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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Huron Expositor, 1968-10-31, Page 202G,THE HURON EXPOSITOR, SEAFORTH, ONT., OCT. 31, 1968 Huron Concrete ,Supply Limited EXTENDS BEST WISHES to the Town of Seaforth on its 100th Birthday We are proud to be part of this Community and wish it continued success and progress during the .next One Hundred Years. Enterprise' Leads To Incorporation (From the HuronAtlas of 1879) With the building of new rail- ways into Bruce and North Hu- ron, a very great share of this trade has been withdrawn from Seaforth, and centered toward ceilain northern points and oth- ers of almost equal importance, which have since then sprung into existence on ell sides with the introduction of those high- ways of civilization and com- merce. Still the mercantile in- terests of the place have not been so adversely affected as might be sepposed in conse- quence of the above causes, ex- cept with jobbing alone, which ie. those days was beginning to assume quite extensive propor- tions in some particular lines. It is the opinion of those well- informed on such matters, that the retail trade has even kept on increasing, partly for the reason that the splendid stores and enterprise of the Seaforth merchants offer inducements which have attracted much local trade from neighboring towns and villages, and partly because the tract of country to the north immediately tributary to the town en business' point of view, has been developed. Thus by 1867 Seaforth had ar- rived at such a stage as warrant- ed its citizens meditating in- corporation as a separate muni- cipality. This was accomplished under tbe general provisions of those clauses of the Municipal 0 SEE OUR COMPLETk SELECTION OF as Cards . AS WARM, AS SINCERE, ),i,ND AS FRIENDLY AS A HANDSHAKE R11461247. I = Con& wat THE HURON EXPOSITOR SEE THE NATI41AL LINE Act referring to independent in- corporations. The by-law was numbered 9, of the year •1867, and after the usual preamble stating thate the, census (taken by William W. Watson) showed a population of 1,056 souls, it made provisions for carrying incorporation into force, by de- fining the territory in the new municipality as composed of "Lots 10 and 11 and the east half of Lot 12 in the,Township of Tuckersneith, and southeast quarter of Lot 24,, the south hal- ves of Lots 25 and 26, and the southeast quarter of Lot 27, in the first concession ef McKillop, covering an area of 400 acres"; and by appointing James H. Benson, Returning Officer, for the ensuing „elections, which were held in the old village schoolhouse, "known hs Union School No. 5, Township of Mc- Killop." The ,various details for the carrying out of the object above set forth were duly perfected, and the Incorporated Village of Seaforth became an accomplish- ed fact on ehe first of January, 1868, the first Municipal Coun- cil being as follows: Reeve, Dr. Coleman; Councillors, Messrs.. Beattie, Hatt, McDougall, and Strong; Clerk, T. P. Bull. Next year, S. G. McCaughey was elec- ted Reeve, continuing to fill the office the two succeeding years, being followed in 1873 by James H. Benson, who was re-elected for 1874. So great had been the prog- ress of -Seaforth during the ab- ove few years since its first in- corporation, that in the year 1874 the necessary steps were taken to have it incorporated as a town, and it entered upon its new municipal existence with the advent of the year 1875; for which yeareek. Armit- age was the first Mayor, D. D. Wilson, Reeve. In 1876, Mr. Armitage and Mr. Wilson again filled the a- bove positions; when Dr. Cole- man was Mayor for two years, M. Y. McLean being elected Reeve for 1877, and D.D. Wilson again in 1878. For, the current year the municipal officers are as follows; Mayor, T. T. •Cole- man, M.D.; Reeve, D. D. Wilson; Councillors, James Beatti e, John Campbell, N. Cluff, John Dorsey, W. Grassie, L. Murphy, A. Stewart, A. Strong, G. Wil- liamson; Clerk .and Treasurer, William Elliott; Auditors, James Cline, W. N. Watson; Assessor, Edward Cash; Collector and Chief Constable, C. M. Dunlop; Market Clerk; William Der - ranee; Chief of Fire Brigade, James Cline. Do You Gold In A Early farm Demand. To btablithment • of Seaforth Farmers Co-oper- ative carne into being as the re- sult of discussions on co-operat- ive buying held by Farm Radio Forums in the Seaforth area dur- ing the winter of 1942. --••• Prior to that dm, for about 30‘years, there had existed in , Seaforth a Farmers' Club. A branch of the then existent Un- ited Farmers of Ontario, the club operated on a seasonal, off - car, cash and carry basis, hand- ling a limited variety of farm supplies and fertilizer. The ex- ception to this was an unfortun- ate attempt at a full-time grocery business. With the closing qf the "Big Mill" and the going Out of bus- iness of the owner of the build- ing now occupied by Seaforth Farmers Co-operative, there re- mained in Seaforth no really efficient full-time feed service. Farmers doing business in the town had felt the need of such an enterprise. The demand'for farm producee especially live- stock prodieee coupled with the necessity of bringing in grain to produce these commodi- ties tie help sustain Canada's war effort, helped to bring tilt matter tO, a head. • A general meeting was held in March of 1942 to discuss the possibility of enlarging and strengthening elle operations of the Farmers' Club. A. survey committee was appointed at that meeting. At a later meet- ing, addressed by the late H. H. Hannam, then president of the Canadian Federation of Agri- culture, Leonard Harmon, now general manager of UCO,, and the 1ate-11. J. Scott, it was de- cided to form a chartered co- operative. , A provisional committee was appointed with instructions to apply for a charter and to look into the availability of a ' business.location. An option on the property now occupied was obtained and, later, after a drive for finances was com- pleted, it was purchased. OBTAIN CHARTER The ertertereeas ebtateied Remember McKillop? Around the turn of the cent- ury the most megic word -of all United Co -Operatives of Ontario SEAFORTH Serving Seaforth and District Farmers with a complete line of * CO-OP FEEDS AND CONCENTRATES * SEEDS. * GRAINS * FERTILIZERS * CUSTOM CHOPPING, AND MIXING, * GAS AND FUEL OIL bELIVEliglit TO" YOUR FARM ' • INN * HOUSEHOLD AND HARDWARE SUP- PLIES • * APPLIANCES " UNIVERSAL MILK= ERS " FORNEY WELDING EQUIPMENT - 'RAILWAY STREET ' SEAFORTPT PHONE 527-0770 , and in'Aeigeseof the same yeer it was accepted by the memb- ers, of which there were 78 _ charter members, and an off- icial board of directors was , elected. The board included E. B. Goudie, K. E. Jackson, Frank Reynolds, T. W. McMill- an, Harry Patin, James McIn- tosh and R. S. McKercher. Mr McKercher was elected chair- man, and Frank Reynolds was the first secretary. Homer Hunt was employed to manage the business and in November the mill, purchased from he late J. A. McKenzie, was opened for business. John Quinlan was the only other employee at that time. It was perhaps an accident that the timing of the openine of the business was most op- portune. In the season follow- ing, 1943, there was in this district as iaeas a total failure of feed grains as has been ex- perienced in recent times. The storage facilities of the newly acquired buildings were at the service of the liveseock feeders of the community, and the old grain house was adtually full to the rafters at the close of navigation in 1943. This pro- vided a real service and con- tributed much to the mainten- ance of ,vital flocks -and -herds during the lean winter. In 1947, after direction from the annual meeting of membetsethe board decided to go into the proVe business. Soon an egg•grading station and poultry buying centre was est - Suppers Were Suppers Leads CO-OP abashed on Main Street which later was merged with the -newlyeorganized United Dairy ,› & Poultry Co-operative in 1959. UDPC • now occupies a new building on South Main Street. ENLARGE MILL In 1954 the mill, ware- house and grain storage were completely renovated. Bulk unloading and handling facil- ities for grain and feed were added as the need for this serv- ice became apparent. The Co-operative began to retail pereoletem products in the late fifties, under a franchise agreement with United Co-op- eratives. Early in 1964, part of the Willis Dundas property, to the ..west of the original location, was purchased and a decision was made to improve the office and store facilities, which have always been inadequate. The oldikarehouse huilding on the street line was nioved to the newly -purchased property. With the assistance of the Engineer- ing Department of United Co- operativT, plans were drawn for a new office and store on the east end of the relocated warehouse. The contract for the erect- ion of the new building was gir veneto Frankleling Limited. PROVIDES DISPLAY AREA In addition to the new office arrangements, the new .building houses display space for a limited line of farm hard- ware, animal health products, work clothing, white goods and household appliances. Seaferth Farmers Co-op- erative ii a member of United Co-operatives of Ontario, along with 140 other local Co-oper- atives in Ontario. United Co- operatives is the regienal whole- sale and is owned and controlled by the local co-operatives. Streets Problem 100 Years Ago "It is barely possible that a dirtier looking place than Sea - forth might be found were a, general Provincial search in- stituted; but the probabilities are certainly against the poss- ibility, The streets are heaped with dirt, clay, logs and -planks, or scooped with slefughe and reudholes, so thatRt is really with difficulty that a vehicle can pass through in anything - like respectable manner. Many of the back yards are filled with all kinds of rotten rubbieli, the accumulation of a year. The effects of this latter nuisance • have not had an opportunity to be felt, in consequence of the Complimentary suppers were cold season; but let there be a almost a nightly entertainment few weeks warm weather, and at the various Seaforth hotels. if Seaforth does not suffer from They erereesualey,mpeeted in _The eeeesorneldire4piderniceeuele es*: Expositor as being gilt& by one dysentry, or fever, we s h a 11 or more of the "prominent men conclude that it is sheer con - of the town" to celebrate some trariness on the part of the elerre achievement of other "promin- ents, and not because people ent men of the town". A n y have done their best to secure occasion was sefficient excuse _ such a scourge. "Those remarks for the men to gather for an even,- are riot called forth such as are ing of "song, toasts and merrim- , given Oily utterance to by ent". many well advised persons". . Women were apparently never -present at these events - .but from Don't panic anybody. •This the world was "gold". The cry all reports they didn't miss too much. isn't the situation today that me had echoed from California, the The ExpOSitot is pointing up. Caribou and the KlOndilte in less On Thursday, June 30 a supper This was the Town of SeafOrth than 50 years. R produced the was held at Sharp's. Hotel when 50 on July 2, 1869. greatest Mass migration, in the guests (Male, of course) gathered history of the World when over to honour Drs. Colemate,and 100, Q00,pushed their way up the Gouinlock and celebrated the T(.ail of '98 to search for wealth finding of salt,. e on the northern frontier. The report of theeevening in , The Expositor follows - When we see the excitement,. , "The tables wereetastefully read the history aud hear the arranged with all the substant- legends of the Klondike we cin ials as well as the delicacies of begin to'grasp some of the Opes the season. (Tim writer is talk - that must have raced through ing about FOOD: ed.) It was everYpnes' hearts when they read after een when'the cloth was thelollowing article written removed and the chairman rose only two years before that find- to commence the business of set the nation on its ear. the evening".e The chairman, Lt. Col. P. ing Of gold in the Yukon that Hayes read several telegrams di' congratulation and , the real- . • business ofethemeeting comm- enced. ,A toast to ' The Queen, God Bless Her" was "dr nk in the usual hearty ma r".- A toast Were drilling a well, and when' to "The ArMy, the Navy and the drill was down about 120 the Volunteers" was greeted by feet, et was drawn out, and in 'the guests with "hear, hear and the midst of the sand arid gravel loud cheers". which adhered to it, was this- The cheers got even louder ore. It is encased in a dark as the third toast of the even - man and Gonint ock, was drunk. i colored stone. This stone, when viewed - to the guests, Drs. Cole - viewed under a magnifying glass, sarkles with a bright It was followed by a toast to i the health of the contractor at substance like gold or copper. Irideede..thiS substande is quite the salt Works. • The "leading men of Sea - discernible even by the naked forth and vicinity" then drank eye. The stone, although soft, ,. toasts to "The Corporation of Is muchtheavier than an Ordin• - Seaforth" eThe Agricultural ary stone, showing. that it is impregnated with some metal- ic substance, whatever it may be. Mr. Kerr intends Sending a sample to Toronto to have it analyzed by an expert and we will know shortly what his opin- "On Thursday, Mr. James Kerr, of the northern gravel road, McKillop, brought into town a sample of ore which he had taken from the bowels of the earth pn his farm. They tion of it is. we hope our young friend may have struck luck, and that before long he will be parcelling out his fine farm into mining claims". The Expositor, July 31,1896. Whether it Was efool's gold" or sorne worthless metal The Depositor does not laterleport. Nit tIlere was no gold ittsh. Interests", "The Manufacturing and Mechanical Interests of Seaforth" ind "The Commet- cial Interests of Seaforth". ' Following the 'nine above toasts, nuenerous other i Were drunk, bet The Expositoreiays "the excessive pressure upon our spare precludes the pose., ibility of even a passing notice to each". The Depositor fails to men- tion the type of beverage used In all the toasts. • - The news account concludes: "Shortlrafter 'daylight did Appear' on the morning of Dominion Day, the patty dis- 'persed". Things weren't so good on Main Street then. The street was mud or at best mud with a little gravel mixed in. T h e sidewalks were made of plank. They were narrow and n o t always the easiest thilegs to walk on. Often the merschants com- pounded the problem by dis- playing their merchandise on the sidewalks. , "Street InspectorHarrishas been making the merchants along Main Street 'toe the mark' Weth regard to the proyisions of the By-law requiring merchants to keep die side -walks clear i n the front of their doors, and our walks now present an unusual aid rather naked appearance. The beautifularr ay, of salt...bagels, ,e*.14•6003;eie fishendes whil have adorned the sto doorways and street sides foe some time, has been removed, and pedestrians can now wend their way aleng without being in momentary peril of peering their ships on a salt barrel' or stumbling into a fish tub. W e heartily approve of the action of the Inepector,-Tand trust he may continue td discharge his duty 1 throughout his term of office with the same vigilance with which he has commenced". The Expositor, March 1,1872. Headquarters for . WINTER FOOTWEAR • 4 Specializing in . . • Family. 'Footwear Service FAMILY FOOTWEAR MAIN STREET SEAFORTH • • •