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10 «-, THE HURON !EXPOSITOR:
MAY SLUM
rt
read pit. r.�
by Alice Gibb
E
Long after I've forgotten the rumen etthe ports and;
fishing villages I passed through itt the Maritimes, places.
like St. Annes-by-the-Sea;, Pouch Cove and Seaforth. Nowa.
Scotia,` I'll remember the unfaifit friendliness Of .the
people I. met in .our most easternly provinces.
When I was describing the hospitable .Maritimers Itrt
encountered to a displaced Ontario native I' met in Halifax,,
said
cynically,"But then, It
asysthto be
friendly, doesn't it?" Her inference wlin them
poorer provinces, tourists represent a :major industry
which must be cultivated, That cynicism, I've concluded
on reelection, is more typical of an Ontario resident's
attitude to life and people than it is of Maritimers. The
people of New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and; Newfoundland'
certainly have Cause for •resentment unemployment is•
higher here thanin other parts of Canada, ,prime resources
have been sold off to foreign. interests, their young people.
must often head west to find work and much of their
industry is totally dependent on federal government
financing. But at the same time,. Maritimers are
immensely proud of their heritage and folklore as the first
settled part of Canada, of their independence in living Off
the land and sea when they can .and of their beautiful,
haunting and often undisturbed mountain. and coastline
scenery. It's this pride in themselves and their past which. I,
think makes them such gracious hosts. They don't need a '
slogan like "we treat you royally" - they just doit.
naturally!'
THE SPRINGHIII MINER'
One of the first memorable characters 1 encountered was
in Springhill, Neva Scotia, the small town not far 'from
the New Brunswick border. This is: the town that survived;
the 1956 explosion in the town's coal mines,. the 1957 fire
and, another disastrous "bump" in 1958, which claimed'
many lives. In more.recent years, the town has also given.
up Canada's songbird, Anne Murray, to the more lucrative
stages of Halifax and later, Toronto.
Now for miles before you reach Springhill, signs alert
the approaching tourists that this is the site of a mining.
museum and underground tunnels open, for .viewing.
Unfortunately, like most tourist attractions in our
.easterly provinces, the mine didn't officially open until.
June. But a former miner who happened to be visiting the
museum, which was being readied for the opening, offered
graciously to take myself and some other tourists through
"if we were interested." -
• Now our guide, who 1'11 call Joe, between: the occasional
chaws on the chewing. tobacco he kept tucked inside' his
cheek, gave us a running history of the Springhill mine and'•
the series of disasters that plagued it, •starting,with the
1891 explosion.
Joe started his career in the mines when he was. 15 years
old and many of the veteran miners had abandoned their
helmets and shovel for the war. As another former .miner
told Me in Glace Bay, Nova Scotia,. "after spending a few
years underground in a mine, the battlefield looked like a
pretty safe place to be."
Joe was one of a 'number of teenagers hired when the
mining company returned .to the tradition of using children
to harvest the coal. In case 14 or 15 seems a young; age to
'be :spending.; yourdays )n the mine, Joe said his
t
grandmother often told him stories of taking her two small
brothers by the hand and bringing them to the pits, where
they: worked 10 and. 12 boars a day, because they could fit
to the smaller tunnels -that adults• couldn't penetrate. The
,boys were too young to find their way to the mitre„ but not
tan young to spend hours a day in backbreaking labour,
loading coal onto the heavy wagons whielt were later
pulled, to the surface.
"BOW
In 1958. when the famous "bump:" in Springhill;
captured the world's attention. Number Z ,thine was the
deepest coal mine in North America 434Q straight down;
,Into the bowels of the earth.
There was gas which collected in the'tunnelS, :and the
pressure built up. No. 2 was famous for its'bumps, but in;.
1958 the top blew right off the mine, with .men front the:
afternoon shift trapped inside, many of the sante men that
were caught in• the 1956 explosion.
° Joe was. One of .the fortunate ,ones who' wasn't. inside
when the gas ignited,
, When one of the visitors asked Joe if it was true the rats.
had :left the tunnels two days before the "bump", Joe
smiled, "I'm not one for telling fibs," he said, "like some
of the miners."" The rats, according to Joe, were
permanent residents of the mines,. living off the leftover
pieces of sandwich dropped by miners as they lunched in
the tunnels. One of his close friends, a man, who was
trapped for seven days in a collapsed tunnel before being
rescued said he saw the rats peering at him from the,
corners the entire time he was below. As. Joe said, if his
friend could have caughtone of the varmints, he might
have eaten it -after: all, you get pretty hungry without food;
for seven.days!.
Other miners trapped in the disaster were afraid if
rescue didn't come soon, that they'd be eaten by, the rats.
In the end, 75 miners lost, their lives in the 1958 disaster
and number two mine never te-opened. Men like Joe,
unemployed after years in the mine, worked small pits in
the Springhill slag heaps or else small; bootleg,
undergroundoperations where they were paid so much for
a cart of coal. The mining museum, is built at one of these
bootleg operations,
JJNDERGROUND
Before we left Joe, he took us a few yards down into the
mine. which will be opened, to tourists later in the summer,
when the winter's moisture is drained out. The air was
close, breathing was difficult and theoutside world.
seemed a long way off. A few days later, another ex -miner,.
showing me around. the Cape Breton Mining Museum in
Glace Bay would tell, me, ."ail you needed to work in a mine
was a strong back and a weak mind:" What he meant, was
that miners went down' in the pits because they ,were
poor , there were families to feed, and a man has to have
Money to•surtvive. Mining may be safer today, but.they're
still a little skeptical about that in. Glace Bay - they•buried
another 12 men this spring, killed in an explosion in' that
town's coal tntnes which extend seven miles, out undFlt tt►r
ocean.
Another of the Maritimers 1 won't' forget was Gerald
Parsons, :a Port -Aux -Basques herring fishermen 1 met on
the Newfoundland ferry and one of the most well-read
people on political matters I've encountered in some time,
Hint only did be Seem to know everything there was to.
know about Maritimes politics, but he managed to discuss
Premier Bill Davis' policies as well,
CHANGING TIMES
Gerald told me when he was a boy, it was a disgrace to
be a fisherman in. Newfoundland, - they were considered
the low men on the totem pole, and it wasn't a profession
to mention in polite society. The sons of fishermen refused
to, follow in their father's footsteps, and left, for the
mainland to find more socially acceptable jobs, cohtin
8
back to Newfoundland for the odd holiday.
But Gerald is one of the new breed after working for
CN for ten years as a crewman on the very marine ferry
we were riding on, Mr. Parsons decided. he wanted a more
independent career. For the last five years he's been a
herring fisherman. It's not quite the same career as it was
a'few years ago. The schools of herring are sounded out
with radar equipment, the nets dropped overboard by
mechanical; means and drawn up the same way, and the
fish stored in the hold until they're unloaded mechanically
at the dock. As Gerald said, the fishermen don't even have.
to touch the •fish 'anymore. Also, herring fetches a good
price on today's market and men like Gerald workhalf the
year and have the half to relax or pursue some other
_ h � ,1?
occupation. Now while I couldn't quite ask Gerald his
takings ina year, he assured me that one of his more
successful friends, who owned hisown boat, had cleared
550,000 last year, So, who needs the mainland?
There were other people 1 won't forget the hotel owner
in the village of Cheticampon the Cape Breton trail who
B P
apologized that there weren't more people in his dining
room, despite the fact I'd just eaten the most
„mouthwatering seafood. meat I'd ever had, and watched
the town's lobster fisherman unloading their traps as the
sun went down on the horizon.
The many gas stationattendants whoalways had time
,for a visit on the weather, with comments like, "my, but
it's a handsome day!" (and it was, 1 had only the one day
of dull, foggy weather and that was in St. --John's).
The people that • let me wander into their museums
althoughthey weren't officially open for the season (and ,
didn't charge • me the usual admittance fee) and the.
security guard in the Newfoundland colonial building who
took time to point out the parts of the building with some
direct or indirect connection to Ontario,
It's not surprising so many of our Maritimes politicians ,
end up holding positions of power in 'Canada's : govern-
ment. Even the ordinary. Maritimer knows how-to make:'
you feel like a very special guest in a very special country!
And the Maritimes is' a' very special place!
Have Fun at the Fair!
Western Ontario's Largest Exhibit o
OVER
r0 n,
1
Livestock
HURON
OLDE TYME
FESTIVAL
Sce•performances in
;Fiddle, Step dancing
Square dancing
for
$1000 in prizes.
and trophies
Fri.Sa:t.,June: 1! & 2
Memorial Hall, Blyth
8 p.m. '
Adniissuiii: Fridac 52,50
S
2 50SiturdaS 52 00
Both Nights 55.00
Children 51.00 off Adult Prices
For tickets eat! 523.9300
•
CUSS 3-
125th Year
CLINTON PARK
FRI. SAT.
SUNS. �Un@
e n me
■1 •U
■ ■-IIIIII
6-
Bith:and -blstrict Comm! nit Centre'
[Arena Flour):. • -
Ticket,t12' couple Supper 041 Dancing 9-,1: '
Sponsored by Blyth to �'Bluewater
Lion's Club Playboys"
For ticket$c di Blyth
5234851.0 50450.
•
)OYES MIDWAY
1/ IN FULL OPERATION •'
1H.■ THREE a.�rw t
I
1
LUNCH' COUNTERS
Op, erated by Ladies Division:'
•
Friday, June 1` Saturday, June 2 Sunday, June 3
12's Noon'. Judging of
Ontario Spring:Jersey Show
12:30 p.m Judglag of
Heron 'Conuty Holstein
Show
1:00 p.mr — Jpdglog of;.
Goat Show
3:00. p.m. — ArenR
Conte l:dent Opera
6:00 p.m. --
Ladies
'Exhlblu Optelo'
7:30 P.M MINI `TRACTOR
• PULL lsii6ctiluieef pall); -
10:00 • • p.'. Arena
C.asslotss aoee
10:00 a.m. — Judging of
Line Gasses for Ught
Horses.
11:00 a.m. — Judging of
Poultry Classes
11:00 a.m Judging of
Sheep Classes
12 Noon Arena
Concessions Open
1:00 p.m. — Judging of
Livestock' Classes
1:00 p.m. -- . PARADE -
Leaves Legion Ha11-
Ontarlo Massed Pipe Hand
[will participate
2:00 p.m. Official
2:30 p.m.
Show
1:00 p.m. --
Teams in thinned
8:30 p.m. Ortt+talutand
chow featuringOtt ONTARIO
MASSED PIPE BAND
1:00 p.m. Arena
Concessions and Ladles:
Exhibits Open
1:00 p.m. Horse Shown
Judging of Western,
Games etc. •
1100 p.m. Judging of
Beef Cattle Classes
THEMEN: GO TOSHIPS—One Of Canada's�research'
`
_._,O . DOWN SEA SE,..' o IN I -I_
vessels was docked in St. John's harbour to refuels and load up for angther
expedition, possibly to the Arctic. Signal Hill, and the Cabot Tower,.
which loom distinctively over St. John's can Just barely, be seen'between
the smokestacks of the ship. Tourists bravethe winding; toad up the:. hill
for amagnificent view both ofSt. John'sand: the Cape Spear lighthouse
. .t, .. l'
andfishermen's homes alng the., coastline,(Expositorphoto) .
1< of C: honours: police
The Saltford Valley .Ball
was the scene last Saturday
of the Annual Police
Appreciaton Night sponsored
by District 41 of the Knights
of Columbus
' • District Deputy
Pat Osborn hosted the
evening which, had
representation from every
Police force including OPP,
City, and town units present. from: an area including
Stratford to Goderich and alt
points in _between__ , k
invitation to the Forces wa5.
sent out by Stratford,
Seaforth and Goderich
Knights of Columbus.
Eugene .Frayne of the
,Goderich council addressed
the gathering of about 150.
couples of Police and
Knights reminding all
to uphold laws and extended
to the Police and their wives.
a warm welcoine.
and
VARIETY CONCERT
Saturday, June 23
CARLETON:
SHOW BAND
day to Sunday, June 15-17
CARI4IVALRIDES
from Rosemount ; Amusements
Proceeds for lionsprogroms and community w�I far