Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Huron Expositor, 1957-11-22, Page 3T it a 40110 0 Yr ) • ir First HO. in 18.91 6 Seaforth's present Town Hall is the successor to a frame Minding which,,stood at the juncture of 'Jar- vis and Marketredts for many xears, and whi(th was destroyed, by fire in 1891. The Huron Expositor, in its is- sue of August 28, 1891, tells the story of the fire.. Under the head- ing;. "The Town Hall in Ashes," the story says: About half -past three o'clock on last Sunday morning, most of the citizens of this town were aroused from their peaceful slumbers by the unearthly strains of the steam fire alarna whiftle. It did not take, l'Ong to locate the fire, as th6 flames were bright and high by the time most people got out. The old town hall and mallet building were in flames, and the fire had gained such headway by tte time assistance arrived ' that lothing could be saved, the building and entire contents falling a prey to the devouring element. The build- ing was old and somewhat dilapi- dated. but it contained a consider- able amount of valuable town pro- perty. There was stored in it the hose, hose -carts. hook and ladder carriage and all the apparatus be- longing to the fire department, al- so several electric light lamps, a lot of wire, tools and sundry other articles . The new street watering tank, which had been erected this spring at the end of the building, and which cost about $150, was also destroyed. However, there is great cause for thankfulness that we have not to deplore the destruction of a considerable portion of the town, including the magnificent pile of buildings and valuable machinery belonging to the Broadfoot & Box Furniture Company. The building was large arida very inflammable material and made a terribly hot fire, and the waterworks were ren- dered useless, and the citizens practically helpless, as the hose and all the accompanying appli- ances were in the burning build- ing and could not be got out. .Steam at the waterwork had been got up promptly and in short or- der, and had the hose been got out the fire could easily have been drowned out of the building before it got to its worst. Mr. Broadfoot had some hose which he kept for, •use in his factory, and with that, his lumber piles near the burning building and the walls of his fac- tory building were kept cooled. With this and the calmness of the atmosphere, and the heroic efforts of the firemen and others -with buckets, the fire was kept from spreading, although cinders were flying in every direction and alighting on the adjoining build- ings, but these were closely watch- ed and promptly extinguished. So that. further than a slight scorch - kg, the buildings in the vicinity were not injured, although the .owners of them were badly fright- ened, as they had good cause to be. Had there been anything of a strong wind blowing in almost any direction, in view of the helpless condition in which the people were, it is difficult to say where the fire might have stopped, as it was sur- rounded on all sides by buildings, large and small and mostly of in- flammable material. • The fire was first noticed by a young man named Edmonds, who resides on the west side of the building. The light shining through the windows first attracted his attention, and it was he who first gave the alarm. But by this time the whole of the interior must have been in flames, as almost immediately afterwards the fire appeared in the upper part. When Congratulatio to the TOWN of SEAFORT on the MODERNIZATION Cr. ITS • the first parties got to the build- ing. even before the whistle was sounded, the fire was so hot that it was impossible to get into the building to remove any of the hose carts or other fire apparatus. There is little doubt but the fire was the work of an incendiary, and. it is supposed it was started with coal oil and behind the door of the hallway in which the fire apparatus was stored. But what object any person could have for deliberately destroying property in this way- will, perhaps forever remain a mystery. The to- tal loss to the town will be about $4,000, and there is an insurance on the contents of $1,500. The Council had in contempla- tion the erection of a hose tower in connection with the building and other general repairs, so as to make it comfortable and con- venient for the purposes required and also more sightly in external appearances, but the enterprising firebug has forestalled the -town fathers. 'An inquest, for the_ purpose of endeavouring to arrive at a con- clusion as to the origin of the fire, was opened last night. and the Mayor has been authorized to of- fer a reward of $300 for the detec- tion and conviction of the' guilty parties, providing the inquest finds that the fire was due to incendiar- ism. It will now be incumbent on the council to take steps immedi- ately to secure the erection of a new fire hall. or procure one in some other- way, and also to se - (Continued on Page 6) THIS AERIAL VIEW OF SEAFORTH indicates clearly the neat orderly arrangement of the town. The steady progress and development which Seaforth has experienced, is apparent in the num- ber of new buildings erected and expansion which has taken place in every direction. At the same time, the buildings erected during another generation are a reminder that the roots of the town are deep in the history of the district, and that its citizens for many years have been a factor in the life of the district. Typical are the clean and neat streets; stores, homes and factories are well main- tained, and everywhere it is apparent a pride in ownership and a pride in the town. • CONGRATULATIONS! SEAFORTH PUBLIC UTILITY coAmissfoli On Your Modern Accommodation • Congratulations and Best Wiskes to the town of Seaforth, Ontario on the re -opening of the modernized Town Hall 8c Fire Station TOWN HALL COMPLIMENTS of Cornell Construction Co., Ltd. • We appreciate our associations which have extended over more, than 20 years . . BRANTFORD - ONT. LIONEL DAVEY Electric Meter Service Lambeth ALWAYS LOOK TO IMPERIAL FOR THE BEST • • Ontario • tr.( r#0440M,114:'