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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Clinton News Record, 1925-07-02, Page 75S? 01 BoYs a 4e xpoOtod Cstiffen •, mmeaksiti,49 •:FOR.M.F.R.4FSPOT,x(mr.. OF TORONTO, GROWS REiINIC. rites Interestingly of Former'. Days in Huron County's' ;Hub Town "Toronto. June 20, 1925:. • 253 -Clinton St, The Clinton, Old Boys' Assn. Clinton, Ont. Dear Sirs: I received your kind vitation, to join with you in reunion of Clinton. Old Boys on August ist o.5th. If all is well any family and Myself, numbering five or six, 'willmake the trip by.inotor.: We are looking fol -ward with pleasure to meeting- Clin- ton people and looking in their faces once more before I pass. It is now fifteen years since I left Clinton, I lived there thirty, years, the best part of a life, a review of some things that happened .during that time would not Ile ,out of place. I went to Clinton in May 1879, as I had some two or three years ex- perience in reed organ building, Mr. Doherty had five or, six Hien working for him at that time ,and we had a quiet summer; but :Mr. Doherty could see ahead and kept a traveller on the road, and by September had enough. orders to keen us very busy all win- ter. At that tune Clinton had a larg- er population that it has -now, but never the less it has made great pro- gress and is a town the citizens may be proud of and it means that some have -given time and labor, who do not get the credit; they deserve. A few of the things that impressed me most wits the burning , of the Doherty factory on Raglan street, which took place on the 28th of Feb- ruary, 1898. The factory had been rebuilt the summer before with every- thing up-to-date. It was the finest looking . building in the county of • Huron, we had just got everything going fine, when the fatal night of February 28th came. The fire whistle blew at 2i a.m. When I got there smoke was coming `out of every win- dow, but no fire to be seen. Thought I could get some tools but only got in a few steps . when the smoke strangled me. The fire men arrived but could do nothing. There was a stiff wind: blowing and it was some dire, by five o'clock everything gone, a clean sweep., . A. funny thing happened at one of the 'annual banquets . of .the Lawn Bowling Club. Theclub had won sev- eral trophies that summer, through the wise counsel of its president, so it was decided to give him a present. 130.00 worth of cut glass ryes bought and one of the members, whom I might say was .the president's pal, was asked to make the presentation. The banquet was at the Normandie Hotel with "Our Own Sam" as host, $$ere were about seventy present. ,`e let"me say here a good friend of >.,b president, meeting hien that after- noon toldhim the boys were going to put a joke over him, and. he should be on his guard. The president opened the meeting with a neat speech, everything was going on all right, . ti1I we got to 4 or 5 members, the 'party who was to make the :presenta- tion got up to do so,- and in marring a few remarks was called to order by the chairman, who said, "I hold a program in my, hand and I don't n tend• -'to let anything come before this meeting except whet is here." : The man who was going to make the pre- sentation was well, posted in Parlia- mentary speeches, so the fire works started and kept up for about half an hour, some funny things were said and some not so funny, and it became. very het at times, all the guests were amazed. Finally the •chairman said he would leave the chair, .but they would not let him, so the program went on to the finish. I do not think -there was one knewthetr•ou,hle ex- cept "Dan, the arch : fiend," as the chairman called him. The club had been entertained on several occasions t;t Carview, ,which were very,;. much enjoyed. Another thing that conies to aty. mind, there ued to be a man living in Clinton who took long walks in his bare head in winter ' and when he got back home would take a cold bath and dry himself in frontof an open window. This was hisidea to live'to be a hundred years old.;I do not know how old he is now. I think about ninety and is still going strong. I suppose I should say a few words on politics as I always enjoyed an el- ection; ; it got us out of- a rut. They used tp tell me I was a very strong. party man, I do not think so. I have voted for the Liberal party, the Re- form tparty and the Grit party, this is a broad enough platform for any M1111. Another big fire happened in the day time when the Foundry and Rat- tenbury House were burned ,it was a terrible day. We all had to look after our own hones, on account of the gale, which wasgoing at forty miles an hour. I saw pieces of fire as big as my hand flying in the -air, the whole heavens were a peculiar glow. I would like to say a few words in regard to the building' of the new Doherty factory, because whatthey accomplished 1 do not think has ever been equalled in Canada before or since. Wilbur Manning had been with, Mr. Doherty three or four years, and had a good grip on the business and knew' its : requirements, They planted the new factory, which speaks for itself, but what I want to say is with regard to putting up the buildings and equiiping thein. The foundation was started the second week in April, 1by the last week in July the buildings were up and ma- chinery installed, ' everything in full swing, and a full line of fine organs at Toronto Exhibition the first of September, which was a great achievement. " Prohibitipn is the only salvation for the world. Men who drink, do it at the expense of their brain. I think the world 'loses thousands •of its brainy men through liquor, who might have been a great help in keeping this old world better: for. mankind, there are some more sub- jects'I would like to mention, but I guess I have said enough. Mailing you every suece s Yours trttlyr —ALEX. ARMSTRONG." _cs-.,.`___—., ,..1 ' t' 1 r IIS GYPROC Advantages • Fire Pi election Low cost Cannot Euro Easy to Use - Non-WarpLumber ,g b'erTiglit Jointed, Can be Painted or Penciled' Can be Alabastined Can be Paperell Vermin Proof' Resists Heat and Cold Easily $andled Eliminates Repairs Clean Sanitary Requires no planing Will. net Crack Keeps out Molsturo Keeps out Dust and Dirt Easily, quickly Applied .. Protects your Stock Q" YPROC is fireproof wallboard made of- solid rock—the finest material for farmbuildings ever dis- covered. its 18 separate and exclu- sive advantages increasb the com- fort, appearance and earning power of your farm. Hen houses and stables trued with, Gyproc are practically vermin and moisture proof. This prevents dis-' ease, makes -hens lay and increases the milk output'ofy'ur cows, Gyproc can't burn, waip or shrink.: It protects stock from fire. It is durable and permanent. There are 110 cracks or cre- vices in Gyproc. Gyproc joint Filler on the joints makes the wall air -tight, Those McKenzie, Clinton i TIIE ONTARIO GYPSUM' CO. LIMITED, PARIS, ONTARIO Fireproof Wallboard Why build to burn? Gyproc does away with inflammable mood -breed wade, rooFs, ceilings and partitions...._.-. 77: - REV ALEXANDER STEWAR.T, D. D. For over thirty years minister of Willis Presbyterian church, Clinton, whose face will be familiar' to malty an old boy or gild who is planning to come home for the first week in 'August. It is hoped that Dr. Stewart will find it convenient to come 'to 'Clinton at that time, too. He has for some years made his home in Toronto but he usually pays Clinton a visit each summer. AS IT WAS FIFTY YEARS AGO The following is front Sunday's Cleveland"Plaindealer and refers to Clinton's Old Home Week. It was ac- companied by. a cut of 'the ` Morrish block as' it was many years ago when Chris. Dickson kept .a book store there: "Preparations are being made to make Clinton's .old Boys reunion,, August 1 to 5, a celebration long to, be remembered. An able -body of of- ficers have been elected to see that no stone is left unturned in making comfortable Clinton's. old boys, who Will conte from all parts of the contin- ent. Those who have. not'been home for several years will find many changes, for as a manufacturing town Clinton has assumed in the past 'few years a position of heading promin once. Tho photograph which was taken 'nearly fifty years ago is the block now occupied by A. J. Morrish. There may be still a few of the old- timers who come home for the reun- ion who eunionwho may remember Chris Dick - son's bookstore of almost half a century ago." St. Helens (Crowded out last week) Mrs. Alex. Stuart is visiting with friends in Toronto. Mr. F. F. Phillips spent a few days at the home of Mrs. 11, J. Woods. Miss Lyla Humphrey is' visiting friends in Brantford. ' ' Mr. David McDonald and Miss Verna visited with St: Helens friends Amonovossmutesomemenswasim last week. . Mrs. Cunningham, sr., and Mr. and Mrs, John Cunningham and - children of Walkerton visited at the .hones of Messrs. Wallace - Miller - and Ed. Thorns last week. The monthly meeting dike Wom ens Institute will be held in the hall on Thursday tifternoon. .Mrs. Me- Farlane svill give a talk 011 "Horne Nursing." The' St. Helens Rifle Club held a successful picnic at Goderich on Wednesday last.• Mr. Earl Cranston, who spent the last "week in Goderieh, has seturned- home. Staxnlej Township The following is the result of the promotion examinations held in S. S. No. 4 N Stanley: Jr. 4th to Sr. 4th—Prances Mossop, 80; Mary Armstrong, 79 Nellie Pat- erson, 75; Jack Sootchmer,71; n r , 64.ce ILoh Clar- ence e Jr. 3rd to Sr.`3rd—Willie McClin-- ehey, 67; Gladwin Westlake, 64. Sr, 2nd to Jr. 3rd -.--John Arm- strong, 75; Maria Rohner, 70. Jr. 2nd to Sr. 2nd—Bert' Dunn. 76; Manic McClinchey, 75; Logan Cleave, 43. .Primer to Jr. 1st—(Promoted at Easter) --+Beatrice Houston, 89; Anna Cleave, 88; Keith Westlake, 72; Gor- don Seotchnier, (absent). Primer; B—Jolie .Watson , Donald Paterson. —Vila J. Musselman, Teacher. D union Chautauqua. Four` Days 8 - Attractions -• 8 FIRST' AFTEil NOON A Popular Concert Givers By The Chautauqua Entertainers An Unusual and. Attractive Pvograt.i by PIETRO LA VER �1 Known, as ."The 1081. of Manly, talents" n Tie r, ° ts, dd w Above Price does not include Amusctncnt Tat. 0 Chautauqua Wek fleiie July 14th to 17th to 4v4r.J..' R,ul.Hr. MAYOR JACKSON RECALLS INCIDENTS . OF HIS SCHOOL DAYS IN CLINTON Ifone could only get time to sit down with a :real old tinier w110 had asgood a tnemoTy as one's self, and go over ohe old program' of Clinton life the story could be told very mild) bettor than is possible by at in. dividual. My first recollections' of Clinton' I plass at .the time when --I' was about threeorfour years of age, we were living in two rooms at ,ythe back of my. father's shoe shopl on Huron street, located" on the grgund at pre- sent covered by Connell's: meat mar- ket and Watson's .Grocery. A cook house was in the back: yard about twenty feet from the roar door of: the shop. I was frequently Scared stiff with persons knocking ail.. the back, door. They were 'midnight drunks from the Commercial hotel- near by. It is a very '' clear recollection' in 1ny mind of the day we moved from there to a cottage built by Bill Shane on Rattenbury street, on the property at present occupied by Nels. Ball, There I got .my first glimpse of -the Buffalo'-Goderich' railroad. I was much mystified' with seeing. a lorry, going up and down. I . could not figure it out, finally the railroad was explained and the first sight of a locomotive_ andtrain at close quarters was intensely .terrifying to me. All boys and girls in those clays were started to school at five years of age. When my time came any mother pilot- ed me to the old red school house, which is now the residence of Mrs. Jas. Sheppard on Townsend street. There were then three rooms in the school, the other two, were in the brick building now occupied by Mr. Bert Hovey. My first teacher was Miss Morgan, who very shortly 'was married .to the late P. D. Brown of the grocery firm of Brown and Cavan. I did .not like him very much for' that because Miss Morgan was a very nice teacher. She was followed by a - Miss Bell. She was so very lilcatile that we all soon forgot our grouch against Brown. The next teacher was Miss Bishop, all the beys_and girls of, that day will 'remember, her with the kindliest feelings. All the tables of weights and measures and multiplication , were taught in song,. Everybody had to beat toe with the Tight hand, index finger extended. Her weapon of punishment was a shingle, the tip end of which was blackened" by dirty hands. That shingle wasa more effectual punishment than all the rawhide whips, •hickory whip- stocks, and bamboo canes' used by later teachers. I have a very vivid. recollection 32 one beating I received from a certain man -teacher. He did not believe my reason for being late for school every morning, he said he would write a note to my father and find out if I was truthful. I was to carry the note; I refused. Under the punishment I received with the hick- ory I fainted away. That ended the incident. 'I promised to say nothing about it et home, Twenty years af- ter I broke my promise. The first principal in my time was Lonalessbflwo (Crowded out last week) The United church (former Metho- dist) Sunday school will hold their annual strawberry garden party on June the 26th. Clintotf`Kilty band will be in attendance and also the Westfield quartette will give a num- ber of selections. A good time isex- pected. Mr. and Mrs, Sampson of Paimer- stone spent over the week -end with friends here. Rev. W. R. and Mrs. Osborne left. for their new charge at Highgate on Wednesday. Oar good wishes go with them. Miss Kirk of Toronto is spending her vacation with her sister, Mrs. W. Lyon. Mr. T. Nett has improved the ap- pearance of his place by having a new garage built. Miss Jennie Maines of Chicago 'is spending her.vacation with her moth- er, Mrs'M=1iSaines '-•r The Leers held their annual picnic last . =Friday. All report• having a good time: Sri's. Cook of Clinton is at present visiting her, daughter, Mrs. Manning. Miss Olvetta Brigham of -St. Thom- as Collegiate staftt is spending her holidays with her parents, Mr. and - Mrs . Wm Brigham. Mr. 'Harold Jdhnston of London is at present visiting his 'mother, Mrs, F. Johnston. Mr. Dodd 01! Ch1oag0 10 a guest at the home of his uncle, Mr. D. Shad - dick. Mr. and Mrs. Ilohnes of London called on friends here last week The monthly meeting of the Wom- . ne'rs Institute will be held in the Community Hall on July second. Hullstt Tovei ship (Crowded out last week) Mr. '1. Woods of the 13th son. re-. iently had a piece put .to ' one of his big barns, which adds much to the appearance of ,his splendid, buildings.. A number from the 13th con. at- tended the L. 0. L .service which was held in the Anglican church, Blyth, last Sunday evening. There was a' very large attendance. The Rev. Mr. Lowe of London preached 'a very able' sermon. Mr. J. ' Carter of the Gravel road was 11,. London recently on business, the late James Scott, for many^ years' librarian; with the Clinton Mechanics Institute. He was followed by the late D. M, Malloch. "`("Sammy?.Mal- loch we used to call him),: He straightened out all we rough necks 9u piorter style and never hurt' any- body: All the old schoolmates have a very fond recollection or "Sammy,"' Shortly` after: he came the present school was (built. There were two Caotions• in those days, -fatuous for their; fighting qualities. The London Roaders and theBase Liners. They hadmany royal battles, which were: frequently quelled` by Constable Bill Cove, the terror of all ofending 'boys. We were all afraid of Bill. When we could not be controlled in another way the threat of sending for Bill Cove always broughtus under sub- jection. I'll: never forget the first real -battle I witnessed between Lon- don Roaders- and Base Liners, -• They were playing -shinny, on Townshend street. Someone was ordered with a blow to "Shinny on your own . side, Dam you," 'There was a clinch; fol- lowed by a general fight with Shinny sticks and blood . flowed freely. Among the., London' Roaders were a lot of huskies; they did not know what- fear was. The , Lanes, Jones' Ilackey ' and Crealcer McMullen, the Swinnnles (boys' way of naming Swin- banlcs), the Irvings, Cooks,Higgins, Newmarchs, Fulton, Maep3tersons and others whom I cannot recall. Among the Base Liners were. Billy Jackson, recognized captain, Billy Glass, Geo. Brown, Billy Coats, two Kent buvs, Burnett Levan, Joe and Sam Rowell, the Elllotts, Marlows, Tewsley's, Jim and Jack, Ralph Davis, Bally Hart, Bob Doan, Ike Rattenbury, Buchanan, S. J. Andrews, Castle and others. Billy Jackson organized -a circus, the shows were always held on Satur- days. At first the admission was five pins. As the circus grew larger the price got bigger and it took ten pins. The late Tom Jackson and I always managed to hook enough pins for ad- mission. Finally the show got to be too big and expensive for us, 5c admission, and Billy would not let us in free, , he had a big tent made of oiled canvas which used to line the big dry goods boxes. All Tom and I could see was the free outside show and very well I retnem- ber` the day when Billy Jackson walked the tight ropd. To protect the shows from the raids of London Roaders Billy organized a company of Light Infantry ,armed with swords made from cradle fingers from the cradle with which the farmer of those days cut his grain crops. - Later an Artillery Corps was formed and Joe Rowell made the guns, one mounted on a carriage made with wheels of a perambulator (called baby carriages now).. The gun was inade out of an old muzzle loading musket, large belie. The gun carriage was drawn by Billy Glass' big Newfoundland dog. The gun when loaded had lots of black powder and a liberal charge of salt -to pepper the London Roaders. I never saw them come up for their. medicine. Marry of these old boys have passed to the Gteat Beyond; how many are still on earth I' cannot guess. As well as being hard fighters they were good pale. If one licked :the other today he {would also share his last bite of a treat with him tomorrow. Enough for now. -FRED: JACKSON. Some Familiar Faces EX -CHIEF JOSEPH WHEATLEY It is scarcely necessary to put ,a name under the above cut, but for the sake of a few of the "newer" people' we do so. Anybody, almost, . who knows Clinton at all has met the kindly "Joe," whom to know is to hold in regard. But,. possibly, some of the old boys may have some re- membrances of the sterner side of the ex -Chief's character, as he had a way of striking terror to the hearts of mischief -makers. Few of the home - comers in August, however, but will want to 'shake the hand of "Big Joe" and have a little "creek" with hint, about old tines, i THE LATE W. R. LOUGH Who was for many years principal of the Clinton Public school and who "licked" into shape many an one of the now famous and successful old boys who are corning home in August. Mr. Lough died at his home in Van- couver some fewyearsavo but his memory still -lives in the hearts of his pupils. Wheri customers go to the c untry many -,,...-grocers and . . butchers continue to supply thcalling up out-of-townlemby pros- pects in a .circle of 30, 40, or 50 miles on an ap- pointed day and hour, and gettingtheir orders. Grocers say they', can well afford to do so on weekly orders. Deliveries are made by truck or express Visitors renting: cottages at nearby' points' readily re- spond to offers to supply them,. and this is usually profitable` business. We would be glad to help' you work, out a plan for reaching this trade. J. W .HESSIAN - A Clinton Old Boy in characteristic pose Mi' Hessian, who lives in New York, r.• a world f .m•+.. shot, bowing Won records- so high that the there looking up to would aalmost make an ordinary person (tizzy. One was fif- ty-seven consecutive bull's eyes at eight hundred yards, and: he has a whole grip full of medals. Will he be home for Old Home Week? His old schoolmates far and near' are hop- ing he will, Atlburn (Crowded out last week) Mr. and Mrs. 3. Carter motored over from Detroit and . spent the week -end with Mr. Carter's parents here. Last Thursday Dr. Wier, aconipan- led by the .parents, took Grant Adams and Wilbert Lawlor to the Sick Child- ren's Ilospitai,, :Toronto. ' An opera- tion was performed on Grant on Sat- urday. At last accounts both' boys were doing as well as could be ex- pected. We hope to see them so far recovered that they will be home soon. Mr. J. Taylor has gone to spend the summer itt the West. Mrs, 1‘,I. A. Munroe and Miss Pierce. spent last week in Goderich. ,_