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The Exeter Times-Advocate, 1956-05-17, Page 1J Eighty-Second Year EXETER, ONTARIO THURSDAY MORNING, MAY 17, 1956 .vKiJuniaaas A in D.. G. Creba, more fea- C ■ fl Ottt hd Ithe now and dn on award® at additional M. (South- i Va-l- Cen- with Mary Publisher iSouitlicott .These new honors are the occurred at ithe the one which 'Clifford Quance, Bill John Fischer, Don Mto. J. M. SOuthOott, construction result of re­ council for __„______ oWna, an* nouncod toe awards In The T-A FIRE STRIKES, THEN TORNADO—Disaster struck twice on the farm of Earl Hamilton, six miles south of Crediton, last week. Wednesday night fire destroyed the farm home on which the Hamiltons recently spent $1,000 for renovation. Friday a tornado ripped off part of the barn roof, destroyed a threshing-machine shed and damaged other buildings. Above, Mrs. Marwood Prest, Mrs. ’ Hamilton and Mrs. Stewart Gilbert look over the ruins ©f the house. Despite their misfortune, the Hamiltons plan to build again. —T-A Photo <<. ' -C' . z; . • ■S|i ■ X • • BARN BLOWS DOWN—Timothy O’Leary, of McGillivray Township, surveys the shattered remains of his barn which was ripped apart by the tornado Friday. Every board in the building was splintered, Mr. O’Leary said, and two hen houses were also destroyed. The heavy winds struck during thunderstorms in the late afternoon. —T-A Photo Tornado Hits Fire Victims, Damages District Buildings At least six farmers in Me- against a small sugar beet house ■Gillivray township suffered se­ vere damage to buildings Friday ■when a short-lived tornado rip­ ped through about three miles of. farmland south of ■ Crediton dur­ ing the heavy (thundershowers in tlie late afternoon. The twister brought double tragedy to Mr. and 'Mrs. Earl Hamilton, concession 13, whose home was wiped out by fire the Wednesday night before. Part of of toe roof of their/ barn was ripped off, a machinery shed was destroyed and other’ buildings damaged. The barn of Timothy O’Leary,. Hamilton's neighbor, was blown down iby the tornado; roofs were tom off houses and barns;, colony houses were moved as much as 150 feet; and small farm structures were ripped to pieces. One farmer who set out from his house during the windstorm was 'blown down and had jto crawl back on his hands and knees; others feared for their lives as toe twister rocked their dwellings. The tornado same time as __ __ ____ struck ip the Bayfield-Seaforth ■ areas Friday 'afternoon but it is not believed to be the same one. Farmers who suffered damage in toe tornado area,' .about six miles south of Crediton, included Clarence (Rogers, con. 15; Mal­ colm Allison, con. 15; Harold Scott, con. 12; Les Morley, con. 11; and Wes Mitchell, Highway SI. Plan To Rebuild House Despite the fire ‘and tornado which struck within two daysr Mr. and -Mrs. Earl Hamilton are not defeated iby their ill luck, •"We’re still lucky none of us were killed,” Mr. Hamilton said Saturday’as he worked at clean­ ing up toe damage. None of their three children were injured in either catastrophe. Although they’ve had oppor­ tunities th -sell their 150-acre farm, the 'Hamiltons plan to keep it and rebuild their house and buildings as time and money permit. They’ll start by erecting a basement apartment in the foundation hole of toe house they lost dn toe fire. -When toe h'edvy showers started Friday, toe family took refuge in two house-trailers they had moved onto the farm for temporary .quarters following the fire. Winds drove toe trailers nearby. . “'Pots and pans were flying all ever the place as, toe tornado ,rocked the. trailer off toe ground,” said Mrs. Hamilton. "I wondered 'if we’d evei’ get out of the place alive.” The few 'be­ longings toe .family was able to save from the fire were damaged iby water which the winds swept into toe trailer. Two men who,,,were,,-helping •clean •. up the debris of the fire were also in toe trailer when toe tornado struck. They were Hilt Amos, Lieury, and Roy Hamil­ ton, Lucan, a brother, of Earl. Wednesday night’s fire came* just after the family had spent $1,000 on redecorating the ■home. New cupboards, bathroom, floors and newly-plastered walls Went up in the blaze along with furniture, clothing and bedding. Choosing- Paint Colors (Mi's. Hamilton was sitting in a oar, in the lane picking out paint colors for toe house when neighbours spotted toe fire. Wil-, ibert Lewis and Murray Hamilton noticed smoke coming Aout near the chimney as they drove by. The three children were eat­ ing supper inside wtlien Mrs. Hamilton rushed in to save what She could. She managed to get valuable papers and some cloth­ ing; neighbours salvaged what ■furniture they could. Mr. Hamilton, who works for a cement manufacturing company in Woodstock, arrived home ■while toe fire was raging. Ailsa ■Craig and Crediton fire brigades pumped water on the blaze but it was too far gone. Timothy O’Leary, who lives just north of the Hamilton farm, said Friday night’s storm started in toe north, then shifted to toe south. "She lifted my barn clean up in toe air,” he said. "There isn’t a rafter or a plank in the barn that wasn’t splintered.” The barn, he said, was a good, solid one. A mower, stored in the second storey of the barn, was destroyed and two colony houses were wrecked iby toe tornado. About .200 chickens were lost. "I triecl to go to toe barn,” Mr. O’Leary said,-"but the wind upset me and I had to crawl /back to the house on my hands and knees.” He said the tornado rocked his frame house. Damage Around Hensall A severe electrical and wind storm hit Hensall on Friday afternoon with a .torrential rain­ pour. A Chimney was (blown from Ithe home of Ezra Kipfer, on high­ way 4 on' the outskirts of Hen­ sail,. and two rafters were' torn off the $ 12,000 General Coach Works building .under contsruc- tion in Ithe same area. The south branch of the Bay­ field River .which runs through “the farm of Percy Harris 'Chisel- hurst, east of Hensall, rose 4 feet in an hour iand a half. A tree fell against the west end of the home of Mrs. Minnie gangster, tout no damage reported. iShiingles ____ i — ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------—— Erosion Damage To Farms Heavy 350,000 Tons Of Soil In Ausable Liquor On Tuesday Hearing in toe Ontario ‘ Court of Appeal to decide • validity of liquor legislation in Grand Bend will start Tuesday, May 22, Ontario 'Liquor Control Board an­ nounced this week. The court has been asked by 'toe Ontario government to rule whether the Canada Temperance Act still pre­ vails in part of the village or whether the Liquor Con­ trol Act has complete juris­ diction over toe summer resort. ■Grand Bend officials hope toe court will clear up what has been described as a “crazy mixed-up situation” dn the village. The confusion arises- be- cause Grand Bend, before in­ corporation, was situated half in Lamlbton county, Which aperates ‘Under L.C.A. and half in Huron county, which remains under C.T.A, Police have enforced L/C.A., an 'Ontario law, ever since the village voted to dncopor- ■ate in Lambton County but it has been argued-, that be­ cause 'C.T.A. is federal legis­ lation it cannot ibe super­ seded Iby provincial Jaw. Hanging in toe balance of the appeal court decision are applications from some 1'2' hotel and restaurant owners- who seek cocktail 'licenses.. The new liquor K store at (Grand . 'Bend, 'opened last year, may also ibe affected. from Jack (McEwan’s barn were blown ’off and fell- in^Roy Bell’s farm field down 4 highway. A box car on toe siding at C,ook.s imil'l containing 50 ito 60 bags of beans was shoved down the itraek 'by the wind and ibuini'p- ed against other box cars. $36,000 PO Contract Let To Centralia Firm Contract for erection of the addition to Exeter Post Office has been let to C. A. McDowell Construction Co., Centralia, for .$36,000, the Department of Pub­ lic Works announced this week. The company has already started preparing the grounds for construction. Plans call for a 15-foot'Exten­ sion to the east side of the building and a 20x8 lobby added to the south-east corner for re­ ceiving mail. Alterations to the existing building will decrease the Size of the main lobby but add a separate room to the north to provide for 30 feet of look boxes, about three times more than are available at present. A second entrance will be con­ structed where the night de­ posit box is now and the' night box will be relocated On the north side of the building, 'Some alterations may be made to the plans while is in progress as a quests from town revisions. District architect, of the Department of Public Works, Toronto, told toe Times- Advocate last week he. would discuss the alterations with the council soon. "We will be happy to make any reasonable changes in toe plans in ordei* to provide better postal accomodation for the town,” he said. Mr. Creba said earlier criti- cismfo that his department would hot consider any changes in the plans was not true. The criticism arose from a letter toe depart­ ment mailed to Huron MP Elston Cardiff which said that since plans had already been approved by Ottawa, no Changes could be considered. A second letter agreed it might foe possible to make minor alterations and promised that an official from toe depart­ ment would discuss proposals- with council. Main objection to the original plans was the size of toe lock box corridor which appeared to be only four feet wide. Some officials felt this was too narrow to provide .convenient access to both sides of the qorridor at once. OPP Constable Wins Promotion OPP Constable Elmer Zimmer­ man, who has -been in charge of toe Exeter detachment since L9'49, has been promoted to corporal and -transferred to Guelph, at was announced by headquarters this week. ‘Constable 'Cecil Gibbons wall take charge of the local office which includes Constable John jki Forde. Constable George Mitchell BKlf Kitchener has 'been transferred ^ ~hore to complete the three-man force, A veteran of five years in toe army, Corporal Zimmerman moved to Exeter from Mt. Forest In 1949 and headed the detach­ ment after the late John Fergu­ son died. His promotion came as. a reward ■for toe efficient man­ ner in which he has operated the local detachment. Corporal Zimmerman will start hie duties at Guelph next week. Mrs. Zimmerman will remain hero until accomodation is found. T-A Wins Two Trophies In Newspaper Contests The Times-Advocate has been awarded two first-prize trophies and one ithird prize in 'Ontario Weekly Newspaper Association competitions this year. The awards, highest ever won by Ithe newspaper, will foe pre­ sented to Publisher J. M. South- coitt at the convention In Wind-1 sor this weekend. Honors include! The Albert V. Nolan trophy, iinslt prize for general excellence of newspapers pubMished in towns with a population between 1,50b and 4,500; The E, T. .Stevenson Trophy, first prize for best front page dn the .same class; Third prize in competition for the Cb&kfiel'd-Brown 'Co, Ltd. trophy for (advertising excellence in all classes Of . the provincial association, Werden Leaves, Bolton, secre­ tary-manager ioi Wednesday. Judges were promi­ nent Ontario newspapermen. The awards come ion ithe eve of expansion program which The T-A will ^introduce next week to improve its' service and coverage of ithe district. The new program will allow ithis newspaper to puib- blish more news and turds than ever before. ■Presentation of ithe Windsor, will bring honors to Publisher J, cott, .a past president of the On­ tario association, who will Ibe honored along with Other former (presidents ait a special dinner during the convention, 'Commenting on ithe awards this week, said. most significant our newspaper has received In its 81-year-old history and we are .proud itO bring them ito this community.” "All of the imembers of staff share lit these awards,1 continued. "They represent combined teamwork of everyone in our plant.” "in addition, we must give credit to the excellent co-opera­ tion we have received 'from our correspondents, icoluimnlsts and contributors, our advertisers and the many officials .who assist us in providing news of /this area. Without Ithe aid Of these people, the awards could holt have (been won.” (Besides Stevenson newspaper Insurance ____„___ Safety Award and toe Ontario Safety league award in 1953. It has (also captured second and third prizes in previous Ontario newspaper competitions. Members of The Times-Advo- cate staff include Frank (Creech, Bob "Nicol, Harry DO Vries, Joan Parsons, Batten, Gravett, Hobert And toon Southoott. Besides delaying iseeding and •damaging crops already seeded, heavy toundershowers inflicted seriously erosion on farm lands ip. the district this week, tSHDHS teacher, Andrew Dixon, a member of ithe Ausable River 'Conservation Authority, estimated 'the river was carrying more than 70,000 five-ton truck­ loads oi* 350,000 tons of top­ soil following heavy thunder­ showers on Friday. His deduct­ ions were based ion samples taken from toe Exeter dam. Over toe weekend, the waters of Lake Huron were thick with mud as far ar the eye could see. Authority Fieldman Ha'l Hooke and Huron Agricultural Repre­ sentative 'G. W. Montgomery said erosion damage ion all farms was heavy. "Almost every field has had topsoir washed away,” Fieldman Hooke said. Mr. Montgomery stated con­ dition of toe soil ithis spring con­ tributed to toe damage. "The land worked up well—same farm­ ers said it had never worked up better—-and tois made it easy for rains ito carry it away.” Need Week To Dry Land The ag reip declined to estimate loss from delay in seeding but •said it was serious. "'It will itake another seven to ten days before any seeding can ibe done and farmers may as well forget about seeding grains .after -May 24 be­ cause itliere won’t be any crop.” Most farmers plan to grow root and vegetable crops now instead of grain. "Grain crops that have been .seeded are rotting in toe fields,” Mr. Montgomery added. Met section at RCAF Centralia reports over three inches Of rain during toe past week which hj’ings* toe total for toe past iffiofath’ to ‘more than half a foot.' Nearly one 'and one-half inches fell during . ‘he heavy (thunder­ showers Friday when wind velo­ city rose as'' high as -80 im.p.h. The tornado like winds caused heavy damage ito farm buildings south lot (Crediton. Wednesday this district exper­ ienced a 'slight snow fall as tem­ perature dipped to freezing point. Almost every day has seen bain. DIXON but toe man often does, lie—a lot of By ANDREW Figures don’t lie, who quotes 'them However, this is no good top soil "went down the river over toe weekend. With the idea of determining just how much mud was in the river, a quart 'bottle of water was removed from the stream at the spillway of Exeter dam. The water was filtered and toe dirt weighed at a stage of crumbly dryness. The one*quart bottle contained .0.3 pounds of dirt, or to make it .a little easier .to picture, a 40- gallon barrel would contain 4.8 or almost five pounds of soil. 'So far all you can (picture is ■a lot of muddy water 'but let us build on this picture. Ausable 150 Feet Long IS h e r w o o d Fox, the UWO naturalist and historian, in his book "T’ain’t Runnin’ No More”, estimates the Ausable to foe 150 miles long. Let us assume that during toe flood it averaged 100 feet in width and 12 feet in depth. Hsing the figure that one quart of water carried .03 pounds of dirt the river in its entire length would .be carrying 71,280 five-ton truck loads of soil and if it were-flowing at six miles per hour, the water from its ■source would reach Port Franks ■in little over 24 hours. ■Some other statements that can be made from the same basis of calculation are that: ■ One truck load of soil was be­ ing carried in every 11.1 foot of •stream and at 6 m.p.h. 2,970 truck loads of dirt would pass any given point in one hour. •Moreover, if you piled the dirt in trucks and allowed them to travel at only 6 m.p.h. they Would not have room to travel in a single file. As Mark Twain said: "There are lies, there are d-— lies and there are statistics.” But this is no lie—one quart of water dip­ ped from the stream at Exeter carried .03 pounds of soil, and that adds up to a lot of dirt the river. No Licence, Fined $50 ■Glen McKenzie, 21 - year - old Hensall youth, was fined §50 and costs in (magistrate’s count, Ex­ eter, Wednesday for driving while his licence was suspended. McKenzie, who lost his licence on an impaired driving charge at Seaforth, was apprehended by police while he wtis driving be­ tween Zurich and Hensall. Police said when he noticed the cruiser ■approaching he drove into a farm lane and ran into toe fields. Harold' Brininell, •-of* Exeter, pleaded guilty to careless driving dn *a three-car accident south of Exeter May 4 and received a fine of $2'0 and costs. Neil iMatherson,' Southampton, was (fined $10 and costs for care­ less driving in connection with an accident near St. Joseph on April 9. He struck the rear end of a trailer carrying a tractor which was being towed by a pickup truck driven by Sam Hendrick, Exeter. Defence 'Counsel Campbell ■Calder, 'London, sought acquital because off the rough road which, he said, distracted Matherson’s attention away from the vehicle in front of him. ■Magistrate Dudley Holmes pre­ sided; Crown Attorney H. Glenn Hayes prosecuted. Two-Month Sentence At court in Goderich recently, John S. Bowie, London, received a jail sentence of four months and two • yearg‘ probation for false pretences in ‘connection with the (swindling of $1,000 from an Exeter man, Herman Kernick. Bowie, police said, posed as a bank inspector and asked for a specimen signature for use by the bank. He converted the docu­ ment into a check for $1,00 0 which he cashed in London. An accomplice, Thomas Bren­ nan, London, received a two-year suspended sentence. Next Week ‘Census for toe mass TB X-ray clinic in Exeter will foe taken on Thursday ond Friday, May 24 and 25, chairman C. V, Pickard announced this week. Volunteers wil call at every home in town during toe two days to urge people to take 'ad­ vantage of toe free tuberculin examination. Objective of toe drive is to obtain 1Q0 percent co-operation on toe project. Explaining toe purpose of the census, Mr. Pickard said: "Volun­ teers will answer any questions you may have .in regard to toe Clinic. They will give you printed information in regard to it. They ■will leave cards which you will fl'l in and (bake with you to toe ■clinic.” “However,” he continued “toe most important duty of these house visitors is to list toe uame and age of each member your household 1.2 years and over. These names will foe arranged al­ phabetically and supplied to (those in change of toe Clinic.” He urges every one to "please co-operate so that we a complete list.” Zone marshalls for census .include Norman Walper, may (have ■the town A. L. iSnelgrove, W, C. 'Allison, Ray Jory and iSban Frayne. Each zone will have team captains and volunteers. The Exeter clinic will be held in the community centre. Vic­ toria street east (opposite the public school) on May 31 and June 1 from 2 to '5 p.m.^eadh day. Fieldman H. G. Hooke said Wednesday night the Ausable River Conservation Authority has no alter native but to expropriate ■the -50 'acres required for toe Morrison dam in Usfoorne, ■Owners refused toe Authority’s offer of $100 an acre at a final negotiation meeting in Exeter- Wednesday night. Tfoe imeeting was -a last attempt to reach a set­ tlement 'after tores other formal’ conferences and numeroiis infor- • mal talks failed. Negotiations haye 'been going .on for over two months. Fieldman Hooke said toe Aut­ hority’s price was toe highest the special advisory board was auth­ orized to go under toe budget ap­ proved for the $140,000 dam. /Most of toe landowners declin­ ed to name a selling price, Thqi Usiborne residents involved inc­ lude William Kernick, Willi aim Chambers, Iona Hayter, Garnet1 Frayne, and Mervyn Dayman. Advisory hoard chairman Wel­ lington 'Brock, Uisfoorne, presided fOr the meeting. ‘Other members’ of itoe board iare John Stephen, Blanshard, and Jioe Bryan, Bid- dulph. Freeman Hodgins, Autho­ rity vice-chairman, attended, Air Proposal On Dam Loan -Ontario Municipal /Board has ordered a public hearing Wed­ nesday on Exeter’s plan to raise. $57,000 Iby debenture for the’, town’s Share of the Ausable River Conservation Authority’s Morri-' son Dam project an Usborne. The .hearing wil foe held .in the (council champers, town hall, starting at '3 p.im., May 2'3.. Council has .asked toe board for 'authority to dispense with a vote of ratepayers in order to speed up preliminary'negotiations on toe project. Officials hope to complete ithe $140,000 dam this,; summer. K*J Authority Fieldman Hal Hooke said engineers will have revised - plgns for toe structure completed ‘ this week and that' tenders will .foe -■ called -after approval has been' received from _ toe. .municipal board. A full Authority, meebing, -cal­ led for Mtfy -3/0, will foe,asked, to ratify toe plans, / Two Girls Bon Mother's Day Two girls were born South Huron Hospital Mother’s Day. Mrs. Ervin Rader, T-A correspondent in Dashwood, gave birth to her sixth child. Mr. and Mrs. Rader have 'four daughters two sons. ” Mr. iand Mrs. 'Charles lee, of RCAF Station ■traila, were presented their second child, ( Linda Dianne. The first one was a boy. Cail Tenders For Culverts Tenders' have keen called for . construction of two culverts for roads leading linito cottage sub-' divisions north of -Grand (Bend, . Tam Pryde, MLA, announced this ■ week. - - . The culverts, which will -be built beside provincial highway No. 21, will allow cottagers easier access to itheir properties alongI Lake Huron shore. -■ First Five-Year Census To Stress Farm Facts ■Beginning <on June 1- a"census enumerator will visit each of -the 623,000 farms in Canada to ob­ tain answers to a series of ques­ tions about the farm. The last census or agriculture for all Can­ ada was (taken in 19'51 and if or the Prairie !Pr.ovinices alone in 1'9- 46. Many farmers will (therefore have had previous experience in answering questions on the agri­ cultural schedule, |bult for some it will foe toe first experience. The schedule for 19 56 has been winning the E. T. Trophy in 1954, toe .won tilio MbCanada Federation National FIRST TB X-RAY-—John V. Fischer, right, Warden of Huron County, was among the first to be X-rayed in Wingham when the Ontario Department of Health TB Survey Unit moved into town on Monday of this week. Part of a mass chest X-ray survey in Huron County, the unit’s stop in Wingham will be followed by other calls in the. district during the next few days. Left to right, above, are Frank E. Madill, Wingham, president of Huron County TB Association; W. Dorion and S. Sheldrake, Toronto, X-ray technicians with the Ontario Department of Health, and Mr. Fischer. sihoritened to about one-third toe number of questions in 1951. Most of toe questions iare straightforward, such as (acres de­ voted to ertops, numbers of live­ stock on farms, iand inventories of equipment. Some will req’uii'e estimates by toe farmer. In charge of the census for Huron riding is Ephriam iSnell,. Clinton. His two supervisors are . -Dennis B-edhrd, Zurich, and Wil­ liam Elston, of Morris township. Training courses for enumera­ tors are being -held in Zurich, Belgrave, and Seaforth May ,22 to 25. Such, questions are: pro duction. and sale of (milk 'and eggs during toe month of May, expenditures for feeds, wages, and cash rents for -the calendar year of 1955 and estimates of toe value of rent and board furnished hired work­ ers and -the dollar va-lue of share ‘ rent for ithe year 19 55. The census enumerator is duty ■ bound to obtain a report about every farm in ‘Canada, and each farmer is asked to co-operate by being prepared to give him as accurate -a statement as -possible. —Please Turn To Page 6 Mervin Cudmore AOTS President At -the A.O.T.S. supper meet­ ing in James St, Church Monday, Mervin Cudmore was elected president to succeed the charter president, Dr. H. H. Cowen. Len McKnigiht was elected vice- president; Glenn Fisher, trea­ surer, and Robert Southcott, secretary. Mr. Lloyd Henderson gave a report of the provincial executive meeting which abet in London last Sat ur d a y, Caffrey Cann spoke of the work of the retiring national secretary, D. R. Poole, land contributions were made to­ wards a gift to Mr. Poole. Bobby Lamttnle, of Centralia, top soloist in his class at tire SpUth Huron musical festival, favored with, several selections.