The Exeter Times-Advocate, 1972-10-05, Page 1Ninety-eighth Year
Four .cattle die in crashes;
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a
4
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on cone ession 2.8Usborne near
Ma on Street and struck the ditch
hall)i tkitnage to his vehicle was set
at $1,206 by Constable Bill Lewis.
one, accident was reported5 :0
Saturday. it occurring at
p when a car driven by James
Iliv,';k1rin. RR .2. Staffa. struck a pi
vehicle owned by Her-
Isnt Sander at her residence at
219 Algonquin Drive, Huron
Pal k,
Damage was listed at $75 by
Censtable 1)on Mason.
The final crash of the week
occurred Tuesday at 7:40 p.m. on
leehway 4, one mile south of
Aver driven by Jean Hawgood,
le'ucefield, left the road and
`:ruck a mail box • owned by
‘1,),;;ti llgl
a tree,
asfooper and then collided
Toe driver was taken to Clinton
Puhlic Hospital for treatment of a
„ oration to her forehead as well
.1, wrist and leg injuries,
constable Al Quinn set damage
at $2,000.
Dashwood, were killed when
struck by a car driven by Bryan
Watson, London,
The three were part of a herd of
.20 animals which had wandered
onto the' roadway.
Total lass in the crash was
listed at $775 by Constable Don
Mason
Marie Watson, a passenger in
the car, sustained minor injuries
in the accident.
A Huron Park lad was
hospitalized after he was in-
volved in a collision with a ear on.
County Road 21 Thursday at 8:00
p.m.
Brian O'Neill, age 6, of 8
Columbia Crescent, sustained
head injuries and lacerations and
was released Monday from South
Huron Hospital.
Driver of the car was Carman
Cable, Huron Park.
Damage in the mishap was
listed at $100 by Constable Bill
Glassford.
At 10:30 p.m., Wednesday, a
car owned by John Kowalchuk,
Centralia, skidded out of control
Two accidents involving cattle
were reported in the area this
week, but only one involving
animals which escaped from the
Usborne fire of Bob Down.
That incident occurred
Thursday at 5:50 a,m, When a car
driven by Miria Kraft, Dashwood
struck one of the 150 animals
which had been forced out of the
Down feedlot. It had wandered
onto Highway 4,
The animal had to be destroyed
and total damage in the mishap
was listed at $900 by Constable
Bill Lewis,
The other accident happened
on County Road 2, one mile north
of Mt. Carmel on Sunday at 8:30
p,m, Three Holstein heifers
owned by Gerald O'Brien, RR 3,
MAYOR WINS AGAIN Exeter mayor Jack Delbridge moved to be the best plowman among Ontario
Mayors and Reeves for the second lime in four years. Delb ridge winner of the 196') event re peated Saturday
at the International Plowing Match at Sebringville.
A BOUNTIFUL TOMATO PLANT — This tomato plant displayed
above by Jake Reder of Exeter produced 240 tomatoes. It was
grown on the farm of Jake Reder Jr. at Hayfield. T-A photo
Grand Bend asks Hay
for fire agreement EXETER, ONTARIO, OCTOBER 5, 1972 Price Per Copy 20 Cents
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Bean rvest at critical point,
more rain could be disastrous
Cochrane said the village fire
officials were being instructed to
only attend in Hay if called by the
Dashwood brigade with which
they have a working agreement.
Council decided to order
bicycle licences for 1973 to be sold
to village cyclists at a cost of $1
each, Grand Bend service clubs
will be asked to assist in the sale
and installation of same,
In making his final report of the
— Please turn ,:o page 3
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Cash, cigarettes
taken by thieves
Exeter OPP were called to
investigate a break, enter and
theft at Callcott's Variety at
Huron Park Wednesday morning.
Entry was gained through a
rear window.
The thieves made off with $78 in
cash and 35 cartons of cigarettes.
Constable Bob Whiteford is
heading the investigation,
It was one of four thefts
reported this week.
A girl's bicycle and a wagon
were stolen‘from the residence of
Mrs. Paulette Cluett at Huron
Park. The items were valued at
$50,
Five magnetic signs were also
stolen. Two were taken from a
truck owned by Bill Waghorn,
Kirkton, while the other three
were removed from a vehicle
owned by Andy Anderson of
Dashwood.
The signs are valued at $15
each.
—Q-123 P Cpl. Ray Brooks advised
there were two more incidents of
people tampering with highway
signs,
A stop sign at the intersection
of Highway 4 and the Kirkton
Road was removed as well as one
at the junction of concession 4-5
Usborne and the Kirkton Road.
"It's a very dangerous practice
to say the least," remarked
Cpl.Brooks,
Tuesday night, Grand Bend
village council decided to make
another attempt to gain a fire
protection agreement with Hay
township.
Clerk Mrs. Gladys Crumplin
was instructed to write to Hay
officials asking for recon-
sideration of a decision several
years ago not to agree to the
services of the Grand Bend fire
department to attend fire calls in
the township.
In a recent fire at the Cornelius
Inthout farm in Hay township
along highway 21, the Grand
Bend department responded to a
call but are not a part of the Hay
protection.
The subject came op at the
latest meeting when GB coun-
cillor Bill Cochrane, chairman of
the Grand Bend, Stephen and
Bosanquet fire committee said
his group were telling the Grand
Bend fire department not to
respond to calls in Hay township
because they are not bound by
any agreement,
Any further rain within the
next week or so will cause serious
damage to the area's white bean
crop.
This is the opinion of managers
of two of the largest bean
processing plants in the area.
"It's getting real serious. If it
rains again, the beans lying on
the ground will be in real
jeopardy", said Earl Reichert,
manager of the new Cook's of
Gerbro Division of Canada at
Centralia.
At W. G. Thompson and Sons
Limited at Hensel]. manager
Howard Scane said beans har-
vested this week were getting
high in moisture and the
situation would be critical if any
further rainfall occurred.
Both men agreed less than
forty per cent of the bean acreage
had been harvested,
Reichert said some farmers in
the immediate Centralia area
were considering combining
Wednesday morning despite the
fact beans were still a bit damp.
He added, "with some beans
that have been lying on the
ground for quite awhile, the
straw is weakening and the pods
are opening, so a few farmers I
have talked to are going to try
and get them off-even if they have
high moisture content."
Reichert said some beans
received at the Centralia plant
Tuesday night were ranging from
24 to 30 per cent in moisture.
The standard moisture content
maximum is 18 per cent.
The Centralia plant manager
said the quality of beans received
up to this week was real good hut
pickers were now appearing.
Advancement of the bean crop
in the Centralia area is about.
week behind harvesting con-
ditions in the Ilensall district.
According to the two men con-
tacted by the T-A this is a reverse
of normal years when the
southern area beans were ready
a little sooner,
floward Scane reports beans
received to date at the Thompson
plant in Hensall have ranged in
moisture content from 22 to 27 per
cent.
Scane listed the quality of
beans received to date as "not too
bad" saying, "the cool weather
has prevented too much
damage."
lie reported yields were a bit
lower than average due to the
fact the Hensall area didn't get as
much rain as some other places
during the summer,
Ask marking change
to reduce accidents
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New business
ready to open
Workmen are busily putting the
finishing touches on Exeter's
newest retail outlet, Polka-Dot,
The firm, which specializes in
fabrics, patterns and accessory
sewing needs, is owned by Allan
Smith, London
The outlet in Exeter is his
firm's 17th store in Western
Ontario.
He told the T-A this week he
expects to employ a staff of
between six and eight persons on
a part-time basis. It will be
managed by local people.
The Exeter store is located
north of Lindenfield Hardware in
the building previously housing
Pat's Pet Shop and McKnight's
Men's Wear.
It will be open for business on
Saturday at 10:00 a.m.
Plan signals
on area road.
Huron MP Robert McKinley
announced Monday radiating that
flashing signal lights would be
installed at the Canadian
National Railway crossing on
Huron country road No. 5 (better
known as the Mount Carmel
road) just west of Highway 4.
McKinley said he received the
information from the Railway
Transportation Commission and
the work is to be completed
within the next 10 months.
The largest portion of cost of
the automatic protection lights
will be paid for by the federal
government. Eighty per cent of
the cost of installation or $13,360,
whichever is the lesser will be
paid out of Railway Grade
Crossing funds.
Huron County will contribute
121/a per cent and the balance of
costs will be borne by Canadian
National Railways. Operation
and maintenance costs will be
shared by the County and the
railway.
Housing study
for Exeter only
Exeter council have decided to
"go it alone" regarding a study
for senior citizen and low rental
housing by the Ontario Housing
Corporation.
, Council authorized the survey
at a meeting in September and at
that time agreed to have Stephen
and Usborne included in the
survey so residents of those
communities would be eligible
for immediate occupancy if
either type of housing is ap-
proved.
Normally, people must be
resident in a community for one
year before they are eligible.
However, Clerk Eric Car-
scadden explained this week that
council would have to submit a
new resolution if the townships
were to be included and they
would also be required to approve
an agreement whereby the
municipalities involved would
split their share of the costs not
met by rental income or
provincial and federal grants.
Councillor Ken Ottewell said he
was afraid that if too many areas
were involved, the project could
get bogged down.
Ile suggested there was plenty
of need in Exeter itself and if
there wasn't, the project could be
expanded later,
His opinion met with approval
of other members.
SECOND BLAZE — Although firemen managed to save this large
enclosed barn at the Bob Down farm, they had to battle two blazes
in it. One broke out Wednesday evening at the height of the blaze in
a nearby pole barn and was quelled, but it apparently smouldered
and reignited around 10:00 a.m., Thursday. Neighbors and firemen
arrived back at the scene to rip off boards, dampen the chopped hay
and then fork it out of the loft with only minimal damage being
reported.
•
Will Timex
show 1 :50?
Not unlike Mrs. O'Leary's problem
Still 14 steers missing after fire
¶1
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In an effort to curtail serious
accidents in the area of Main and
Wellington Streets, Exeter Police
Chief Ted Day has recommended
that the "four-lane" sections on
Main St. be eliminated.
After considering the cir-
cumstances of four serious ac-
cidents in this area, Chief Day
told council this week the high-
way would he marked to in-
dicate that the two outside lanes
are for parking purposes only,
He indicated at the present
time, it was lawful to use all four
lanes for driving.
All four accidents have been
similar, in that vehicles have hit
parked vehicles. Three persons
have been injured in the crashes
and property damage has
amounted to $9,000.
Chief Day said lighting in the
area was satisfactory and
blamed the situation on the
markings after saying "there has
to be a reason".
Members of council agreed
with his thinking and authorized
the Chief to contact the ministry
of transportation and com-
munications to have a broken line
painted in the centre of the road
and a solid white line painted to
indicate the parking lanes.
He said this procedure had
been followed after the recon-
struction in Lucan and he could
Exeter fireman Ray Smith lost
his watch while fighting the fire
at the Burkley Restaurant and
council agreed this week to ask
the insurance company to
replace it under the town's
liability protection.
It was agreed that if the watch
was not covered under the in
sure ace policy, council would
purchase another one for him.
After learning the watch was a
Timex, Councillor Toni Mac.
Milian suggested there may he
considerable value in the in•
strument if it was found in run-
ning order and at 10 minutes to
2:00.
see no reason why it couldn't be
implemented here,
It is probable that the highway
through town will be designated
only as a two-lane highway, from
the north to south limits.
After a question regarding the
right-of-way at dead-end streets,
Chief Day was asked to review
the situation in Exeter and make
a recommendation to council.
Mayor Jack Delbridge asked
who had the right of way and he
was advised it was the man on the
right, although the Chief pointed
out it was always better to extend
the right-of-way to another driver
if there was any doubt.
Council members noted there
were a number of areas where
dead-end streets occurred, such
as Marlboro, Pryde and Edward,
Councillor Ross Taylor thought
streets which come to an end on
the afore mentioned should be
controlled by yield signs, and
Chief Day said this would be
feasible.
In his report for September,
Chief Day noted the police
department had been extremely
busy with special functions such
as parades, dances and a bicycle
safety contest.
He said that occurrences had
been around 1,500 for a year when
he started and there were
Please turn to page 3 —
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A kick from a cow is believed to
have started the famous Chicago
fire, and Usborne Township
farmer Bob Down is probably one
of those who believes that such a
small incident could snowball
into such proportions.
Ile had much the same ex-
perience this week, and it too all
started with the antics of a few
steers on a feedlot behind his
home farm a mile and a half
north-east of Exeter,
Sometime Wednesday 'evening,
sorneof the steers broke out of the
feedlot and made their way into a
cornfield at the Down farm,
Hearing the animals, he and his
wife, Pat, drove their 1971
stationwagon to the feedlot and
committee's new water tank
truck more than paid for itself as
firemen had enough water to
save a large enclosed barn,
despite the fact it was in direct
line of the shower of sparks
eminating from the fire.
The firemen, who were on duty
until 5:30 a,m. brought a total of
14,000 gallons of water to the
farm in the tank truck and the
Crediten department also
brought one load although their
tanker had to retire from action
due to battery problems,
Bob had been one of the
proponents of the purchase of a
tank truck. Last winter he had a
fire scare at another of his barns
and had mentioned then that such
equipment would be invaluable,
vehicle, but it stalled and he and
his wife attempted to beat out the
flames with their hands. Both
suffered burns, but they were not
serious.
They almost had the fire under
control, when it was whipped by
strong winds and they had to give
up their attempts,
The Exeter fire department
was summoned and while they
were racing to the scene around
11:00 p.m., Bob had to drive the
rest of the 150 steers out of the
feedlot to safety.
The fire quickly raced through
the pole barn and adjoining shed,
destroying 600 bales Of straw, the
1971 stationwagon, a Corn planter
and grain drill.
However, the Exeter area fire
then things really started to
happen.
The popular area farmer pulled
his vehicle in near the pole barn
from which the steers were
escaping in an effort to block
their path and also to shine the
headlights on the aninals to see
what was going on.
While they were investigating,
the. couple looked to see flames
coming from a pile of straw
under the stationwagon, It had
apparently ignited either from a
spark or the hot exhaust.
13eb believes it may have been
a spark, noting the vehicle had
only been sitting for two minutes
or so in the Straw kicked around
by the steers.
He attempted to move the
It definitely was Wednesday
night,
The loft in the enclosed barn
was filled with chopped hay and
straw and did catch fire at one
time, but firemen managed
to douse it,
While firemen were fighting
the blaze, neighbors and other
spectators set about attempting
to round up the 150 steers, many
of which were heading west
towards Highway 4. One was
struck by a car around 5:30 a.m,
and had to be destroyed.
Many were driven back and the
round-up started early Thursday
morning as neighbors arrived to
assist.
"It was just tremendous,"
stated Bob, adding that he didn't
realize he had so many friends
until his problems started
m ounting.
Three Men arrived on horses to
assist in the round-up and at one
time there were 40 to 50 people
walking through fields looking for
the 1,000-pound steers. Students
from the Centralia College of
Agriculture Technology assisted
as well.
However, their attempts at this
chore were halted around 10:00
-a.m., when fire was spotted hi the
hay, in the enclosed barn.
When the fire department
arrived back pn the scene, boards
were ripped Doff the side of the
barn and the hay doused and then
forked out by men at the scene,
many of whom had raced home to
get forks. —w • vie tare to page 3
it was VEHICLE DEstROYED The 1071 stationwagon which caused the Write nt the Down
completely destroyed. Bales of Mt aw burn in the backgrpund.
SMOULDERING RUINS OPP Cpl. Ray Brooks, centre the pole barn, in addition to tile 1971 stationwagon, were a grain
foreground, surveys the ruins of the Down pole barn while at the left drill, torn planter and about 600 bales of straw.
firemen and neighbors fight a second fire in the ncatby barn. Lost in
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