HomeMy WebLinkAboutClinton News-Record, 1984-07-18, Page 28Forern Os t town (Continued from Page 4)
burning establishments; one
pot-ashery; four saddleries;
five shoe shops andfour
tailor shops.
The mercantile interests
are represented by ten dry
good stores (all of which also
deal in various other lines),
two hardware, three drug,
two book, three tin and stove,
two boot and shoe, two
jewellery, six grocery and
two millinery stores.
There- are eight hotels
(some of them very ' good
ones), three liquor stores
and two livery stables. The
American Express Company
and Montreal and Dominion
Telegraph Companies have
offices here and most of the
best insurance and loan and
investment companies are
represented by local agents.
There is one chartered
("Consolidated) and two pri-
vate banks.
There are six churches
(Methodist, Episcopalian,
Presbyterian, Baptist,
Primitive Methodist and
Roman Catholic), some of
which are of considerable
pretensions as to architec-
tural design, mechanical
execution and general effect.
The fine arts and literature
are represented by three
photographers, two weekly
newspapers and a Mechan-
ic's Institute. The press of
Wingham compares favor-
ably with that of other towns
of similar size and impor-
tance. The Times, Reform in
politics, was established in
1871 by Robert Matheson,
now of Clinton. It is owned
and editated by S. W. Gal-
braith. The Advance, James
Fleuty editor and proprietor,
was established six years
ago by Charles Cliffe, and
espouses the Conservative
side of politics.
Education is not for-
gotten, as the magnificent
Public School building,
recently erected at a cost of
$10,000, amply attests. There
are six teachers (of whom
James Ferguson is Head
Master) with an attendance
verging upon 400.
There are a large number
of more than usually fine
business buildings, among
the best of which are the
"Beaver" block, the "Kent"
block, built at the cost of
about $8,000, $8,000 and
$7,000 respectively.
'A most thriving
centre of trade'
Altogether, we can
epitomize the past history
and, present condition of
Wingham in no fairer way
than by repeating verbatim,
an extract from the sketch of
an extensive traveller and
descriptive writer, who
says:
"On all sides stretch away
a country rich in every
agricultural resource, with
abundance of water for all
purposes, including the most
ample motive power for
machinery.
"The County of Huron is
justly recognized as, one of
the fairest, most fruitful
sections of Ontario. A
superior class of settlers
have rapidly peopled its
aforetime wilderness; the
virgin soil has been made to
return its heaviest harvest;
smiling fields have stip-
planted trackless forests,
and in the development of
the country came the sup-
port of the town.
"It is apparent to every
one that here was and is an
opportunityto build up a
most thriving centre of
trade, and that the op-
portunities have not thus far
been trifled with is
evidenced by the fact that
the aggregate of mercantile
transactions have year by
year shown a proportionate
increase with the ex-
ceptionally rapid growth of
the population, and the town
now, both as regards the
total amount of business
done and the character of its
business houses, need not
fear comparison with any of
its older rivals throughout
Ontario."
Wingham-Turnberry Bicentennial -Page 5
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