Loading...
The Citizen, 2006-07-13, Page 4Looking Back Through the Years July 16, 1959 Registration for various summer - activities for kids in Huron County was a big success. Over 200 children were signed up to participate in activities such as Morning Vacation Bible School, free swimming lessons at the Seaforth Lions Pool, as well as several other sports teams and day camps. A young woman named Shirley O'Neill was to be honoured with the Carnegie silver medal for heroism. O'Neill bravely pulled a mortally wounded companion from the grips of a shark off the coast of San Francisco to shore. O'Neill worked as a counsellour for a San Francisco children's youth organization, and would also receive $750 to go with her medal. Three scientists at Scripps Institute of Oceanography claimed to have invented a deep-diving fish trap. The trap, which appeared more like a small camping tent, was supposed to be able to catch exotic fish from the extreme depths of the ocean, and bring them up for viewing. Mrs. Margaret Priebe, 36 years of age, was named Mrs. America for the year 1959. July 13, 1960 The 15th annual Nethery family reunion was held at the Community Park in Londesborough. Princess Grace of Monaco and her husband, Prince Rainier, returned to the princess's family home in Philadelphia on somber terms. The couple returned from Europe to attend the funeral of Grace's father, John B. Kelly, who had lost his battle with cancer. Mrs. Eisenhower, first lady of the United States made her first public appearance in style after being treated in hospital for a-severe case of bronchitis. Mrs. Eisenhower was pictured. with Queen Sirikit of —Thailand, all decked out in evening gowns for the White House dinner being held in honour of the visiting Queen and her husband, King Phumiphol Aduldet. Mrs. Rosemary Murphy, 31, returned home to her five children and husband after being crowned Mrs. America for the year 1961 in Fort Lauderdale. Legendary war machinery, HMS Vangaurd had its cannon plugs, tompions, removed for the last time. The vessel, which was built in 1946, was to be scrapped in Portsmouth, England. July 11, 1973, A car was stolen in Blyth, but was later found burned up, an ironic end considering the owner. The car belonged to Blyth fire chief Irvine Bowes, It was discovered in Turnberry Twp. No arrests had been made. Blyth Public School Grade 8 graduates were' Mark Battye, Bill Cook, Ricky Thalen, Gary Manning, Ken Ritchie, Lori-Ann Hesselwood, Lorie Campbell, Linda Ives, Sandy Marshall, Bill Duttmann, - Terry Pierce, Kevin Carter, Clifford Bailey, Gary Hull, Jayne Watson, Shirley McDougall, Joanne Phalen, Grace Kelly, JoAnne Passchier, Philip Street, Cathy Cronin, Connie Westberg, Hilda Thalen, Kim Oster, Karen Cudmore, Gail Patterson, Dori-Lyn Johnston, Judy Brown, Fred De Boer, Ken Riehl, Paul Johnston, Alan Young, Ricky Patterson, Tony Roetcisoender, Gary Richmond, and Roger Barrie. Ken Campbell of Dublin, and Harry Whale. of Hanover safely docked their 36-foot sailing ship, dubbed Mary Poppins, at Portsmouth, England after an uneventful 20 days of sailing. The pair hoped to sell their boat and return home by air. July 15, 1987 A Brussels mechanic was lucky to be alive after a dangerous accident took place. A truck tire that the man was inflating suddenly blew up in his face, knocking him unconscious and causing internal bruising to his chest. He was rushed to Wingham and District Hospital, but was later transferred to University Hospital in London where he underwent minor surgery. Playing at the Mustang Drive-In in Goderich was Jaws : The Revenge, the sequel -to the ever- popular masterpiece from Steven Spielberg. Playing at the Park Theatre, also in Goderich, was the Walt Disney classic, Snow White. Finally, playing at the Lyceum Theatre in Wingham was the Star Wars parody, Spaeeballs, starring Mel Brooks, John Candy, and Rick Moranis. July 11, 1990 Lightning was thought to be the likely cause of a barn fire that took place in Walton. Blyth fire chief Paul Josling said that he was almost certain lightning was the cause of the blaze that destroyed the Walton- area barn. The owner reported that over 500 bales of hay were burned in the fire. There was no estimate on the damages, but he said that he would attempt to rebuild the barn as soon as possible. Bessie Johnston was presented with a plaque honouring her as the Citizen of the Year for Brussels and area. A dinner was held in her flavour, sponsored by the catering group. The Citizen P.O. Box 429, BLYTH, Ont. NOM.11-10 Phone 523-4792 FAX 523-9140 P.O. Box 152, BRUSSELS, Ont. NOG I HO Phone 887-9114 FAX 887-9021 E -mail norhuron@scsinternet.com Websife wwwnorthhuron.on.co A9cna ENA ',boo° Member of the Ontario Press Council INIZIEMIll We are not responsible for unsolicited newsscripts or photographs. Contents of The Citizen are © Copyright PAGE 4. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, JULY 13, 2006. Editorial Opinions Publisher, Keith Roulston Editor, Bonnie Gropp Advertising, Ken Warwick & Kelly Quesenberry The Citizen is published 50 times a year in Brussels, Ontario by North Huron Publishing Company Inc. Subscriptions are payable in advance at a rate of $30.00/year ($28.30 + $1.70 G.S.T.) in Canada; $90.00/year in U.S.A. and 5100/year in other foreign countries. Advertising is accepted on the condition that in the event of a typographical error, only that portion of fhe advertisement will be credited. Advertising Deadlines: Monday, 2 p.m. - Brussels; Monday, 4 p.m. - Blyth. PUBLICATIONS MAIL AGREEMENT NO. 40050141 PAP REGISTRATION NO. 09244 RETURN UNDELIVERABLE CANADIAN ADDRESSES TO CIRCULATION DEPT. PO BOX 152 BRUSSELS ON NOG 1HO email: norhuron@scsinternet.com Canada We acknowledge the financial support of the Government of Canada through the Publications Assistance Program (PAP) toward our mailing costs. Measuring good government There's a delicate balance between, on one side, those who believe government is a necessary evil required to provide infrastructure like roads or police and those, on the other, who think government can lead people in new directions that can improve lives. At last week's session of Huron County council, councillors made one decision, and indicated willingness to make another, that showed they're on the first side. For those who believe the -role of politicians is to save taxpayers money, both decisions seem unquestionable. In the one decision that was made, councillors voted to demolish the overpass that takes County Rd. 25 over the old CP Rail right of way, west of Blyth. On a practical, think- of-today level, this makes perfect sense. It's certainly cheaper to fill in the area than to rebuild a bridge over a railway that doesn't exist. As county engineer Don Pletch put it: "Rather than pay money to maintain a bridge we don't need, why not eliminate the bridge." Likewise, several councillors gave indications they're not in favour of spending any more money to keep historic Ball's Bridge, south of — Auburn, in use. The bridge has been closed since April and after a council vote, will remain closed until next year. But with $100,000 to $150,000 in immediate repairs, and perhaps an equal amount needed in the next two to five years, councillors expressed doubt about the expense. If you believe politicians's sole job is to protect taxpayers' dollars, these decisions make perfect sense. You can see the money being saved. But it's trickier to judge the value of things that can't be measured. Ball's Bridge, for instance, is part of a popular scenic drive around the beautiful Little Lakes district near Benmiller. Thousands of people driye that route every year, especially to see the fall colours. But who can measure that? Who knows the value of that bridge to the county's tourism infrastructure? As Bluewater councillor Paul Klopp pointed out, at one time the covered bridge at West Montrose was an unnecessary remnant of the past in a progressive road system. As such bridges became rarer, however, the covered bridge became a tourist Mecca. If soft items like tourism are hard to measure, potential ones are even more difficult. It took public intervention' to convince Blyth council in 1974 that it was worth replacing the roof of Blyth Memorial Hall to keep the seldom-used theatre portion of the building in operation. Now the building hosts the Blyth Festival, one of the drivers of the local economy. Blyth residents are only beginning to see the economic potential of the massive campground developed by the Huron Pioneer Thresher and Hobby Association and improved by the Twp. of North Huron. With 800 campsites full this week for Campvention, tripling the village's population, the campground's value is demonstrated. For more than a decade, there's been dormant potential, too, in the old Guelph-to-Goderich CP rail line. Though local opposition initially killed the idea of a trail along the line, someday, as farmers seek to diversify revenues, the possibilities of income from hikers and horse-back riders will become more apparent, even to the opponents. But destruction of the Blyth overpass will hinder, or even block forever, that possibility. Mason Bailey, former reeve of Blyth, says he thought he had convinced officials, during his term on county council, to install a large culvert to keep the trail open but that solution has been abandoned, and with it, the possibility of a hiking trail, a tourist attraction to take people from one of the fastest-growing regions of Ontario around Guelph and Kitchener-Waterloo, to the Lake Huron shoreline. Your opinion on council's decisions will depend on your view of government. We'll know the money that was saved because we can see it. We'll never know the money that may have been lost.— KR Letter to the editor THE EDITOR, In 1877, the brick church was built For people who like to keep on the northeast corner of Mill and souvenir issues of the paper, I Dinsley Streets. It was dedicated in thought that the story (The Citizen, 1878. July 6, 2006. pg. A-7) of the Rev. McLean retired in 1906. The Presbyterian Church that was first next year Rev. J.L. Small was hired. on the site of today's Horticultural He married Edna McDonald of Park should be clarified. Auburn. In 1909 a fire burned the You will note first that the little shed with the stable, horse, buggy, church in the park never burned, but and cutter; manse. The Jubilee year rather, after 1878 was moved to an was 1910. A new shed, stable and East Wawanosh farm and used as a manse were built. driving shed. In 1925 was church union. The first congregation never Continuing Presbyterians met worshipped in the Methodist church. briefly in the Milne Block, then in The fire of July 15, 1909 burned the MacMillan Block. only the church sheds, the stable, In 1936 a legacy from the Wm. horse, buggy and cutter; the manse. - Coombs estate allowed them to buy Contents were saved. the former Methodist church on the In 1858 the church in the park was east side of Queen Street, south of build and dedicated in 1859. Wellington Street. The mortgage In 1866, Rev. Archibald McLean was paid off in 1954 and in 1965 was hired. There were 66 members. Continued on page 5