The Lucknow Sentinel, 1963-11-13, Page 15WIEDNF?SDAY, NOV. 13th, 1963
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•
• THE LUCKN!QW 8NTINrE4 LUCKNQW,. ONTARIO
PAGE FIFTEEN.
Minister Of Higbwm,,ys Cuts Ribbon
(Continued fro page..' 1)
water rvolumes:at different times
of :.he year. Must. ibe 'logged and
$o mustice condiitions. Floods
;freshets and risk of 'wash-
o Wst .rbe assessed .as Must
atrnoispheric effect on Materials.
I could. g!o on -and on, but . I
;think that I. have conveyed to'
you some of .what I myself found.
out: ;that a for dge is not' merely.
two `'planks ''across a ditch.
When you consider that,' here
in' Ontario, we 'build about five
hundred 'provincial and muni•ci-
pal bridges every: year, in, a4
, dition to well' over one thousand
culverts ,of 'v'arioixs types when
you 'consider those _figures
you rrnay ,eget an idea •of the tre-
mendous Complexity of a 'bridge
• engineer's .j•ab, of 4.the know-how
that must ►be his, of:the .fantastic.
investments •for"which he is. re
sponsible. Let nus be thankful for
the, •calibre. of/our. •civil engin+,
•. eers There .in 'Ontario.
• Enough about bridges in gen-
You are interested, first and
foremost; in this' Bell Bridge of.
' yours 'which, in itself, ' is a ,good
example, of bhe skill 'at:the de-
signers: and of •the •good work of
'the cgntractors. ' .. • •
As you . see, it• is .a three-span,f
pre -stressed •concrete beam struc-
ture, about 150 feet in,.length.•
It. was erected at .•a. total estirn- .
atedcost of :$11+4,585: subsidized
by the' . Depantment of • Highways
at' 'the customary rate of S0 ,Per.,
cent 'for rural 'm'unicipalties. •
1 might rural
. that: during the
fiscal Year Of • 1962413 . ,the .De=
•par.,tinernt Paid oat;. roughly/ $11;
uri
600,000. 'in•micirpal !bridge sub-
sidies :.aloe to ensure 'that -Ori-
tario's"bridges 'cvilI eventually
rneas-,zre .up .+to' the' high .quality.
of on: 83;600 irrt.Iles of Provincial
and !11urticipal .road. systern;s; A.&.
ter rail, god roads are not of
much .use Without equally good
bridges It is, • therefore signif
leant that, ' oven :.the past • few,
pears;, Municipal+bridge. ' subsid-
ies.,shaw. a ,marked increase and
"It - is •fairly safe to ' predict : that
thin ;trend Twill continue:
As I• . predicted at • the . outset'
Of ,my remarks, you :will derive'
of ' a crane, "They do a (better
job ,thanflock," was the comment
of ane of the road officials at
the opening,
• • Banquet Follows
The Township of Huron was.
host to a 'banquet +at..the Bruce
Inn, Kincardine, • following • the.
bridge opening. Betauseof other.
engagements,' the 'highwiays min
ister Was, not .able to att nd.
Head ,gable. guests: were, oun-
cll 'Members, the -.clerk,. reeve
and deputy, Owen King, HarveyPalmateer, Walter. Lock of Rip
ley; John Loney; IVLP. for Bruce
who spoke briefly at the 'intfor-
Trial meeting that followed the
dinner. lie rw'as introduced.. by
councillor 'Russell Needham. '
Each • of the - council had a
few words td say and others
called on who spoke briefly were
Fred Allen, an engineer from.
the, municipal office in Owen.
Sound;. Harvey .+Palrnateer; MikeSmith and . Rudy •Siegner, both
aspirants for the Bruce .County
W'ardenshLp : • . next •year, which
Reeve Ernmert'on 'of Huron has
also 'announced he xwiiall ,contest;
Eldon Yundt, Don • Thompson;
George' tila'aKay, . veteran poli-
tician . of Tiverton who :was in
municipal, life for 27 years, out
or 30 Years and then (back again
in '.1962; Bruce Thomson of the
.Owen King . ; Construction 'Co.
George 14.eCutabeon, . C•oziserva-
tive;:�candi'd'ate . in the provincial'
election;. and.' Joh'' MacKenzie,
Liberal candidate' ;in . the •federal
election, were .both: guests.
The (building at the• new rani'
the;,tlearing down of .the old.al-
'ways brings early 'history to 'the
minder , of; those closely cornee-
:.ted • 'with .;an ,area. The new.
bridge. that crosses Pine tixver: is
erected about .. ahalf mile.. from
;the location,' of. the first settle-
ment in Huron Township.
f.
• First Bridge In (853
:Luis ''.Belleinor^e is , credited.
with :,being .the .'first settler .' it
Huron. corning' in .848. to • •thee
mouth of the Pine 'Riverfrhere
he •'operated a taVerri, used at
that time 'fby ,.band• seekers, the
'only 'people.. in .'the'' area.' The
'following •ye:ar he sold to. David
Walden•` and. moved ''farther to
many years of pleasure and ben-- the northcif', the •tc rriship 'w!liere
efirt ,from this wonderful (bridge, he again opened.. •a:" tavern:' •An
arid., so: as riot. to • da ay , your. use .other of the earliest 'settlers• .w,as
James Keys' +w -ho, loaf his life
by . drowning „when he. felloff
xa raft enroute • to :Penetangore.
This was in 18+51 /
To get back to 'bridge !build-
den of Bracer' Harvey •Palrnateer ing,, the.. ,first bridge built over.
of •'Krncerdine. and the Reeve of Pine River w a 'substantial
Huron; 'Chester Eirimerton, cuttirniber �bridge:1bxuilt 'close to the
the 'ribbon to • officially open. .the mouth :of the river in , •18'53. Con-
new Structure.,' • tractor .was•. Thomas ''Blair, an
hose speaking, 'briefly were• t nc;;e `sof Thcdnias ,Blair who' still
Baron's deputy -reeve, Williamresides on :Concession A. It was.
R. Lowry, : Owen . King of :Wing- washedaway in. a .• short'
haf, :.:gen•ex+aI contractor .for • `.the Thenext . 'bridge to span ' the
bridge, ;Ken..Drunn of the de- Pine River ,was built gat• the lo -
signing, firm of Burns Ross who cation of 'present iron .bridge.
'Presented a plaque to the town- It "was a wooden construction 'Of'
• ship_ The plaque 'is attached to ` two `Spans with' a pier made of
the south end: of the '!bridge and 'logs' ,fined with stone: It; Was
' bears 'the 'ta'r'es Of the„' .present built : in• the ,: 1860's. In 1'849,
municipal officials officials in t'he town liairri Blair, :grandfather of the
ship, Reeve. Chester .Ern+rnerton; ' Torn Blair:living presently on
D+epw'ty.Reeve ` William; R Lour-eonces on :A,.. settled on Land.'3ust
ry; 'Cotxncil'Iors•. Russell Stanley, to the north' of 'what' is. now
'Russell Needhrani /and . Joilin: •Fer- 'the 'bridge. •
guson; clerk',. • Ear:l . Tout,-' road, In' • .18'55, William Blair con-.
, • i ,_ • .
- srzn.erintendeartE„-Ste4cre- F�riri;: yen--st,rue:ted: a—a�w-mill and grist mi1L
'g neer, . B. 'illi..' Ross; contractor; ,rust ,,north of `, the iron .'bridge.
Owen Kinrg.site. He ±built a dam there, and
Atter a anatorrat r .t'ur..ns onto a house was eventually •built oil
..
Co•ncessi an..A from the .4th con= the site •'also. 'The 'mill was' run •
test= now. • he will drive by his two+sons, one of' them
:straight :across the 'new struc- George Blair, father of Torn
tare. New approaches have '(been Blair of Huron. In 18618, a -spring
made roi? bh ' consideration for flood of. 'water, broke the 'dam
drainage and water -run-'off. The and i•.r•arried away one span of
old . ibr dge . .this tiresent day the' bridge.. A new spar' was built
of tra've'l . and . iri+creased. devel;- ,and, the bridge stood until 1911.
O me lit of the Ibe•ac'h area,. had. The mill site was sold Ito 'John
become..' .a. driving'. 'hazard. To 'Hicks who, operated it for a few
� .__ • 4444 a, ,� 0'UI dht it
Bross. •the bridge it- was n.�ecess.ary. years. George Blair .(b g
• to° m • �;did not operate.
• arks two., right angle turns `b+acl� later but .
corning oruto and off the .'bridge the mill • after that.
pp knBridge In 1911
with the a roae from ..the • Iron
south snide I Ing 'wooded The The resent iron 'bridge was
-� � n present , .^ years:. ,old...
rigvti bridge is la short ;drs$arice built in' lg+I1• and is 52 years.
t4dokvitt” th_. Old iron . number of. local ' men
e rrtne'r, The Quite a ,
bridge ,wilt' ibe rete ed. were employed in budding . it.:.
Protect. orrn Blair *as one.' of these
Protect, Rater` 'Bank, • . , T ,
As. a. 'protec•tfort against 'eros -'men and Tom thinks all the
of it,. I . Propose ' that we ', cut the
talk- and cut' the 'tape.
Cuts. Ribbon '
Foflowing these • remarks, Mr.
1ViacNau ghtoh,, ' _ assisted :by War -
Lon - ;Others have 'passed on by now.
,Owen King and his work
rn ..:'_' .t°Blair npro' erty was just to
err .'paced � aiao.itt 13,0 bags.. The p � • ,
of a mixture of cement and pit the norbh of ,the bridge .at the
ruin ngratre1` ton
.' the river bank top •of thethehill., About four years
the Itaridge The bags we g
under" re ago, Tom sold .the .farm' 'to Dr.
w'nng; unto ' position by means
.r ' D in'fin'ite and rn sved about
2
1
S
RE
Ping
THE SENTINEL can't solve. all your Christmas problems, BUT they CAN
tHELP YOU outin. many 'departments
f
Boxed Christmas. Carr.
Are now on display. Every price range,. every type.
PrintedChrislm�s• •Ca.rds
Take a ''little longer. We have •four sample albums to choose , from.
Moreand more people every year are having their name printed on
cards. They're not expensive. , •
• M
Photo....Chrislmas Cards
What would be more 'appreciated than receiving a photo of a loved
one or friend on a Christmas card: Your. friend's' at a distance ' will
really appreciate these.; Just bring in a •negative And we'll do the rest,
Accessories:
Instock now is wrapping paper, seals,scotch: tape, etc.
Boxed Everyday Cards,:. Stationery:
Make lovely Christmas gifts. THE SENTINEL has.: just . received a
brand new stock of all occasion' cards, sympathy, get -well cards, etc,,.
as well as an .appealing selection of writing paper in gift boxes
�or That
Try a gift .of serviettes, playing cards, coasters, matches, business
cards,writing paper with names printed on. Something different at
a 'reasonable price
For Those Who Find It Difficult To Get Out
We Will Be Glad To Bring Sample .Items To Your Door
a
a
a
•
two miles to the• north. on the
farm of Bill Collins of. Preston.
Vp until that. tine, - • this Blair.
property had been in the :fam-
ily .Since .his grandfather took.
it • ,up, in 189.
• Keys : Brothers ` of Kincardine,
had the contract • for the two
abutments of the old steel 'bridge
-,-price of 'WOO. OO. +Hunter.Bridge' and. Boiler . CO.: •af tKn
• cardine" made and •erected the
bridge (for' between $3000, and
$3'5.00.Prior to the ,erection, o,f
-this. ,bridge, Tom B1air'is . father
had sold !the mill site ' property.
to 'George . Porter who .lived.
there and worked out. The bridge•
at that. time 'was 'known gas Por-
ter's Bridge, but ;folliowing • the
erection of the, steel bridge and
the • death. of )George Porter,, it
became 'known .as .the Bell 'Bridge,
the title also given. to its new
successor. Tom recalls that it
took most ; of the, , summer of •
1911 to 'build the: iron, bridge,
and that he was one of ,the.
workmen' doing the "hard 'work," -
pouring' cement .and digging into
the clay river . bottom. T'he'
.bridge at that tithe hada Wood-
en plank floor. to the interven-
ing years,;. a, st;eiavn tr'ac'tor broke
through the' bridge floor rand
about, 1921,itra's replaced by
content,
rindian 'Cemetery
There are few in this • area
Isouth end of . the survey. With '.
the Pine' 'Point ' (Point .CI•ar'ke)
Lighthouse' area: 'being . dervel•op-•
edat that; :time. there was quite
a stir in thiat/ ,'lo•oality for .a
time. .Captain. Gamble, . 'being n .
man of some mans, worked to
develop. the: Alma site but it
was ` a complete ffailrzre and he
later . returned to Ireland.
'why, ,is Luxigan not Alma?' In
1853 . the :first' post office in
Huron ',was established . on ,the
lakesrhore near the mouth of 'the
river. A .• Pont ` Office. 'named
"Lurgan” was ogened at 'The
Point' in i1 60. With the travel -
,ling �pulbli'c using the, "Goderich
road" . ' further inland, . the . Pine
River Post office .was eventually
anoved inland also. Later . the
Lurga'n 'Post .ofifice. was Moved to
nthe north to Alai a rand the name
Alma. eventually . disappeared in
favour of Lurgari; ' I.urgan• was
said: -to be the home town' of
Captain Gamble in . Ireland:' '
that have riot ` hard of the :"In-
dian Cenlet,ery. ,'" Just north of the
-mouth of the Pine 'River. Tome
Blairs knowledge . ,of ,this cern-
etery as gained . from his father
andgrandfather, does' riot •indi=
tate' that 'there was ever* zany'
Indiiian 'burials irr, this location.
It was origi.:allY used . .as
.pioneer -cemetery - and -a Joseph-=
Lindsay, killed 'by :a' falling tree.
it 1853, was 'buried there. 'His
tombstone stood in .the, centre. of .
the drifting sands for many
years and . it is : ass firmed that
Many other pioneers, were bur-
ied there. It is .believed.,that 'be-
cause' of the nature . of • the land.
(it 'became 'barren and Sand
.covered) 'burials were started on
the' other' side ' of the • river Ibe-
hind the 'present St. Lukes An-
glican Church; One tnr ibstorie
in this 'burrial, ground • is dated
1860. and possibly .., burials', were
made there before 'that.
.',Where's Alma?
The town plot of Alma,.' sur-
veyed in 1855, has been known
as Lurgan for many years and
the name Alma ''would ring a
bell' with few peoxple of Huron
Township today. .Captain Henry
C. Gambl'e' of. Ireland, visiting
at the mouth of Pine 'River shor-
tly 'after it was settled,.,,bee•ame
in'ten'sely interested in establish-
ing a 'town at that; location. .Cap-
tain Gamble CWilt a Mill at the
$7 Too Much
'T:'om. Blair to'ci. •ti an in=
-teres•ting and • amusing item.
from ' the early school his- ,
tory""' orf' :tartan. The first
school "was ..a 'log one arid ,
sit at the mouth of . Pine
River. Same . of ' the rate
•
payers became aware . that
• toilet faciI'ities were 'needed
at` the school. Tenders •were
called for . the cbrtstruction •
• of two outhouses . and the
lowest tender • received was
•
• for .$7. "Too :much" said the
pioneer "res.idents who were
-no 'doubt finding those "first
years 'of settling 'a 'obit ,lean,
An'd so they put off the 0011
vertierices for : a ,fexiv more
years: The 'three F:'s of those
days mig•h+t:. be referred to
"readirt ritin and'regul+atin,"
•
The Sentinel appreciates' the',
Pp
help of Tom $lair in • recalling
Soma . of • the early history of ' •
bridges that at. one time spavined
the Pine River. Tam has seen
,many 'changes along the slake
Range in his years there 'and we
sincerely 'enjoyed recalling these '
with him at his home atop Bruce
Beach,
•
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