The Exeter Times-Advocate, 1948-09-02, Page 1Seventy-fifth Year EXETER, ONTARIO, THURSDAY MORNING, SEPTEMBER 2, 1948 Single Copy 6 cents
Resort Residents
Battle Stubborn
Bowling Alleys
Near Completion
On the west side of Sanders
Pinery
A stubborn bush fire, which
for three days menaced thou
sands of acres of choice Beach
■of Pines resort property, appear
ed beaten by Sunday night, and
for the first day since last
Thursday firemen were not call
ed to the blacken ad area along
highway 21 about three miles
south of Grand Bend proper.
An urgent appeal for firefigh
ters was broadcast over the
loudspeaker system to holidayers
lolling on the beach at Grand
Bend Saturday, when the blaze
flared4 up in the Pinery for the
second time that day, threaten
ing one cabin and appeared to
be getting out of control.
Crawling flames surrounded a
cabin situated on highway 21
four miles south of here and
owned by U. J. La Rouche, 92
Jacqueline Street, London, a
L.S.R. bus driver. The fire was
doused in time to save the build
ing but not before Mrs. Agnes
Hopkins, who operates a refresh
ment booth across the road had
broken open the door and dragg
ed furniture from the threaten
ed dwelling. The LaRouche fa
mily was in London.
For three days the fire spread
slowly but stubbornly along the
ground through the Pinery, des
pite efforts of firmen, landown
ers and volunteer firefighters
who battled the flames with wa
ter and spades.
By tonight, the area blacken
ed by the creeping flames ex
tended 200 yards lakewards, and
along the highway for a half
mile. It was within a mile of
Beach of Pines property.
Detroit Owner Active
According to J. B. Book, Jr.,
Detroit, former owner of the
Book-Cadillac Hotel and owner
of the Industrial Bank Building,
and whose 1000 or more acres of
Grand Bend property were im
mediately threatened by the
blaze, the fire was first report
ed Thursday afternoon. It was
said to have started in the Grand
Bend dump, and spread both
north and south between the
highway and the lake.
Mr. Book told a reporter that
he battled the blaze Thursday
with three portable extinguishers
until firemen under Chief Fred
Jackson arrived from Grand
Bend with a 3 50-gallon fire
truck. Each portable extinguish
ers held four gallons of water.
The fire was believed out but
Friday it broke out again, and
this time Mrs. Hopkins, with the
nid of a neighbour, Roy Holt,
carried water and used shovels
to beat it out.
Flared Twice Saturday
The first alarm Saturday was
turned in at 2 p.m., when fire
men, property owners and em
ployees of Grand Bend busi
nesses combined against the fire.
They thought it was beaten
again but a few hours later it
blazed more fiercely than ever.
Mrs. Hopkins said flames
■crackled as high as the tree tops
and the blaze was stopped only
after it had surrounded the La-
Rouche cabin.
Vacationists from Grand Bend
answered the call for help, but
were able to do little, and most
■ended up as sight-seers along
the highway.
By 7 p.m., Saturday, however,
the fire had once more been re
duced to smouldering patches,
and Sunday night it appeared to
be out.
Aware of the threat to their
property, residents of the Beach
of Pines area turned out Satur
day with shovels to fight the
fire. Mr. Book enlisted a sailor
and an airman, Ldg. Smn. Earl
Vandahl and James Lovett, Cen
tralia, to carry portable extin
guishers, and the three moved
through the brush dousing dan
ger .spots. Among the firefighters
was Judge H. E. Grosch, of
Chatham, who was at his sum
mer home in Grand Bend.
Street, Mr. William Sweitzer’s
new bowling alleys near comple
tion. The cinder block building,
40’x 120’, will house six alleys
and have the most modern bowl
ing equipment in Canada. Open
ing should be in two or three
weeks.
The alleys, which are being
constructed by Brunswick-Balke-
Collender Company, will cost
$16,000. The latest pin-setting
devices and lighting equipment
is being installed. Drop ceilings
will provide indirect lighting
and pit lights will house special
foul and pin lights.
The alleys themselves will be
precision made hardwood struc
tures that are perfectly level. To
insure against any damage spe
cial bowling shoes will be sold
and rented.
Leagues have not yet been
formed but Mr. Sweitzer said
Monday that the first league to
form and apply for hours and
rates will receive immediate at
tention.
Men’s and ladies’ rest room
facilities are being constructed
and a snack bar will operate.
Plant to be in
Operation by Fall
Exeter Rutabaga Company’s
new $80,000 vegetable plant at
Exeter north will be ready to
handle its turnips this fall, ma
nager Seth Winer said Tuesday.
The two - storey skeleton on
the one end is up and cement
foundation in for the single
storey remainder. More workmen
will be added this week. Build
ing operations are under the
direction of Mr. Cliff Brintnell.
Air-conditioned storage space
will keep 200,000 bushels of ve
getables, including carrots, cab
bages, beets, cucumbers, turnips
and parsnips. Dr. Truscott, of
the Agricultural College, Guelph,
specialist in cold and common
storage, will design the air-con
ditioning system.
Vegetables will be packed in
the American style of market
ing. Plans call for six green
houses to be erected to grow
early cucumbers and tomatoes.
The C.N.R. will lay a perma
nent railroad siding this week
along side the plant.
Hydro Announces
Lighting Restrictions
Hydro-electric power saving
regulations, restricting lighting
of store windows, banning light
ing of outdoor electric signs,
and prohibiting commercial use
of space heaters, were announc
ed last week by the Ontario
Hydro-Electric Power Commis
sion. Officials said the restric
tions probably would be effec
tive ,October 1st.
Shops, show windows and of
fices may be lighted during
business hours at the rate of
two watts a square foot of
floor area. Between 4.30 p.m.
and 9 p.m. show windows may
be lighted to the extent of 20
watts a foot of width.
The regulations approved per
mit 60 watts each 100 square
feet .of playing area for light
ing outdoor playing fields. The
ban on electric devices used
commercially for space heating
applies also to hotels and
tourist cabins.
By-Laws Distributed to
Property Owners
By-laws of the village of Exe
ter known as the Shapton Drain
By-law have been distributed to
property 'Owners whose land is
affected showing the amounts
of assessment for the improve
ment of the ditch running
through the south part of the
town.. The single lot owner is
assessed at $1,50 and others in
proportion. The land affected
covers practically half of the
town and Exeter’s share of the
cost of construction is $1,31.4,50
The total estimated cost for
Stephen, Usborne and Exeter is
$1,965.00. A court of revision
for the hearing of complaints
will be held in the Council
Chambers on September 23 rd.
Immunization Week
Set for September 12
Canada’s" Sixth annual Nation
al Immunization week will be
observed from September 12th
to ISth, it lias been announced
by the Health League of Cana
da which sponsors the event in
co-operation with department of
health.
The wisdom of proven im
munization procedures, such as
use of toxiod to prevent diphth
eria and whooping cough vac
cine to prevent whooping cough,
is seen in a steadily decreasing
annual Canadian death toll from
these ,two diseases, but the
Health League points out that
the battle will not be won until
there is ho death toll.
The need .for continuing such
campaigns as National Immunl'z*
ation Week is seen in the fact
that 360 Canadians, mostly
children, died from diphtheria
and whooping .cough, two pre
ventable diseases, in 1947.
Window Glass Installed
The glass for the new win
dows at Buswells shoe store and
for Jones & May’s new grocery
store is at present being instal
led,
OPENS C.N.E. — Earl Mountbatten of Burma and Countess
Mountbatten are shown here alighting from a Trans-Canada
North Star skyliner' at Montreal airport, after their flight
from Shannon, Ireland. They were guests of Governor-
General Viscount Alexander and Lady Alexander at Rideau
Hall, Ottawa, until last Thursday, when they travelled to
Toronto by Canadian National Railways to open the Cana
dian National Exhibition. —Central Press Canadian
Crashes Culvert
To Avoid Car
Gordon Harkness, gravel con
tractor, accompanied by Keith
McLean and Miss Elaine Cooper,
had a narrow escape from ser
ious injuries when enroute home
to Kippen after attending a
dance at Bayfield.
Near a cement culvert two
miles south of that village they
met a 1938 sedan with no lights
on it, which Mr. Harkness failed
to see until at close range.
In order to save a collision
he was forced into the ditch and
before he was able to get his
truck back onto the gravel road
again, he nosed head-on into the
cement culvert, damaging the
truck to the extent of $60 0.00.
Miss Cooper was badly cut
about the face and requir
ed medical attention but the
other two members of the party
were not severely hurt.
l
i
Exeter Public
will report for
school
week.
re-opens
They are
and Mrs.
of town,
places of
and
has
Department to
Revi ew Blue
New Teachers Join P.S. Staff
Two new teachers have been
added to the
school staff and
duty when the
Tuesday of next
Mrs. Dorothy* Hughson
Fay Jamieson, both
They will take the
■Misses Margaret Taylor
Helen Walper. Miss Taylor
secured a position on the teach-;
wig staff in Toronto. The other
members of the staff are Claude
Blowes, principal; Miss
Pepper, Mrs. G Armstrong,
Marion Forbes and Miss
Cann.
Exeter Firemen to
Grace
. Miss
Jean
their show “Fun for You”
run September 30 and Oc-
1. Under professional gui-
district amateurs will imi-
Bountiful Bean Season
The Canadian Canners have
completed a splendid season of
packing cut wax beans. The
beans were a goo"d crop. Cab
bages for sauerkraut are Joeing
processed prior to being canned.
The corn pack will commence
the latter part of the week. .The
crop is an excellent one.
Leg Amputated
Mr. Eli Lawson, of Stephen, is
ill in Victoria Hospital, London,
where on Friday of last week he
underwent an operation for the
amputation of his leg between
the knee and the thigh. He had
been suffering from gangerene
and at present is getting along
nicely.
Returns Home to Scotland
Mrs. W. Cole, of Stornoway,
Scotland, who for the past three
months has been visiting with
her daughter, Mrs. Ray Ras
mussen, left Friday evening for
her home. She was accompanied
as far as St. Thomas, where she
took the train for New York, by
Mrs. J. W. Powell, who spent
the week-end in Port Stanley.
Local Lad May Lose
Sight of Injured Eye
Larry, twelve-year-old son of
Mr. and Mrs. Kenneth Cowell, of
town, is in St. Joseph’s Hospital,
London, where he was rushed on
Monday when a piece of broken
glass pierced his left eye. Mr.
Cowell is in charge of the hydro
at Grand Bend where the family
is staying and his two lads were
scuffling as lads do when a pair
of sun-glasses that Larry was
wearing was broken and a piece
of the glass entered the eye. An
operation has been performed in
an endeavor to save the sight.
NewF our Cent Stamp
Wil! Mark Milestone
A new four-cent stamp com
memorating the 100th anniver
sary of the achievement of re
sponsible Government in ,Canada
will go on sale October 1. An
nouncement of the issuo was
made by Postmaster General
Bertrand.
The stamp, an inch and a
half in size, will bear the pic
ture of the Canadian Parliament
Buildings with a portrait of
Queen Victoria, during whose
reign responsible Government
was achieved, in the upper left
corner, and a portrait of King
George VI in the upper right
corner. The stamps, issued in
sheets of 50, will be blue-gray
in color.
Although no first day cover
service will be provided by the
Post Office Department, the
stamps will be available for
collectors by mail order after
October 1 through the Philate
lic Section, Postage Stamp Div
ision, Post Office Department,
Ottawa.
Represent Exeter Lions
Messrs. Reg. Beavers, Bob
Dinney, Fred Newton and G.
Zwicker were at Strathroy Wed
nesday of last week represent
ing Exeter at a Lions Club golf
tournament. They defended the
cup won by the Exeter Lions
two years ago, won last year
by the Strathroy Lions.
Hundred-acre Farm Sold
The 100-acre farm being lot
9, Con. 12, Hibbert Twp., adver
tised for sale in the Times-
Advocate was sold last week by
Mr. W. Murdoch Stewart, or
Wellesley, Mass., to Mr. Malcolm
Lamond, of Hibbert.
Main Street to
Be Resurfaced
Reeve B. W. Tuckey, Council
lors J. Caldwell and W. G. Coch
rane, and Thos. Pryde, M.L.A..
were in Toronto Tuesday and
had an interview with Hon. Mr.
Doucette, minister of highways,
in connection with resurfacing
Exeter’s Main Street through the
business section of the town.
Highway 4 from Kippen to
Exeter lias been completed with
a base coat by the Brennan Pav
ing Company, which is now en
gaged in re-surfacing for six
miles south of Exeter.
Exeter has been by-passed in
the meantime as the Municipal
Council lias considered the cost
of having a complete re-surfac
ing job done through the main
part of the town, the estimated
cost of which is around $8,000.
After consultation with the min
ister of highways, it was found
advisable to have the street pav
ed from curb to curb, Mr. Dou-
cett offering several sugges
tions that should mean a consi
derable saving in the estimated
cost.
Following the completion of
the base coat now being laid, a
finishing coat, about an inch
thick will be applied.
Sponsor Local Talent
Firemen announced Monday
that local talent will be sponsor
ed in
to be
tober
dance
tate radio and screen celebrities
. and a chorus line of local girls
will entertain.
Chances are ’that local busi
ness men will create a furore of
laughter when they start imita
ting such characters as the Duke
of Paducah, Gypsy Rose Lee,
Harry von Zell, and others. “Fun.
for You” played last week at
Goderich when district residents
there put on a successful and
hilarious performance.
The Empire Producing Com
pany will send out a representa
tive to organize the show. Play
ers will be picked from the dist
rict and several rehearsals held.
The company will supply all the
parts and costumes.
Zurich Fair Held Wednesday
Zurich Fair is being held to
day (Wednesday) with fine
weather. The Exeter Band un
der the leadership of Ted Wal-
,per is providing the music.
Hensail Juv’s Beat Staffa
Hensall Juveniles took the
first game of a two-out-of-three
Huron Perth Juvenile final play
offs Tuesday night when they
nipped Staffa 11-7. Watson
twirled the game for the win
ners. Willow and Hocking shar
ed the loss. Mickle hit a home
run for the winners in the first
with two on bases to start a
seven run spree. The losers ne
ver caught up.
Bail Set at $3,000
For Clevelan d Worn an
Mrs. Caroline M. Crawford,
Cleveland, Ohio, was released
on $3,000 cash bail in an ap
pearance before E. C. Chamber-
lain, J.P., at Scott Memorial
Hospital, Seaforth. She was re
manded to appear on September
14 at Seaforth.
Mrs. Crawford, who was the
driver of one of the cars invol
ved in a collision at Brucefield
a few days ago, in which Roy
Girvin, R.R. 6, Goderich, was
killed, had been charged by
police with dangerous driving.
Together with Mrs. B. C. Bert-
lioff and Mrs. C. H. 'Cummings,
Cleveland, also confined to hos
pital since the accident, Mrs.
Crawford was removed by am
bulance to London and from
there to Cleveland by air. Miss
Mildred Aitcheson, R.N., Sea
forth accompanied them to
Cleveland,
Return from the West
Mr. and Mrs. Harry Gril’f and
Nancy, of Stratford, and Mrs.
George Hunter, of town, return
ed Sunday after a pleasant six
week’s motor trip to .the West.
They visited with tlieir cousins,
Mrs. R. Payne and Mrs. Lewis,
at Wasagaming on Clear Lake,
adjoining the Riding Mountain
National Park. They also visited
with Mr. and Mrs. W. W. Hun
ter at Salvador, Sask. Crops in
Manitoba are looking fine but
the prospects are not so good
in Saskatchewan. Harvest had
not started in the latter prov
ince when they left.
inspector Staples to
See European Schools
■Dr. R. O. Staples, public
school inspector for Huron south
has advised the Public School
Board at Goderich that the De
partment of Education has grant
ed .him leave of absence for the
p u r p o s e of visiting training
schools and other educational in
stitutions in Europe and the
western provinces of Canada.
Glen Gardiner, B.A., assistant
inspector in Elgin County, has
been appointed public school in
spector in Huron south, and will
reside in Goderich beginning in
September. He was appointed af
ter completing three years in the
air force.
ROYAL ROMANCE?
Good Crop of Potatoes
From a 75-lb. bag of seed
potatoes sown in the spring,
Aljoe Sanders has harvested
seventeen and a half bags.
Awarded Tuition Scholarship
U. of W. O. announced last
week that Elmer Campbell, R.
R. 1, Exeter, of E.D.H.S. had
been awarded the school tuition
scholarship up to $125 a year
for two years for the County of
Huron. The scholarship is given
to the pupil with the highest
standing in the departmental ex
amination for the county. Elmer
has registered in the Junior
.Group 2 at the University and
anticipates a course in Business
Administration,
I
—Centra] Press Canadian
Romance between Princess Mar
garet Rose, younger daughter of
King George and Queen Elizabeth,
and' the youthful Marquess of
Blandford has been hinted by “re
liable sources." Princess Margaret
Rose, who was 13 years old on
Saturday, and the marquess are
pictured in the royal box at Ascot
during recent race meeting. A pro
posal of marriage was said to be
one of the pretty princess’s birth
day gifts—with official acceptance
and announcement being withheld
until the King and Queen return
from their projected visit to Aus
tralia and Now Zealand this win
ter.
Passes in Exeter
An invalid for almost fifty
years, yet one who bore lipr
sufferings with .the utmost pa
tience passed away in Exeter
Thursday of last week in the
person of Mrs. James Weekes,
in her 84th year. She was the
last survivor in Exeter of a
family long associated with the
business interests and welfare of
this community. Her husband,
the late James Weekes, who
predeceased her in August 193S,
was associated with his brother
W. D. Weekes, in ,t,he marble
business. As members of the
Exeter Cemetery Board in early
years to them goes a great .deal
of the credit for starting what
is now recognized as one of the
most beautiful Cemeteries in
Western Ontario* Mr. Weekes
was also for 50 years a member
of the fire department o£ which
he was the chief at the time of
his death. In the Exeter public
library there is a fine display
of marble presented to the .town
by th
years t
was tai
and Pr;
en nai
ham, Si
For the
been ‘ci
Melville
died,
in-law
Weekes
Weekes,
tor
two
of Guelph and Earl,
The funeral Saturday
was .hold from the R.
Funeral
Rev.
were
ham,
B, W
and Lome Oke
funeral from a distance
Miss Minnie Weekes, of Brant
ford, Messrs, Evan MoDo
s and Clifford Spackman,
I Guelph. Interment was in
Exeter Cemetery.
Law Restrictions
Easing of blue law restrictions
on Sunday amusements at Wes-
i tern Ontario
may arise from
Lord’s Day Act
day by C. R.
attorney-general.
Mr. Magone commented on an
editorial in The London Free
i Press which suggested equal
law for all summer resorts. He
said the Ontario Legislature was
going to review the act with the
intention of writing new legisla
tion which presumably would
ease blue law restrictions.
Although, present legislation
bans operation of amusements at
summer resorts on Sunday, con
cessions have been wide opei^ all
summer, with the exception of
one Sunday when Port Stanley
amusements were closed down.
Attempts have been made to
have the law enforced at both
Grand Bend and
but so far without
Study Promised
Promising that
general and his department in
tend to “look into’’ the whole
•situation Mr. Magone said “there
may be new legislation” cover
ing the operation of amusements
in Ontario summer resorts.
Meanwhile, there is the ques
tion of whether or not amuse
ments will operate at Grand
Bend and Port Stanley next Sun
day, recognized as the last
week-end of the summer because
of the Labor Day holiday.
Mr. Magone said he was not
sure what would happen. At
Port Stanley, village police have
said there is no intention of
closing concessions. Last week
Huron County officials ordered
Grand Bend amusement opera
tors to close their concessions
next Sunday.
Mr. Magone said if officials at
both Port Stanley and Grand
Bend want provincial police to
act and close the concessions,
they must make their request
through the county crown attor
ney who in turn would pass the
request to the Attorney-General's
Department.
“So far,” Mr. Magone stated
“we have had no request, either
from Elgin County, which gov
erns Port Stanley, or Huron
County, in which 0rand Bend is
located.”
Report Force Aim
This wag in contrast to a To
ronto dispatch on Monday night
which quoted an unnamed offi
cial of the Attorney - General’s
Department with saying that if
municipalities refuse to enforce
the Lord’s Day Act and close
amusement centres on Sundays,
they may find provincial police
doing it for them . .
expense.
In referring to the
n e w legislation, M r.
pointed out the Lord’s Day Act
is a Federal statute. “There are
provisions in the act, however,”
he said, “which make it possible
for provincial legislatures t o
grant permission for certain ac
tivities on Sunday. In Manitoba,
legislation was written into the
act which allows for the run
ning of Sunday excursions.”
Despite this right
permission for some
provincial legislatures
nothing regarding sections
the statute which prohibit, acti
vities, Mr. Magone said.
Will Not Act
The statement by the unnam
ed Toronto official that provin
cial police might move in at the
municipality's expense, followed
a statement by Chief Kelly
Brockmeyer of Port Stanley that
he would make no effort to shut
down Sunday amusements.
summer resorts
a review of the
promised Tues-
Magone, deputy
Port Stanley,
success.
the attorney-
. at their
matter of
M ag o n e
to grant
activities,
can do
of
Twenty-nine
marble business
by Cunningham
Week
Laura
mrn at
family
> the.
i over
?. Mrs.
was
was 1:
ast five years
■d for by
ut whoso
Surviving are
, Misses Minnie and Annie
r Frank
the lat-
present
Spademan
of Tweed,
afternoon
C. Dinnoy
by
■s’ maid-
Bucking-
Elimville
she
Mrs. W
home
two
has
. J.
she
sisters-
and a nephew
ftf Brantford
being ill at
nephews Clifford
nd Fred Shetler
liavi
trip
Mrs.
,Y.,
a
Saskatchewan and
relatives
They
ut by Mrs.
visited in Rep
Saskatoon and
by train
U’lo.
ained
Ta
N
from
just re-
through
Return From 6,000
Mile Western Trip
Mr
of Buffalo,
turned
Manitoba and
visited with
community
panled
who
and
ed
Ont:
rem
visitihi
Shetler
Jacob Shetler, of
brothers he had
thirty-four years,
that crops look
Manitoba where
Plenty of rain
dry in many
and crops are
They saw some sections that
had been about ninety per cent
hailed out. In all
I about 6.000 miles
tliol very enjoyable trip
| car trouble at all.
also
in this
were accom-
Elgin Webb
;ina, Watrous
then return-
through Northern
and Mrs. Shetler
•ral weeks longer,
brothers,
Sask.
Albert
, and
Home conducted
H. J. Snell. The bearers
Messrs, Walter Cunning-
Thos. Pryde, Herb Ford,
F. Beavers, John Norry,
Attending the
wore
Mr.
sev
his
if Semans
.Crandall, Man.
not seen for
. They report
very good in
they have, had
hut it is very
parts of Sask.,
generally poor.
nald they drove
and had a
with no