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The Exeter Times-Advocate, 1953-11-19, Page 2Page 2 THE TIMES-ADVOCATE, EXETER, ONTARIO, THURSDAY MORNING, NOVEMBER 19, 1953 This journal shall always fight; for progress, reform and public welfare, never be afraid to pt-s­ tack wrong, never belong to any political party, never be satisfied With merely printing news. THURSDAY MORNING, NOVEMBER 19, 1953 Be Wise Shop At Home This Christmas Tell Us Weekly newspapers don’t have large staffs of reporters and photographers. They Can’t afford’ it. Yet they are expected to, and should, cover all the news in their dist­ ricts. Sometimes it’s difficult to do this. One man can’t be three places at once. Were it not for the help of his readers, the weekly editor would be licked. And here we come to the crux of the niatter. A great many more of our readers could help if they would let us know when something happens to themselves, or their families, or even their neighbors. Editors are not psychic. If they don’t hear about things in time, or don't hear about things at all, they can’t report them.- So often we have heard, after the paper is out, about visitors, or happenings which we didn’t report. Folks sometimes grumble: “There wasn’t a darn thing about it in The T-A.” Believe us, friends, we don’t discrimin­ ate against anyone. But we can’t report things we don’t know about. We’d appre­ ciate it if you’d tell us about the things that happen to you and your neighbors. The wonderful season of Christmas be­ gins in the friendly store in our own local district, Yuletide starts when our shops display their beautiful Christmas gifts. The stores sparkle with hundreds of suggestions for presents. Their gay decorations and friendly atmosphere all help in making a merry, con­ genial Christmas. Yes, shopping at.home is fun at Chris- mastime. And folks should shop at home because that’s where they get top value and top service. All the stores are within easy reach of everyone. No tiring travelling, no traffic tie- ups. There’s no need to waste gas, time or energy. It’s wonderful to have everything any of us need right close at hand. And our stores are staffed with friend­ ly, helpful neighbors—people who are eager to see us satisfied and pleased. They’re not there just to take our money and forget us. Our merchants give us excellent value, too. And a wonderful choice of gifts. Home-town merchants deserve our sup­ port because they are the folks who con­ tribute to our campaigns for better commun­ ities, who help pay for schools and churches. Yes, shopping in your home town is good citizenship as well as being good fun. Shop early for Christmas in your own community. Jottings By J.M.S. the TIMES" Go By 50 YEARS AGO A very busy scene has been going on at our station where sugar beets are being unloaded for shipment to the Dresden su­ gar beet factory. Over 5,500 tons of fleets have been grown in Ex­ eter and vicinity. Mr. 0. B. Snell, proprietor of the electric light plant, put in a new primary wire from the power house, along Main St. to E. J. Spackman’s store. The lights are much brighter and the service better. The weather has taken a de­ cided change from the ibalmy days to several degrees below freezing and accompanied by high winds and snow flurries. Messrs. R. Samuel and W. J. Carling returned home from a two-week hunting trip to Mus- koka, bringing' home with them two deer. Mr. W. H. Levitt, coal and produce dealer, shipped two car loads of dried apples to different parts of Europe during the past two weeks. On November 18, Mr. J. Prance and Miss M. Ann Bullock, Green­ way, were quietly married at Parkhill rectory. barn south of Hensail was com- petely destroyed by fire which started in a nearby straw stack. Valuable implements • and the season’s crops were destroyed, but fortunately there was no stock in the barn. Hon. James Gardiner spoke to the South Huron Plowman’s As­ sociation at their annual banquet held in Thames Road United Church. Mr. John Vidt, of Arkona, has purchased the property of the late Miss Mary Tom and will erect a refrigeration plant for the use of Exeter and the commun­ ity. Cold storage units will be rented at a nominal fee. Splendid progress has been made on the new school during the fine weather. The walls are completed ahd the base for the roof laid. Remembrance Day service was held in Caven Presbyter la n Church with Rev. D. C. Hill giv­ ing the address. He was assisted in the service by Rev. A. Page, Rev. R. Copeland and Rev. M. A. Hunt. Sober Thought (Cornwall Standard-Freeholder) There has been a good deal of comment and indignation over reports of a teen-aged “house party” near Chatham, Ont., that brought 29 youths, three juvenile girls and a juvenile boy into court on a variety of charges. They were accused of vandalism, thefts and juvenile delinquency, as a result of a two-day spree at the home of one of the girls, whose parents were away. The uninvited "guests” did almost in­ describable damage to the home by such stunts as staging a baseball game with fresh Cggs, tap-dancing on top of the piano, throwing a freshly-killed rooster around the rooms and racing a bull calf- through the house. To top it off, a number of the youths filled up their tanks .with gasoline from a tank on the property before they left. There was, of course, a great deal of drinking. The scene of this frolic was a rural community some distance from Chatham, and the important considerations now are the circumstances that caused it. Authorities of the district no doubt will be acting to clear up their own situation; but others might well consider whether they have the seeds for the same sort of brawl in their own areas. The young people involved, according to reports, were not "bad”, in the normal Sense of the word. Yet they showed in court an amazing unconcern and cockiness that suggests no real sense of guilt, or shame, for what they had done. Another notable feature was the fact fthat very few of the parents involved were 'on hand when the case came up in court. ''Were they ashamed to come or just dis­ interested? Were they accustomed to having . xEheir teen-aged children disappear from jhome for a couple of days at a time, with­ out taking steps to see where they were ? Unless these youngsters covered their tracks amazingly well, it seems incredible that Some anxious parents did not run them to earth before the spree had run for a good part of two days. Another thing—have the residents of this and other communities been winking at the growing amount of drinking among teen­ agers ? Do they tolerate in their midst char­ acters willing to make money by bootleg­ ging liquor to minors ? And what about recreational facilities? Do teen-agers in smaller rural communities get into trouble because there are not enough proper activities available to them ? Are the parents of many teen-aged children leaving the job of supplying decent recreation to the schools, or to someone else who will take it on? There is room for a lot of sober thought Ort this unpleasant incident, and it should not be confined to the Chatham area. Good Booster Tom Pryde, M.L.A. for Huron, proved he’s an excellent community booster at the Dashwood baseball banquet Friday night. The congenial member outdid another booster who was trying to put in a word for his community down south. It happened this way: A. F. Sterling, president of the Ontario Baseball Association, boasted to the people at the banquet that his home town, Chat­ ham, produced the tomato juice and the soup that was served at meals. In reply, Tom Pryde told the OBA of­ ficial that while Chatham may have pro­ duced the tomato .fuice, Huron provided the rest of the meal including the turkey, pota­ toes, peas and carrots, pumpkins for the pie and cream for the topping! Mr. Sterling had to admit his tomato juice wasn’t much without the meal that Huron produced. More Mdney? Perhaps bigger salaries would attract more people into municipal politics. If a public office offered a monetary reward of $1,000 there might be more contention for the post. Municipal politics suffer from two dis­ advantages : (a) there are two few people interested and as a result (b) there are too few willing to run for office. This will be demonstrated quite force­ fully within the next two months. Municipal meetings will attract very small crowds; it will be difficult to secure enough nomina­ tions to fill the slate; the councils will be elected' by acclamation; few citizens will listen to the reports of the 1953 councils. Is municipal office a thankless task? It is in most cases. Councils receive far more abuse than praise. Is it a tedious and time­ consuming job? Very definitely so. Are the rewards attractive? No. The monetary re­ muneration ranges from $25 to $300 a year. The traditional "honor” of public office is fast disappearing because of acclamations, criticism and disinterest. The situation has reached the point where men are begged to take a position just to fill it. Leaders are reluctant to take the most important jobs in the community. Communities have been fortunate that councils have been good in the past* Will they continue to be in the future? It might appear that communities are satisfied with just filling the slate, not in seeing that the best men of the municipal­ ity are elected. Perhaps a greater monetary reward would make the positions more attractive, make communities demand more of their re­ presentatives and create more interest in the development of the municipality. Exeter ©mesh&iJtocate Times Established 1878 Amalgamated 1924 Advocate Established 1881 Published Each Thursday Morning at Exeter, Ontario An Independent Newspaper Devoted to the Interests of the Town of Exeter and District Authorized as Second Class Mail, Post Office Department* Ottawa Member Of the Canadian Weekly Newspaper Association Member of the Ontario-Quebec Division of the OWN A ** Member Of the Audit Bureau of Circulation Paid-*h-Advance Circulation as of March, 1953 — 2,494 t simscnn’TiON bates Canada, in advance, $3.00 a year United States* th advance, $4.00 a year Single Copies 70 Each X Melvin Southcott * Publishers * Robert Southcott Harness-Maker For 50 Years One artisan of the almost- extinct craft of harness-making still plies expert skills with leather at his home in Exeter. Maurice Quance, of 522 Wil­ liam St. S., is one of the few, if not the only, active harness­ maker in Western Ontario. He will soon celebrate 50 years at his trade. Mr. Quance finds there is still ademand for harness, even though farm machinery has al­ most extinguished the horse population. He repairs and makes harness for race horses, riding horses and the few work horses that are left. • Last week, Mr. Quance dis­ played a complete set of shining black harness he crafted for Roy McRann and Sons, Clandeboye,’ who are taking their racehorses to the Dufferin track this month. He has another order for. new race harness and is constantly called on for repairs. Mr. Quance's customers come from aS far away as 100 miles. As harness - makers have dis­ appeared year after year, horse­ men drive farther and farther to shop in his ba’sement. All of the local race horse owners from this area bring their work to Mr. Quance. Others drive from Sarnia, London, Goderich, Wingham and other towns to use his services. Besides the racemen, there are many local equestrians who need saddles or halters repaired. The veteran craftsman makes show harness for prize-winning horses and repairs the le'ather outfits of logging horses and other types of workhorse. Mr. Quance started making harness in 1-9i0>4 in the shops of W. J. Beer and Peter Frayne. In those days, harness-making was a big industry. There was enough work to keep four shops running. Besides those of Mr. Beer and Mr. Frayne, William Bissett and Thorn Baker conducted similar businesses. Mr. Quance, Ed. Snell, and Ernest Taylor were appren­ tices. The busy days were Satur­ days when the shops would plan to spend all .day working on livery horse harness which had to be ready for the travellers on Mondays. The industry reached its peak about 40 years ago when hund­ reds of harness sets, mostly fancy, were shipped out west. The men turned out six sets a week, which is top production when it’s considered that, on the average, it is a week’s work for one man to turn out a single set of harness. Although demand dwindled with the introduction of power machinery, Mr. Quance always found some harness work to do. He has .taken other jobs during slack Reasons* but never has he given up his trade. In 1920 he purchased the busi­ ness of Mr. Frayne. Later he rejoined W. J. Beer and worked with him and his successor, R. E. Russell until he built a new house in 1945 and outfitted a shop in the basement. Mr. Quance makes his harness from western steer hides which come in sides eight and one-half feet long. A set of harness re­ quires an average of 60 pounds of leather. He used to buy it at McCallum’s Tannery, beside the river in Exeter, for 25 cents a pound. Now, it costs $1.00 per pound in Toronto and it’s hard to get because harness leather is not in heavy dejnand. The skill in harness-making is knowing how to cut up the hide so the most of the leather is used. Mr. Quance knows by heart the length of every strap that goes into the harness whether it’s for heavy or light horse, a single or double set. He can cut up a not the only* active harness-maker in Western Ontario, Mau­ rice Quance of William St. blackens the leather on a new set of harness he recently completed. Despite the decline of the horse population, Mil Quance finds there is still plenty of harness to repair. His customers come from 100 miles away. -—T-A Photo side with remarkably small waste. Once the strips are, cut, the edges must be trimmed. Mr. ■Quance slices his knife through the leather with the speed and finesse of a modern machine. When the trimming is completed, the straps are blackened and holes for sewing punched by hand. Most of the sewing on harness is done by hand and Mr. Quance takes pains to do a thorough job. He makes his own thread, twist­ ing strands of Irish hemp into iron toughness and blackening it with wax. Proof of his expert sewing can be found in town. In 1904, he repaired traces for a set of har­ ness for Louis Day, Sr. Those traces are still‘being use.d. daily by Mr. Day’s son Louis Day, Jr., who keeps his horses on Andrew Street. Mr. Quance is probably the only true craftsman left in Ex­ eter who single-handedly turns out the finished article from the basic raw materials. He is the last member of a once-flourishing and proud craft. Soldier Writes Of Germany EDITOR’S NOTE: LAC Peter N. Ellis, an Exeter youth, is ndw stationed with the Fourth Fight­ er Wing of the R.C.A.F. in Soel­ lingen, Germany. This account of his impressions of Germany was written at the request of The Times-Advocate. By LAC P. N. Ellis Due to the political and also the present world situation, it is very difficult to pass an opinion of this country. We are situated in the so'uth west, a very picturesque and. 'agricultural .part ,of Germany, near Baden-Baden. To the west of the Base, ap­ proximately one kilometer, we have the Rhine river and to the east, the Black Forest, part of which has been cut away lor the base. Still further east there is 25 YEARS AGO The tenth anniversary of the signing of armistice was ob­ served with a special service in Trivitt Church with Rev. Bulteel, a war veteran, as speaker. At the service which followed at' the cenotaph, chairman Reeve, C. B. Snell called on Rev. J. M. Coll­ ing, of Grand Bend, an overseas veteran, who delivered an elo­ quent address. A car driven by Harry Snell collided with a horse and buggy driven by Orville Beavers as Mr. Snell turned out to pass another car near the Metropolitan Hotel. The horse received minor in­ juries. Mr. R. N. Rowe has disposed of the M. E. Gardiner residence on Simcoe St. to Mr. Pulleyblank of Usborne. Members of Brucefield IOOF Lodge' visited the Exeter lodge and exemplified the work of the second degree. The work of putting in new culverts and bridges on the pro­ vincial highway between Exeter and Hensail is almost completed. 15 YEARS AGO Mr. Albert Shirray’s fine bank IO YEARS AGO Open House was observed in Exeter High and Public Schools. Parents visited the class rooms and later enjoyed a program in the gymnasium of the arena. R. N. Creech, chairman pf the Board of Education, gave a short ad­ dress. Mrs. R. C. Dinney received word that her husband P/O Din­ ney had arrived safely overseas. Sgt. Glen McTavish received his pilot’s wings at RCAF Station Moncton last week. Mrs. Thomas Kestle, one of Exeter’s oldest residents, died in her ninetieth year after a two- week illness. Large congregations attended th© eighty-first anniversary ser­ vices of James St. United Church". Special preacher for the day was Rev. E. W. Jewitt, B.A., Sarnia. Donald Webster fractured his leg while 'tobogganing on Dow’s Hill and was taken to Seaforth Hospital by ambulance for X- rays. Three delivery horses staged an exciting runaway on Exeter’s Main Street. A horse belonging to Jones & May’s headed for home from the rear of the store. Horses on Stanlake’s delivery wagons became frightened and started off too. No damage re­ sulted. ” News From Our NEIGHBORS a range of hills, some of which are three to four thousand feet in height. From the base you may look upon the side of the hills and see vineyards by the score. The land north and south is taken up by farming and industry. To look upon the land from here you would think that there were never any wars fought in this vicinity, if it were not for the shattered pill-boxes and bunkers that mar its beauty. These are in close view due to the base being on the Seigfried line. Spared Bombing When traveling north, the first main point of interest is Karls­ ruhe. Situated in the centre of tire city is a statue of Kaiser Bill and also the starting of the A u t o b a n n. Travelling on the Autobann you first reach Heidel­ berg, which is noted for its uni­ versities and preserved markings. This city was spared bombing and later established as a head­ quarters for soipe of General Patton’s troops. One of the amusing points in Heidelberg is a castle situated one thousand feet above the city on th© side of a hill, in the Vrino Cellar they have a barrel which Will hold 222,000 litres of’ winC. Beside the barrel Is a statue df Perkeo, who is said to have con­sumed 12 litres of wine per day. This is approximately two and one half gallons and algo may bo -—Please turn to Page 5 Consume Oysters Nearly GOiOt persons attended the very popular oyster supper at the Woodham Orang©.. Hall last Thursday evening. This annual event brings “customers” from far and wide, many of whom have a red circle marked on their calendar each year to make sure they do not miss the annual “hunger march” to Woodham. Sponsored by the Woodham L. O. L. 492, the oyster supper looks after all eventualities. Those who do not like oysters are offered ham—but needless to say .the bi-valve lovers are in the great majority. The men cooked all the oysters and stirred and stirred and the lady members of the L.O.B.A. had charge of the tables and did the serving. Over 41 gallons of oy­ sters were ultimately consumed by the assembled gourmets. Afterwards a play, “Stranger in the Night” presented by the A.Y.P.A. of St. Paul’s Church, Kirkton, was presented and much enjoyed. (St. Marys Journal-Argus) Enjoy Ladies Night Zurich Lions entertained their ladies or 'Lionesses to a sump­ tuous turkey dinner at Monetta Menard’s, Exeter, ‘on Wednesday evening, October 28. There was a big attendance. Lions and their wives from Exetei’ Club, Bay- field and Grand Bend Clubs were present, and there were nearly as many visitors as the local club themselves. Lion president, Ed. Gascho, acted as chairman and Lion tamer Bob McKinley and Lion Alvin Walper conducted the sing-song. (Zurich Herald) Population Down Seaforth’s taxable assessment has increased over 1952. How­ ever, the town’s population Jias decreased from 2,151 last year to 2,128 this year* W. E. South­ gate, town assessor revealed in presenting the 1953 roll at Mon­ day night’s meeting of -Seaforth Council. Dogs Leaving (Town ? “Both the human and animal population in Seaforth is down*” Mt*. Southgate informed Council, and added that he believed the withdrawal from town Of many Air Force families accounted to an extent for 28 less residents this year than in 1952. (Huron Expositor) Approve Addition Tentative approval of suggest* ed plans 'for a seven-room addi­ tion to the Clinton District Col­ legiate Institute has been re­ ceived by the CDCI board from the Department of Education. On Monday night the board received assurance from the council of the town that the town was pre­ pared to issue the needed deben­ tures to cover th© cost of erecting the addition, provided there was 100 per cent ‘support from the other seven municipalities in the area. (Clinton News-Record) Mov© To Exeter Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Cole moved last w©ek to make their home in Exeter, where they have purchased a residence. Their only daughter, Jean, Mrs. Wein, re­ sides in that town. The Cole farm at Mt. Pleasant will always be remembered for the beauty of the flower gardens so carefully nurtured by Mrs. Col© through past years, people motoring for miles to see the gorgeous array of bloom. She was also prominent in the activities of the Kirkton Horticultural' So­ ciety. Mr. Cole has not disposed of his property in this district. * (Mitchell Advocate) New Bairn Neighbors are pretty good people to have around, according to Donald J. McLellan who lives on the Fifteenth Concession of London Township. During the May tornado his barn and implement shed were blown down. Neighbors rallied to help him build a new $5,000 aluminum barn. Just as he was turning on the lights of the barn to welcome the friends and neighbors who had helped., him rebuild it to a square dance marking the re-opening, heavy .-winds of the September 4 storm blew the barn to pieces. One© again neighbors and a band of Mennonites offered their help. So highly organized is the assistance program this time that a committee has been set Up to chart out a working schedule. Ladies of the district help by sending over home baking to Satisfy the appetites of the hun­ gry workers. Now, aS the trusses are going up, everyone has his fingers Crossed, hoping that the wind Will hold Off-—at least until they have that square dance. (Parkhill Gazette) "I just got out of prison this morning,’* a traveler told a man on the train. "It’s going to be tough, facing old friends." "I can sympathize with you," commiserated the other. ‘I’m just getting home from the State Leg­ islature.