Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutZurich Citizens News, 1977-08-17, Page 4Page 4 Citizens News, August 17, 1977 FIRST WITH LOCAL NEWS Published Each Wednesday By J.W. Eedy Publications Ltd. eN. Member: Canadian Weekly Newspapers Association Ontario Weekly Newspapers Association Manager — Betty O'Brien Editor — Margaret Rodger Second Class Mail Registration Number 1385 Subscription Rates: $7.00 per year in advance in Canada $14.00 per year outside Canada Single copies 20¢ A111111111111111111111911111111111111111111111111111..11.11111111.11.nm.11.11111.n....I1111I11111..11.111.1111111.1111111111.11.1111111111191111111111111111111111111111111 ....... ViewpointF. e� L9 — Fi1111111111111111111.11111.1111.911111111,1111111111119991111111111111.1..11111.1111.1199111111111111111111111111111111111..1111111191.SII11110.1IIIIIII11111111111111111111111 Take care Be wary when planning home renovations. The Ministry of Consumer and Commercial Relations has issued a bulletin filled with timely advice on the subject. First, make a list. If the house is to be gradually renovated, have an overall plan, with priorities defined. For a major job seek the advice of an architect or engineer on design, efficiency and Least expensive method. Beware the smiling salesman who turns up at the door promising a bargain because "we just happen to be in the neighbourhood with all our material and equipment." Such salesmen often obtain signed contracts, which are sold to other companies. Know who is doing the work. Another trick is to offer free inspection of chimney, roof, or furnace, then an- nounce that expensive repairs are needed at once and produce a contract for signature. Again, a vague promise may be made of some discount for using your house as an advertisement of the company's work. The discount often depends on the number of neighbours buying the same ser- vice. The contractor who quotes a flat rate, without even inspecting the house is suspect, too. Estimates should be obtained from at least three reliable firms, covering both labour and materials. Ask friends, neighbours or a local building supply house for the names of reliable contractors. You could also ask the contractor for names of customers, so that his work can be examined. Better business bureaus, chambers of commerce and licen- sing commissions or municipal building in- spectors all keep records of home improve- ment contractors, too. A formal contract should be drawn up, containing details, extras, total cost, com- pletion date and establishing responsibility for the clean-up. Eliminate progression clauses requiring payment at certain points in the job regardless of whether you are satisfied. All sub -trades must be covered, too, or you mayhave to pay an unexpected bill from a plumber or electrician. If a large sum is involved, your lawyer should check the contract before itis signed. The downpayment should not exceed 10 percent. Never pay the balance till everything is done. This ensures that the contractor will finish the job and prevent loss to you if he goes bankrupt. If paying in instalments, use your own credit source. Control of payments then remains in your hands, if trouble occurs. Check work in progress for errors or omissions. Have them corrected. A com- pletion certificate should only be signed when the entire job has approval. The Consumer Protection Act permits cancellation of an executory contract (where delivery, payment and work re- main uncompleted), signed in your home, within 48 hours or two full working days of signing, by sending a registered letter to the company. A transaction may also be cancelled under the Business Practices Act, by sen- ding a registered letter to the company, if you have been misled by false or deceptive statements. Complaints against contractors may be lodged with the Ministry of Consumer and Commercial relations. Their office for this region is in London. etricatlhn This week a copy of a letter arrived, which had been sent by Mel Stewart, MPP for Welland -Thorold, protesting to Honourable J. W. Snow, Minister of Transportation and Communications because no phase-in period had been allow- ed for conversion to metric highway'signs and speed limits. (By September all the road signs in Canada are to be changed). Mr. Stewart thinks the abrupt change, eliminating all references to miles and sub- stituting kilometres is going to be con- fusing and dangerous. He advocates show- ing speed limits, bridge clearances and dis- tances in both metric and the present measure for at least a year. When we made the transition from Fahrenheit to Celsius, temperatures were shown in both for more than two years, he points out. Why ark ' road signs being treated differently? At about the same time as Mr. Stewart's letter arrived, a release came from the Canadian Government's Office of Tourism in Ottawa saying what fun it was going to be for us to think metric while driving across the country. Vacationers, said the release, "will enjoy driving through the mountain grandeur of Alberta and British Columbia at approximately 100 kilometres per hour,". "Tired, after touring all that magnificence they can stop for a cold soft drink — a refreshing 300 ml of pop", it continued, and went on in the same lyrical vein. In tones of sweet reason, the piece observed that "The speeds will be about the same as they are now, only the symbols will be different." It's the symbols that worry Mr. Stewart. Our eyes and minds may not co- ordinate ideally the minute the conversion from miles to kilometres occurs. Besides, the sign on the road says one thing, while the speedometer says another. It also takes time to learn how to judge metric distances visually. He is probably right in assuming that many of us will be confused. Confused drivers are bound to be dangerous ones, too. It's not hard to im- agine some of the argument that will be produced in traffic courts. How will our visitors react? Americans frequently travel roads in this area. Will they be able to metriculate instantly? Or will they too be confused and dangerous drivers? Dual signing is a reasonable com- promise for a phase-in period. Why doesn't someone apply the brakes? IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII11111111111111111111IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIUll11111IIIIIIl9119lIIII!j' Editor's Desk By MARGARET RODGER A piece of Tocol history Ross Johnston, RR 2, Zurich, owner of the Pie -Tart Shop just south of St. Joseph, has an old Dominion Hotel bill, dated May 23, 1904, made out to Narcisse Cantin. Nar- cisse, one of the great entrepreneur's of his time, dreamed of creating a manufacturing centre and port at St. Joseph and building a deep-sea canal from Montreal to the tip of the Great Lakes. The latter was to have included what is now the St. Lawrence Seaway, with a canal -link between Lake Erie and St. Joseph on Lake Huron. He has become a legendary local figure. There are still people who remember him, clad in high silk hat and frock coat, driving the area's first Stanley Steamer car. His story is well told in Joseph Wooden's book, "A Drum To Beat Upon". The bill now in Ross Johnston's hands was paid to his grandfather, Robert Ross Johnston, proprietor of Zurich's Dominion -Hotel. It was for food and accommodation for three men employed by Cantin on a survey crew. The prices are enough to turn a person green with envy. Dinner for three men cost 75 cents, beds for three 75 cents, feed for teams 70 cents and one bottle of gin 90 cents. The total bill for the three men from December 21, 1903 to May 23, 1904 - five months - came to $97.25. Mustard seed crop Did you know that 1,000 acres are under contract for ex- perimental mustard seed crops this year in the vicinity of Zurich? Most is to be marketed in the Kempville area, and will probably be used for oil extraction. The land between here and the lake is supposed to be suitable for mustard. What nobody knows yet is whether the yield will be high, low or average, compared with traditional crops. The Bean Festival All the organizers for the Bean Festival are as busy as bees. It looks as if things will be well in hand, if the weather co-operates. Sun dances will be performed regularly for the next 10 days.... Monday the cooking starts and the streets will fill with the delicious aroma of beans and pies.How will any of us be able to stick to diets? ... This is the twelfth time around. They say it all began when someone couldn't find a can -opener for a tin of beans. Really? 75 YEARS AGO August 1902 Some farmers in this vicinity (Dashwood area) took advantage of the fine weather on Sunday last by drawing in their grain. It appears that six days a week is not sufficient for some people to labour. Mr. Peter Lamont sports a rubber tired buggy. Rubber tires are recommended for nervous people and besides a fellow can sneak into town at any hour of the night. Mr. Conrad Thiel found an In- dian relic at the Sauble line on Wednesday in the shape of a stone pipe with two faces carved on the bowl. The stem is missing and the pipe shows evidence of considerable age. 50 YEARS AGO August 1927 An interesting matrimonial event took place in .Zurich on Saturday evening, when Mrs. Julia Hess of the village was un- ited in Holy Matrimony to Mr. Elmore.Klopp of Hay Township, who has the distinction of being Reeve of Hay Township, as well as Warden of Huron County. Silk thieves paid Hensall a weekend visit and cleaned out the stock of J. W. Skinner, general merchant, valued at more than $500. The robbery was discovered on Monday, when the store was opened for business. Every bolt of silk had been taken from the shelves. • Ag rs ewe 25 YEARS AGO August 1952 John Frederick Haberer, a top track star and basketball player, was named to the London Free Press Leaders Club by Exeter District High School recently. John, age 19, is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Jacob W. Haberer of Zurich. Having been a student in grade 13, John has been a Tri - County track meet winner for the past five years. 10 YEARS AGO August 1967 Sunny skies prevailed on Satur- day last as between 200 and 300 former pupils of SS No. 6 Stanley gathered for the.final reunion on the old school grounds. Pupils came from Florida, California, Kapuskasing, Toronto, Hamilton, Kitchener, Ingersoll, London, Sarnia and many other points ... Mrs. Jessie Stelck was the oldest pupil present .. . There were many pictures of former pupils displayed on the walls of the school room . Floyd McAsh gave a very in- teresting talk on the history of the Varna school. The first school, which was built of logs on the corner where McClinchey's store now stands, was opend in 1848. The teacher, J. C. Ward, was paid a salary of 47 pounds, five shillings and four pence. There were about one hundred pupils attending in the winter and fifty in the summer. There were no desks, only benches, with a slate to*work with. ;1