HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Huron Expositor, 1966-03-31, Page 5•
The
(Continued Own last week)
Private Schools
Before there was a secondary school in Seaforth,
private schools were advertised from the late 60's to
the 80's.
In 1869 Mrs. G. T. Jarvis, Railway St., had in her
residence a select boarding and day school• foryoung
ladies. Her rates were as follows: English and Fancy
Work, $4.00; French, $4,0Q; Drawing, $4.00; Music,
$6.00; or all the branches, $1.4.00 per quarter. At the
same time, Miss Watkinson had a young ladies' private
school in her home on Jarvis St., next door to the Pres-
byterian Church. By the early 1870's both Miss Robin-
son and Miss Ryan advertised select schools. From,
1881 till 1886, "The Poplars" Ladies' School was car-
ried on by Miss Robertson and Miss Booth in the
"Green" house on John St.„ and Miss Sarah Dorrance
had another private schql on Side St.
From the very early days the young ladies got
instruction in music and sewing, and the boys in other
trades, but not in the schools aa they doloday.
These hi the 70's and 80's gave vocal and .instrumen-
tal lessons: Miss Vanderlys in D. Ross' home, John
St.; Miss Watson in Mrs. (Dr.) Smith's residence; Miss
Uallan, 'Anglican Church organist, in her home north
of the Methodist Church; Miss Walsh, a graduate from
Loretta Academy, on George St. • Mrs. James McMul-
kin, east of Victoria Square, and Mrs. Charles M. Dun-
lop, on George St. Mrs. Dunlop was also a composer
of music. These taught later Miss Emily Ruffles, Miss
Cora Geib, Miss Ann Govenlock, Miss Hazel Winter
and Miss H. Isabel Grahani. Miss Graham was also a
well-known poetess. Her book of poem, "Be Of Good
Cheer," was published in 1939. Others were Mrs. M.
R. Rennie, Sisters of St. Joseph, Misg Carol Brown and
Miss Nancy Berger.
Many set up dressmaking shops in their own
homes, and some of these took in apprentices. Misses
Frances and Jennie Brine were among the last to in-
struct apprentices. Other girls became tailoresses and
milliners. '
The early school "drop -outs" among the boys learn-
ed some trade,. such as shoemaking, tailoring, black-
smithing, carriage -making, etc. ' As all this work wag
done by hand in the shops, many employees were need-
ed.
•In McNaught and Teeple's two-storey frame car-
riage factory and blacksmith shop with three forges
on North Main St., from eight to ten hands were em-
ployed making carriages, wagons, velocipedes, etc.
William Campbell employed twelve in his tailor shop.
Duncan & Duncan had a number of tailors, milliners
and also •six salesmen. Several other factories and
stores had on their pay roll as many employees as
ese, and among there were apprentices who got their
training in the various trades.
Salt Stirs Growth
' Salt Industry '
4 • '
Al
•
a tigaiory by "Isabelle. Campbell'
comer, when he stepped off the train, was 'impressed
with the number a derrieks to be seem The pure brine
when pumped • to the surface was conveyed into two
large tanks, which held enough liquid for 48 hours
boiling. The boiling took place 1» sheds or salt blocks,
where the evaporating pans were kept hot by burping
huge quantities of cordwood sticks four feet long. Fr
good beech, birch and maple this length, the farmers
received $2.00. a cord. 'When the residue was reduced
to salt it was packed in barrels, ready for shipment.
The Association of Salt Manufacturers .sought markets
for their product, but after being active for three years,
dissolved in April, 1885. This left each company re-
sponsible to seek .its own salt orders.
• With the discovery of salt, Seaforth became a
booming hamlet. In the course of a few years three
very et teniVe sag works were developed. These .were
Sep,forth.Salt Works; EClipse Salt Works, and Merchant'
Salt Co. The wells .varied in depth from 1,000 to 1,400
feet. The capital invested was over $100,000; almost
the same aniount was needed to run the business; and
besides most of, the salt men were large land owners
throughout the county from which they obtained part
Of their fuel supply.
It was on the Coleman and. Gouinlock property,
south of the railway track and east of Main St. South,
that salt was first drawn in 1868. A contract was let
in December, 1869, to commence drilling on January 1,
1370. That year the first salt block was built; another
was ere—dted by AligtiSt, 1873, and by 1876 they had
three in operation, with a total capacity of 500 barrels
a day. This was the largest Of the three salt works in
Seaforth, also the largest in the 1 Dominion. Their
• average was only about half that amount for two rear
sons : want df a market and lack of fuel, at times, to
boil the brine. This establishment Was known as the
Seaforth Salt Works. Two of the blocks here were
degtroyed by fire in November, 1879, but they were
soon rebuilt.
In later years the business was carried on under
the name of Coleman Estate, with Thomas F. and Ed-
ward Coleman, sons of Dr._ T. T. Coleman, in charge
till the early 1900's. Their office and storehouse stood
for many years on Main St., just south of the railway
trackc., From October, 1903, Richard and Jphn Rang-
--ford, Clinton, rented and run the wells, but a fire in
August, 1907, 'ended the salt business here. Coleman's
sold to Robert Bell Engine & Thresher Co. in May, 1908,
and that fall the buildings were wrecked.
• The Eclipse Salt Works was situated on four acres
south of the track, but at the end of Railway St. It
was owned and operated by Gray, Young & Sparling.
This block turned out between 250 and 300 barrels of
salt each day and gave steady employment to between
20 and 25 nien. By November, 1871, orders were being
taken for salt, and in 1876 they • sent specimens to
Sydney, Australia, for exhibition at the Exposition
which opened there in April, 1877. Business was car-
ried on here till around the late 1880's. William M.
Gray then 'went to Toronto, Nicholas Young to Blyth,
and Frank G. Sparling to Wingham.
From 1870 the Merchants Salt Co. did a like
amount of business not far from the Eclipse Works,
only on the north side of the track. Alex Armitage was
the manager, and S. G. McCaughey, president. In 1880
Joseph Kidd, of Dublin, took it over, and in the 1890's
the Coleman Bros. were -in eharge: After being idle for
many years, Dr. E. A. McMaster & Co., with R. J.
Bellamy, manager, in the early 1950's made an effort
to revive the industry, but with no success. Some of
the wreckage is all that is left to mark the site of the
salt works owned by the Merchants Salt Co.
A few small blocks were established, but the brine
for these was supplied from either the Eclipse or
Merchant Salt Co. Walter Marshall, Huron Street,
also John Scobie; on the same street, got theirs from
the Merchant Salt Co.; Jonathan Carter and William
McDougall, also James I. Carter & Co. got theirs from
Gray, Young & Sparling„ and McDougall's block
was on Willis Dundas' coal and fuel oil lot; the block
of Carter & Co., where the Supertest oil tanks now are
located.
In November, 1874, both these last named com-
panies were ordered by Council to remove the under-
ground pipes as salt was -beeping into the wells on
Railway Street. While here in 1873, James L Carter
• Wag granted a patent for a site return flue salt evapor-
ator.
When. the salt boom was at its height, any .new -
Sawmills and Cooperage Shops
• 441 chili
NaMes
The salt industry created a need for saw mills,
cooperage shops and stave factories, and these sprung
up near each of the salt works.
By 1870, 0. G. Anderson & Co. had a cooperage
shop where Miss Hazel Reid now lives. Philip Volmar
followed, and made staves and barrels. This factory
was sold by auction on August 17, 1877. In Volmar's
time an engine exploded and a man, whose name is
unkown today, lost his life.
By the early 1870's, James Kyle had a sawmill on
three acres south of the Seaforth Salt Works. This rhill,
by 1874, was taken Over by Coleman and Gouinlock.
On another three acres, they very soon built a cooper-
age and stave factory. In it they also made shingles.
In Coleman and Gouinlock's three salt blocks, sawmill
and cooperage shop, they regularly employed from.
00 to 75 men, and more than, one-half of .these were
employed in the making of salt.
In the early 1900's, William and Philip Ament took
over this ,business. A little later William had it alone.
In October, 1909, he sent out 4,000 barrels to apple
dealers in the county. The price received was 38c per
barrel. When spples became scarcer, the cooperage
business was dropped and later the sawmill also was
closed. In November, 1930, all the . buildings were
offered for sale by William.Ament. Arthur Wright and
VVilliam Leyburn, truckers; purchased the land in the
1940's. It was here they weighed and loaded the live-
stock which they trucked to the Toronto Stockyards.
In 1954 part was bought by the town for the sewage
disposal plant. The natural gas plant was built on an-
other part in 1958. It was on September 24th that a
ceremony was held ,to celebrate the coming. of natural
gas to the town. In 1964 the Co-op erected an up-to-
date egg grading station at the front of this property.
Wright and Leyburn now only own the scales.
The Ament cooperage industry had its beginning
on North Main St., under the management of John
Ament, father of William and Philip. 'John carried on
business here from 1872 till he passed away in 1889.
From then the family carried on till the early 1900's,
when they moved south of the railway track. .The build-
ings were on the corner of North Main and Centre St.
Many men, during the years, hademployment in this
cooperage shop.
(To be contilitied).
Read the Advertisements — It's a Profitable Pastime!
*FOOD MARKET*
MI/
SPECIALS FOR
Thursday, Friday and Saturday
'Five Roses
ALL-PURPOSE FLOUR • .7-1b. Bag 69
Facelle "Royale"
BATHROOM TIATJE • • 2 Roll Pkg. 25
Yellow, White, Pink
Cheery Morn
FRESH GROUND COFFEE
or COFFEE BEANS 1-1b. Bag 750
Duncan Hines
CAKE MIXES 2 Large Pkgs. 830
White, Devils, . •
Deep Chocolate, Pineapple
igBrand MUSTARD PICKLES
or SWEET RELISH.. • • • 3 16 -oz. Jars $ 1,
Aylmer Fancy Quality
TOMATO JUICE ,
3 48 -oz. Tins $ 1.
GIANT FAB Pkg. 590
FROZEN FOOD FEATURES
Swanson's
TV DINNERS 2 for 75c
Spaghetti and Meat Balls, 111/2 oz.
Macaroni and Cheese, 12 oz,
HOLIDAY FARMS—Reg. 69c; Special 63c
Cooked Beef and Barbecue Sauce'
•• for Sloppy Joes, 12 -oz. Pkgs.
PRODUCE
Snow White
CAULIFLOWER Each 33c
Indian River Pink
GItAPEFRUIT-48's 5 for 49c
New California
CABBAGE Each 21c
FOR ADDITIONAL SPECIALS
SEE LONDON FREE PRESS THURSDAY
Smith's
Phone 527-0990
1
'Ulcers
Seaforth 4-11 IfomeEconom-
ics Branch met at the home of
Mr. and Mrs, Gordon gillot, and
because of the increase in the
number of girls, It was decided
to split the girls into two
groups. The North Road group
is under the leadership of Mr.
Sandy Doig and Mr. C. wilder -
New officers were elected.
Jean Scott is president, with
Maria Van Loon as vice-presi-
dent. The new treasurer is Di-
anne Patterson,. and Carolanne
Doig is press representative.
The present project is called
"Accent On Accessories," and
Mrs. Frank Sills demonstrated
the types of accessories and
what time of day to wear them.
The girls, 14 and under, will
make a hat and scarf to match
one of their outllts, and the old-
er ones will also make a purse.
The accessories will be model-
led with the outfit they were
made for by the girls themselves
on Achievement Day.
:WED:61110
ASK FOR
4,evepia
e INVITATIONS
0 ANNOUNCEMENTS
.0 •ACCESSORIES -
COME IN AND
• ASK FOR YOUR
FREE BRIDAL GIFT'
REGISTER
" THE
• . HURON -
EXPOSITOR
110...Amolftsinoo•••••A
'1.
141101.# .NXPOSITI":10;A.FORTHe. ,4011r44N0" 31! 114104
° -17
•
Yearning for
sarnethin, long,
low and racy?
Or something lame,
posh and poerful?
Or something
.quietly compact? • -
Go ahead!
Go -Ahead people make things happen
with a low-cost Go -Ahead Loan from
TC)RONTO-DOMINION
The Bank where people make the_differencei
W. D. STEPHENSON, Manager - Seaforth
PERSONALIZED
COASTERS - GIFT IDEAS - SERVIETTES
Phone 527-0240 : Seaforth
Ihe one beer so good it's made
Canada famous for beer
throughout the world!
In the Canary Islands and over 60 other countries,
you can enjoy a world of flavour in the balanced beer.
Free Delivery
*.Z
Playa Las Canttras.Las
The CARLING BREWERIES: Lififited
A
•