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The Huron Expositor, 1978-12-14, Page 291905 SOUVENIR — When the Bank of Commerce opened .it's new building in' Seaforth in 1905 visitors to the bank were given a souvenir card showing the bank on one side and listing the members of the staff on the-reverse. Built in 1905, building cost more than 10,000 Congratulations 'to The Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce on a century of service SeafOrth CHAMBER OF COMMERCE Congratulations to. The Canadian 'Imperial Bank of Commerce on your 100th Birthday We have edjoyed pleasant relationships over the past years GEO. A.SILLS-8z SONS Hardware'llterehantg ' Seaforth In 1905,• the Canadian Bank of Co"nrierce staff , moved into their impressive looking new building at 44 Main Street South. • The building, introduced to the public with a photograph in The Expositor, in a day and age when photos .where a rarity, in the paper, (Continued from Page 8) $1.18 million. In response to 'a member's sels area farmer, said,he had, , question, he said the feder- always found the Chicago , ation didn't lose money this futures a reliable guide in his year, since they are putting hog operation. money in a • reserve fund Delegates who had atten- annually. The reserve fund ded the recent OFA conven- . now stands at $440,000, and tion in Hamilton also repor- the goal is to build the fund ted 'on the results of the "( to $1/2 million. • convention. Mr. Pullen said the OFA is OFA president • Peter Hannam was acclaimed to office, with Ralph Barrie, 'a Lanark County farmer elec- ted first vice-president and Ron White, a Middlesex County dairy farmer, elected" second vice-president. HFA delegate Bill. Pullen reported that the 1978 bud- get for OFA activities was Classified Ads pay ends. ron Federation Seaforth contractors and the divid- manner in which the con- tracts were completed was built for a cost of slightly over $10,000. The contractors who built th'e building, which re- 'sembled a Greek temple from the front, were all local men and the newspaper congratulated' them on their handiwork. l'These are all budgeting to break even in the coming year, and this accounts (for the increase in the OFA membership fee. Membership fees in the organization will increase from $35 ' annually to $50' annually in 1979, with a $5 a year reduction for those who automatically renew their ' memberships each year. , fleets" on them the greatest credit." The contractors were F. Guttridge, Who did the stone and brick work; H. 'Edge, responsible for the carpentry and E.A. Latimer for the plumbing and electric wiring. The bank manager at the time of the move to the new building was Mr. G,E. re- Parkes and staff members rvergg T.G. Kennedy, D.R. A.E. Arscott. E.E. Lightburne, J. S.Hays and R. Harpur. Congratulations to the Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce on your . 100th Anniversary Ontario The Pro-6nce of Ontario Savings Office Ministry of gevenue, Seafort world in I929." In 1890. Mr. Aird returned to tom•nto as an assistant manage 'n a bank there and in 1906 Was 'sent on In assign ment which proved to be the turning point in his career. 'At the time, Western Canada has only two branches ofthe bank - one in Winnipeg and the other in the yukon, opened in the wild days of the Gold Rush. Aird's job was to crisscross the prairies to determine the area's future possibilities in terms of the bank's • ex- pansion. Railway tracks were still being laid, and the, former bank manager went back and forth across the western territories, .opening a branch of the bank when- ever he thought a townsite, bird a future. .200•BRANCHES By 1911. when he was recalled to Toronto, Sir John' Aird had opened 200 new branches of the bank in the WeSt. On his return' to Toronto.• he was made general ..manager Of . the bank, In 1924. lie was named president of the Canadian Batik of ConitnerceAir John' Aird didn't retire until he Was 82 years old and still went to the office every day until the day before he died'. The man who started as a railway clerk carved out a career which made him one of the most important builders of the nation Of - Canada. L P :-QPLE .bF SEAFORTH The Manager &Staff cordially invite you to .8ttend. an Open HpuSQ ... .4. , , • v on DecQrnber.20 0 1.978., A pANADIAN IMPERIAL BANK OF COMMERCE LEBRA ARS OF TO THE G RV CE • Ttie..HuRON EXPOSITOR, ogropen 14, 1973-;;• Also. travellers cord :On- sid.er the fact "sterling and American exchange, bought and sold" and "collections made on the most favorable terms." At the time of the bank's 'opening. the town of Scalostb was caught up in •all the excitement of the Christmas season, The Seaforth Literary Society. which met in too Temperance Hall. had been re-organized and held their inaugural meeting two days before the bank opened. The, topic members selected for - the first debate of the Ne% Year was certainly ahead of its time. The subject-"Re; solved. that Female Suffrage would be„ beneficial in Canada." Whatever the outcome of billiard tables for a similar When we' s,ee our streets". BY ALICE GIBB, One hundred' years ago' this week, on December 19.; f87.8, when the slreetS of Seaforth ' Were filled with sleighs. a new business opened its doors in the Dominion Block ,on Main Street. The business was the Seaf- orth branch of the'Can.adian Bank • of Commerce, which .The Expositor editor noted, "is one of the best and safest, monetarx institutions in the country, and the manage- ment have made a most judicious and wise selection in appointing Mr: M..P. Hayqs as agent." The . new manager.. the editor continued. "thor- oughly understands the nee- cessities andrequirernents hf the place, and as a bank 'manager. is deservedly pop War with business men gen. erally." Mr. Hayes had • formerly . managed the Royal 'Canadian Bank -in Seaforth• ,before sAjphing his allegianee" to the Cornmereej As well as -the editorial continent on the opening. the: bank itself published a dis, erect notice to let local residents know both of its' existence and respectable • background. The notice looks strangely Out ef,„place. surrounded with , the ads of other buSinesses trying to lure Christmas shop- pers through their doors to spend, not save their money, The Bank of. Commerce informed readers it, had a paid capital of 56 million. In case anyone should questipn the bank's 'credentials among the directors were president. the Hon. William . McMaster and•vice-president. the Hon. AdantHope. , '. • The Seaforth bank was the 29th branch opened by the 'Bank of tornmerace, who also 6nducted business in • Goderich. Walkerton. Lucan and Stratford:' . Potential .clients were in-. formed the hank• issued '.-Compereiak,erodits4Otonse, in Etiroper.. the'East and West Indies.. China, ,..1aPan • and Smith Ame rica. (Contimited from page 10). Seaforth." .When recalling the statof his career in the town. he wrote. "Seaforth. as I clearly recall it in - the 1888.90 period. was a tin-b./Mg town Willa served as distributing and marketing centre for a large surrounding district. This was More the district' became interlaced with rail- way. 'lines. The leading industrial• pursuit, was the extraction and processing of salt. and from this source Canada derived most of her supply of such as essential produ ' • . HAYES "The banking business I: had in 'charge was the out- growth of the private bank of Mt M.P. Hayes. which had been. purchased' by' The , Canadian Batik of Commerce and was of a comparatively clean , and • sound' nature, which speaks Well for Seaforth and its contiguous territory 'having regard tollit waves of depression Winch !hid swept ' 'over this' Con-. t i note in, the,:"seVenties .and c particelar. tftiNftotu 1875,79. being. quite as-destructive as. that which engulfed 'the GovenItziek and George Ewing, ccaht tr Christmas destined was tned P beef. t ot 1 r chasing 'become When• the 'Canadian ank, of Commerce caine to;town, it shared the Main 'Street with businesses like Lumsden and 'Wilson; who stocked• drugs. books and fancy goods: Hoffman Brothers in the Cardno Block who spec- ialized in making clothes to order and' the Consolidated Bank of Canada, also housed in the Dbminion BIQA. In 1961. the bank amal- gamated nationally with the Imperial bank since then has been 'known its the Canadian Imperial, Bank of Commerce.. the .S Worth Debate, it was 1%7 before women in 'Canada Were considered sensible' enough to have. a say on how . the country was governed,' Members of the re-organ- ized literary group included M. Y. McLean, the Rev. Mr.. Campbell. William Campbell Dr. Vercoc and John McMill- an. Council members of the day dealt with. a complaint that the billiard tables in the Mechanics' Institute (early librarylrecreatiOn room were being used without the pay- ment of the customary Itcense fee. Council members decided that a society or club having such tables for,hire or gain is eqeally, liable for the license with any individual. having purpose. Wisely. since the local butchers were holding a dis-=', play of their, Christmas meats "dining the week. •council members decided not to take action on a complaint about butchers' stalls in the market building until the NeW Year. • With Christmas around the corner. the editor repot :ed area residents were enjoying excellent sleighing and "as a result of this,town has been crowded for the past few days. Produce of every des- cription as well as cords oOd and logs are being rushed in and our, ' merchants. who always sell cheap. haVe con doing ,a rushing busin • s. Things arc beginning t like old times once more. crowded, and the •thorough- •. fares leading to the town 'lined with a continuous stream of teams. as has been the ease for the past few days, one is almost led to the hope that good times are returning again." The "Good times" also restitted in a very. successfnl Christmas show ,and exhibi- tion of fat stock, sponsored by the Tuckerstnith Branch Agricultitral Soebty. The stock oe display included cattle. Sheep. and pigS while "The display of foWls was the best we have ever seen in Seaforth." The price for the cattle. considered very fair, was three.to five cents per pound. and the principal buy- ers were Mr. Case. Thomas anagererebecame Bank president •