HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Goderich Signal-Star, 1973-12-13, Page 55GODERICH SIGNAL STAR THURSDAY. DECEMBER 30, 1073*–PAds M
Chrlstmas 100 yeurs ago in . old Goderich
by W.E. Ensott
If Santa Claus was xpect
Goderich one hun ed yea t:
go the fact was apt prett
quiet, There was arcely a hi t
of it in the upon Si
's
*ember issu That
E1 contained the customary
folumn of local paragraphs,
rich another column or so of
public school examination
auulta, but diligent search
feveals no mention of Christ -
If there were any sporta
t,*ents, concerts or plays they
6d not achieve 'notice in the
pm. If the churches held any
iservance, they did not adver-
me it. One • lonely note of the
.pposedly festive season was
founded by Editor J.J. Bell,
ho on December 31 wished
'ill our friends" a Happy New
'ear.
There was a complete ab -
e of Christmas advertising,
we know it in 1973. The mer-
thpnts- never quoted prices,,
fxrely announcing the arrival
new goods, or the cheapest
s in town, .or whatever,
ithout letting competitors
blow their prices.
Maitlandville (Saltford)
me up with the only mention
Santa Claus. He was at
nbury's store, the ad. stated.
for Goderich, it was announ-
by G. McKenzie in a one -
ch ad., that "Christmas fruits
teas had arrived". Saun-
rs', variety store used three
hes, single column _to offer
hristras and New Year's
sents," and Moorhouse's
ested "picture books,
s and Prayer Books." The
ads. offered salt pans,.
ves, clothigg, millinery and
tent medicines.
There are only two mercan-
!e names that would' be
cognized now: Acheson and
(Lean. George Acheson's
re on West street burned, -
d he rebuilt. A.P. McLean,
hose store, then "opposite
ox's church" was to .serve
public for a century, had
ived home from Britain with
stock of tweeds, etc.
BLANKET SHEET
4. On Page 2, editorials were
given a couple of
columns—they dealt with
national and international
themes—and local news rani
from one to two columna.
Even considering that there
were no telephones or rural
mail, no cars and no good
roads, it is astonishing that
communication could have
been so primitive as to account
for the following "news" item
in the Signal of November 5:
"Late storms have waged
havoc with vessels. A report is
in circulation that 14 bodies
have been washed ashore at
Bayfield, but the story is not
authenticated."
The Grand Trunk operated
three trains in and out of
Goderich, one of these a
"mixed." The locomotives bur-
ned wood, and the railway was
about t� change to coal,
whereby the farmers would lose
a cash crop. In 1873 the gauge
of the "railways, was altered,
and the Signal reported 300
samlined up between the har-
bor and station, awaiting
change of the •trucks from 4' 8"
to 3' 6".
The Anchor Steamship Line
advertised three sailings
weekly between New York and
Glasgow, with first -cabin fare
of $65 to $75, and steerage $28.
Goderich was not without its
diversions. The Holman Opera
Troupe, Cool ,Burgess' Min-
strels and Martin the Wizard
played in Crabb's Hall, and
,sometimes the town's brass
The Signal of 100 years ago
is a four-page newspaper, 28
20 inches, nine columns to
e page. Professional cards_
ed two columns of Page 1,
the remainder Ives oc-
pied either by an instalment
a continued story or "filler"
the dreariest. There was no
matter on Pages 1, 3 or
band gave i concert. There was
a strawberry Festival at Ben
Miller Methodist church tinder
auspices of the Sons of Tem-
perance as a Dominion Day
feature; the admission price
was 20 cents.
TRINITY LICENSES
Perhaps not properly under
the head of diversions, the
town council issued liquor
licenses to 10 shops and 10
taverns, ensuring accom-
modation for the citizens. The
countryside as well was plen-
tifully sprinkled with taverns.
Even so, there were charges of
selling withoyit license.
Justices ' of t`he Peace,
sometimes ex -mayor Crabb,
tried persons accused of such
offences as "leaving efn-
ployment," or "selling light
bread".
When the volunteer firemen
arrived at a big fire on West
street in February, it found
frozen snow packed over the
tank from which they were sup-
posed to pump water. The town
council decided to dispose of
the i'•iand engine and obtained
in December a 'rotary steam
engine from Seneca Falls, N.Y.
This cost $5,250, including 500
feet of rubber hose, and $400
was set as the salary of J.
McCollum, engineer. Four
tanks were sunk in The Square
for' fire purposes.
Laid up for winter in the har-
bor were one steamer, the
William Seymour; seven
schooners, "Mr. Brown's steam
dredge and Mr. Hayes' yacht,
the Water Witch." H.M. Gun-
boat Prince Albert, evidently.,
around these parts ever since
the Fenian scare of 1866, was
reported ip winter quarters at
Chatham.
There were numerous
producing salt wells in and
about Goderich, and 130,000
barrels wereshippedto the U.S.
in the year ending Sept. 30. The
price in Goderich was $1, in
Chicago $2.
"Liverpool salt," the Signal
reported, "has so far advanced
in price that our manufacturers
can ship to Montreal. American
packers appear to have made
up their minds to use only
Canadian salt, and the demand
for bulk salt is on the in-
crease."
On July 2 the ssteamer
Acadian took .of nearly 3,000
barrels of salt for Chicago.
SIGNAL'S WOOD LOW
Cordwood was another im
...portant commodity. The board
of public school trustees adver-
tised for 100 cords of green
birch and maple. On Nov. 26
the Signal , announced: "Our
stock of Cordwood is getting
low. Those of our subscribers
who desire to pay for their
paper with wood will please
bring it in-"
Noting the publication of a
new weekly in Wingham, called
the Advance, the editor ex-
pressed doubt as to the ability
"of a place like Wingham to
support two newspapers,or
even one."
"Why not have a public clock
erected on the courthouse?"
the Signal asked. "A bell is
rung on the Presbyterian
church at certain hours, but not
always to be depended on."
There was at the time a far-
mers' market on The Square,
which in fact was called market
square in the early years. Fran-
cis Jordan advertised his drug
store as "right opposite the
market". A wood cut of his
Colborne St. corner, complete
with wooden verandah and a
carriage going the wrong way
confronted Signal readers each
week. Indeed, the large adver-
tisements ran without change
for a couple of years, in some
instances.
In April, Prime Minister
John A. Macdonald stated it
was not the intention of his
government to provide free
delivery of mail in towns and
cities.
Weekly papers clipped
district news from each other,
and one day in May Signal sub-
scribers read: "Quite an ex-
citement was occasioned in the
village of Mitchell a few days
ago, on it becoming known that
a 'young lady about 20, named
Fishleigh, had eloped with a
bachelor of 45 summers named
Andrew Anderson, lately
proprietor of the marble works
there. Rumor has it t .hat they
have gone to Scotland, the
native land of the gallant
swain."
GEESE START IT
In,the same month the Signal
published a report of a murder
in Bruce county, with some im-.
portant features left out:
"The cause of the quarrel
which produced this disastrous
result was a fight between the
geese belonging to two neigh-
bors, which extended to the
children and was taken up by
the heads of the families. Five
men were arrested and placed'
on trial at Walkerton. James_
Johnston was found guilty of
murder and sentenced to be
hanged July 3". Four others
(named) were convicted of
manslaughter and sentenced, to
penitentiary or jail terms.
The Lieutenant -Governor of
Ontario proclaimed • Thursday,
November,. 7 as Thanksgiving
Day.
Devon, name of a hamlet
south of Exeter, was changed to
Centralia.
"Hooping cough," the Signal
reported, was on the wane.
The Bishop of Huron confir-
med a class . at St. Stephen's,
Huron Rd.
Stanley township ratepayers
approved a bonus of $10,000 to
the London, Huron & Bruce
Railway. Varna voted 181 to 19
in favor; the Hayfield vote was
6 for and 122 against.
Sisters of St. Joseph opened
an academy in Goderich "for
McKILLOP MUTUAL FIRE
ei), INSURANCE COMPANY
Eatabliahed 1876
HEAD OFFICE: Seaforth, Ontario
Mrs. Margaret Sharp, Sec. Treas. Phone 527-0400 C
• - it Only 3
Costs A
' - Little To
le Safe
s Fire, Extended Coverage, Wind-
' ,, storm, Theft, Property Damage,
Liability, Etc. -
Directors and Adjusters:
Wm. Alexander, Seaforth
Robt. Archibald, R.R. 4, Seatorth
Ken Carnochan, R.R.4, Seaforth
Ross Leonhardt, R.R.1, Bornholm
John McEwipg, R.R.1, Blyth
Stanley McIlwain, R.R.2, Goderich
John Moylan, R.R.2, Dublin
wm. pepper, Brucefield
J. N. Trewartha, Box 661, Clinton
Agents:
James Keys, R.R.1, Seaforth
Wm. Leiper, Londesboro
phpae 5274831
527-1817
527-1545
345..2234
523-9390
524-7051
345-2639
482-7534
482-7593
K. J. gtue, Seaforth
Donald M. Laurie, Brussels
The Ladies' Auxiliary of
Branch 109 of the Royal
Canadian Legion last week
held their draw for a Christmas
cake. The draw was operated tb
raise funds for auxiliary ac-
tivities.
(AflADIIlfl
TIRE
EACH
Limited
Quantity
,Special
Winners were Myrtle Good of '""
.Goder'`ich, winning the large
cake; Judy Kalbfleisch of
Varna, winning the medium
cake; and M. Vanstone of 225
Picton Street in Goderich, win-
ning the small cake.
The draw was held December
12.
W.E. (TED) WILLIAMS
West St. Goderich
524-7102 or 524-7665
Spectacular tape -ale h'autifuli}-trrned- for
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The Best of Don Messer • Twin Pak
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J,m Croce Don t Mess Around
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Steve Miller Band The Joker
John Lennon Mixed Games
Garfunkel Angel Clare
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Charlie Farquharson et -story
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Neat slide Controls; thumb -wheel tuning con-
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