fish. Bert MacDonald's boats were busy taking anglers out to the breakwaters and back all day, start- ing as early as 6 a.m., with en- thusiastic anglers from Detroit. About a dozen fishing poles got out of the hands of anglers and sank to the bottom of the harbor but grappling hooks off Bert MacDon- ald's boats recovered them all. Anglers Were warned and did not use the sloping outside of the south breakwall but remained in- stead on the promenade on the inside of the south pier. In addition to the visiting ang- lers there were many other visitors and the total of all combined would run close tO the 3,000. mark ,for the day. A string of five freight cars were parked on the railway siding right in front of the approach to the board walk to the beach which proved somewhat irritating. Saturday also proved to be a super day for fishing when a small. er crowd than on Sunday pulled out the perch almost as quickly as they could take 'em off the hooks and throw the lines back in again. In Churchillian terms, never were so many perch caught by so many anglers in so short a time at Goderich harbor as there Were en the week -end. ONE -ACT, PLAY Members of the Goderich Little Theatre Group are planning a one - act play and will start casting for it at their regular meeting next Tuesday night in MacKay Hall. The play- is "Overlaid," by Robert- son Davies, and it is planned to present it late next month. Figure Of Over 5,650 Expected By Assessor • HONK! HONK! Mysterious aerial manoeuv- res over Goderich about 10.45 - p.m. Saturday had numerous residents- wondering what 'wal going on. Silhouetted against the bright autumn moon were fast moving dark clouds in seemingly endless waves. Many minutes were taken up in their passing a given point'. There was a vast whirring of wings, beautiful flying form- ations and all accompanied by the old familiar "honk, honk." There were many thousands of wild geese heading south. Pupils Hold MOW Match Pupils of Goderich District Col- legiate Institute held a successful plowing match last Thursday on the farm of Sgt. C. N. Anderson, on Bayfield road. Despite the num- ber of rural girls attending the high school, none of them entered the competition. All day long, the students turn- ed over the furrows under the care- ful supervision of J. A. Stoner, agriculture and agricultural science teacher at the school, and Jack Kilpatrick, of Lucknow, who acted as judge for the 10 -hour-long event. The event, staged annually, is keenly contested by the youngsters and this year once again they went out and solicited prizes from local merchants. For the various events they had the use of the •best trac- tors provided by community -mind- ed farmers and implement dealers. Following are the winners of the classes: 16 years and over -1. Jini Fisher, Benmiller; 2. Art Freeman, R.R. 3, Goderich; 3. Don Chisholm, R.R. 3, Goderich. 15 years -1. Joe Freeman, R.R. 3, Goderich; 2. John Buchanan, R.R. 3, Goderich; 3. Jim Harrison, R.R. 1, Goderich. 14 years -1. Teade Bakker, R.R.' 2, Auburn; Arnold Andrews, Auburn; 3. Jim Longmire, R.R. Goderich. 13 years old -1. Gor- don Baxter, R.R, 2, Goderich; 2. Marcel Buchanan, RR. 3, Goderich; 3. John Simmons, R.R. 2, Goderich. Mr, and Mrs. E. J. Carter and Mr. and Mrs. Stewart Carter, of t Galt, were visitors with Mrs. John McKay, of Goderich, and Mrs. Verne Gledhill, Benmiller. ' Mr, and Mrs. Nat Brubacher, of Kitchener, spent Sunday with Mrs. Lulu Schuler. Population of Goderich, increas- ing for almost a decade, will reach an all-time high this year. Indica- tions from Town Assessor William Sturdy are that the population will hit over 5,650 — an increase of about 400 over the 1952 figure of 5,252. Exact figures are not available yet, but Mr. Sturdy -is expected to have the assessment roll completed within the next week. Last year's assessment was $6,828,486 and this year's figure will undoubtedly be somewhat higher. In 1944, the town's populatiOn stood at 4,625 according to assess- ment rolls, and dropped slightly to 4,488 in 1945. The following 'year, however, in 1946, the figure jumped by almost 300 to 4,746. Then, in 1947, the population increased by almost 200 more to 4,927. - The years 1948 and 1949 saw the population drop slightly. In 1948 the figure was reduced to 4,906 and in 1949 to 4,885. Nears 5,000 But in 1950 -a comeback was staged as the population neared the 5,000 mark, hitting 4,991. In 1951, the figure stood at 4,963 ac- cording to the assessment rolls. Then, in 1952, the census taken in 1951 by the Domision Bureau of Statistics set the new figure at 5,252—a record at that time. The new figure of approximately 5,650 marks the biggest increase in the past 10 years, and it is expected that with new industry the population figure will zoom toward the 10,000 mark before the next decade is completed. Iteason for the large increase is not known definitely, but it is be- lieved that the announcement of a new industry locating in Goderich was one of the contributing factors. North St. Church On Radio Sunday The National Religious Advisory Council has selected North Street United Church in Goderich for broadcast of Church of the Air, a program heard each Sunday on the Dominion network of the Can- adian Broadcasting Corporation. Rev. H. A. Dickinson, minister of the church, has prepared a special message for the occasion entitled, "The Faith in Our Generation," The -choir, under the direttisn of Mrs. Eleanor Ewing will be heard in an anthem, "Brother James Air," a musical setting of the 23rd Psalm, and will sing the hymns during the service. The broadcast is not open to the public. It --may be heard_over Dominion Network stations from 4.30 to 5.00 p.m. on Sunday "AW, YOU KNOW ME, BERT It was obviously the voice , of a little girl on the other end of the line when Bert MacDon- ald answered his phone at the harbor one day this week. "Do you see Mr. — around the pier, Mr. MacDonald?" she asked. Used to many, in- quiries of different kinds throughout the day Bert as- , • sured her he would • look around and see. He did so, but there was no sign of the man wanted and he so inform- ed her. "Well, then," the little girl said in her old fashioned grown-up manner, "would you rake this phone number down and have him. call me when • you see him." -.Bert took the number down. After he did so the youngster said, "Would you please repeat that 'number to see if you have it right". Bert dki so and he had it right. Curious to know just who the yioungster was ilert asked her. "Aw you know me, 13prt," she replied, "I'm the one you gave the stick of licorice to the other day." Bert scratched his head and tried to place the youngsters but having given away several) sticks of licorice to youngsters in the past few days he was left none the wiser by this youngster's confident descrip- tion of herself. 14 41 Record crc catches were made at Goderich harbor on the week -end when many hundredcof visiting •14,,' • anglers found the w.-ather and the fishing one hundred per cent. Detroit fishermeolaunehed tho d fishing on Sunday about 6 a.m. Even by early morning the end of the south pier looked as in the 'plcture above. By noon and early in the afternoon- the same pier wasvirtually black With anglers as was also the south breakwater, seen in background, and the north pier. •