The Huron Expositor, 1961-05-04, Page 8got well under command.
"There was a strong wind blow-
ing from the northeast and sparks
were flying thick onto the roofs of
the buildings to the south and on
those across the street. At one
time it looked as though the fire
would conquer and the entire cor-
ner was in imminent danger, and
it was only the hard and untiring
work of the firemen, assisted by
others, with pails, that saved the
building from destruction. Several
times the woodwork of the Bank
of Commerce caught fire, but was
promptly extinguished.
"So rapidly did the fire spread
in the hotel that very little of thb
furniture was gotten out and sev-
eral of the boarders lost part of
their. clothing. The, private rooms
of the bank upstairs were badly
damaged, mostly by smoke and
water, although most of the cloth-
ing was removed. The furniture
and fixtures in the rooms occupied
by Mr. J. C. Greig, were also dam-
aged by smoke and water, while
Mr. Levi Walper, who also lives
upstairs, will he a heavy loser,
mostly from smoke and water. In
the gank the water. played havoc
with the ceiling and walls. Mr. R.
Logan's bank, in the north corner
of the hotel building, was com-
pletely demolished, but everything
portable had been carried out, save
rr
UTRON EXPOSITOR, SEAFORTII, ONT., MAX 4, 1961
CONGRATULATIONS • •
to
THE
COMMERCIAL
HOTEL
We are proud to have been
chosen to supply the illum-
inated signs for the remodel-
led hotel.
1 Parsons' Sign and
Display advertising Limited
"Canada's Originators of Plastic Signs"
Tillsonburg
: Ontario
CONGRATULATIONS .
to
THE
COMMERCIAL
HOTEL
on the completion of its
remodelling program.
❑ 0
•
We are happy to have been,
chosen to install two
ANKER CASH REGISTERS
0 0
K, .A. HAMMOND
CO.
Moorefield - Ontario
commercial Hotel
Awa
. CHARLES DUNGEY, of the Commercial Hotel, registers guests at the desk in 'the renovated
main lobby of the hotel. The interior of the attractive dining room is shown in the lower picture,
with tables arranged for a dinner party. Designed to seat 49, the s in ng room is equipped with in-
dividual tables of modern design and matching chairs. The public Ts, invited to visit the Hotel on
Friday and see the changes that have been completed throughout the building. (Expositor photos
by Phillips).
1895 Fire Razes
Earlier Buildin
The Huron Expositor of April
21, 1895, describes the fire which
destroyed the Commercial Hotel,
leading to the construction of the
present building:
"The cost disastrous fire that
has visiSeaforth for some time
occurred early Wednesday morn-
ing, when the Commercial Hotel,
billiard and sample rooms to the
rear, were completely destroyed,
and the Bank of Commerce (now
the John Bach stores) was badly
damaged by fire, smoke and water.
So completely did the fire do its
work that only the foundation of
the billiard room and the bare
brick walls of the hotel were left
standing.
"Shortly after 2 o'clock, some
of the occupants of the hotel were
awakened by smoke, and on aris-
ing, found that the building to the
rear was all in flames. In tlae ex-
citement and hurry, it was some
time after that before the fire
alarm was sounded, and in conse-
quence the firemen were at a de-
cided disadvantage, as the dry
frame building became a most
rapid prey to the flames, and was
one mass of flames before the wa-
ter began to play on it. They then
directed all their attention to the
hotel and surrounding buildings,
but, although unable to save the
hotel, fhe adjacent buildings were
the contents of the vault and safe,
and, as these were fireproof, the
contents were not damaged.
"To the south, Messrs. C. Wil-
son's grocery, and E. Dawson's
liquor store, were badly smoked
(Continued on Page 12)
;Ready for Opening
The Commercial Hotel will hold
open house Friday afternoon,
marking the completion . of an ex-
tensive program of remodelling
that has been under way for 'sev-
eral months.
The building will be opened offi-
cially by Mayor Edmund .Daly at
2:30 pup , and following the cere-
mony tt�ie public will have an op-
portunity to go through the build-
ing and see the changes that have
been wade. Tea and cookies will
be served in the new dining room,
when the public will be guests of
Mrs. Dungrey, Sr., and her grand-
son, Charles Dungey.
The occasion will be a particu-
lar pleasure for Mrs. Dungey,
marking as it does the fortieth
•
anniversary since she and her bus- The lounge, called "The High -
band, the late Charles Dungey,
began the operation of the Com-
mercial Hotel in Seaforth.
The dining room will commence
operations on Saturday morning
after having been closed for 13
years.
The hotel has undergone com-
plete renovation from top to bot-
tom. On the maip floor are locat-
ed a large entrance lobby, bever-
age rooms, cocktail lounge and
dining room. A newly -equipped
kitchen includes stainless steel
serving area and a large gas-fired
range, phew refrigeration has been
installed.
The public rooms are bright and
cheery and are furnished with
comfortable up-to-date furnishings.
land Room", has wall-to-wall car-
peting. A gay Highland tartan
completely covers the south wall.
New bathrooms have been in- •
stalled on the second and third
floors, and new lire resistant stair-
wells constructed. The floors have
been redecorated throughout. A
new fire escape has been erected
on the north side of the build-
lnThe hotel is owned by Mrs.
Charles Dungey, and the active
management will be the responsi-
bility of her grandson, Charles
Dungey. Members of the staff
from Seaforth include Grace Dun-
gey, Barbara Dungey, Margaret
Beattie, Charles Wood, Charles
Geddes.
•
TO THE MANAGEMENT OF THE
COMMERCIAL HOTEL
THE COMPLETELY MODERN FACILITIES
MAKE POSSIBLE THE PROVISIQN OF
NEEDED HOTEL SERVICE IN SEAFORTH
FRANK KLING LTD.
Phone 19 GENERAL CONTRACTORS Seaforth
We are proud to have supplied
the Chairs and Tables
In the newly -designed and
Modern Dining Room
in
THE COMMERCIAL HOTEL
and congratulate the Management
on having carried out such an
extensive modernization
program,
G. A. WHITNEY
FURNITURE
Phone 119
•
Seaforth
YO
U'RE INVITED TO ATTEND OUR • •
•
FRIDAY k A V C - 1:30 p..m. to 4:30 p.m.
OFFICIAL OPENING
The Modern Commercial Hotel will be opened
officially by Mayor Edmund Daly at 2:00 o'clock
n
It is 66 years since the. present Com
mercial Hotel building began serving
the people of this area, and from the
earliest days of the community other
hotels on the present Commercial
Hotel site began the creation of that
tradition of hospitality that through
the years has been a characteristic
of our hotel.
Now we have completed a major
program of renovation and remodel-
ling, so that we may serve you even
better in the years to come.
Before we open for business, we
invite the people of the Seaforth area
to visit our remodelled hotel and see
for themselves all that has been done.
We want to show you all the improve-
ments we have made. We want to
show you our new attractive dining
room . . . our public rooms
our shiny new kitchen with modern
equipment, to guarantee you the best
in meals.
The dining room will be open to the
public, 'commencing Saturday morn-
ing. We will specialize in dinner
parties and suggest you make your
reservations now.
FREE TEA AND COOKIES
When you have seen everything in our modern .hotel, we invite you to be
our guest for tea and cookies in the new dining room.
COMMERCIAL HOTEL
SERVING SEAFORTH SINCE 1895
SEAFORTH
lift Nil
ONTARIO
•
•
•
•
•
•
.
•
•
•
•
•
t
4
c
e