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The Huron Expositor, 1968-10-31, Page 19For severty-five years we've been saying "Happy Birthday Seaforth”. And nothing makes us happier. 4 Ham* Hundredth. TORONTO -DOMINION The Bank where people make the difference. Sitaforth Band On Para The '33rd Battalion Band stands proudly at attention for the photographer. The band is facing west in the middle of Market Street in front of what then was the Market Build- ing and Town Hall. The buildings straight ahead to the east on Main Street are located on th6 site of the present Town Hall which was built in 1893. A portion of the existing Syncro .1_rliuguration of Railway Brings Land (From the Huron Atlas of 1879) Referring to Seaforth, the At- las says: This flourishing incorporated town may be justly described -as one of the most prosperous and progressive °La section of coun- try *here prosperity and prog- ress have been the order of the day. Not manyyears ago, and within the memory of even the "rising generation," the spot, which now marks the existence of this centre of trade and in- dustry—now one of the most important places, in a commer- cial point of view, in Western Onbrio—was a dense and al- most impenetrable forest, echo- ing back the scream of wild fovvl and the croak of reptiles, the only inhabitants of what has since then been transformed in- to the beautiful embryo Sea - forth we now see it. Without any natural advan- tages of position, and with the actual disadvantages of what was in the early days considered an inferior tract of land—from being comparatively low, and therefoire more difficult to bring tinder the subjection of the husbandman—this spot was passed by unheeded by, thou- sands who, to use a commO'n ex- pression, "went further to fare worse." Its lowness constituted a seriouS impediment also to any approach to a "settlement" at this point; and other places grew apace, and prospered too, on all sides, and within such easy distances, that none ever dreamed of a great future in FEATURNG A COMPLETE LINE OF . • Stationery Supplies • Gifts and Gift Wrappings • Greeting Cards — Coutts Hallmark, Rustcraft, & Norcross • Novelties • Games • Children's Wear b Hosiery • Books, etc. • Sewing Supplies LARONE'S STATIONERY and GIFTS PHONE 527-1960 SEAFORTH ‘1, store for the "Guide Board Swamp," as the place was fami- liarly known, from the fact that there then stood for many years at the "four corners" a post and fingerboard, pointing towards Egmondville, Ainleyville (now Brussels), and Goderich, show- ing the direction and number of miles to each place. The first who ever had the courage to settle in 'the swanip' was Andrew Steene, who locat-. ed on Lot 26,-C 1, McKillop, at an early did `.in the history of that township. Ile made a clearing and built a log house on the southeast corner of the ' lot, which was the first and for a great many years the 'only human habitation on what now comprises the Town of Seaforth. This house stood until quite re- cently as originally built. but Combustion building can be seen at the left. Members of the band who can be identified are, (left) Chas. Stewart, band- master; Mac McLeod; Wm. Freeman- Harold Broadfoot; 'Jack - Murray; Frank Faulkner; Seymour atson; Tom Scott; Archie Barton; George Cardno; Thos. Murray; Billie' McLeod; Jack Campbell; Ed. Walsh, bruin Major; James Anderson, drum. "41 Speculation was destroyed- by fire latelY; a part of it, the oldest landmark of the place, yet remaining in the condition of a ruin. At a very early day, Lot 11, Con. -1, in Tuckersmith, was pur- chased from the Canada Com- pany by one McGregor, who took up his reSidence further west on, the Huron Road, bey- ond Harpurhey, clearing some 10 acres, however, on the corn- er where .Carmichael's hotel inow stands; and after this a- mount of improvement was linade upon the place, he offered ,the whole hundred acres for $450, and Without a purchaser for a long time, but finally dis- posed of jt, at abourthat figure to Christopher Snarling. Shortly after this, Andrew Mc- Kearnan, an Irishman, purchas- ed three acres on the northeast Salt Big •Business Ninety Years Ago ,„(from The Huron Atlas of 1879)‘• Manufacturers claim a large —share of attention, the Atlas says." The silt interest is of course the chief. Probably the largest of the salt concerns (of which there are three very ex- tensive ones here' is that of Coleman and Gouinlock, who fi,rst developed the salt " interest of the place by discovery of the existance of brine in 1868. Its pressence had been more than suspected by scientists for some years previously, but its actual development gave Seaforth an impetus which formed the most - importanat epoch in the -history of its development. The firm of Coleman and Gouinlock cons- tantly employ between 60 and 75 men about their work, inclu- ding saw -mill, cooperage, etc., about one-half the number be- ing engaged in salt solely. The capacity of this Company's works is 500 barrels per day, but they only average abont half that amount for want of a market—none of their product (of any extent) being shipped further east than the local points for which Toronto is the distributing centre, though they send the finer brands in limit- ed quantities to St. John and Halifax. Their establishment is known as the Seaforth , Salt 'Works. .• ^Next in order of capacity are the Eclipse Salt Works, owned and operated by Gray, Young and Snarling, employing cons- tantly 20 to 25 men, and turning out 250 to 300 barrels per day. The Merchants' Silt Co., of which Mr. A. Armitage is the manager, have about the same capacity and do a like amount of business, or Very nearly as mtith. The great advantage of Sea - forth over Goderich as a salt panufacturing depot consists in ,the comparative abundance and cheapness of fuel at the former place, The convenient location for puooses of shipment of all The "salt blocks" to the 0.•T. R. track's, and the §herter distance • to market. The latter advantage is almost immaterial, howeVer,. though the first are of such im- mense:importance to the points. interested that they have paral- yzed the entire trade and crip- pled the prosperity of the.coun- ,ty town, to the corresponding benefit of its more lucky rival. The capital invested in the above three "blocks" is over $100,000, and it requires an ad- ditional sum of nearly like a- mount to ruh the buiiness; be- sides an additional business; be- sides which, most of the salt men have very.large properties .in lands throughout the country from which to draw their fuel supply. To the county and the country at large the salt indust- ry -is a most important one, but to Seaforth It is, as it were, the essence. • The milling interest is un- doubtedly the one of next great- est importance. Messrs. Ogilvie and Co., of Montreal, Waller Marshall of Stratford and Cur- rie and Thompson of Miteliellv. all have extensive flouring mills here; which, together with the mills of the Messrs. Charles- worth at Egmondville, form a very important factor in the milling interests of Ontario now grown to such immense propor- tions. In addition to the above there is a large oatmeal mill, which adds its quota to the for- eign exports. There are also two foundries, two cabinet factories, two stave factories, a couple of pump fac- tories, two planing mills, two steam sawmills, six carriage fac- tories, ten blacksmith shops and three pork -packing establish- ments and last but not least in the line of manufactures, the Seaforth Flax Mills, This latter industry, which is comparative- ly a new one, isheginning to as- sume very large proportions in the country, and we here see aq establishment which can com- pare favourably with any of the large number %vial.' have sprung up on" all sides within the past decade. , 00, „ corner of the lot, and erected a log tavern on the very spot now occupied by Carmichael's hotel. This was the second habi- tation and the first public -house in the place. The above two houses were the only ones here till the inauguration of the Buf- falo, BraiitfOrd and Goderich Railway, afterwards the Buffalo and Lake Huron. About this tiine great activity was evinced in speculation in lands in the vicinity of the supposed line of the proposed railway. Under . . this excitement, the balance of McGregor's lot was purchased from Mr. Sparling by Messrs. Patton, Bernard and LeFroy, professional men from the. east, who at once surveyed the whole lot into -a town plot, and through whose entreprise Sea - forth received its first impulse. THE HUR9 Xr01$111211t PORTH„. 31, 1944449, SinfO'ere Congratulations -tb • to tho town of Se • forth on thetr One Jinndredth .DJrt day and:to the Aur, 'On EXpefiltOr for sendng jhi tOwn. duririg apse One Hundred years of progress. Best wishes for the years ahead. Bob McKinley, M.P. Huron Cangratulations SEAFORTH. and a happy future 411=11011EINIMC channel 8 television radio 92 ff• CONGRATULATION SEAFORTH 1 ON YOUR FI,RST,100 YEARS WE ARE PROUD TO BE PART OF IT WE FEATURE IMPORTED GOODS SUCH AS . . —BLANKETS —TAPESTRIES —TABLECWTHS —GREAT CHOICE OF UNDERWEAR —COMPLETE SELECTION OF "SCHEEPJE-S" WOOL —SLIPPERS —AND MANY MORE ITEMS AIN STRgET, VARIETY "THE LARGEST SELeCTION OF IMPORTEO-GOOOS IN HURON COUNTY' SEAPORTH ONTARIO