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Clinton News-Record, 1978-11-02, Page 1• :•N Flames, fanned by a brisk wind, quickly levelled an old started by children, is estimated at $20,000. Here, firemen barn at Cowper and Erie Streets Monday and the fire was pour water on the surrounding dry grass to keep flames out of control before firemen arrived. Loss in the blaze, from spreading. (News -Record photo) Fire levels barn, kits Two young boys, out of school pn a one -day holiday, because of a teacher development day, are blamed for a 426,000 fire on Monday afternoon that completely destroyed a barn and all its, contents at the corner of Cowper and Erie Streets. Two young boys were seen by wit- nesses running away from the barn minutes before the fire was reported, staid fire chief Clarence Neilans, but no ientity of the boys has been established yet. The 30 by 30 foot barn, owned. by ':Goderich mayor and developer, Deb $hewfelt was being used by Ray Potter, o whose farm equipment dealership is a hundred yards away. T "qt in the blaze were five snowmobiles, four loaders, a truck topper, and other farm equipment. "I was just in the place at 12:30 (pm), and everything was alright then," Mr. Potter said. Firemen were summoned to the scene about 2:15 p.m. but were unable to save any of the wooden structure as a high wind had fanned the fans in a raging.inferno when they arrived. Firemen hosed down the dry grass to keep the fire from spreading, as winds kept the flames away from the nearby Kingdom Hall. Mr. Potter, who has part of the loss covered by insurance, said he had just removed 15 new snowmobiles from the barn a week ago. Weather 1978 1977 N1 10 N1 1.0 OCT. C C F F 25. 9 -1 63 35 26 14 3 64 47 27 13 5 63 50 28 12 2.5 65 41 29 10 : 2 ` 56 41 30 7 , -3.5 .. 54 38 31 15 = 0 55 35 Rain 16.4 No Rain Clinton News -Record 1.1.3th. year. -No. 44 Thursday , November 2, 1978 35 cents ..5 Employees hope to reopen factory which closes Fri By Shelley McPhee IClinton's oldest industry, the piano factory has seen many changes 'throughout its long history. This Friday, November 3 another change will be made when the factory officially closes its doors, resulting from a consolidation to the Heintzman Company. However, this may not be the end for the old factory and its employees. Within a "couple of weeks a group of workers may be buying the buildings, and equipment and setting up and independent piano parts factory. The proposed business will sell piano parts at wholesale and retail prices to various companies. As well, they hope to repair and refinish pianos and otner pieces of furniture. "We've got a lot df preparations to do: We have a lot of machinery to move," explained Joe'Reid, a longtime employee of Sherlock -Manning and a organizer in the new business venture. "It's not a good time of the year to set up a business. We need all the support we can get," he said. No name• has been selected for the new business yet. It is not known how many of the some 30 former employees will take part in the new venture. The employees have been offered positions at the Heintzman business in Hanover since piano manufacturing is such a highly skilled job. William D. Heintzman bought the Sherlock -Manning operation in 1967 and operated it as a separate factory. Earlier this year, he announced the amalgamation of the Clinton company with the Hanover business. Heintzman explained at the time of the announcement that it made sense to put the facilities together for economic reasons. The combining of the two companies left only three Canadian owned and one American owned business building pianos in Canda. At one time, the Clinton piano factory was known around the world for its quality pianos and organs. Throughout the years of operation, the company has'been a major industry to the area. The company was originally founded in 1869, as .a music shop in the stores where Ball and Mutch now are on the , east side of Albert Street; By 1875 Doherty and Menzies built a large Police report quiet Hallow'en Chief Lloyd Westlake of the Clinton Police force was glad to report on Wednesday morning that' the Halloween antics of the night before were at a minimum. "This is the way it should be. It's getting ridiculous," explained the Chief who has now gone through two quiet Halloween years. Although the police force, the fireman and additional local men were placed on duty throughout the night, only four charges of littering the high- way and four or five charges of mischief, after two fire hydrants were turned on, were laid. Along with the usual barrage of eggs, pumpkins, and whipped cream, bags of liquid pig manure were deposited at the frontof the`town police station. In Bayfield, the damage was. a little more serious, after local pranksters painted the arena fund thermometer to the top in blue paint and split it down either side. The village was also taped up, as tape in all colors were strung across the streets. Ina brief Wednesday morning call to the Goderich OPP, they reported that 'nothing happened. Apart from that 'the Clinton Police reported that four people were unin- jured in a two car crash at the main intersection in Clinton on October 27. Beverly. Bromley, 22, of Blyth and her passengers, Kathy Bromley, 21, and Christopher Bromley, 7 months, were stopped at Albert Street waiting for the traffic light when a second car driven by Bonny Logtenberg, 26, of Clinton approached from the rear and collided with the first vehicle. Damage to the Bromley vehicle was set at $100 and $250 to the Logtenberg car. Susan Douglas, 17, of RR 1 Bayfield, received minor injuries on October 24 • • A Saskatchewan editor -publisher, Peter Ng of the Estevan Mercury, was recently presented with definition of a good country editor by an anonymous reader. "A good editor is one who has never made a mistake; who has never offended anyone; who is always right; who can ride two horses at the same time he is straddling the fence with both ears to the ground; who always says the right thing at the right 'time; who always picks the right horse as well as the right politician to win; who never has to apologize; who has no enemies ; and who has worlds of prestige with all classes, creeds and races." "There has never been a good editor," •Mr. Ng wrote, and how true that is. While yours truly has always strived for perfection, or even goodness, that elusive goal has been far from my grasp. I have made many mistakes in the past and will continue to do so in the future. Likewise, I've made many good friends during my tenure as Clinton editor, but I've probably made as many enemies. The trouble with expressing your opinion in thee days of the self seeking, (what is called the "meism age"), is few want to be told, or even hear w,hat's wrong. • + -1- Well, Well, despite my new batch of enemies at 'the post officeI, like most of my friends, particularly those the farm, are absolutely joyful over the October weather this year described in glowing terms by associate ag rep Mike Miller as "pedeet." Once the first 'rainy Week was over, It turfed 'into one of the most pleasant OetobeWiiinseV'erai.:yyars, The corn harvest is fast nearing completion with yields much better than expected, given the drought conditions, the fall plowing is away ahead of last year, and even the winter wheat is going into the cold' season in very good shape. The weather office says the month was slightly warmer than usual with average rainfall; and more than average sunlight. -1- Now Now that Halloween is over, and the little treaters had their fun and the big trickers left us alone, it's time to get on with the municipal elections. As a service to the readers, the News -Record is offering again this election, a chance for all candidates who are seeking election, (and that's not too many in our readership area), a chance to express them- selves, free of charge in our can- didates' forum, to be published in next week's paper. Each candidate will be allowed a maximum of 500 words in which to woo their voters, if they so wish. Looking at all the acclamations, I can't help but wonder if the provincial government's decision -to move the elections up three weeks to avoid the inclement weather hasn't backfired. Thanks in part to the help and generosity from the Huron County Library board, the News -Record is all on microfilm now, right from 1874 to 1976, That means that the old papers will now be open to research to just about anybody who cares to drop into the library. At the present time, however, there ie only a microfilm reader at the 'matt) branch .in 4 odet kh,,''and none tin either the Clinton branch or at the News -Record office. after the car she was driving went into the ditch. The Goderich OPP reported that Douglas was travelling down County Road _3) in Stanle_y.Townshiplwhen_ the__ car went into the ditch after it lost control in loose gravel. The car received $300 in damage. The OPP also reported that an ac- cident with a total of $950 in damages occurred on October 29 on County Road 8 in Colborne Township. Ray Biesinger, 22, of RR 1, Auburn attempted to make a turn in front of another vehicle driven by Otto Weber, 46, of RR 1, Lucknow when the two collided. Damage to the Weber vehicle was set at $700 and $250 to the Biesinger car. Clinton to have election afterall Clinton voters will be going to the polls after all, after two names were put in for the one PUC seat. open in town. . Helen Tench, a public accountant and former Clinton councillor, and Bob Irwin, a retired businessman and former councillor will contest the one seat left open on the PUC. The election became necessary after only three persons had let their names stand for the four seats when the nominations closed for the first time last week. Nominations were reopened on Wednesday, and Helen Tench, followed by 'Bob Irwin put in their names. Neither withdrew by the 5 p,m. deadline on Thursday. All other posts in Clinton were filled by acclamation. County rejects Vanastra grant Huron County Council refused to support the Vanastra Resource Centre at its Friday session when it received a request from the centre for a $5,000 grant. The executive committee of council recommended that the grant request be refused at the present time leaving the resource centre to operate on a Canada Works grant of $26,000. Executive committee chairman Ed Oddleifson told council that Liz Warren, Chris Martin and Carol Mcllveen had appeared before the committee requesting financial sup- port. The money was to be used to publish 500 copies of a proposed ser- vices information directory costing $2,500. and to pay a part-time worker to continue to provide services provided by the re ource centre under the original Cauda Works grant. Oddleifson said the Vanastra group was working with funds from a 1978 Canada Works grant and that four peol'e were drawing pay out of that rant. He said the centre had received ;26,000 for 1,;979 and that money was to pay three stuff thertibers. workshop onto the back of the store and William Doherty started to manufacture reed organs under the trade name of W. Doherty & Co. In 1881 a massive organ factory was opened by William Doherty on the west side of Raglan Street between Princess and Rattenbury Streets and as early as 1892 it appears that manufacturing of pianos began. In 1898, the entire factory burned, to the ground, but the company quickly regained its footing though and by the end of 1898 a third .factory had been built on East Street and operations were expanded to include the manufacture of upright pianos. For some time, the company had a large export trade to the United Kingdom, A'ustralia,' New Zealand and South Africa. The factory employed 100 men with a capacity to produce up to 500 instruments each month. Despite a fire that destroyed the second floor of the south wing in 1901 and another fire in 1905 which destroyed the interior of the same wing, from 1900 to 1920 pianos and organs were in popular demand and the Doherty operations continued to build high quality' instruments including player pianos. In 1902, the Sherlock -Manning Piano & Organ Comapny was established by two former Doherty Company em- ployees, in London. In 1920, the founder of the Doherty Company died and Sherlock -Manning ' purchased the assets of the Clinton business. They continued to manufacture the pianos and reed organs in London and Clinton, retaining the Doherty name for all It may be fun for the little ones, but for moms and dads, it's a big chore, as the annual piles of leaves grow en area lawns and roadways. Here little Robert Kemp, 21 months, of King Street in Clinton enjoys playing In the colorful piles just raked by his dad Dave. Clinton will again have leaf collection in town, providing they're bagged. (News -Record photo) Arena pipes going in Installation of the piping under the arena floor began this week and is progressing well, according to a spokesman from sub -contractor APV- Crepaco of Canada'Ltd. of Weston. • Most of the hot brine system eas expected to be in place by Thursday and work was eicpected to start on the cooling system Pater this week with completiontset for next week. Several thousand more dollars carpe in the canvass this week, putting it over the $40,000 mark. Anyone with donations who has not been contacted by a canvasser, can drop their money off at the town hall. Mr. and Mrsi L. G, Winter Lion - Red Garon Lion-ordon liarkes Lion Rene t3rochu $s00 52 52 62 Bloss Josh A. (Red) Garon Mrs. Pam Mero Mrs. C. E. Pickard Cam Addison Murray Garrett Douglas Cantelon Ward Knox 20 150 25 10 50 50 50 35 Noel and Dorothy Flagg 20 'Total to date $40,329.46 Names only: Haugh Tire and Muf- fler, Baker's Farm and Garden Centre, William Hogg'arth, C. Brown, Wm. Steenstra, Martin Steenstra, Dick Steenstra, Robt. Elliott family,Mac Elliott. Mr. and Mrs. Will. Batkin, Merner Contracting, Mr. and Mrs. Ken Harris, John Rapson, Mr. and Mrs. Wm. Norman Wm. `Barris, Ron Tyndall, Steve" ' (aven,, .11 rt Vanderwal , Jack. Mayhew and family, instruments made in Clinton. By this time, the player piano was at its peak and every piano factory in the country was working at full production. A halt came to the prosperous years during the depression era. During the horrible recession period, Sherlock - Manning sold the London company and consolidated its sadly depleted business operation in Clinton. The demand for pianos and organs dropped drastically and many of the ex- perienced employees had to be laid off. In 1§35 it was difficult for the company to hire skilled workmen when the modern upright piano made its first appearance. The new model, much smaller than the old style upright, was an immediate hit and business quickly gained its old momentum. The production of the old reed organs f inally,vanished in the late. 1950's when electronic organs came on to the scene. Turn to page 3 • •90,000 '75,000 '60,000 '45,000 Arena floor canvass } '35,000. '22,000 c)* '10,000 `5.000 r