The Huron Expositor, 1978-10-19, Page 2'avhts Tinton fxpositor
Hemming and hawing about takilig part in the central
system for the police departments in Huroh Towns made Seaforth
council's October meeting a very tedious one.
With a municipal election only a month away, the issue was ripe for
definite statements from most councillors, repeated at least twice.
The caution- of some council members about committing Seaforth
dollars to the system is understandable however, even if frustrating for
long-time-members-like Mayor—Betty Cardno and councillor Wayne__
Ellis who are convinced of the need for a system and have been in on •
years of discussion about .it.
We don't dispute the fact that Seaforth-police should not be odd man
out, isolated from other Huron Forces and ready contact with CIPEC,
the nation wide police computer.
But those who are organizing the central dispatch system .( and the
Ontario Police Commission IsThrbmitient) simply have not given
Seaforth enough information about how the syStem will work and what
it 'will cost.
The chairman of Seaforih's police committee, councillor Irwin
Johnston was not provided with any operating cost figures at all.
Whether police chiefs or repres lentatives from councils of the five
towns would actually run the system didn't seem too certain.
No operating structure or. procedure-„for naming reps to run the
system was outlined. Council has had no definite word on the number
of ernployees the central dispatch will need or how much they will. be
paid. Will they, be part of the police bargaining unit in Goderich, where
the system will be based?
Before Seaforth council could be expected to approve spending for
the system, it really can't be blamed for wanting answers to these
questions. Yes council haS approved the central dispatch in principle
and yes provincial grants appear to make the system economical. But
we feel council has a right to more concrete figures before committing
itself to spending one dollar.
We know all-the other Hurcin towns have approyed spending for the
initial dispatch equipment. Perhaps they had moreinformation than
Seaforth council had. Maybe they have very unsatisfactory pCilice
dispatch systems now and figure the centralized system, whatever it
costs, couldn't be worse.
But that alone isn't -enough reason for Seaforth to rubber stamp
dispatch spending.
Once a board of elected people from all the towns is set up, to run the
dispatch system, and once they draw up an, operating budget and can
tell us what the central dispatch will cost in its first year of operation .
..that's the time forSeaforthto pay its share of the equipmeril costs..
There's no reason why that can't be done quickly.
If it approved spending on, a central 'police dispatch before that
is done, Seaforth councillors would be spending taxpayers' money with .
less care ,than they'd spend their own.
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WORTH HER WEIGHT IN-NICKELS — Wilma Van Dyke of the Seaforth
area is the winner of The Huron Expositor subscription drive last week.
When Wilma was told she'd won her weight and a friend's weight in
nickels for her efforts, she selected S.D.H.S. math teacher Ed Pelss to
stand on the scales with her. We're not telling individual weights, but the
total was 381 pounds or $19.05. The subscription drive continues this
week. (Expositor Photo)
1
Hear, hear. What's going on?
All along I figured we'd enjoyed a spell of
Indian 'summer. You know the time. The
maples work themselves up into a red rage.
The - whole countryside drenches itself in
gold .and brown. The days are warm once
agaln -- mild and hazy days edged with a
touch of sadness.
The sun shines soft and dim. The air stays
still and smoky., The sky turns a bright blue.
Aridif you- didn't know any better, you'd call
it a July sky.
But .that can never be. For you know at
this time of the year the days are shorter.
Yet they 're so ripe and full of beauty --aged
and mellowed. Perfect days to touch and
taste and to breathe in and• to wish they
could last forever. But inside you know the
best has been, and only a winter can follow.
Your extended days of grace are coming to{
an end. The time is up. And soon you'll raise!
your back .against stormy winds-.
Indian summer, Glorious Indian summer.
Oh, what a .tine of the year. I wanted to
grab it and make it stay around for a while.
But then a few realists entered my life last
week and told me these last few good days
I'd been reveling in weren't Indian summer
ones at all:
It's too early, they claim.
But didn't we have the first frosts? After
the early frosts--that was my usual way of
marking off the Indian summer days.
No, they said. Indian summer never
happens in October. It's always in
November. You have to have some snow on
the ground--get a good touch of winter and
then this summer reprieve sets in.
I heard about the samething on the radio.
A weatherman and an announcer had a go at
it. The weather man brought along his book
on North American meteorology. And the
announcer read a listener's letter that made
the cage for a late autumn Indian whinier.
Seems as if the English settle for
November days. For thetri, Indian Sennett is
a period in late fall. And to proVe.,the point,
the English have atiOther name kir this tittle
of year--St. Martin's summer. And the day
for this good Martin of Tours falls on
November 11. And if that wasn't enough,
the English come up with still another.name:
All Hallow Summer. And as every one
knows, that's Halloween and that puts us at
the end of October.
It's the Americans who want to rush the
season. That North American meteor logical
book confirmed it. • The weatherman
wouldn't budge. The book said any mild and
hazy days in autumn, and so he'd label the
recent warm days as Indian summer.
Of course the Americans were the ones
who lived with the Indians on this
continent-at least for a while. And the
Americans named it Indians summer
because they figured this warm respite gave
the Indians one more Chance to attack them.
Btit the more begin settlers .called the days
Indian summer because they saw the Indians
out gathering up more food_and supplies at
this last-Chance time of the year.
The American settlers started to smell
more smoke in the air. The Indians were
starting to build fires at night to keep warm.
The nights were growing chilly.
But I should bother with all this heckling
over nanies'of seasons. I know a good day
when i see one. And I've felt a few good ones
this past week.
If a late Indian summer means the best is
yet to be, I'll buy that. I can adjust. I can
class these last ft w perfect days a
prelude--an intimation of better things to
come. I can shiver through the cold days that
now take over. I can expect a further grace
stored up.
It doesn't matter if I have the time stet
wrong. I'll be glad to accept one and 'two and
three Indian smatters any time in the tali.
Those kinds of stittriets`put me in such an
agreeable- Mood, let someone else have
the laat word on the subject. It's the New
York Times.
"Indian sinntner . is a season which
everyone looks forward to each year. but on
Whose exact arrival no two people usually
agree."
I've come to the conclusion that there's
nothing funny about Monday morning.
I mean every Monday morning I sit down
in front of this battered old typewritet with
my battered old brain and say to. myself: this
week I've got to come up with something
funny, something' inspiringly funny. And,
every week. the troubles of the world creep
again ,and, sonle_deadly dull column on the,
falling dollar, t1-1alling government or the
falling Canadian morale shows up on . the
paper in front of me. "
Oneremedy I know would be shut off the
radio and television and burn all the
newspapers as soon as they come in the
door. Let's face it .with the ,doom and gloom
that 'pours out of the media daily, even
• hourly, it's pretty hard to be light and witty.
But even if the outside world didn't push it's
gloomy way in there'd stilt be little chance of
getting something humourous out of this
typewriter on a Monday morning. The
reason is just that: Monday morning.
I'm just not a morning person. My ideal
going to bed time is about 2 a.m. and my
„ideal waking time is about 10 a.m. I function
best on that schedule. Unfortunately the
world isn't set up for that schedule, There
are timetables to keep and in our household
that means getting up at 7 a.m.. to get
breakfast so the youngsters can be ready to
catch the bus on time. Believe me I find
nothing funny about getting up these
morningswhen it is still dark outside. My
whole system tells me that this is unnatural.
My subconscious mind tells me that
somebody must have set that alarm clock
wrong last night or that it has .become
demonic possessed and is trying to terrorize
us.
What convinces me that it's indeed time to
get up, however, is our secondary alarm
clock: our three year old. He never fails no
matter how dark it is out, no matter whether
electricity has been off. You never have to
wind him up or check the alarm setting. He
automatically wakes up a few minutes before
seven every morning. And he tempts' me to
child beating.
You know there's so much work goes on
these days in high school guidance
departments and such agencies to try make
animals back when I was growing up on the
farm. I particularly liked the cows and felt
that dairy farming would be the most
rewarding form of farming. There can -be a
real and lasting affection built upbetween a
farmer and his cows, not one of _ those
fleeting realationships where the idea is to
stuff the animals as full of feed in as short a
time as possible so they can be shipped off to
market as quicklY as possible. That is to a
dairy herd as a one-night stand is to a
rewarding 25 year marriage.
I am trying to locate some distant relative
of my grandfather. John Gordon Ramsay.
He was born in Seaforth about .1856. I
believe he was an only child, and was raised
by his grandparents. I have heard the name
Peter Ramsay. but I don't know if this was
his father j3r grandfather. He married a
Mary Gertond, also born at Seaforth. and, I
believe she was a schopl teacher before her
marriage. '
This family was in Texas in 1890 with
three children. W here they were born. I do
not know. He left t eras in 1913 and went to
Brazil to work for the Descalreado Ranch, a s
part of the late Brazil Land, C Mt arid
Packing Company. He was joined' there by a
James D. Sonneterville, a one tittle Canadian
Anyway, the idea of being a farmer went
by the wayside because of one big factor:
economics. I just didn't see any possibility
that I'd ever get enough money to set up a
farm. Normallythat would be a sad story but
in my case it was a bl6Sing in disguise. '
Can you imagine me having to get up'
every day of the week, every week of the.
year, at 4 or 5 a.m. to get out to milk the,
cows. If I make it out of bed (and that's a
mighty big if) I'd be in such rotten humour
that the first cow that swished a cold damp
tail across my sleepy face would probably
wind up in hamburger patties in the freezer.
One of the worst stimmeriobs I ever had
back in the days when I was a student was a
construction job which called for me to be at
work everymorning at 7 a.m. (Who' ever
invented 7 a.m. should the sent to the salt
mines of Siberia to start work at 3 a.m. every
morning.) Luckily the job didn't last long.
Oh not for my -sake, for the sake of the
people we were building barns for. I
probably created enough construction faults
in those buildings between 7 a.m. and my
time of becoming human at about 9:30 that
sure people pick the right career. But one of
the tests they overlook' is one of the 'most
important in my opinion to match .the career
to the kind of sleeping habits you have.
Some people function better in the morning:,
some better at night. Trying to make a
morning person work evenings is like trying
to put a square peg in a round hole, The poor
guy's miserable and at the same timeisn 't
performing at his peak efficiency.
Now me, I always loved being around
the buildings would collapse with the first
sign of wind.
One of the businesses that my own
metabolism seems guited 'for is my second
career of theatre. -Now there's-a- civilized
time scale. You usually start rehearsals
about 10 a.m. which still might be an hour
too early but sure beats 7 a.m. You finish
work about 10:30 or 11 p.m. You can still
take a couple of hours to relax and get to bed
at the ideal bedtime of 2 a.m.
Unfortuantely, hoWever, even then one is
lucky enough to be working. the hours that
suit him in theatre, the rest of the world'
doesn't stop making its own demands on
time. The kids still keep getting up at 7. The
buses still -come early. The school bell still
goes at nine. And people telephone at 8:30
and think you're the laziest slob in the
coinury_if you're still_in_bod, -It ends- ii,4) -11-Pat-
yob burn the candle from both ends, wort iik
late and getting up early. It's the worst of
both worlds and you get jumpy and grumpy.
So if you think the world looks dull and
serious through this column, blame it on that
blaknety-blank alarm clock:
Mountie. According to letters, I believe my
• grandfather knew this man before they went
to Brazil.
Hilgard O'Reilly Sternberg, Professor of
Georgraphy at Berkeley, California is
working on a book on Mato Grasso, Brazil.
My grandfather played a 'big part in-the
development of the state, and lived through
exciting times. He died there in 1932.
I would like to ask any one who might have
information on this man. to please contact
me. We would like to find out something
about his life before be came to Texas. Any
documents, letters, photos or recollections
would he most helpful.
Mrs. Fern Patterson
Box 84
Bushland, Texas 79012
OCTOBER 25, 1887
At the sale of M.J. Brownlee's stock in
Hullet, cows brought as high as $33.00 and
yearling steers $18.00,
A span of horses belonging to Robert
Cooper of Usborne , while passing a load'ef
furniture in Exeter, became frightened and,
made ,a sudden spring causing the tongue of
the wagon to fall out of the neckyoke and
pulling Mr. Cooper off, the wagon, '
The regent wet weather is beginning •to
have an injurious effect on the roads. •
James Hagen of Hillsgreen has pdrChased
from Hugh Smith the south half of Lot 13
Hay Township containing 50 acres, The price
was $2,200.
Chas. Redmond of Hay twp, has sold his
farm to James Sparks, McKillop for the sum
of $3,025.00
OCTOBER 20, 1903
Robert Holland near Walton has beught.
4V; acres of land from the Miss 'Kelly of
Brussels, paying $400 for it.
A number of the friends of Mr; and Mrs.
Crawford gathered at their home' and
presented them with a writing desk before
they left for their new home in the west.
Alex Thompson's• barn was struck by
lightning and although the barn was full of
straw it did not take fire.
As an evidence of the beautiful weather
that we're having,' Mrs. James Miller,
Kippen, has gathered a quantity of record
growth strawberries.
A pleasant event took place in St.
Andrews church, Kippen, when Mr, R.P.
Bell.was presented with a writing desk and
Silver cream and sugar set.
• Jackson Brothers Photographers had on
display an interesting picture of a group they
had taken, including J. Killoren, W.G.
Willis and T.J. Stephen' of town and William
McDonald of Detroit.
-Robert Paterson of Hensall has Sold his
storehouse to Mr. Urquhart who will use it in
connection with his oatmeal business.
Two' Chinese have arrived in town and
have opetied a laundry in the Holmested
block.
OCTOBER 19, 1928
Miss Gladys Saundercock of Hensall had
the . misfortune while playing to fall and
fracture her collar bone.
A number of the villagers of Hensall are
busily engaged in picking apples.
Owen Geiger and men of Hensall are
moving many loads of flax from' their fields
for 'their mill.
The new shed of Staffa United Church was
formally opened. The-shed and tables are
beautifully decorated..In spite of the rain the
attendance was so large as to necessitate • a
double head program.
The funeral of Major R.R. Sloan who died
in Toronto in his 48th year was held at Blyth
Cemetery. with full,, military honors. The
About this time of year, reporters for
community newspaper are sniffing around
the•town hall, trying to drum up a Nit story
about the coming municipal elections.
It's about as rewarding as looking for
diamonds in the Arctic. All they come up
with are pompon's cliches, evasions, and
half-truths. .
Almost invariably, the Mayor, unless he's
been-caught with his hand in the till, or been
discovered in flagrante delicto in a motel
room with somebody else's wife, is going to
run again.
"Yes, I believe I owe it to the people of our
fine town to carry out the many progresive
programS inaugurated during my years in
office,"
Translation: I like having my name in the
paper every week, and if those jackasses of
councillors would stop arguing with me, we
might be able to screw enough money out of
the government to start building that new
community centre, which will be called after
me.
Reeve Dimlylit: "What we need in our fair
town is leadership at the top, something we
haven't been getting. Yes, I will probably be
a candidate again for municipal office, but I
do not yet known in what capacity."
Translation: If that turkey, the Mayor, has
a heart attack, I'll go after his job. He gets
the chain of office, the cocktail parties, -the
-headlines. I want them.
Deputy-Reeve.Dumly: "There seems to be
.,n`strong ground-swell, among the voters, for
new -blood at the top, a eilsrant leaflet-Ship
that would make Pokeville the thriving
community it could be. But I have not
decided yet. Let the people speak."
Translation: If the Mayor makes a terrible
boo-boo, and the Reeve succumbs to
cirrhosis of the liver, which he's working
I ant looking for information concerning
my grandparents and their ancestors.
would appreciate any information your paper
can give me;
My grandmother was Margaret Matalond
Dick, daughter of Thomas and Margaret
Dick, She was born June 23, 1848 in Ontario,
Canada„ presumably in or around Seaforth.
She had one brother Jas, Dick and one Sister
Jessie Wilson. She had two half sisters, Miss
Jessie Dick and Mrs. Aggie Thompson and
one half brother, Robert Dick, all of
Seaforth.
She married William Slater in .1970. He
had two brothers, Walter andlAndrew Slater
of Kippen.
Her obituary appeared in your paper May
hard at, I'll go for the top, if I can find two
guys to nominate and second me.
Councillor Doaks: "Yes. Well, as the
voters of Ward Four well know, I have been
their ardent representative whenever their
best interests were at heart, and I know they
are behind me 100 per cent."
Tranilation:I voted against every improve-
ment in town, unless it was in Ward Four,
and I squeaked in the last time by four votes.
Councillor Blank: "Well, I just don't know
whether I'll run again. The position- takes a
terrible toll of your time and energy. I'd like
to spend more time with my family. But you
do feel a sense of responsibility to keep
Pokeville progressing."
Translation: Jeez, I only missed three
committee meetings last month. Holy,
Moses, if I'm turfed out, I'll miss that $800 a
year, and I'll have to stay home with Gladys
and those rotten kids every night. Please,
Lord, don't let Joe Glutz run against me.
He'd wipe me out.
Councillor Klutz: "I honestly haven't
decided yet. I have served the good people of
Ward Two for twenty-eight years, un-
stintingly, regardless of race, creed or color,
and I believe, with all due modesty, that I,
have served them well. Look at the new
sewage line on 11th St. Remember the
maples .1 had Cut dowii 16 accommodate a
fine new service on 8th St. And don't forget
the modernization I brought to WatI'd Two: a
barber shop; two pizza parlors, and a
chicken palace. I stand on my record." _
Tt=a-nration: Some of those dang com-
munists are still sore at me for cutting down
those 25 maple trees. Some a them others is
mad because they get pop cans and pizza
plates all over their front lawns. If anybody
runs against me, I'm dead. Otherwise, I'll be
(Continued on Page 3 )
26, 1926.
I would like very much to get in contact
with some of the decendents of the Slater
and Dick families.
As I am Unfamiliar with your paper I am at
a loss to know the proper procedure. If you
have a letter to the editor you can print my
letter. if not, I would like an ad in your want
ads to the effect I would like to get in contact
with some of the deceridents of the family.
Would you please send me a bill and I will
send the money before or after publication.
As all the older in the family are gone this
is our only hope for information. Thank you.
Mabel Corbin
625 E. Elm
Litmus, MO. 64653
Amen
by Karl Schuessler
October days
SEAFORTH, ONTARIO, OCTOBER 19, 1978
Too careful?
Rehind the scenes
By Keith Roulston
A
anniversary services that were held in Duff's
at of Walton were largely attended.
e prog • mme was furnished by Messrs. J.
Attie,. 3. tewart, M.R. Renner and J,R.
Reid of Sea rth.
The ladies of the Seaforth. GOlf and
Gauntry Cat Id a most successfutbridge
in the G.W.V,A. I b monis. Forty tables
were in play: The prize ,er.s...wete Mrs. •
R.J. Spinet, Mrs. T.S. Smith,' and Wm.
Ament and Mrs. W.G. VanEgniond won the.
1,11eAlltZireil2tw.edding took place. In Egnicin
ville Manse where Elsie Lowery became"
bride of Gordon Little of McKillop.
The annual mother and daughter ba
of the,Marian Keith C.G.I.T. group wtistit
with a large attendance of mothers),
daughters and 'visitors present, '
Mrs. Thos. Relady . and Mrs. Wm.
Devereau Jr. were in Wallacebery attending
the annual convention of the C.W.L. as
delegates.
Chas. Ross of town left for Toronto where
he has accepted a position on the city police
fnrce
OCTOBER 23,1953
Sneak thievery at a new low was brought
to the attention of provincial police at
Stratford when tellers in a bank there
reported a man representing himself as
Kenneth Beuerman of Dublin presented-`a
cheque belonging to Mr. Beuerman, who is
still in Stratford Hospital. It is believed he
-was robbed-as he lay-unconclous atialifs7 -
wrist watch as well as the cheque was taken
by the thief.
Fire of unknown origin was quickly put out
by nieghbours at the unoccupied house
owned by John Armstrong in Hullet Twp.
With a view of entually changing street
lighting the P.U.C. installed three concrete
standards over a two block area on Goderich
St.
Messrs. John Armstrong and Geo. Carter
of Hulletthave returned home after a motor
trip to the western provinces where they
purchased cattle.
Something different in the way of a' dinner
was sponsored when the Fireside, group of
the First" Presbyterian church served a
Smorgasbord dinner to over 200. The, chefs
were Ross Hamilton, Scott " Cluff, K.I.
McLean, W.J. Stuart, M.A. Re id and F.
Kleiry.,
Mrs. Chad Glew of town had the
•misfortune to fall and break her hip at her
home recently and is now in the Scott
Memorial Hospital.
S.H, Wilson and E.P. Chesney were in
meGorertiien,g. attending a Municipal officers
Seventeen tractors manned by friends and
neighbours converged on the farm of Fred
Beer, Hensall, veteran of two world wars
and in little more than four hours ploughed
50 acres. The'project was organized by Alex
Mousseau and Ed. Fink of Hensall.
Sugar and Spice
by Bill Smiley
Election evasions
To the editor Texas, Missouri people try to locate ancestors
!''n the 3,,ears agort
1881 Nagoti...'ttecidOnt