HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Huron Expositor, 1948-08-06, Page 6�►`,.
-
oU ide
ock Ho
Ceiebrations
eigliborIng County Goes
i11 -Out in Its Welcome To
Former Residents Now
Scattered Across Canada.
(By M. P. McConnell in the London
Free Press)
One Saturday night in the wild and
woolly 1890's of the 'Canadian West,
a cowpuncher stomped onto the wood-
en sidewalk of a little one-horse town,
emptied his six -gen in the general
direction of the sky, and roared "I'm
from Bruce County!"
He was promptly surrounded by
dozens of fellow Brucites. After lis-
tening for hours to busts of wonder-
ful Bruce. so the story goes, an In-
dian standing nearby querier: "Ugh!
3s Bruce -County in Ontario, or On-
tario
nta_io in Bruce County?"
Bruce County claims to have built
the West, and westerners used to
complain that their country was over-
arm by people from Bruce, Either
claim is justified depending on whe-
ther you were born insider or outside
the boundaries of Bruce.
Thousands of the county's men and
'women helped pioneer the Canadian
West, and today in every city of the
Prairie Provinces there is a Bruce
County Old Boys' Association. Bruce
County Reunion officials estimate that
75 per cent of the thirty to forty,
thousand former residents of the
county residents of the county who
returned this month for the Old Boys'
Reunion, are from the West. Others
have travelled thousands of miles
from all parts of Canada and the
United States, Cuba and England.
What sort of a country is this?
What kind of people, that after 40
to 5111 years absence. they are still
loyal to -their native county? No oth-
er county in Canada has ever uptenllat-
ed suck a grand settle reunion. No
other county can boast Old Boys' As-
sociations in every mnljor O,anadian
and many! American cities- Yet there
is no tangible explaunatiou for the
abiding loyalty of llrucites to their
native heath.
The Bruce is a land of intangibles,
contradictions and contrast, Stretch-
ing out northward into Lake Huron
like a giant gnarled ginger, it is the
link between the industrial, agricul-
tural south and the rock, forested
north of Ontario. In the southern
townships lies some of the most fer-
tile land in Canada, while the "In-
dian" Peninsula vies in rugged beau-
ty with Muskoka, Haliburton or the
Temagami.
This northernmest county of West-
ern Ontario, formed by an extension
of the Niagara Escarpment, is a mis-
fit in the geological formation of Can-
ada. Unusual rock formation and
"relict" plants of a pre -Ice Age mark
it as a "problem child" for geologists
and botanists. The entire county
slopes from east to west; from the
high rugged, broken Georgian Bay
coast to the low shelving Lake Huron
shore. The deeply indented coastline
provides innumerable harbors, and
the deep L-shaped harbor at Tober-
mory is claimed to be the best natur-
al harbor, on Lake Huron.
With the longest shoreline of any
Ontario county, Bruce ranks eighth
in fisheries, yet despite the rocky
wooded peninsula it leads the prov-
ince in cattle values and butter pro-
duction. In 100 years, from an un-
explored tract of Indian territory, it
has developed into an agricultural-in-
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,stetal ogu t,y •with an equalized ask
atlanen:t In 1946 of mare than $30,-
OQO,O00, yet sjxloe 1581 its population
has dropped from 65.000 ter 42',000.
Ia the 1890's and early 1900's, the
Main exodus from Bruce was to West-
ern Canada, The .population dropped
sharply as thousands, touched •by
the wanderlust or inspired by the
pioneer spirit, forsook Bruce for the
Golden West. In 1875 the Bruce Mut-
ual Colonization Company was form-
ed at Port Elgin with the object of
promoting a Bruce colony in Mani-
toba. It did. A semi -desert of desert-
ed farms south of the town is a testi-
mony to its success.
Other contributing Meters were the
decline of the lumbering industry as
the towering first growth forests were
cut away, and the restlessness of the
pioneers, who, after clearing the land
were discontent with farming and
mnoved farther north into the wilder-
ness.
It has been ironically suggested—
not by anyone from Bruce—that na-
tive sons left the county because
there was no other place to go. That
may be more fact than fiction. The
failure of a city to develop within its
boundaries meant a loss to Bruce of
thousands of her young people who
left the farms and small towns for
the greater opportunities offered in
the cities.
The people of Bruce, descendants
of indomitable pioneers who hewed a
65,000 person civilization out of a
wilderness in 33 years, are its great-
est asset and attraction. They still
possess the genuine friendliness and
the open-handed haspitality of their
forefathers.
Bruce is the only county in West-
ern Ontario where the Scottish out-
number any other nationality. Driven
from their homes by landlords who
would rather raise deer than sheep,
thousands of Highland Scottish emi-
grated to Bruce County and shifted
their allegiance to their new home- I
land. Cut off from close contact with
the rest of the province through lack
of good roads and railways, they de-
veloped
a regional patriotism.
Although at the last census in 1941, ,
there were only 10,707 of Scottish
descent in Bruce. followed closely by
10.266 Irish; 9,325 English and 8,72.5
German, Bruce is still considered a
Scottish county. Reunion officials
estimate that the -Mc's" and the
"Mac's" outnumber all. other Old Boys
by two to one, and in keeping with
the best traditions of the county, the
call that went out to thousands of
former residents was "Will ye no cum
back to Bruce?"
Bruce today is a sober, friendly,
law-abiding county. There is only one
brewery within its boundaries, many
of its towns are "dry" and crime is at
a low ebb. Yet this is the county
that once astounded outsiders with
its ability to consume huge quantities
of alcoholic beverages. The Scottish
and Irish Loved their whisky and the
Germans their beer. In 1860 there
were 13 taverns between Kincardine
and Walkerton, a distance of 27 miles,
or one every two miles.
A favorite tavern story of those
days was that of William MacDonald,
proprietor of a general store at a
place known as Gaffney's Corners.
MacDonald lit a candle and threw
the match over his shoulder into a
keg of powder. It blew the front of
the store out and MacDonald with it.
He walked away—blind. Bruce Coun-
ty pioneers had to be tough.
Only one man was ever hung in the
history of the county but it wasn't
for want of trying. To Bruce belongs
the questionable privilege of having
hung the only man in Ontario,. per-
haps in Canada, who dropped through
the gallows trap door and lived. The
case of John Haag, "hanged" in 1854,
won international fame. Thanks to
a weak-kneed sherriff, who pointed at
the hanging, a scheming doctor and a
bribed hangman, Haag lived to a ripe
and respectable old age south of the
border.
A steel strap contrivance was fit-
ted under Haag's armpits and up to
his collar. The noose fitted into a
book under his collar and a knot in
the rope prevented ehoking. He was
"hanged, declared dead by a myster-
ious "Dr. M.," and buried, or at least
his coffin was.
The early annals of Bruce are re-
plete with stories of lawlessness in
its boisterous leioneer days. Promin-
ent among them are the escapades of
the infamous Campbell gang who de-
fied law and order and made a con-
stable eat the warrant for their ar-
rest.
A dispute has raged for years be-
tween Southampton and Kincardine
over which town has the right of
claiming the first settler in the coun-
ty. Actually the county's first white
man was probably French as indicat-
ed by the ruins of old tur-trading posts
along the peninsula. In 1834 a Metho-
dist, missionary landed at Southamp-
ton to work among the Indians ane
his child was probably the first white
born in Bruce. But in 1848 William
Withers and Allan Cameron landed
at Kincardine and are generally re-
garded fly historians as the 'first per-
manent settlers of the county.
Shortly afterwards, Captain .Duncan
Rowan, a famous lake captain; settled
at Stony Island. live miles north of
Kincardine. Because of a shortage of
wharves, the early traders experienc-
ed difficulty in landing the huge pot-
ash kettles which were in demand by
the pioneers. Captain Rowan would
lower the kettle overboard, jump in-
side and paddle it ashore. He won
fame as the first man to sail an iron
"ship" on Lake Huron.
Bruce, named in 1849 i5 honor of
James Bruce, Earl of Elgin and Kin-
cardine, and Governor-General at that
time, has always been prominent
among the "seafaring" counties of the
province. A lack of good roads in
the early days of the settlement re-
sulted in a majority of the pioneers
arriving by boat. Dozens of wouldbe
settlers never readied its shoes. They
lie with their frail craft beneath the
rolling waves of Lake Huron.
The county's first sailor was Cap-
tain Alexander MacGregor who orig-
inally developed what were once the
greatest !fishing grounds in. Lake Hur-
on, the Waters around the Falling Is-
lands on the Lake Huron shore at
the base of the peninsula. Since that
time, following the general decline of
the industry in Lake Huron, Bruce
has dropped to eighth place among
the +counties of Ontario. From 1986
with a fleet of 11 tugs and 81 launch-
es employing 268 men and marketing
a eatMnercial Ash peal:Wage of mere
Seen t''
County Pap r
(Continued from Page 2)
Anna Jones, sister of 111r. Winer and
her son; Amber and Mr. Jones, of
Kingston, Mich.; .Mrs, P. W. Winer
and son, Alvin, of Marlette, Mich.;
Mr, and Mrs. C. F. Chambers and
family, of London; Dr. O. G. and Mrs.
Treinner and daughter; Virginia, of
Strathroy, and Mr. and Mrs. Severne
Winer, of town.—Exeter Times -Advo-
cate.
'CI'inton Native A.D.C. to Alexander
Capt, Herbert S. Rayner, D.S.C. and
Bar, a naval officer of Bedford, N.S.,
has been apppinted aide-de-camp to
Viscount Alexander, Governor-Gener-
al. He succeeds• ,Commodore Wallace
B. 'Creery, of Vancouver, and will
take up his duties July .30. Capt.
Rayner was commanding officer of the
naval air station at Dartmouth, N.S.,
until a few weeks ago when he was
appointed commaiding officer of the
Canadian Service College at Royal
Roads, B.C. He is a native of Clin-
ton.—Clinton News -Record.
Successful in Exams
Mr. Stanley McNeil, son of Mr. and
Mrs. Thomas McNeil, of Auburn, re-
ceived word this week that he had
received honors in his recent examin-
ations at the Canadian ,School of Em-
balming, Toronto. These examina-
tions qualify Mr. McNall as a licensed
embalmer in the Province of Ontario.
Mr. McNeil is associated with the
staff of the J. J. Patterson & Sons
Funeral Home, Welland, Ont.—Blyth
Standard.
Hold Double Shower
Around 150 well-wishers gathered
in the Town Hail, Mitchell, Tuesday
evening to extend congratulations to
the two daughters of Mr. and Mrs.
Samuel Mulholland, who were recent-
ly married, Beatrice, the elder, to
Austin Turk, of London, and Muriel,
to Ernie Crawford, of Orillia. Both
girls received end tables, table lamps,
wall mirrors and clothes hampers, as
well as individual gifts for which they
graciously expressed their thanks.
Hilda Eickmeyer read the address
while Mrs. Walter Eickmeyer and
Gladys Eickmeyer presented the gifts,
these young women having planned
the shower. Dancing was enjoyed to
mucic by Mrs. John Siemon and boys.
—Mitchell Advocate.
than two million pounds, the industry
has slumped in 10 years to four tugs
and 54 launches employing 127 men
with a catch of less than half a mil-
lion pounds.
I Perhaps the greatest value of
Bruce's fisheries today is as a tour-
ist attraction. The prospects of
trolling for lake trout and casting
for speckled trout, pike, bass and yel-
low pickerel annually draw thou_ sands
of tourists to the county.
The tourist industry has boomed
during the past ten years until it
ranks well up among the country's
most important industries. The pic-
turesque peninsula including such un-
usual formations as Flower Pot Is-
land, Bridge Rock, near Lion's Head,
and Spirit Rock near Wiarton; and
the county's long sandy beaches are
the drawing cards that have resulted
in the rejuvenation of desolated lake -
shore villages into thriving summer
resorts and the construction of more
than 5.000 summer cottages.
Although the annual product of its
factories averages ,$14,000,000, indus-
trialization has developed slowly in
Bruce. Flour and feed mills and
furniture factories stand well above
all others. Salt wells which played a
prominent part in the establishment
of lakeshore towns have ceased to
exist.
Despite the exodus of farmers to the
towns and cities, agriculture still
reigns supreme in Bruce. Although
the county leads Ontario with cattle
valued at more than $9,000,000, is
first in butter production valued at
more than $2,500,000, is second in
hay and third in alfalfa, yet 42,000 of
its 1,000,000 acres are swamp and
wasteland the third highest percent-
age among the counties of Ontario.
The maljority of this swamp and
wasteland lies in the peninsula and
the impenetrable Greenock Swamp.
Lying in the very 'heart of the coun-
ty, the 7,000 acres of Greenock Swamp
and the alternate swamp, rock and
bushland of the peninsula are one pf
thA few remaining game areas in
Southern Ontario. Deer, bear, wolves,
beaver and even lynx are stili found
in these areas, and together with the
county's natural beauty and unusual
flor 1 growth represent a strong argu-
ment for a National Park in Bruce.
Bruce, the youngest of Western On-
tario counties, is still young and vig-
orous despite her 100 years. There is
still land to be cleared and land that
should never have been cleared to be
reforested. Potentialities in the tour-
ist trade are becoming accomplish-
ments.
ccomplishments. New markets in 'Canada and
across the sea are opening up for the
produce of her fields.
Bruce is looking forwarcl,• but until
August 4, when the Bruce County Old
Boys' Reunion ends, she is glancing
back into her past thousands of
old boys and girls trek back for an-
other
nother look at The Bruee, their "'aim
country."
Che&terf ields
and
Occasional Chairs
REPAIRED AND
RECOVERED
Also Auto Seats and Backs, Veranda,11
Swings and Steamer Chairs Re1)aired,
Stratford U'pholste'ring Co
Stratford
TEI ''F PEON 1619
For further iilformatfon apply at
Bon's Furi►iiture Se
SEA mtit
UTE
iDQP R lief!
The Women's xnstittlte me't at 'the
home of Mrs. Harvey Leslie with 25
present. aMrs. C. Bowman presided.
The motto, "Eat all you can, and
what you can't eat, Can," was given
by Mrs. Daynard. Roll call was an-
swered by "A handy dish to leave
for men's supper." Home economics
was the theme for the meeting. The
convener, Mrs. Ed. Butson; read a
paper; Mrs. J. Hill read the meaning
and founding of home economics; Lois,
Fell read a paper on "Family Rela-
tionships." Mrs. L, L. Scott sang a
solo, 'accompanying herself on the
autoharp.
It was decided to send a box of
clothing and food overseas, donations
of articles and money to be handed mn
before the next meeting to Mrs.
Houghton at Gromarty or to Mfrs.
Macdonald or Mrs. O'Brien at Staffa.
It was also decided to arrange adbp-
tion of an institute in Great Britain.
ZION
Mr. and Mrs. Lawrence Hannon
and Mr. and Mrs. Norman Bushileld
visited their mother, Mrs. Wm. Sad-
ler, at her daughters, Mrs. Angus
Earl, last week.
Mr. and Mrs. Dalton 'Malcolm and
Keith spent .Sunday with her parents,
Mr. and Mrs. George Gibb,
Miss Velma Moore, Stratford Gen-
eral Hospital, spent Monday with her'
parents, Mr. and Mrs. Leslie Moore.
Mr. and Mrs. George Pepper and
Ross, Mr. and Mrs. Glenn Pepper and
family, and Mr. and Mrs. Lawrence
Barker and family visited with Mr.
and Mrs. George Moore, Stafft.
Mr. and Mrs. Elmore •Kleinfeldt
were at Grand Bend on Sunday.
Mr. and Mrs. Herb. Britton and
family visited on Sunday with her
mother, Mrs. H. Workman, Hensall,
their daughters, Joan and Margaret,
staying for some holidays.
Miss 'Gladys Fawcett, New York, is
spending her holidays with her sis-
ter, Mrs. Wilbert Annis, and Mr. An-
nis.
Mr. and Mrs. George Moore and
Gladys were in Goderich on Sunday.
Mr. and Mrs, Ross Gordon and
Donna visited with Mr. and Mrs. Jas.
Malcolm Monday evening.
Mr. John 'Perrin, who spent the
past few weeks with his cousins, Mr.
and Mrs. George Robinson, returned
to his home in Brantford on Satur-
day.
Mr. and Mrs. Morley Lannin and
family and Mrs, Glenn Pepper and
family visited with friend's in Wood-
stock and Ingersoll recently.
ANNOUNCE DATES FOR
DISTRICT FALL FAIRS
Provisional dates for Fairs in the
province issued by J. A. Carroll, sup-
erintendent of tb Agricultural ,Socie-
ties' Branch of the—Department of Ag-
riculture includes fairs in this district
as follows:
Bayfield Aug. 24-25
Elmira Sept. 3, 4 and 6
Milverton Sept, 7-8
Blyth Sept. 8-9
Durham Sept. 9-10
Ripley Sept. 9-10-
SEAFORTH
-10SEA'FORTH Sept, 9-10
Tavistock Sept. 10-11
Clifford Sept. 14-15
Hanover Sept. 15-16
Kincardine Sept. 16-17
Chesley Sept. 17-18
New Hamburg Sept. 17-18
Stratford Sept. 20-22
Embro Sept. 20
Mildmay Sept. 20-21
Exeter Sept 22-23
Listowel Sept. 22-23
Harriston Sept. 22-24
Zurich Sept. 27-28
Lucknow Sept. 28-29
Mitchell Sept. 28-29
Drumbo Sept. 29-30,
Kirktoa Sept. 30 -Oct. 1
Woodstock Sept. 30 -Oct. 2
Brussels• Oct. 1
Fordwich Oct. 1-2
St. Marys Oct. 6-7
Teeswater Oct. 5-6
Ingersoll Oct. 8-9
Fingertip Infections
Biting the finger nails is net only
a bad habit that irritates others but
is also a danger to health, according
to national health authorities. In the
same category are the habits of fin-
gering the face with such objects as
money, paper, pens and, pencils. Many
contagioue disease enter the 'body
through the mouth and many of these
are carried on such objects. Wash-
ing the hands thoroughly before eat-
ing—using plenty of soap—helps 'pre-
vent such infections. Personal clean-
liness is essential to good health.
Outdoor Sanitation
Proper garbage disposal is essen-
tial to everybody's health when at...a
FOR SALE
One and a half storey frame dwel-
ling, with neve furnace, in Egmonld-
ville. Early possession:
Duplex, solid brick. All modern
conveniences. Immediate possession.
Asbestos covered dwelling on South
Main Street, Seaforth.
Modern Dwelling on Louisa Street.
Frame cottage ono South Main St.
M. A. REID
REAL ESTATE PHONE 214
THE McKILLOP MUTUAL
FIRE INSURANCE CO,Y.
HEAD OFFICE—.SEAFORTH, ONT.
• OFFICERS:
Frank McGregor, Clinton - President
Chris Leonhardt, Brodhagen, Vice -Pres.
Merton A. Reid, Seafo4th - Manager
and Secretary -Treasurer.
DIRECTORS;
Chris. Leonhardt, Brodhagen; E. J.
Trewartha, Clinton; Harvey Puller,
R.R. 2, Goderleh; J. H. McEssillS,
1, Myth; Frank McGregor, R.R. 6,
Clinton; aligh•Aiexander, R2. 1, Wal-
ton; Wiiliatiti R, Archibald, R.R. 4,
Seaforth: Jahn L. Malone, R•,R• 6, Sea -
forth; S. H. W►!hilditire, tit 8, Sea.
forth.
ABORTS
Finlay Mcl:Cereher, Ri•>R, 1, Dublin;
81. er, Rrlicefleld, J', P. J, ,eteilF, l
Ear bn: •Otiorgti
oona,', ,'r &e ca opal) AA.'l'
e : #0,,t east p9ssl'l tly , be::
:ease hale'" bo 141 ire , 9r alb
or other ,greas,y ah! r sea9y. water.,
til t}an �d4r y Water Is tlIrown Qat, the
grnaae 'stay's On the onnd ands at-
tracts
ttracts Mee. ITeed water should be
poured" in a hole and covered with
loose 'dirt. Fyacpserlenced out -of -doors -
:men dig . a 'gx.+nve" KOPty cans
and old glass bottles, This is a sani-
tary, means of disposal and leaves the
camp area unmarred,;
S.un igbt For Sight
In dim light, Vision is greatly, re-
stricted and colors • are distinguished
poorly, if at all. For perceiving de-
tails .and distinguishing colors, a rel-
atively
elatively bright light is deeded. If glare,
either direct or reflected, is present,
it may cause discomfort and interfere
with visual .efficiency. For example,
specialists say it is undesirable to read
in the sunlight even: if the reading
material itself is Shaded. The eyes
function. best when there are not too
nreat differences between the bright-
ess of the working surface and, the
surrounding area,
Water At Work
It was .formerly thought that wa-
ter taken at meals hindered- diges-
tion and that it was therefore a mis-
take to think water at mealtime. It
is now known that, although water
dilutes digestive juices, these fluids
operate amore efficiently when dilut-
ed. Water taken at mealtime is not
harmful unless it is used merely to
swill down unchewed 'food. Experts
warn, however; that when the stom-
aeh is suddenly cooled, digestion is
interrupted. So water with meals
should .only be cool enough to make
it palatable.
Searorth. glow rept ' 0,..,,
1', PRYDE +'SONl;
Memorial Qral'tsmen
Seaforti; .I'xeter Chnt+oA
Seaforth Showrooms pen Tile$daly
See Dr. Rarburg for••ap'+,
any other time, or'Z?Ihone 2
Now Availabie
USED
660x16.
TIRES and TUBES •
Many with low mileage which
have—been traded In on new
Goodyear Super Cushion Tires.
SEAFORTH MOTORS
Chevrolet - Oldsmobile
PHONE 141 - SEAFORTH
We will pay the
following Prices for
Poultry '
FOWL -5 lbs. and up 30c lb.
LEGHORN FOWL 25c lb.
STRINGERS -4 to 5 lbs. 38c lb. .
SPRINGERS --3 to 4 lbs. 35c Ib.
Also Best Prices Paid For
ALL KINDS OF SCRAP
Parkdale Poultry
MITCHELL
•
PHONE 245
NOTICE
•
I hereby give notice that all Weeds
are to be destroyed before going to seed,
as provided for by the Weed Control Act,
Chapter 344, Section 4.
Any person or persons failing to com-
ply with these provisions will be liable to a
penalty as provided by the act.
WILLIAM R. DOUGALL,
Huron County Weed Inspector.
Rubber Stamps
and Stencils
WARWICK'S •'Startipma tev"--=
MAKES THE -BEST IMPRESSION -;
f
MARKING DEVICES
of All Types
•
RUBBER STAMPS
are essential to any
well-run business.
They save you time
and money.
Three Day Service
On Rush Orders
Stant Pads, Daters and
Various Supplies
The Huron Expositor
41 :- Seaforth