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The Exeter Times-Advocate, 1955-03-31, Page 14 •r A 1, a 4 .1 14 A.4 Ir• .4. .4 4. , 1 '4 • le e Eighty -Second Year MANAGES ONTARIO'S LARGEST FARMERS' CLUB—T. Alvin Crago, reeve of Bien - shard Township, has handled. over $1,500,000 worth of purchases during the 24 years he has been secretary of the Kirkton-Woodham. Parrnere' Club. He and his wife manage the 400 - member organization from this Welsh cupboard heirloom in the den of their red brick farm home near Icirkton, Last year the club had a turnover of $180,000. In 24 years its bad debts have amounted to less than $1(e. —T -A Photo Handles $130,000 Business From Den In 'Leisure' Time From an heirloom Welsh cup- boiird in his red brick farm home near Kirkton, A. Alvin •Crago con- ducts a $130,000 eskieline" for the benefit of 400 farmers in the district. The -"sideline" is the Kirkton- Woodham FarmersClub, largest 'of its kind in Ontario. Organized with hundreds of others between 1915 and 1920, the Kirkton.- "Woodham club has. experienced .a gradual expansion while others disbanded, During thelast twenty years its membership has increae- ed from 60 to 400. Under Mr. .Crago's guiding hand, the club handled over $25,- •oo4r worth of coal—between 30 and 35 carloads in 1954. Its busi- ness in fertilizer, its largest Com - mod ity, -totalled $35,000 involv- ing 600 to 800 tons.. The club also handles $13,000 - worth of grain; -$11,000 worth of seeds; $5,000 worth each of mill feeds, concentrates, twine and fencing. It. handles some roofing and farm machinery too. Despite this huge turnover; the .00 owns only one niece of equipment—that's a coal loading -mechine. which it keeps at the -railway station in Rannoch. No Bad Debts One of the most amazing things about the club is its rerna,rkable credit record. In the 24 years. -that Mr. Crago has been seeratary- treasurer the losses through bad debts has been less than $10. .And Mr. Crago estimated that during that period of time mem- bers have purchased over $1,500.- 000 of supplies. Is it because Mr. Crago is a good bill collector? "Noe.' he re- viles. "Theytell me e. poor collector, I'm too easy on them.' Then what is the explanatton? "The members realize they are getting service at cost and if they leant to continue to get it they have to pay up. That, along with the honesty and integrity of the members, explains it," Row does the club operate? As secretary.'treasurer, Mr Crago dickers for prices from the ,club's suppliers. He goes as close to the actual producer as he can to get the most 'direct and lowest cost, When he gets what. he tbinks is the best price, Mr. Crago and his wife telephone the informa- tion to the 21 directors of the chile Contact Members Each' of these in turn contacts all the members on- his line and takes orders from them. They re- lay it back to the secretary -treas- urer who places the bulk order with his supplier. When the goods arrive, Mr,. Crago's assistant seceetary, Jack Urquhart, supervises the truck- ing to individual .members. • By co-operating this way) the club members save up to 25 per cent of the normal retail piece, To qualify as a' member, se farmer must post a $e00 demand note with the club to show his good taith. With these notes the club establishes its credit at the bank. To take advantage of the services the club offers, however, the farmer must be prepared •to buy in bulk and to buy off-sea- Lucan Irish Win Title 'Luezeit Irish retained the Int, 410" WOAA championship Wed- nesday night by shellacking may 1VIenarche 13-0 in the fifth gable of the best-ofeieven settee. The Irish took the set toile seines to one on Lucan ice. VirOAA. Preeident, Hugh How - knit presented ,the London Free Press trophy be ,Captain Fred Revington after the triumph. Irish will new advance to the °HA playoffs to defend bheir pro- vincial ehanlpionehip. Their nett competitor has net been deelared. Herb Stretten and Gien Revs bigot tiredfOur goals apiece Wednesday eight. Ted Elder and Murray ValiqUette Wetted twice and Fred Iteeringthe adored it Sin- gle. son. For example, coal is bought in May and June to get the best price and members must pay then or lose out on the saving. Mini- mum amount of teed they can, bu,v is a quarter of a toe. Small Operating Cost The total operating costs of this $130,000 business is less than $3,50Q. Combined salaries of the secretary -treasurer and his assistant amounted to $1,460 in 1954 and the honorariums paid to the directors and auditors fees amounted to $230. Only other major expense is bank le- e terest of $950. The club hires all of the truck- ing done to distribute to mem- bers all purchases except coal. Members must pick up their own coal at the Rannoch station. To help make decisions on prices, Mr. Crago has an execu- tive committee which he con- sults. This includes President Fred Switzer and Vice-president Hugh Berry., Although 'it would appear the dub takes considerable business away from merchants, Mr. Crago feels there is little resentment against the club from, business- men. "That's one of the things I've taken a great deal of enjoy- neent from," Mr. Crago said. "We have tried not to be too greedy. We handle only those things which we feel we can provide for ourselves more efficiently ' and more economically than anyone else." Mr, Crago said a number of merchants in the area are mem- bers of the.club and buy coal and other supplies through it. More Money To Spend If a merchant does complain, Mr;' Crago answers him with this argument. "If we save our mein- bers thousands of dollars on these large Reins, they have that muck more to spend on other merchan- dise." Operating the club is nearly a full-time job, Mr. Crago admits. Dickering for prices, buying the merchandise; taking orders, do- ing the bookkeeping for 400 in- eividuaI members takes a lot of both Mr. and Mrs. Crago's time, "If I didn't have a wonderful hired man, I couldn't do it,",Mr. Crago maintains. To conduct his mixed -farming operation on 100 acres, Mr. Crago has a young Polish New Canadian Paul Krucz- bowicz. "There isn't a day gees by but what we spend several hours on club business," Mr. .Crago says, and many Weeks we spend full- time." During the months of No- vember, December, end January, the secretary-treasureleapends his entire time on the gefekkeeping. Enjoys Work Mr. Cargo realizes that many men make a full- salary from managing a business of smaller proportions and he knows the pay ,he receives is small. But he feels there are other compensa- tions. "I get a lot of kick out of see- ing the club prosper and the ap- preciation of the members. They have shown a good many times that they do appreciate it." The club has offered to give Mr. 'Crago a larger salary but be has refused. Although busy enough between his farm and the club, Mr. Crago finds time to be reeve of Blan- shard township and to manage the Kirkton baseball team. An ardent ball player in his day, Mr. Crago remains keenly interested in the sport and takes special pride that his team won the Cy- clone cup telt year. Den Is Office Mr. Crago, who lives on the farm which his grandfather bought 80 years ago, conducts all the club's business from a small, fold -up desk in his den that the family treasures as a\ keep -sake. It. was given to his grandfather by friends of the district. Mr. Crago •became S'ecretary- treasurer 24 years ago when he succeeded William Urquhart, fa- ther of the assistant secretary. At that time the club conducted about $7,000 business for 60 members. The club was started around 1920 and among the early mem- bers were Samuel Tuffs, Silas —Please Turn to Page 12 • est EXETER, ONTARIO THURSDAY MORNING, MARCH 31, 1955 Price Per Copy 70 - estroyed B District Officials Board Chairmen District men were again re- turned to important 1)44; on the' u s at le River Conseevatiole Authority at the annual meeting! in Parkhill Wednesday atterneone Chairmen of the advisor y. boards and memberof the execu- tive include Andrew Dixon, Ex- eter; Joseph ni, Bryan,eltieldulph; William Haugh, Hay; Wellington Brock, "(Inborn% and John Man - ore, Grand Bend. John A, Morrison, of R. 5, Parkhill, hard-working chairman of the authority, was re-elected to his the term. Freeman Hodgins, of McGillivray township, remains Vice-chairman. Advisory 'Boards are (ehair- men is mentioned first): Public Relations: Dixon, J, F. McLeod, Ailsa Craig; Morrison; W. FeaneV, R,R, 5 Strathroy, Farm Ponds and Farm Plan- ning; Bryan, Hodgins, Frank C. Allen, R.R, 1 Croznarty; John A, Stephen,R.R. 1 St. Marys. FlooControl; Haugh; C. P. Corbett, ..Lucan; Roy Bell, R.R. letHensall; John E. McPhee, R.le, 5 Parkhill; Manore. Reforestation: Brock; Corbett;, James D. Stewart, R.11. ,3 Den. field; Dixon; H. J. Hardy, R.R. 3 Denfield, Finance: G. C. Henderson, of Thedford; Vietor Fuller, R.R. 2 Forest; Wellington Haist,,R,R. 2 Centralia; Robert Love, Thad - ford; Alex Taylor, R.R. 1 Thet- ford. Parks and Recreation: C. E. Janes, MLA (Lambton East); F. Eastman, Arkona; James Pater - don, Hensall; Henderson; Love. Wild Lite: john Manore. J. G. Dawson, Parkhill; Corbett, Chorus To Present Fourth Operetta Popular demand has prompted the Huronia Male Chorus to pre- sent a repeat performance of Gilbert and Sullivan's "The Mik- ado" in South Huron District High School on Saturday, April 2,• The entire proceeds from this performance will be given to the Ladies' Auxiliary of the South Huron Hoepital. Estimated total attendance at the three -night stand of the ope- retta last week was 1,500. Organize New_Forurns Speaker Urges Rally "An effort should be made to organize more farm forums in Huron .County," Miss Eleanor Sy- racuse, guest speakereat the Farrn Forum rally told representatives of district forums at their rally in the high school auditorium on Tuesday night. "The end of the "forum season is the time to evaluate the year's work and make plans for the coming season," .she commented, Fun is combined with learning in the Forum programs but over- emphasis on either side, too much play or too much discussion, can kill the program. eleie length of program has been criticized too, Miss Syracuse said. Discussions, recreation and lunch often mean it is after mid- night before the meeting breaks up. A well planned program .which keeps the whole group interested Threaten Rural Stores If Towns Continue DST A suggestion that farm people can build stores outside of urban centres to overcome the Daylight Saving Time handicap was made this week by Parr Line Farm Porum in a reply to a Times- Advooate ecliterial, The forum letter stye: "We Can, of course, refuse to set our clocks ahead and build stores' outside the corporation of any Village." The forint Said DST is the "silliest piece of legislatten that has ever been encOuntered" and believes- many people in 'Lowe die-. like is as much as fartnere do. The forum pointed out that et ree dent poll in Stanley Township re- vealed 05 petcentof the peOple. favored standard time, The complete letter teflon; "Di your editorial last week you explained that therewere two sides to the Daylight Saving Time problem and to this theory we AUbsetibe. We agtee that golf and baseballare yery important to Out Canadian *ay of life, aff a health medium, but it deee not iliterfere with enyorteat business affairs the way idaylight siting tine doe a With "farzitere, and more especially Mae With child.. ren, regardless of age, or those who must have hired help. We must wink with the 81111, not the clock, and when the clock says six O'clock, hired help and teen- age children expect to quit work. "During the daylight saving period why cannot townspeople open their storee at seven a.m. and close at five pen, with the clock on Standard time, which is in reality what they are doing only they are fooling themselves that it is 8 a.m. and 6 pet. To ns it Is the Milted piece of legis- lation that has ever been en- ebuntered and, what Is worse o the people who are feeling theme at:Slyest are intelligent people, 11 you were tO take a poll in town you would find that there are Maly peeplethere who dislike it as Much as tattlers din "The teeter council Was inter- VieWed a year ago by, the Federea don Of Agriculture but it became a stock phrase With all the towel eettneils "if the other towns around Will agree to statdard time we will too", which got tie nowhere. When a poll was taken in Stanley Township it revealed that 06 petteet of the people favored standard time. was the speaker's suggestion for making farm forums popular in rural districts. The Folk, School programs, which are now being introduced, find the people who participate living, working, planning togeth- er • while epending several days together on a tarm. The theme of the program is "Enriching Rural Living," Miss Syracuse urged Farm For- um members to make use of the programs for adult education which are available in Ontario. • Mer. Gordon Greig, secretary- fieIdman tor Huron County Fed- eration of Agriculture, introduc- ed the. speaker. Mrs. Greig was chairman of the program in which eaeh forum took part. Varied Program Included were skits by Clifford Pepper and Leonard Merner, of Unique Forum, and Bob McMillan and Sam Storey of Mcleillop; a reading "The Farmer Feeds Them All" by Mrs. Mac Hodgert and a piano solo by Mrs. Reg Hodgert of Soubh Thames Road Forum; a, piano Solo by Mrs. Phillip Johns Elimeille North; a kazoo band by 14 Parr Line members and violin selections by Mr. Peter Deichert and son Lloyd of Maple Leat ZUrich. A one -act comedy "In Doubt About Daley," was presented by members of Pairfield Porum. In the cast, which was introduced be elm George Hepburn, were Mrs. Elmer Wilson, Jack Hepburn, Mr. and Mrs. Reg 1odge-6n, Mrs. Earl Neil and Ted. Lamport. The leen S. Moores of Thames Road United church, expressed the hope that tenni chtirches will never be cleeet. He finds great satisfaction in 'working With the taxmen and hits no whiz to work With any Other grotiD. Hean- hounded thee the Hon. jameil Gar- diner will be the speaker when Thames Read alit& obsertres "Reuel Life Sunday." 'NUM Ellen Love, o Parr Line was platelet Mr a Bing song, led 1111tond. She also accoin- 'panted the katoe band. "We eine Of cottrse, refuse to Set our clocks ahead and build Sterol( Obeid& the eorporation of any 'village." ile Sanctuary' Drain: ARC Need Special Meeting To Approve New Dam The Ausable Authority eon- sidered the Exeter-Usborhe water supply dam at its annual meeting Wednesday but took no action in the absence of a complete engin- eer's report. The Authority eCill probably call a special meeting early in the summer to decide whether it will back the project or not. Engineer C. P. Corbett, 0,L. -S., of Lucan, expects to have the report ready near the middle of May and tenders will be called to establish a price on the coestrac- Um before the Authority dis- cusses the dam again. The rough figure mentioned is $50,000. Proposed is an earthen dam 20 feet deep and 250' feet wide with concrete spillway, It is estimated the strueture will 100 Attend Kin Night Over 400 experiments are be- ing conducted by the research department of Ontario Agricul- tural College at Guelph, G. L. Warlow, director of public rela- tions for the 'college, told 100 at Exeter Kinsmen's first agricul- ture night Wednesday. Mr. Warlow urged farmersto take advantage of the extensive information service offered by the school. "OAC is your college; use it," he advised. He outlined a number of the many pamphlets that are distri- buted free by the college. Mr. Warlow praised the work of G. W. Montgomery, agricul- tural representative of Huron County. Mr. Montgomery intro- duced the speaker and Kinsman Earl Witmer expressed appreeia- tion Kin President Lee Parker pre- sided overe the meeting and Kin Lou Bailey was in charge of the program. flood 15 acres and store 400 acre- feet of water. No opposition was expressed to the proposal and officials seemed to view it with favor, A. H. Richardson, chief con- servation engineer, of the De- partment of Planning' and De- uelopenent, TorontO, said "I see no reason why this dam cannot be designed to serve both water supply and flood control pur- poses," Andrew Dixon, Exeter repre- sentative, pointed out that "nor- mal flow of the water will usual- ly handle the supply the town of Exeter needs but we do want a reserve if we have to call on it," This meant, he said, that the dam would be used for flood control purposes almost entirely, If the Authority sponsors the work as a flood control measure, the project will receive a grant of 37e percent from the province. The town of Exeter is prepared to pay the other 62e percent. Exeter P.U.C. Cnairman L. J. Penhale spoke for the dam on behalf of, his commission. Mayor R. E. Pooley and Commissioner H. C. Rivers were also present. Site of the dam is between the third and fourth concessions of Usborne directly east of Exeter. For water supply, the town would erect a filtration plant near the damsite and let the water flow to this when necessary, Imitates Planes With Three Legs Airplane pioneers looked to birds for ideas on flight design but now it appears that the birds are trying to copy from the plane industry. „e One chicken hatched this week at Lakeview Hatchery, Exeter, came equipped with a tricycle landing gear. The third leg pro- truded from the rear of the hind. Draining of Lake Smith on he L. C. Hagmeier farm near Gland Bend "has, destroyed one of na- tere's finest wild life sanctuar- ies," Johu A. Morrison, ARCA chairman, eharged Wednesday afternoon. Terming the action as "one of man's worst blunders in disturb- ing the laws of nature," Mr. Mor- rison said there was nothing the Authority could de to restore the lake except to expropriate the land. He did not propose this latter Course. "Lake Smith was right on the main flyway of migratory birds, Particularly water fowl, and deemed it as one of the finest wild bird sanctuaries in the province." Dr. L. C. liagmeier, who owns thousands of acres of marshland south of Grand Bend, had the lake drained this winter for cul- tivation purposes. "I question," said the Author- ity chairman, "whether its agri- cultural value warrants this action." The piece was famous as a Plant Trees In Swamp Another 100,000 trees will be planted in the Ausable Forest in Hay Swamp this year, Zone For- ester Stuart Hamilton, of Strat- ford, told the Ausable Authority Wednesday. Over 17,000 will be planted this spring and about 90,00it in the fall. They will be mostly white pine and white spruce. This will bring the total num- ber of trees planted in the swamp in three years to more than 300,- 000. The Authority owns 1,231 acres in the swamp -600 has existing tree cover; 300 has been reforested and 300 is still to be completed. Mr. Hamilton reported survival of the plantings was "pretty good". Spring trees lied difficulty surviving because of the floods. The forester said a new type of machine planter would be in- troduced this year. It plants the trees on the surface of the field without cutting a furrow, ........... . MOHAWKS MUST WIN FRIDAY—Exeter Mohawks will be fighting for survival Friday night in Goderich when the teams square off for the seventh game of the Tnt. "A" WOAA finals. The tribe could force a home -and -home playoff series if it wins because that would dealock the current set at three wins each and a tie. The playoffs decide the champion of the WOAA's top category and the winne will go into O.H.A. competition. Above, Mohawks' Frank Anderson (6) tries to push the puck past the Sailors' Gerry Hesse with Goderith De- fencemen Ken Miller (5) and Bill Walsh (10) beside him. Red Loader and Jack Reis are .moving in from the right. —IsToseworthy Win Or Else Tribe Faces Top Test Exeter Mohawks face their Form Bean Club In Hensall Area . 4-H blues White Bean Organ- ization meeting Or Huron County was held in the town hall Tues- day night, spoieSored by Hensel! Kinsmen Club. 'Chairinan Harold Baker, Clin- ton, assistant Rep,, outlined the Work to representatives and the four club leadersEd. Hend- rick, of Crediton Bill Rowcliffe, Bill Miekle and John Thompson, Hewlett. The objeet is lifter members, boys and girls from 12 to 21. Eaeli , farm youth will grow an acre of beans wheeh will be judg- ed. The winner will be presented With a trophy presented by the Bean Growers Marketing Beatd. A, tour of the perlitenent lege and inclustilal centres in Toronto by the 4 -if club niembere Was dieetistied. Films Were sheWn Of the Bean 0estivaI lied Labor Day; Cash Orem day at St. Thenies last fall a film on cern with Mr. Baker in oharge, toughest test of the season Fri- day night in Goderich in the fin- al game of their best-of-sevet series with the lake port Sailors: they must win to survive. I! Exeter warriors triumph to tie the series at three wins apiece and one tie, they will force a home - and goals-to-eount series to determine the WOAA Int. "A" ellen:010e. The Unpredictable Mohawks may be factored Friday night since they have been winning on for- eign ice and dropping .the home games. The tribe lest tie iiittive- ice advantage Friday when It was defeated 5-4 but won in Gott, (WI& 8.2 Warder. lelehawke lost agatht 09. home ice Tuesday night by the store of 5-2. The series teeming a nip -and - tuck affair with the teitiris Still tied on goals scored. Both Wive' 26pals tie their eredit. The 'return gaits to Goderich 'was origitally echeduled for Thursday night lint Melateeks were not able to play because they would have bean sherthanded several men iteltetlieg goaltendet Gar Baker. After appealing to Bowman Picture Aids Local Club Besides being able to play a rugged genie of b.ockey, Mohawk's star defenceman Colle Bowman has other taleAts: he's an accom- plished artist, toe. The Elmira hockey player has donated a colorful oil painting of a river steno to the Exeter Ma - hawk Booster Hockey Club for money -raising purPoseti, The Deleting is on display in the showroom of Ilopper-Hoeltey Mire eiturie, The booster club is sponsoring a raffle on the pieture. Alt Lockeridge, WOAA. Manager in Whighani, Mohawks succeeded In having the genie changed to lerklity night. Tuesday night'S crowd in Et Peter was a seasons record 04 1,424 and gate receipts totalled $1,003.- 60. This is believed to be the fitet time the Melee at the MOO arena has pegged the $1,000 ittier14 bunter's paradise and it is known the owner has been irate over the number of trespassers who visit the area. It is else known that Dr. Hag - Meier f critical of the Ausable Authority for not taking flood control measures. He ie suing the townships of Bosanquet and Mc- Gillivray and others for here/reds of thousands of dollars for dam- age. The .case is expected to be heard this summer. Piney Bid $50,000? Amount of the Ontario govern- ment's bid for tee purca,hse or the Pinery is believed to be about $50,000, not $500,000 as report- ed by a district daily newspaper last week. The paper said the Govern- ment has made a firm offer and is awaiting reply from a trust company, acting for the owning interests. The newspaeer's figure was $500,000 but one official in- dicated this week "they either misplaced a decimal point or add- ed a zero." Expected announcement on the purcahse of the Pinery at the Ausable Authority meeting Wed- nesday afternoon did not ma- terialize. C. E. "Zeb" Janes, MLA for Lambton East and chairman or the Authority's Parks and Recreation Advisory Board, sent word there was "no report" on the progress of the Pinery nee notiations. However, officials hope the announcement will not be long in coming and there is still some speculation that public access to the Lake Huron tract may be ,to possible this summer. The Department of Public Works for some months has been negotiating for the 4,025 -acre block which stretches along some - four miles of Lake Huron shore- line south of Grand Bend. The tract will be developed as a major provincial park and re- forestation area. Plan Model Of Valley A small valley somewhere in. the Ausable watershed may be established as a -model conserva- tion area, A. H. Richardson, chief conservation engineer of the On- tario Department of Planning and Development, indicated at the Auth'ority meeting Wednesday. Mr. Richardson said men from his office would be in the water- shed this summer to study some particular valley and make recom- mendations for its best land use. No indication was made of where , the ealley• might be. "By taking a little valley, we can concentrate a lot of conserva- tion ideas in one small area so that results can be better shown. The valley will serve as a de- monstrationof proper land use for people in the watershed." The engineer, along with seve- ral members, urged the Authority to start a land -use and farm planning program. Charles Car- bett, Lucan engineer, said the Authority "was missing out on one of the most important tpliasea of conservation." Mr. Richardson complimented ARCA on est active program and said the Ausable was leading all other 19 authorities in Ontario in the construction of farm ponds. "You are also dieing a good job in reforestation," lie said. The authority will operate en a $36,000 budget this year with over one-half of the revenue coming from provincial grants, Taxes from municipal councils in the watershed will bring in about $15,000—the same as last year. Main items on the budget are $19,693 for reforestatton; $4,000 for farm ponds; $3,200 fel' parks and recreation, and $2,000 for Aped control. The latter figure will amount to the estimated share which Authority will pay towards the proposed Exeter-, Ilsborne dam. Make Offer To Teachers undiselosed 'salary Offer Will be made to the SHDHS etaf4i. at a meeting Of negotiating ceme rnitteee Thtiredity afternoon, it Was learned Wedziesclite. The high Scheel board discuss ed the prepbsal Tuesday eight at a special meeting elated by Ohairnian, 0. S. klaegatighton, ot Exeter. Members of the board's man- agement committee are Laird. Mickle, Itenitall; As W.Morgan. llsberne: W. z. B. IVItteLareit. 04 Grand teed, and Oscar Grebbi Hay. Rephuenting the teachers -are z. IL ,T02140, who has resigned to accept an offer at Etebiceke; Morley Sanders and Cecil Wilson.