HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Huron Expositor, 1951-10-05, Page 2AGE
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Established 1860
A. Y. McLean, Editor
Published at Seaforth, Ontario, ev-
ery Thursday afternoon by McLean
Bros.
Member of Canadian
Weekly Newspapers
Association.
Subscription rates, $2.50 a year in
advance; foreign $3.00 a year. Single
copies, 5 cents each.
Advertising rates on application.
PHONE 41
Authorized as Second Class Mail
Post Office Department. Ottawa
SEAFORTH, Friday, October 5, 1951
On Being Neighborly
When hardship, in the form of fine
or illness, strikes a farm, neighbors
generally can be counted on to band
together to help out in the emerg-
ency. Despite this, it is suggested
that folks in the country aren't as
good neighbors as they used to be—
that they tend to live unto them-
selves to a greater extent than at one
time was the case.
That the true concept of neighbor-
liness has not died in the rural areas
was indicated this week when twelve
farmers of Fullarton Township, each
with his tractor, gathered at the
farm of a new Canadian family and
in an afternoon completed the fall
plowing. Mr. -and Mrs. Richard Munz,
who came to Canada from Switzer-
land, a few weeks previously had pur-
chased their farm. They were not
able to obtain necessary machinery
for the fall work, and that is when
the neighbors stepped in.
Discussing the matter of neighbor-
liness, the Wingham Advance -Times
says: "Real neighbors are those
people who know how to help the
other fellow out without being ask-
ed. They co-operate, not because of
any particular sense of duty, but
rather from an instinctive and basic
kindness which is one of the fairest
of all human sentiments. Such a
spirit no doubt developed because the
pioneers soon learned that they could
not live independently ,of one an-
other. Facing the hardships and un-
expected crises of life in a raw land,
they were brought face-to-face with
the unlimited value of good neigh-
bors.
"It is true, of course, that we of the
modern age, do not depend nearly so
heavily upon our neighbors. For that
reason our manners have become,
sloppy and often our hospitality is
niggardly. However, it is indeed re-
freshing and encouraging to read of
these `bees,' when dozens from one
locality will offer their assistance to
a friend who has had a run of tough
luck. Unhappy though the victim of
misfortune may be himself about the
situation which calls for this kind of
help, it is perhaps just as well that
such occasions do arise frequently
enough to remind us that good neigh-
bors are never out of style."
•
Back to the Old Farm
R. J. Deachman is a son of Huron
County, who has never forgotten his
birthplace. A well-known economist
and frequent contributor to the press
Po of Canada, he lives in Ottawa, but
his thoughts frequently turn to the
rural areas he knew as a youth.
A recent visit to Huron has
prompted some interesting com-
ments. Mr. Deachman says:
"Once, at least in every year in
midsummer or early fall, every man
ought to go back to the place of his
birth, to see it as it is—and not mere-
ly as a childhood memory. To, those
who remain upon the farm, the pic-
ture never fades. They see it as it
was in childhood, in youth and early
manhood. As it was yesterday, so it
is today, but to the man who goes
back -only three or four times in fifty
years it is always new, yet somehow
utterly old, and haunted by the
ghosts of the past.
There have been many changes in
the `'farms of Huron County. The
stew era" is not quite so smooth as
once was. The machine age has
Oight .many new things, but there
argity of .farm labor. The bin -
466d jobs but it can't be
'truing trees, a tractor
Weeds along the coun-
• I°tgt01''EXPO
UDR •
ty roads. The weeds spread into the
field. In the olden day the sheep
pastured on the roadside, but live-
stock on country roads, with autos
dashing along at sixty miles an hour,
are hardly consistent with modern
condition, so the weeds 1 roW The
hired men cost too Much; the farms.
are not quite so trim in appearance;
hedges, once neatly trimmed, are no
longer hedgers --they have become
windbreaks.
The wild carrot is now one of the
most common weeds. Perhaps, once
upon a time it was an ordinary gar-
den vegetable, but neglected in the
garden it took to the fields and be-
came a nuisance, or it may be that
our garden carrot is only a wild car-
rot trained to a life of service. Any-
way you like to view it, this weed is
a big nuisance on our Ontario farms.
The farms now lack the polish they
had in the old days—when will it re-
turn?
Another problem faces agriculture.
It is difficult under present circum-
stances to take care of depreciation
on these farms. The farmer may be
prosperous — that is he has more
money in his pocket than he former-
ly had. He has a car ; he may even
take summer holidays, though not at
the sante time as our city denizens
take them. It is on few farms that
the ordinary repairs are maintained.
All this must tend to lower farm va-
lues when the time comes to sell out
and retire into the towns, as so many
farmers do.
Here and there some forest land,
preferably with a stream through it,
has been bought by groups of farm-
ers and turned into a park as picnic
areas. The farmer has been slow to
learn that he too needs a rest. This
- is the better way of doing it. If the
farm can be worked with shorter
hours and a bit more leisure, it would
be a happy event. The trend towards
the city is still in evidence, but a
change may come. The city man may
seek refuge and peace in the coun-
try ; both might gain from a mutual
exchange.
These remarks are just the stray
thoughts of one who seldom sees the
country, wishes he could see more of
it, and carries the picture in the back-
ground of his memory. It rushes to
the surface everytime he sees a cow,
a sheep, or a pig. It is early yet to
measure the full force of the changes
of recent years. One of the saddest
sights of my recent visit in Western
Ontario was the practical disappear-
ance of the streams of my younger
days. The swamps have been drain-
ed ; the trees have been removed
from areas wh;ch should have been
retained as permanent forests, and
gradually the water table is being
Iowered. What does the future hold
in the light of these events? We
ought to ponder thoughtfully the
answer to that question.
CROSSROA,;j
'(y !meg &oft)
"IF a KILLS ME"
You Can make a good case for
saying that human life is cheaper
these days. It's true enough that
people live longer than they used
to, that not so many babies die in
childbirth, that, generally, our
chances of living are good. But on
the other hand, our chances of dy-
ing because of our own careless-
ness—or, worse, our own choice—
are a lot higher. When the areat
Plague hit London, a third of the
population was not wiped oat be-
cause it had been careless, but be-
cause they did not know any bet-
ter—they didn't know how to con-
trol the disease.
What Other Papers Say:
and it killed her. She died for sel-
fish beauty.
When you look at it one way,
that is just about as foolish a
thing for a woman to do as any-
body can imagine. She mast have
been crazy, you say. Well, maybe
she was, but, you know, I don't
think she was any crazier or any
more pride -ridden or any more sel-
fish than a certain type of man you
read about every now and then in
the paper.
The kind of man I'm talking
about is the fellow w'ho kills him-
self, not for the sake of beauty,
but for the sake of work. When
he was a young fellow he was pret-
ty strong and proud of how much
he could accompli& in a day. then
he got older, and just like that
aging rich old beauty, he couldn't
stand the idea that he isn't as good
as he was when he was younger.
Everybody knows what happens
to him. Some hot summer i:ay be
sees that OAP Iawn needs,. cutting
His wife tells him to wait till it's
cooler, but he says he's show her
it's nothing at all. So he go=s out
into the sun trying to prove to him-
self that he's as spry as when he
was twenty, and after a little while
his heart giver out and, just like
the woman, he's dead too. Some-
times it happens shovelling snow
or doing some other kind of heavy
work, but in every case it happens
because of his own foolish pride.
As far as I can see, it's just as
wrong to die for the sake of work
as it is to die for the sake of beau-
ty if you do it to satisfy your own.
vanity.
Why people are like this, I
wouldn't know, but I certainly hope
I never get to the point where I'll
think my life is so cheap that I'll
risk it on some foolish caper like
this.
However, it doesn't look as if I
have too muoh to worry about. The
way my stomach is spreading and
the way the grass is growing on
the front lawn seem to show pret-
ty well that Scott isn't ready to die
for work or beauty yeL
But us?
Why thousands and thousands of
people die in this country every
year because a driver drank too
many beers, or a gabby fellow
turned to talk to somebody in the
back seat. or a young Tad thought
he would like to put his arm
around his girl. All these people
knew better than that, but it some-
how didn't seem to strike them
than saving a life was worth it.
No, sir, I think Iife is getting
cheaper.
Now just the other day I read in
the paper about a woman who Mil -
ed herself by dieting. What do
you think of that? She knew what
she was doing all right, but she
decided that if she was going to
get fat and lose her youthful beau-
ty that life wasn't worth living, so
she went right on trying to live on
birdseed and orange juice, or some
such ridiculous fare and, sure en-
ough, one day she was dead.
To moat of us, this woman had
everything to live for. She was one
of the richest women in North
America. All her life she had bad
an easy time of it and she not only
had money, she had looks --she was
a real beauty.
But the years crept along and
one day she realized she wasn't so
young any more. One thing her
money couldn't buy was the secret
of perpetual youth, so she tried the
next best thing. She tried to diet,
The Use Of Sidewalks
(Kincardine News)
There is a growing tendency on the
part of Kincardine merchants to use
sidewalks as display stands. Where
this began or on what logic they base
their decision to so use the walks, we
do not know.
The sidewalks were laid primarily
for the use of the pedestrian public,
to make it easier to go along the
streets, free from the danger of road
traffic, more able to go from shop to
shop to make necessary purchases.
Dumping quantities of merchan-
dise on stands on the sidewalks de-
feats the very purpose for which the
walks were constructed. Certainly it
impedes the progress of pedestrians
using the streets, especially at peak
periods when the streets are crowd-
ed.
We do not propose stringent laws
to halt this, believing that a reason-
able appeal to the reason of those
who are using the sidewalks in this
fashion should be sufficient to put an
end to the expanding practise.
If every business place on the main
street were to put its wares on the
sidewalk, there would be little room
for anyone.
The sidewalk, after all, is the pro-
perty of the municipality, not of the
merchant whose store it fronts. The
municipality is made up of citizens
who, in the main would prefer the
.practise halted of using their side-
walks for merchandise displays.
1
UUEIR1g'S HEIILTS
Plowing Corn Stalks
The question of how best to plow
corn stalks is a matter which has
received considerable discussion in
the past few years. particu:a,•ly
.>ince the corn picker has come in. the elevator and sufficient padding
to such prominence. However, ae to protect the potatoes.
cording to J. C. Steckiey, Director
of the Western Ontario Experimen-
tal Farm at Ridgetown, the prob-
lem is rather simple in that it is
only a matter of clearance. In the
first place. he feels that no extra or
special equipment is necessary.
However, adjustments may be nec-
essary on the plow. .Firstly, the
low• :should have a high beam so
that there is no chance of the corn
=talks catching or plugging the
plow. In the second place, shim-
mers are not essential and ;c::tead
disc coulter can be used. In most
cases, it gives better •-e-;ults.
Mr. Steckley stresses the im-
portance of plowing in the same
direction as the corn picker was
operated. Another suggestion he
puts forth is that, if the plowing is
done in the Fall, it may be a good
idea to go over the field with a
roller, once again rolling in the
same direction as the corn picker.
If these simple rules ars followed,
he feels that the width and depth in the cobs, (6 per cent) is leached
of plowing are not important. Iinto •the soil where it stimulates
In conclusion Mr. Steckley re- , microorganism activity, which in
commends that anyone plowing turn granulates the soil.
corn stalks under for the first time' For general greenhouse and gar -
should apply some form of a nitro- , den use, says Dr. A. P. Chan of
gen fertilizer. This fertilizer, when i the Horticulture Division, Central
plowed in with the corn stalks.' Experimental Farm, Ottawa, the
will assist in their disintegration' corn cobs should be broken up in -
and also increase the soil fertility, to particles. It is not advisable to
thereby increasing the yield the mulch to a depth exceeding three
following year. To verify this
statement he says that at the Ex-
perimental Farm oats seeded on
land where corn stalks had been
plowed in with nitrogen fertilizer
the previous Fall have given re-
markable results. The increase in
yields resulting from this practice
has run as high as 20 to 25 bushels
per acre.
the chain and belting on deflectors
is advisable.
For minimum injury a potato
digger should be operated at a
low speed, with a soil cushion on
Be sure to get
sufficient sleep
If good looks and
health you'd keep.
Ventilate your room
at night
So you'll wake
refreshed and bright.
Dept el National Health and Welfare
Years Agone
Interesting Items Picked From
The Huron Expositor of Twen-
ty-five and Fifty Years Ago.
OCTOBER 5, 1951
Seen in the County `Papers
Book Store Robbed
McEwan's Book Store was the
scene of a daring theft on Satur-
day afternoon when, midst Satur-
day shoppers, someone chose to
enter the store office and carried
off a cash box containing $30.00.
Chief of Police Joseph Ferrand is
investigating. — Clinton Citizen's
News.
Cromarty Women Bereaved
Mrs. Matt Thompson received
word of the death of her sister,r
Mrs. Ed. Asmus, of Calgary,
Tues-
day morning of this week. Mrs.
Asmus was formerly Edna Miller,
daughter of the late Mr. and Mrs.
George Miller, of Cromarty. She
was born in Cromarty and lived
there until 1909, when sue, with
her parents, went to the West. --
Mitchell Advocate.
Contract To Wreck School
Another old landmark that has
served its day' and generation is
soon to .be demolished. tl is the
old Exeter school that housed for
many a year both the public and
high school. It has been sold by
tender to H. Jensen Company for
$3,300. There were ,five tenders,
two. from Exeter and three from
outside. The building is to be
razed by June, 1952. The grounds
will be used as a playground for
the public school.—Exeter Times -
Advocate.
•
Balloon Lands Near Exeter
From The Huron Expositor
October 8, 1921
Mr. R. J. Cooper, of the London
Road, had a successful barn rais
ing Monday last,bn his farm on the
2nd concession of Tuckersmith,
and it is now i15 good shape to
have the foundation erected.
Stewart Cudmore, a pupil at S.
S. No. 2, Tuckersmith, while play-
ing on one of the teeters, had the
misfortune to fall off and break
his . arm in two places.
Dr. A. R. Campbell, of Hensall,
secured a couple of good prizes,
both in the single carriage entries
and in the span of entries in the
same class at Zurich Fair.
Mr. Thos. Worden has had a
handsome veranda erected in front
of his residence on Goderich St.
West. The cement work was done
by Mr. R. Frost, and the carpentry
work by Robert Porterfield, and
the work is a credit to them, as
well as a great improvement to
the appearance of the property.
Mrs. Henry McGavin had the mis-
fortune to fall down the stairs at
her home in Tuckersmith. No
bones were, broken, but she was
badly shaken up and has since
been confined to bed.
Mr. John G. Grieve, of town, has
purchased the residence on North
Main St. at present occupied by
Mr. G. D. Ferguson.
A rink of Seaforth bowlers, com-
posed of R. J. Winter, Harry Stew-
art, R. E. Bright and Dr. F. J.
Eechely, attended the big Snow-
bird tournament at Woodstock on
Wednesday and succeeded in get-
ting in the money.
About four o'clock Saturday
morning the large barn on the
farm of Mr. George Bell, 7th con-
cession, Tuckersmith, was discQv-
er-ed to be on fire. Nothing could
be done to save the building or
contents. The origin of the fire is
unknown, but it is supposed to
have been caused by lightning.
The loss will be a heavy one to
Mr. Bell, as he had only a small
insurance.
Mr. John Dodds, for many years
a prominent and well-known resi-
dent of this town, died at his home
in London on Friday. He owned
and conducted the pop works first
on Main St. and later in Harpur-
hey, where he built a beautiful
r ome.
ed in Clinton Community Park. The
contractor is to commence con-
struction immediately and it is an-
ticipated that the pool will be com-
pleted later this fall. Donations to
this date have 'been received from
Clinton Lions Club, $300; Women's,
Institute, $50; Rebekahs, $25.00:
These ottganizations ha alse-
promised more help. ;The Cana-
dian Legion Branch No. 140 have
also expressed their intentions to
be of assistance. A spokesman for
the Clinton Park Board stated that
they would welcome •greatly any
assistance, financially or otherwise,.
which will expedite the comble-
tion of this worthy .project. Clin-
ton has been in need of the proper
playground facilities for many
years. The Park Board are to be
congratulated on their endeavor to
improve this situation. — Cliuton
Citizen's News.
Mulching With Corn Cobs
Mulching is to cover the soil
with some protective material. A
good mulch will conserve surface;
protect plants from winter injury;
preventing the soil surface from
forming a hard, impervious top;
and keep down weeds. Corn cobs
have been found to meet -all these
requirements. Although originally
intended for greenhouse use only,
outdoor gardeners have found this
material useful for their work al-
so.
As a mulching material, corn
cobs actually compare more than
just favorably with standard ma-
terials. Corn cobs have been used
to improve the structure of green-
house soils. This is particularly so
in the case of soils packed down
by frequent overhead watering.
Just how this is done is°not yet
known but it is thought the sugar
. Potato Digger Operation
Much of the damage to potatoes
at harvest time is caused by the
digger. An improperly adjusted•
digger may bruise nearly one-third
of the potatoes. Adjusting the
rate of travel, depth of digger
share, speed and agitation of the
elevator chain and by increasing
padding on the deflectors and rods
of the machine will reduce dam-
age to a minimum.
The rate of travel of the digger,
says Allan Magee, Agricultural En-
gineer, Central Experimental Farm,
Ottawa, should not exceed 11/2
miles an hour. This reduces the
bouncing of potatoes against the
elevator chain or any stones that
may have 'been picked up.
Obviously the depth of the blade
should be below the potatoes but
it should also be deep enough to
provide a soil cushion two-thirds
of the distance of the elevator to
protect the potatoes from the ele-
vator chain.
The speed of the elevator chain
should not exceed 150 feet per min-
ute. Usually a tractor at half
throttle in low gear will give this
condition. The agitator sprockets
should not be used unless .soil
separation is very difficult and
they must be removed as soon as
conditions permit,
Injury may be reduced further
by padding all parts of the ma-
chine that come in contact with
the potatoes. Rubber tubing on
Parents Go To Kindergarten
Nearly 40 mothers of kindergar-
ten pupils were entertained at, the•
public school Tuesday afternoon
by the executive of the Home and
School Association. The kinderger
ten pupils were present and en-
tertained their mothers with songs•
and •fingerplays after which they
and visiting children were enter-
tained in the auditorium by Grade•
8 girls. Mrs. R. D. Jermyn, kin-
dergarten teacher, introduced Mrs..
W. Knight, past president of thee
London Council of Home and'
School Associations, who was the+
guest speaker. Mrs. Knight organ-
ized the Exeter Association. Mrs..
Self and Mrs. Worrell of the Argyle
Association, London, were also
present and spoke of the work bee
ing done by their group which has.
organized a "Well Baby Clauie.
Mrs. Worrell has been a member•
of the Home and School Associa,
tion for 26 years and spoke on,
the benefits her children had de-
rived from the Association during
their school life. Afternoon tea
was served to the guests by Mrs.
T. D. Jamieson, Mrs. D. Hughson
and Miss K. McGill of the public
school teaching staff. — Exeter
Times -Advocate.
A balloon with an aeronautical
instrument came down Monday on
the farm of Mr. James Cottle,
Thames Road. Part of the instru-
ment came down on the house and
part of the balloon landed In a
tree close by. The balloon, a large
rubber affair, was badly torn and
the instrument, which was sus-
pended from the balloon by a cord
was damaged. The balloon was
sent up from the Base Weather
Station at Selfridge, Mich., to ob-
tain pressure temperature, relative
humidity and the winds aloft to a
distance of 50,000 feet. The in-
structions on the instrument ware
for the finder to destroy it.-Exe-
times-Advocate.
inches as this tends to encourage
disease. After the material has
been used as a mulch, it may be
dug into the soil as it is an excel-
lent source of organic matter.
When used to protect plants
from winter injury, cobs may be
mounded over the plants or a wire
mesh cylinder may be set over the
plants and filled with crushed corn
cobs.
Steer Weighs 2,450; Brings $66t50
A whopping roan steer, age be-
tween seven and 17 years, weighed
in at 2,450 pounds at an Edmonton
packing plant last week and
'brought his seller $661.50. He sold
fur 27 cents a pound.
Dressing out at 59 per cent, the
big steer yielded 1,448 pounds of
beef.
Marketing Service, Canada De-
partment of Agriculture, reporting
the sale, said the steer was raised
by a hermit living west of Pigeon
Lake, Alta., toward the foothills.
The big roan had been used as
an ox and lack of yoke callouses
ineicated that be had been worked
single with a Dutch collar. ,
•
Split $800 Jackpot
A good crowd was present at the
Blyth Community,Centre Arena on
Tuesday night to participate in the
Lions Club monster cash bingo.
The event was sponsored by the
Blyth Lions Club and it was their
first attempt at the game which
has become the rage in Western
Ontario. The wives of the Lious op-
erated the refreshment booth, and
catered to the large crowd by pass-
ing hot dogs, pop and coffee among
t"he crowd between games. They
did a thriving business as the
weather was on the chilly side.
Caller for the evening was G. R.
Augustine, and a loud speaker
system helped amplify his voice.
Fifteen regular games were played
with the prize for each being $15.
One game was played for $100, and
two games were played for $50.00
each. Mrs. Jasper Cook, Blyth, and
Stan Freeman,. Goderich, split $800
jackpot.—'Blyth Standard.
Wading Pool Contract Let
The •CIinton Park Board have let
the contract to Mitchell McAdam,
Clinton, for the construction of a
wading pool which is to be leeat-
From The Huron Expositor
October 4, 1901
Ottawa entertained the Duke and
Ditches of Cornwall on the ocea-
sion of their visit to Canada. They
visited across Canada and return-
ed to Ontario where they will visit
many cities.
A joint meeting of the congre-
gations of St. Andrew's Church,
Kippen, and Hillsgreen, was held
Monday for the purpose of moder-
ating a call to a minister, when
Rev. Mr: McLennan received the
majority of votes, and the call was
then made unanimous. He comes
from Guelph.
During the thunderstorm Tues-
day night the barn on the farm of
David Schnell, Goshen Line, was
struck by lightning and complete-
ly destroyed by fire, together with
the drive shed adjoining.
Mr. F. E. Kern, manager of the
Holsons Bank, Hensall, carried off
two first prizes at the county show
at Seaforth on Wednesday for •gen-
tleman's outfit.
Ventilation For Dairy Barns
Ventilation flues in dairy barns
require insulation for satisfactory
operation, says Wm. Kalbfleisch, of
the Central Experimental,, Farm,
Ottawa.
Out -take flues, like chimneys,
must be warm or the air will not
rise in them and moisture veil: not
be removed from the barn.
Size of a ventilation flue is de-
termined on the basis of 32 square
inches cross-section for each 1,000
pounds of livestock in the building
Accordingly 21,000 pounds of live-
stock, or about 21 cows, require a
vent measuring 32x31, or 672 square
inches.
(C'ontitiiled on Page 7)
Marks 95th Birthday
Mrs. Frank Metcalf, Blyth, old-
est and a very highly esteemed
lady, celebrated her 95th birthday
on Saturday. Mrs. Metcalf has bees.
a resident of Blyth since 1880. De-
spite her advanced age, Mrs. Met-
calf is still quite active. Although
her hearing and eyesight are some-
what impaired, she still is able to
muster that "wee chuckle," char-
acteristic of her personality to her
many friends. She was born in
Downie Township, a daughter of
the late James and Anne Chowen.
She was married in April, 1880. in
Mitchell to Francis Metcalf, who
died in 1933. Growing flowers has
always been a hobby for this grand
old lady. Even yet she like to
"work awhile" in her garden. Dur,
ing World War I Mrs. Metcalf was
a censor of knitting in Blyth. Sl}e
is a faithful member 'of Trinity
Anglican Church here. Many mes-
sages of congratulations and rifts
were received by her on this occa-
sion. On Saturday two nieces, Mr::
Frank Fingland, of Clinton, and
Mrs. A. Little, of Teeswater, as-
sisted her daughter, Miss Ella May
Metcalf, of London, pouring tea
and receiving the guests who call-
ed.—Blyth Standard.
Cartridges That Made
History (By Cecil Claark,in The C -I -L
l
'� d•
Wherever the-re—is action, ad
venture and thrills you'll find fire-
arms. Whether it's the dramatic
story of man's stubborn stand
against savage animals or tribes-
men, dictators or would-be dicta-
tors, the crack of a rifle or pistol
backgrounds the changing course
of history.
Mr. Wm. Rae, B.A., of Leadbury,
has accepted a position as princi-
pal in a school at Edmonton, at a
salary of $1,000.
Mr. Fred Gales, of town, has dis-
posed of his butchering business
and plants Robert Winter, Sea -
forth, and Mr. Calvin, of Stratford.
The Seaforth Volunteer Company
under command of Captain A. Wil-
son, has ibeen ordered to report in
the celebration to the Duke and
Duchess.
Rev. Mr. Cranston was formally
inducted into the pastoral charge
of the Presbyterian Church in
Cromarty on Wednesday of Last
week.
Mr. Wm. Berry, Brucefleld, re-
turued home on Saturday after a
trip through- the Southern States,
bring with him a fine new horse,
which he purchased in Ohio.
John McIntosh, John Rattenbury,
Charles Sewers, Walter Baird and
Alexander Baird, Brucefleld, leave
next week for Toronto, where they
will be in the volunteer corps to
welcome the Duke. and Duchess.
Mr. James Scott, of the firm of
Scott Bros., Seaforth, left on .Sat-
urday on a business trip to Mani-
toba atni the Northwest.
That's why Constable J. G.
("Joe") Gibault of the Sidney, B.
C. detachment of the Royal Cana-
dian Mounted Police started .mak-
ing what is now the largest col-
lection of cartridges in Canada.
Joe Gibault, red-haired and
stockily built, has been a police-
man for 15 years, serving all but
a few months with the British
Columbia Provincial Police which
was absorbed into the R.C.M.P.last
August. But Joe's interest with
firearms goes further back, for
he's been scattering lead at tar-
gets and game since boyhood. To-
day he's one of Canada's leading
marksmen.
Eighteen years ago Joe found
some obsolete cartridges in- his
gear and decided to find out more
about them, then listed the infor-
mation. That Iist has grown today
into a foot -thick loose leaf index
that describes his collection of ov-
er 5,200 different pistol and rifle
cartridges.
In drawer after drawer in his
home at Sidney, Vancouver Island,
lie rows of glistening brass cases.
Joe Gibault can tell you at a glance
a little of the history of every one
of them. His books on cartridges
alone would fill a .five-foot shelf
and his index system is a marvel
of method.. ,Listed in it, four to a
page, is practically every known
cartridge, including ballistics and
measurements down to the small-
est detail.
Looking over the collection I
learned that only within the last
100 years has the brass cartridge,
as we know it today, been evolved.
Up until the 1850's the powder
charge was poured down the rifle
barrel. and a ball or bullet ram-
med down on top of the load with
a rod. With a percussion cap on
the nipple, you were 'ready for man
or beast.
Next advance was the breech
loader, which used a paper wrap-
ped cartridge. But the problem
was how to Ignite the cartridge
once it -was lodged in the breech,
The best firearms brains of Europe
and America strove until they
mastered the problem of how to,
include the percussion cap in the
base of the cartridge. After they
had succeeded it was an easy step,
to the brass cartridge.
Showing me a whopping great
cartridge with a bullet that weighs
a quarter of a pound, Joe explain-
ed it was used in a double barrel-
led gun carried, by Sir Samuel'
Baker when he explored the Nile
from mouth to source, back n
1864. The "Baker Ball" as it is,
called made a 4,000 -mile trip•
through desert and jungle, with
lurking death from animals, fever
or belligerent natives threatening
the explorer every mile of the way.
Another big rifle cartridge that
attracted my attention was the -
.45/70/500 U.S. Government. If you,
had been with General Custer at
Little Big Horn on the morning of
June 25, 1876, you w.ouid have been,
the men of the 7th U.S. Cavalry
counting over these shells. And.'
they needed every round, for on
all sides of their beleaguered hill-
top they were faced with Sitting
Bull's maddened, whooping Sioux.
None of the troop was alive at the
end of that day.
Among the early paper -wrapped
cartridges in the collection is one.
made for the German Dreyse'
needle gun. Little did German
gunsmith Nicholas von Dreyf-e•
think, as he worked at his bench
in Sommerda, that his experiment
to produce the needle gun would,
forty years later, give the Prus-
sians superior rapidity of fire'
which culminated in the defeat of
France at Sedan in September,
1870.
Here's a cartridge invented by a•
Philadelphia dentist called ,May-
nard. The powder was ignited by
a roll of paper tape dotted at in-
tervals with priming compour,d,
tike 'children use today in their
ca.p pistols. A toy? You wouldn't'
have thought so if you had been
at Gettysburg in July, 1863. These
Maynard cartridges helped' kill nr
wound some of the 53,000 who fell
in that decisive three-day Civ -1
War battle.
The Gibault collection is not con-
fined to military cartridges and
there are thousands, of sporting'
cartridges in the neat wooden.
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