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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Clinton News Record, 1940-05-23, Page 2PAGE 2 THE CLINTON Nt+JWS-RECORD a=t ROCKSLIDE BY Fs4 E. H. Presa n t _. s X w i=}Li ys 1. 3'r «:«tete. 2. ante:esee. e»:«:«. _». »:»r ae e w.,;;» dedeletasd .1rel tea a a e i 2«:• • `We were passing through a Col- orada cloudburst. So rain -laden were the skies—though it was but mid- afternoon—that the porter had turn-' ed on the side lights in the observa- tion car. Outside, objects were barely visible through streaming windows. It had been hot and opprdssive be - Tore the •storm broke, and someone suggested we go out on the rear plat- form to see if the air had • cleared. ; Our group of four — chance ac- quaintances—huddled in the shelter of the projecting sides •of the car, protected against all but a fine spray by the gaily -colored awning at the rear, The damp coolness of the at- mosphere was a welcome change. The train seemed to be boring its way through a Wall of falling water. Trees thirty feet distant were like veiled ghosts. Beyond that, every- thing blended into a murky haze. For miles the twisting, turning road'beli had followed the uncertain windings of a mountain river. One, hour be- fore, the swiftly -flowing stream had sparkled in the sunlight, the dun -col- ored canyon walls had been relieved by bright patches of wild -flowers and The -Clinton News -Record j with which is Incorporated THE NEW -ERA TERMS OF SUBSCRIPTION $1.50 per year in advance, to Can adian addresses; $2:00 to the U.S, or! other foreign countries. No paper j discontinued until all arrears are paid unless at the option of the pub - Usher. The date to which every Sub-' scription is paid is denoted on the Label. ADVERTISING RATES — Transient; advertising 12c per count line for. first insertion. 8c, for each subse quent insertion. Heading counts 2! lines. Small advertisements not to exceed one Inch, such as "Wanted", "Lost, "Strayed", etc., inserted once' for 35c., each subsequent insertion! 15c. Rates for display advertising: rnade 'mown on application. Communications intended for pub-! tication must, as a guarantee of good! faith, be accompanied by the name of the writer. G, E. HALL - - Proprietor! H. T. RANCE Notary Public, Conveyancer Financial, Real Estate and Fire In-; suranee Agent. Representing 14 Fire; Ins ur an ce Companies Division Court Office. Clinton Frank Fingland, B.A., LL.B., Barrister, Solicitor, Notary Public: Successor to W. Brydone, K.C. Sloan" Blocs — Clintnn, Ont. D. E. McII`1NES CHIROPRACTOR Electro Therapist, Massage Office: Huron Street. (Few Doors west of Royal Bank) Sours—Wed. and Sat. and by appointment. FOOT CORRECTION he manipulation Sun -Ray Treatment Phone 20? GEORGE ELLIOTT i• Licensed Auctioneer for the County of Huron Correspondence promptly answered j Immediate arrangements can be made I{ for Sales Date at The News -Record; Minto:, or by calling phone 208. I Charges Moderate and Satisfaction' Guaranteed, THE McKILLOP MUTUAL Fire Insurance Company Head Office, Seaforth, Ont. Officers: President, Thomas Moylan, Sea- forth; Vice ?resident, William Knox, Londesooro; Secretary -Treasurer, M A. Reid, Seaforth. Directors, Alex. Broadfoot, Seaforth; James 'Sholdice, Walton; James Connolly, :Goderieh; W. R. Archibald, Seaforth; Chris. Leonhardt, Dublin Alex. McEwing. El-th; FrankMcGregor, Clinton. List of Agents: E. A. Yeo, R.R. 1, Goderieh, Phone 603r31, Clinton; James Watt, Blyth; John E. Pepper, Srucefield, R, R. No, 1, R. F. McKer then, Dublin, R. R. No. 1; Chas. F. Hewitt, Kincardine; R. G. Jarmuth, Bornholm, R. R. No.' 1. Any money to be paid may be paid to the Royal Bank, Clinton; Bank of Commerce, Seaforth, or at Calvin ‘Cutt's Grocery, Gederich. Parties dedirieg to effect insur. ante or transact other business will the promptly attended to on applica• Ion to any ,of the above officers ad- •1r'essed to their respective post offi' •fes, Losses inspected by the director, .who lives nearest the scene. .tit Vii; N TIME TABLE t^re,ins will arrive at and depart iron Clinton as follows: Buffalo and Goderich Di. Going East, depart 6.43 a.m. `ming Fast, depart y.iNf p.nr Going West, depart 11.45 am. Going West, depart 9.50 p.m. London, Dimon & Metre Going North, ar 11.21, Ive. 11.47 a.m. Going South ar. 2.50; leave 8.08 p.ro the varying tones of shrubs and trees' that climbed the slopes. Now all was drenched and gray. 'The smiling, babbling river • bad became a sullen, raging torrent, Goodsized branches and even trees were being hurried along on its sor- face, washed down from the banks farther upstream. On the gorge side of the tracks, mere trickles down the mountain sides had grown to rivulets,' then, in many cases, to good-sized' streams— bringing with them shale' and muck. As, we strained our eyes towards ,the storm -swept trees above, a large rock, under -mined by water, crashed into the ditch by the right-of-way. We began to wonder how long the track would remain clear. The door opened behind us and we separated to let a trainman tlu•ouglz. He stepped to the side and attempted to peer forward. The train, which had been travelling slowly for some time, began to slacken further. "Bet- ter hang on to something," warned the trainman. "We may stop sudden- ly." Hardly had he spoken when we stopped as though at the end of a suddenly -tightened rope. 1 clutched at the door -handle far support. The engine whistle spoke. "I knew it," the trainman grunted as he turned up his cellar and clambered over the railing. "What's up?" asked one of my companions. • "Rockslide," he la- conically replied. Then, with flagging kit 'he started down the track. "A lovely spot for a murder," remarked the man with the panama. "Or suicide—by drowning," amended the young chap in the gray suit. "Let's get inside," I exclaimed, as the rain swirled in upon us. Hastily we crowd- ed through the doorway. The porter, sent forward for in- formation, reported that it would be at least twa hours before the crew could clear the track. "How about a story?" suggested the youngest member of our quartet, turning to a man, well beyond middle age, who sat at his right. "You must have had some experiences that would The middle-aged gentleman smiled, "I worked for a railroad in my young- er days," he said, "and this rockclide brings to mind an incident which oc- curred at that tune." Reassured by our attention, he con-; tinued. "It took place at one of those so- called 'stations' which are established mainly for the operation of the rail- road. Apart from the station house, where the combined telegraph oper- ator, station agent and general clime boy worked and bunked, there was nothing but a water tower and a track -walker's shanty (then uninhab- ited). No neighbor lived within many miles. To the west of the station was a fairly sharp curve with a sema- phore far enough around it to guide trains approaching from the west, yet still visible from the station; and a deep cutting between the curveand the station. "A few years earlier, a passenger train was delayed at this point by an overheated bearing. One of the pas- sengers, walking up the track to while away the time, was so taken with the location of a little clearing about half a mile to the west that he .laber returned and built a small cabin there. He was an artist and writer of some note to whom the solitude and artistic setting had a distant appeal. Then, too, his lungs were not overly strong and the al- titude was beneficial to him. So for about six months of the year he liv- ed'here With his wife and son Jim, a boy about thirteen years old, making an occasional visit to the city some forty miles distant when they felt the need of amusement. "Naturally, it was rather lonely for the boy. But being interested in railroading, he quickly became acquainted with the young telegraph operator. As their friendship developed, the operator began to teach Jim the Morse code. Finding him an apt pupil, he rigged up an old. key and soon had Jim send- ing at a Farr rate of speed. When the family cauue back from the city the next summer, Jim had a tele- graph outfit and sufficient wire with him to connect his house with the station. Soon be was able to receive as well as send, "The summer this amateur tele- graph line was installed had been unusuallY wot, and with the coming of fall storms increased in number and violence. Section men were pat- rolling the tracks constantly, several washouts and slides had occurred, and everyone's 'nerves were jumpy. One night, just after supper, the daddy of all thunderstorms arrived. Lightning flashed continuously, peal after peal of thunder reverberated in the rocky canyons and rain' descended as though the bottom had dropped out of the sky. The operator stood at his table, looking out at the rag- ing elements, waiting for the chatter of the key to tell him that the east- bound Limited had passed the next station to the westward. The click- ing of the instrument interrupted his thoughts and he automatically decid- ed that the storm must be centred • 1 in his area because the train was right on time, 'It would bo twenty minutes at least before she would pass through. He stepped to the window to watch the lightning flashes play like giant - fire -flies in the tree tops high up the mountain slopes, when suddenly there was a blinding flash of light, followed by a thundering roar. As his startled eyes recovered from the glare, he saw, in subsequent flashes, that a large tree above the cutting to the west of the station had been struck and had crashed to the track below, carrying with it tons of rock and rubble weakened by the rainfalls, Instantly he sprang to the lever con- trolling the semaphore at the curve. It would not move! Buried beneath that tumbled mass, the cable connect- ed with it wens useless, Almost ex- hausted from his fruitless efforts, he stared with agonized eyes at that fateful green light, sending its false message of safety gleaming through the storm. "There was but one thing to do— he must climb that jumbled heapand get far enough, up the track to stop the train, Hastily he grabbed his lantern and equipment and rushed out the door. But his haste proved his undoing. As he leaped front the platform, his foot slipped' on the greasy boards, and he crashed heavily with his leg turned under him. Groan- ing, he arose, to fall immediately again. His ankle was broken the tendons in Ms leg torn and strained. "Dully he stared westward, dread- ing in anticipation the useless shriek- ing of brakes, the rending crash which he seemed powerless to pre- vent. 'The humming of the wind in the telegraph wires above seemed to mock him. "Suddenly his pain -racked brain, cleared. The telegraph! Jimmy! Why hadn't he thought of him before. Al- though it seemed ages since the slide, he knew it was only a matter of min- , utes. If he could let Jim know, the' train might yet be saved. Gritting his teeth in agony, he slowly dragged himself on to the platform and inched his way to the door. Groping for the key, he frantically sent the! `S.O.S.' signal which they had joking- ingly agreed to use if anything ever happened to either of them. Haltingly the message came over the wire "Flag n -u -tuber one—ro-ck sl---." The key fell silent. The operator bad fainted. "Quickly Jim lighted a big, weath- erproof lantern, The red silk hand- kerchief belonging to his cowboy suit caught his eyesand he wrapped it around the glass. Ho risked his limbs in his dash down the rude path to the track, but he made it with minutes to spare, flagged the train, and soon was telling a startled train crew his story. Cautiously the train proceed- ed until it reached the obstruction, I Clambering over and reaching the! station, the conductor found that ti± operator had recovered sufficiently to wire the news eastward and a work train was even then on its way to. clear the track. Jim's interest in' telegraphy had saved the train." The speaker ceased. We were sil- ent, each busy with his thoughts., Looking out of the window, I noticed that the rain had almost stopped. "That boy should have become a railroader," remarked someone. "He did," quietly replied the oper- ator. "Here he comes now," as the conductor entered the car. "Come here, Jim," he called, "I've just been telling these men how you saved Number One." As we sat ht amazement at the' sudden climax to our story, I found strength to say, "I think You men- tioned also that you had been a rail- wayman, sir," "Yes," replied the gentleman. "I was the telegraph operator," BELIEVES OIL EXISTS IN THE I COUNTY AROUND H'OLYROOI9 ; Visiting his sister. Mrs. William Mackenzie of Lucknow, W. I, Patter- son believes that there is oil in Holy- . rood district and he is planning to develop the area. During his visit to the district Mr. Patterson, who is a geologist and oil operator, discovered indications of oil deposits around Holyrood. A. native of Huron Township Mr. Patterson went to British Columbia and later to the United States, ho has drilled for oil in many states. At present there is an over -production there and n;o new fields being de- veloped , so he has returned to Can- ada, intending to do some surveying work in the maritime provinces. He has expressed the opinion that oil will be found at a depth of 1000 to 1200 feet in this district, In oil operators parlance, this is shallow drilling, and is much less costly than deep drilling. At present he is engaged' in ar- ranging to lease lands where he be- lieves oil deposits lie and plans tests drilling operations in the near future. —Kincardine News KING'S BIRTI•IDAY WILL BE OBSERVED JUNE 13 The Dominion Government has passed an order-in-eouncil :fixing June 13 as the date for celebration of the birthday of King George VI. His Majesty's actual birthday is Decem- ber 14, but shortly after lie became' King he expressed a desire that his birthday be observed during a warmer month. THURS., MAY 23, 1940 • Greater safety every mile of the way. That's why we're proud to tell you about Dunlop 'Fort'... the world's finest ...the only tire with 2000 solid rubber teeth ... over 5000 sharp edges to bite and grip the road for silent, safer traction on all roads, in all weathers. ,i K. G. WATERS Automotive Parts NEDIGER'S GARAGE, Chevrolet & Oldsmobile Dealer. LESLIE BALL, Pontiac Dealer, Londesboro. ile434 444; :4144 BRUCE 'MAN NEW COMMERCE, TRADE MINISTER • For the second time in a decade, a man from Bruce County is Can- tula's minister of trade and commerce, and head of the department on which the nation's business welfare rests. Hon. James A. McKinnon, minister without portfolio since last autumn and member of the ging Government since 1935 was named to the position. He succeeds Hun. W. D. Euler of Kitchener who was named to the Senate. Mr. McKinnon,. who represents the riding of Edmonton West, is a native of Bruce township. Born there, he received his early education in the township, then in Kincardine High School. As a young man he went to West- ern Canada. For a time he taught school in Alberta and later went into business. He has been most success- ful as a business man. In parliament Mr. McKinnon was the sole Liberal from Alberta during the session from 1935 to 1940. He 1 USE OF "DUTCH" showed a keen grasp of affairs and while not given to debate or oratory to a great extent, when he did speak it was with authority and knowledge and he was listened to with conoid -i arable interest by his fellow members. HOMELAND CALLS ONTARIO' BELGIANS Cyril Demeyer, well-known Belgian tobacco grower, stated that he had received office' word that the Bel-' gians in the Tillsonburg district who' were either on the reserve lists or in the Belgium army when they left Belgium to come to Canada will be` called to service in the •Belgian army withinthe next 'few days. Mr. Denzeyer had a telephone call from Toronto, informing him that the Belgian minister to Canada, Baron Silvercruys, had left Toronto for' Montreal to arrange for the trans- I portation to Belgium for those affect- ed. It was understood by Mr. Dem- eyer that the men would be called for active service at the same time and in the same age grdups as they' are being called to duty in their na- tive Iand. This would mean that more than 9,000 Belgians in Canada would be called to return to their homeland and shoulder arms against the in- vaders. Of this total more than 1,500 would be from the district surround- ing Tillsonburg and more than half of the total would be from Ontario. 1111.91 AS NAME TABOO Nethee'land Prefer to Be Called "Netherlanders" As minister without portfolio since the outbreak of near, Mr. McKinnon The other day a Journal man was remained at Ottawa in constant touch courteously but effectively reproved by an official lady from Holland be- cause inadvertently in conversation he used the term "Dutch," says the Ottawa Journal. With Queen Wilhel- mina's realm coming more and more prominently into the news, let it be widely known that its proper :name now is "The Netherlands" and its people "Netherlanders." Apparently not much exception is taken to the names "Holland and "Hollanders" but "Dutch" is unequivocally taboo. j It's awkward because the terms with affairs and lent valuable assist- ance in many ways. When the post of trade and com- merce minister became vacant with Mr. Euler's resignation, the choice of Prime Minister MacKenzie King fell on the man who hailed from. Bruce, Previously, Bruce's only cabinet minister was the I'ion. James Mal- colm, who held the same ministry, that of trade and commerce; and who ranked with Canada's great ministers in this department, Hon. James Robb is a cumbersome word for writers of newspaper captions—Dutch will go into almost any type of a column measure. And habit is, a powerful thing. " When Britain and Holland used to fight it was English versus Dutch. The Britannica gives pages and pages to the Dutch language and literature, to the Dutch wars. And the word has gone into our language in many ways. Dutchmen's Breeches will soon be blooming in the quiet Canadian woods. We have Dutch ovens and Dutch auctions, Dutch cheese and Dutch metal, the Dutch school of painting and an old-fash-1 ioned person will be heard to explain that if such and such isn't true he' is a Dutchman! Nobody proposes that we should• suddenly begin to talk of the Neth- I erlander's Breeches or a Netherland oven, or that Dad should talk to young Bill like a Netherlands uncle. Custom is too firmly entrenched. VICTIM OF MOTOR ACCIDENT BURIED ,ON SUNDAY E. J. Dinnin who• was seriously in- jured in a. motor crash near Kipper when his car collided with one driven by Rev. E. J. Merrick of Tara, died Friday morning at the Scott Memor- ial Hospital, Seaforth, where he was taken after the accident. He was born in Usborne township near Exeter and was married 32 years ago to Miss Elizabeth Barber who survives along with an only son, Lloyd Dinnin. Mr. Dinnin was a man of sterling character who was deservedly esteem- ed in the community. Eighteen years ago he disposed of his farm in Tuck- ersmith and 'went to reside in Eg- mondville. The funeral, which was private took place from his late residence in Eg- nzondville on Sunday. Internment was made in Staffa cemetery. Rev, Hugh Jack of First Presby- terian Church, with which he was prominently identified as a member "Dutch" and "Dutchmen" are a long of the Board of Management. of - and Hon. • James Fielding. habit, and because "Netherlanders" ficiated. Those Detectives of Fiction Curious Feature of Novelists' C.I.D. Men If you are a reader of mystery stories you may have noticed a euricua thing about the dot±c- tives of fiction. Their experience is curiously limited. They are always on sr,cctacular murder cases—or nearly always. Now and again the eminent detective condescends to take a jewel mystery, if the value of the jewels is large enough to make it a job worthy of his position. But that seems to exhaust the catalogue of crime with which many detectives of literature are concerned. In reality, of course, there is a very long list of crimes• with which detectives have to deal. Murder is very much the exceptional job. Appreciating this truth, Mr. Leslie Cargill — author of such original mystery stories as "Death Goes By Bus" and "Gestapo Gauntlet," a story of the Nazi political police—has shown origin- ality by propounding a mystery which turns on the cunning crime of kidnapping. "The 1,Vade Kidnap 'Case" is the title of Mr. Cargill's challenging story of the disappearance of a rich industrialist, and of the quest for his recovery. "Challenging" is the right description. It is a story that tests the reader's skill in finding the flaws in a very Bunning scheme. But it is more than that. It is a story full of engaging char- acters, pleasant people as well •as crooks and Scotland Yard men. It is a crime story that will interest many who are not particularly attracted to the murder -mystery novel, The News -Record has acquired "The Wade Kidnap Case" ae its next serial. It begins soon. If you like a well -told story, cleverly contrived, you will certainly wish to read "The Wade Kid- nap Case." Goderich Township Natives Mrs. James McBrien, Dies Mrs, Robert Davidson received a message on Wednesday night inform- ing her of the death at Crystal City, Man., of her elder sister, Mrs. James McBrien, who, died on Tuesday even- ing at her home there, following an illness extending over a period of two years. Her maiden name was Isabella Aiton McCluskey, eldest daughter of the late Joseph McCluskey and his. wife, Helen McDonald, pioneer resi- dents of Goderieh township, conces- sion three. Surviving besides her husband, also a native of Goderich township, are one son, David Leslie McBrien, at home, and one daughter, Mrs, Wilfred Failis, (Eva) of Snow- flake, Man. There are four grand- children. Two b;others, James Mc- Cluskey, formerly of Goderieh, and William McCluskey, of Honolulu, Hawaii, with .one sister, Mrs. Robt,. Davidson of Dungannon, also survive. Another sister, Mrs, James W. Bell, of Goderieh township, and one broth- er, Joseph Arthur McCluskey, who gave his life in the Great War, pre- deceased her. ; HURON COUNTY HOME ADDS TO HERD OF SHORTHORNS The County Home committee have added two pureberd shorthorn cows to the herd. One was purchased from W. E. Manning, Lonclesbor•o and the other from W. A. Culbert of Dungan. non. These bring the herd up to nine and only two more are required to establish an accredited herd. The committee also decided to paint I all the outbuildings on the County IHome farm reel with white trimming. The advisability of building a new hog pen, and a vegetable and fruit cellar at the home was discussed, but no decision reached. r; ''W411.14.t ,`s'."*• is i.•. ,"Qui'PJ,n43,,. 'ku+4l :`II:'.iq :'"*tSL'•,. 'am,$S, .>, •: n '., H'YE YoTJ HEARIJ OF THE WADE KIDNA CASE WATCH FOR THE OPENING INSTALLMENTS On !