The Huron Expositor, 1979-01-04, Page 1Whole No, 6882
119th Year
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SEAi~ORT1i, ONTARIO: THURSDAY ,JANUARY
'S12.00 t► Year advance:«.
Single Copy 2.5. cerita
to
•:. . > ; .. ., 1� it was difficult
• - .Ward;s .id althoug..
,. ( HY„ALICE .Gi1BS . • "pole barn, & shod o+t►ned by Sh.!�ldon Ward, Mrs. a•
n cc”- •West a d th lives oe . tr `esti.tnate the family's loss,. with 'both
A S2W,00t? fire Tuesday, afternoon : It.12,�, . Nlonktgn. and both. Y ..t k •' .. ,
d., l s. •n a by e; livre t. k and.. equipment ,,.destroyed, she.
pletely destroyed'on# barn, �n.cl damage . a. a.nd ec)urpitterlt.lvere a...t t th az
s
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thought t th wou ld be between $180,000
huelo ss .. ,,
and $200,000,
fire included: a
` -t lest in the .....,
The equipment q
BARN DESTROYED {NAFTERNOON BLAZE -- A')arntand pole barn
Sheldon Ward,R..R.2� West lvlonkton were destroyed in ,an
-owned by,
afternoon fire on Tuesday,., -resulting in approxtmatelk $200,000 in
Iew
.. president
Betty; Car ;no. the new pre ident :of the
Seaforth Chamber n
....
f "Commet t. believes
the organization shonld.be playing a more,
active role in the.comnunity.
Mrs. Cardno said the Chamber of. Com-
merce should! be '.'a real voice in' the
community for •small .businessmen:' and,
industry:• -••She said the organization has the
potential to "be as good. as the 4gple who
belong toit want to mak' it,
Although the group has a`ntiemberahip of
70 people: -average attendance, at .recent
meetints.'has been about ten..
If the membership. were more active, the.
new president believes the group could serve
a variety ofpurposes in the Torn nntty,
'At the December meeting of'thc Chombcr
rtembers discussed some of their goals in
taking. a large larger 'role in the community.
Among 'the priorities .hien ioitrd were
'helping to develop more indm try in :town;
helping with Thi: promotion or the dom. oskiv. n
area including' setting: store hour' plaiuting
sPecial promotions and encouraging a more
active mei►,bcrship::
Mrs: C rdno •said' members at the
meeting also suggested the Chamber of Zurich group was instrumental in det•elopmg
Commerce could act as a sounding board for -tie plan to maintain and proimxtr the
town • cannel! by -providing council with village's Swiss heritage inbuildings in the
town,
The chamber president :also' suggested.
that the group could sponsor an annual .
community night to recognize citizens of the, .
town for their service to others or perhaps to.'
present awards to" merchants .who have
operated a business in the community for
many years.
AWARDS
Mrs: Cardno said' 'awards- like. these,
sponsored by the chatnbcr.,would be another
means of promoting community spirit.
The president said she wanted to stress
that anyone can be 'a; member .of the
organization. and they. don't have to be a.
small businessman to belong.
damage.Lost in the fireere 500 market hogs, two tractors,and other
r
family farm equipment and a yea}r,As.supply of feed. The:Ward fa t y were ' away
in Tavisttack at the time 6ft+S:blaxe�.; (Expositor Photo )
l��pes #ter � more;
wo ld'affect. the small businessman.
Offshoots from.the original t
�.
{{!i aim the
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Chamber have included promotion tourism
and , improving downtown areas -across
° Canada.
Mrs. Cardno said one prosect the local
group might .consider would be getting a
consensus from .downtown businessmen on
whether or''- not . '.they' favor a • heritage
designation for Scaforth's Main Stroet.'The
local LACAC group.:has propoe'ed that the
Main Street be designated as a heritage site
to preserve the facades of the buildings.
ZONING:
Mrs, Cardno said the Chamber ''Should
also be ready to give feedback to Seaforth
council on changes in, zoning, law's.and the
towns oftict d plain which, will be under
discussion 1itertiiis�'s..r. •
wire. (Tortilla ..utl s+:,, 1 ;al centrts;which'
have active Chaniber ot aiiinierce groups in
operation arc ;S1i4nki'd and the`•village of.
Zurich:,
fvfrs. Cardno said° the Stratford Chamber
of Commerce took an active role'to the hiring
bf.that town's industrial commissioner. The
feedback frons -the general Public oriissues
' facing the town.'
A :phone committee was set up to.
encourage mere'members to attend the next
meeting in January.
Mrs. Cardno said the problem facing the
group 'Certainly isn't one of inadequate
funds, since the C of C has over $1,000 in the
:bank.. .
The President said the Canadian Chamber
of Coninrerce. which has'4►rantnes• in towns,
and cities all ' across: the,. Country was.
originally developed as a,liaist~n tw,iih other
levels of government to offer the govern-
mens feedback on how proposed legislation
.Ken Oldacre,.the group's secretary, said. •
people interested .
of C
can belong either' with a business member-
ship or with an associate.menibership,.
970 tractor still onder warranty, a'tractor and
w
e
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'loader, a grain:: drily sprayer and power z
"fools. There were 500 market hogs housed in
the larger barn and none escaped. the ,fire.
The family alStfl&t a year's feed including .
ten tons of hog pellets in the larger barn.
'The;,fire was discoveredatapprgximately 3-
p,m. lit the afternoon, by George McGuire,., .
who lives onheneighbouring •farm, Mr • •.
Mc uire waswo mg to his own yard when •
he looked over t the Ward place and saw the
barn, wails and :roof already ablaze. He
alerted another neighbqu who turned:* in telt
alarm to the EI`na and 'Logan volunteer fire
department in 1S pnkton. •
Mr.cGuir also managed' -to gets 16 •
registere ''Sim ental cattle out of the barn,
• • Mrs. Ward said Mr. McGuire's efforts tq
save the cattle ' required treinendous ,
courage", since he Wasp familar with the
barn, which was filled wi • smoke.
;'v ,;Site said; "Words can't say how great:
(Mr: M'cGuire's rescue efforts) that was."
The Ward family'`were away in.Tavistpck
at the bine of the blaze, returnuig a boar to
' its' oWner:.. Although the police and radio
statinre were trying to reach the family on
'their truck'radio,. Mrs.Ward said the'radiq
•ersm i'
Wasn't working,
They learned' cif the fire whet
they.
,
reached their destinationn' avi tock"butit .
took them an hour to return. home-
Eimer Pellicle, chief of Ow Erna, Logan
Fire Department, said nine i embers'of• the
volunteer department resonded to'the call
Re said by the time the two trucks reached'
the Ward, farm,,• the ljarn was .completely,
ablaze and all the`firemencould do.was "just
save that shed."
The chief said: he had no idea. how tie fie
might have started
Mrs,; Ward '-said the . fire department
rettirned'to'"^their' farni again that evening.
when her husband discovered the shed was
on fire again.
She said a member, of the family had to
stay upall night to watch'that the fire didn't
Belt started again .and completely destroy th
stied '
She said one :thing the family coaild be
thankful for was that the wind Was blowing;:
in the direction: it was, and the family ;haeme
didn't witch on fire:
Mrs. Ward said the :'barn and contents
were covered whir insurapc(e! The cattle'are"
being housed temiorarily in another barb
owned by the Wards.
delays C ecis'i'on -
solar dor inspector
•::Tuckersmith Council had a •reguest from
. its; building inspector, Herman VanWieren.
ofHensall, that he be put on salary
• rather than on contract. He said that his
contract;' tailed for him to make four',
inspections on a house: being built. and that
this is often-nofenough, '.
As. well, Mr. Van Wieren said.he+could be -
covered, by Workman's Compensation if he
were on, salary, but not -when on contract and
he wanted insurance to protect him. He said
detailed reports' are kept of his • inspections• to
protect him and:' the =township from future
lawsuits and these records must be kept for
six years.
Mr. Van Wieren is building inspector for
'-Tuckersnrith, 'Stanley, and Usborne p Town,
ships; : Town 'of. Seaforth and yitfages 'of.
Hensall and, Bayfield. He said one day to a
Week for each community wool' be enough
for his inspections and would combine one
day to do -Hensel! and -gayfield.,•
He is asking for a total of S12,000 a year
plus 12 cents per kilometer for Mileage with
Tuckersmith's share, $3,360 per year plus
A ON
tvOMPENS TI
Clerk Jack. McLachlan: questioned if the
township: could provide this compensation.
Mt. Van •; Wieien said because 'he is
self-employed and is under contract with the
.-township then he can't be covercd.
Mr, McLachlan said his understanding
was because -the building inspector is only a
part-time employee and not ',under direct
_supervision ofcouncilthen he could'not be
'covered by the township. -'
Deputy Reeve' • Bell., asked if he had any
,other alternatives if "We don't accept the
salary, proposal". Mr. Van Wieren said then
he_ would have tete paid on the number Of
inspections he deems it necessary to make.
Hesaid it wouldvary as some construction.•
requires more inspections. e.
Council -decided that;it, Shahid have mot ;,:t
inforniatierr` as 'to ' what can be One to
provide Compensation and insurance and;
tabled the motion until the next meeting on'
January 16.
IN PRIVATE
'The press represntative was asked to
leave the,. room when W. Floyd Jenkins,
Huron Assessment Officer, appeared before
council to provide Informatio n on • asse_ss
in r in
• e' � values on 'certain o o the .
mot.per.
(Continued on Page•3) -.
A SNOWY V'1EW -- On Wedtte$day., mcterlitig; winter.: arrived W.tth :a•
vengeance as this snowy view of the Main Street;:of; Seaforth 'Shows:
Schools. closed by first
Winter 'ar"ri.Ved in full force on Tuesday,
afternoon and forced the closure of a number
of ares►. schools:
On Wednesday morning, when students
were to, have returned .to class after the
Christmas break, all the schools in the
Huron -Perth Roman Catholic Separate
School system, with the exception of schools
itt'Godcrich and Stratford, were closed.
Jack Lane# a• superintendent with the
board,' said students did turn up at St«
:lames' Separate School, Seaforth for classes
on Wednesday Morning, but mice parents
wanted them bone "'due to the uncertain.
weather conditlens; -even St James" was.
t iosed.
Leat Habkirk, of United ";rails' in Seaforth.
toad he decided to cancel school bus :service
when he determined the "visibility was bad
and there was drifting snow on the roads."
Mr.' Habkirk said, 'he 'checked theroads•
beforemaking -the g decision He said. We"
actually go nut en the toads before we make
a deGisitm ," • -
Also, Mr'. Habkirk checks road conditions
with' Tiickersmith Township road grader
drivers, The men have two.way radios it)
their -cab, and Mr.. Habkirk,disctisses area
road Conditions with them. 14e then notifies
the Ideal school principals whether or not his
bilges will be ;picking up. the rural students.
°'• Although, school buses were kept' off the
roads on Wednesday, the inter•town bua
went through Seaforth on'schedule.
Mr.
Habkirk said parents or students who
•r ,
winter
want information nti school closings tan
listen: to either CFPL or CKNX radio for the`
report, -ether than phoning the United
Trails.otticc. •
Paul Carroll; principal .of Seaforth Public
School, reported 130 students were in ,,rase
op Wednesday morning.
The principal• said he Normally tries to
have classes "On such days unli'ssi tt s til' e
weather) pretty severe."
Mr. Carroll said all .the honk room
' teachers were in class, with only two special
subject teachers unable to make it in to
•work.
Mr. Carroll Said',thc board office staff were
also on the job.
Harry Scott. viae -principal of Seaforth
District High Scheib! said Mr Habkirk called"
hint at About 7 a.m. to let him knew .the-•
, buses wouldn't be running.
Mr. Stott then called the radio stations in
Winghattt and London.- to pass. on the
inforntatioi
The vied -:principal skid '*a couple of dozen
studeins" Showed' up at the school, as: well
-as air rite teaching staff. '
The students returned home when they
discovered regular classes wouldn't be held.
w Mr; Stott: said the teachers stayed' on, and
Were at the school for any students who'
'needed help. He added shire• maims have
just finished, studentk weren't,coning in for
the extra help.
Huron Centennial Public Selion1 In i3rttce.
field was 'also closed due to the weather.
conditions..
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visfbitily waspoor and school buses
stayed, off the. roads..
.. ,•;.. r' o ..
(Ex p alto!• Photo)
t ht Auron � ?
abide this Wee
New Year's Baby ., .• �� �` ,y ,r.
quilting a succes ` .
Huron..�i
Road coir ir�ued _" �� ti• . ,
Cruiser hit'iy s owr O . ii . ,