Vol. 25 No. 4 November - December 2000 ESQUESING HISTORICAL SOCIETY NEWSLETTER P.O. Box 51, Georgetown, Ontario, Canada L7G 4T1 www.hhpl.on.ca/sigs/ehs/home.html Hurricane Hazel brought tragedy to T.O. Devastating storm blew into town 46 years ago By MIKE FILEY On this day 46 years ago, reports issued by the local weather office predicted that the rain, which had been falling on and off in the Toronto area for a few days, would continue overnight. Then the rain would change to occasional showers the following day. For most people, the weather for Friday, Oct. 15, 1954, though not pleasant, was certainly nothing to worry about. Sure, if you had read the paper closely, or listened attentively to in-depth weather reports on the radio or the city's only television station (CBLT channel 9 -- a position on the dial that the station retained until 1956) there were the remnants of a hurricane called Hazel south of the border. But, who ever heard of a hurricane making its way into Ontario? That was a weather phenomenon most believed was reserved for the citizens of the southeastern United States. However, as Friday wore on, the impossible became fact when the storm reached Lake Ontario, regained its intensity and took dead aim on the unsuspecting City of Toronto and its environs. Worst hit was the west end with suburban communities such as Woodbridge and Port Credit suffering major storm damage and loss of life. To the north, the fertile Holland Landing became a huge lake while the Don and Rouge rivers to the south and east experienced greatly increased volumes of water with some resulting damage. The worst, however had been reserved for many neighbourhoods adjacent to the Humber River with the Town of Weston suffering the most. It was here that a quiet community street called Raymore Dr. was obliterated by the raging river. Almost all of its houses were swept into the torrent, including number 148, the residence shared by the Edwards and Neil families. A granite memorial in Mount Pleasant Cemetery coldly reminds us of the three adults and six children who lost their lives that tragic night. In total, 36 people living in houses on the ill-fated Raymore Dr. became Hazel's victims. A little further south, the Humber claimed more lives when its powerful debris-filled waters swept a fire-truck and its five-man crew into oblivion. Deputy Chief Clarence Collins and firemen Frank Mercer, Roy Oliver, David Palmateer and Angus Small, all members of the Kingsway-Lambton volunteer fire brigade, had responded to a call to assist a stranded motorist. A memorial plaque affixed to a boulder in a park next to the now-calm Humber River records their deed. Early in November, the men were eulogized at a special service at Kingsway-Lambton United Church that was attended by 1,400 mourners and 600 firemen who represented 40 fire departments throughout the province. For readers who might like to learn more about Hurricane Hazel, as well as other Canadian disasters, I recommend a new book by Janet Looker. Disaster Canada (Lynx Images, $24.95) describes 70 disasters, natural and man-made, that have occurred in Canada since the 1700s. Included are three other major events in Toronto's history, the Great Toronto Fire (1904), the S.S. Noronic cruise ship fire (1949) and the crash of Air Canada's Flight 621 (1970). - For The Toronto Sun Sunday, October 15, 2000 Tropical Storm HAZEL (07-12 OCT) Storm - Max Winds: 60 Min Pres: 994 Hurricane Hazel, which made landfall in Brunswick County, brushed Carteret County with Category 2 winds on Oct. 15, 1954. That storm brought 150 mph winds from Little River to Holden Beach and 125 mph winds at Wrightsville Beach. A storm surge of 18 feet was recorded from Calabash to Holden Beach; 14.6 feet at Wrightsville Beach; and 8.2 feet on the Cape Fear River in Wilmington. Hurricane Hazel was responsible for 19 deaths in North Carolina. Property losses were estimated at $35 million on the beaches and $100 million over inland sections of the state. Hurricane's Halton Damage Described to County Council The aftermath of Hurricane Hazel in Halton was described in damaged bridges, washouts and flooded farm lands, during the regular monthly session of Halton County Council in Milton last week. Reeve Wilfred Bird, Esquesing, chairman of the county road committee, related damages caused to county roads. Two bridges were totally lost, one a temporary structure, a third received considerable damage....Bridge destroyed on Base Line, east of 8th line; bridge on Town Line, Nelson-Trafalagar damaged; Drumquin bridge partially washed out; 7th Line bridge ,north of Drumquin, shoulders washed out; quite a number of small wash-outs; Lowville temporary bridge lost and 8th line bridge, north of the tracks washed out on the shoulders... -Acton Free Press, 21 October 1954, page 1 NORVAL HARDEST HIT In Norval the grist mill suffered the most property damage due to the rampaging water. The raceway to the mill to provide water power to operate the mill could not handle the overflow of water from the Credit River. The foundation was damaged beyond repair. The mill was torn down and Highway 7 built on the land where the large flour mills once stood. The dam was sold to Ray Pomeroy and later was purchased by Julian Reed for one dollar. -Dorothy McLean, Norval Tweedsmuir, p93. A picture in the Tweedsmuir History, which we could not reproduce is captioned (Rampaging flood waters heading for the Riviera grounds to join the Credit River. This is the flood water that roared down the old mill raceway that ran along Noble street. Homes on Noble Street escaped serious damage but the foundation of the grist mill was destroyed and the mill had to be demolished.( Georgetown Digs Again This week, Georgetown citizens are being asked to help people in flood stricken areas of Toronto, Holland Marsh, Woodbridge and other communities, where staggering financial losses were exceeded in tragedy by heavy loss of life. Daily paper and television accounts of the disaster show it to be the worst ever in Canada, and the Winnipeg flood pales into relative insignificance, and the Sarnia tornado seems to be nothing when compared with this present catastrophe. As one of those fortunate towns not touched by flood or hurricane, we should be particularly generous.... Georgetown has a proud record of past giving. Thousands of dollars went to British war victims, more thousands to Winnipeg and Sarnia, and most recently to Britain and Holland when those countries were flooded. At present, with more residents than ever before, no unemployment, and a general standard of living unsurpassed anywhere in Canada, it would be fitting to see Georgetown at the top of the list of donors. -editorial by Walter C. Biehn, The Georgetown Herald, 20 October, 1954 Citizens Rally Aid After Tail of Hurricane Passes Here ...Pelting rain most of Friday made a sodden mush of fields and lawns and muddy rivulets of roads. As darkness drew in early, wind and rain increased. The increase was measured. Five inches of rain fell in the wash and wake of the hurricane; winds roared at intervals to between 50 and 60 miles per hour. Acton's downtown creek, slipping through the public school grounds and under the highway into Fairy Lake, is normally at this time of year a lazy trickle. By 11 p.m. Friday it was a rushing torrent, flooding over the highway with six inches of water, inundating school grounds and private property, filling cellars and finally gushing into Fairy Lake which rose to near overflowing. Rain did not let up until near midnight. High winds blew themselves out in the dead-of-the-night hours. Strange as it may seem, only half an hour of hydro blackout was caused during the night - and that in only the western section of the town... Police Cpl. R. Mason said there were no incidents or accidents Friday night as a result of the hurricane... Saturday morning, however, cellars under the residences of W. Roberts and C.K. Browne, both of Main St. N., adjacent to the swollen creek, had to be pumped by firemen.... Death affected personally one Acton resident, Jack Reid, who learned his brother, Donald Reid, and the latter's wife and eight year old daughter drowned in the Humber River after the black flood waters rampaged through Woodbridge. -Acton Free Press, 21 Oct. 1954 ...At Rockwood and at Limehouse river and creeks overflowed to flood roads and lowlands. Water washed into cellars and floors in dozens of farm houses. -Acton Free Press, 21 Oct. 1954 Society Notes EHS EXECUTIVE Sherry Westfahl 873-7145 President Karen Hunter 838-2109 Dawn Livingstone 877-6506 Doug Cole 877-3657 Stephen Blake 877-8251 J. Mark Rowe 877-9510 Carol Wood 873-0792 ARCHIVAL NEWS Since our Summer student, Emily Thompson, returned to University, not much has happened in the Archives. However, we have received several donations including a large number of boxes from John McDonald. We will be planning a couple of archives accessions evenings in the new year and hope a couple volunteers can join us to catalogue the new donations. We continue to answer e-mail and written inquiries, usually regarding family history. Lately we(ve helped a New Jersey researcher looking for the Farmer family and a Manchester, England man looking for Beaumonts. INTERNET CONNECTIONS The Esquesing Historical Society has an official web site on the World Wide Web. You can visit us at Send your e-mail to rowem@aztec-net.com or dlvngstn@stn.net EHS NEWSLETTER This newsletter was prepared by John Mark Rowe with assistance from Karen Hunter, Sherry Westfahl and Dawn Livingstone. MEMBERSHIP Membership fees for 2000 are valid until February, 2001. The individual rate is $10. The family or institution rate is $12. Cheques payable to the Society can be mailed to our post box. Our 2000 membership now stands at 117! We will begin accepting 2001 memberships at the November 2000 meeting. We are looking for a membership secretary. Please see Dawn Livingstone or any executive member to volunteer. ELECTION TIME FOR E.H.S. Although you(ve probably heard enough talk of elections, we must talk about one more. The Annual General Meeting of the Esquesing Historical Society will be held in February, 2001. The election of the executive of your Society will take place at that meeting. As usual the Society is looking for executive members. Please consider running for an office. PROGRESS OF "HAMILTON'S OTHER RAILWAY" Date: October 20, 2000 10:23 AM Hello All: In my progress report last May I expressed the hope that "Hamilton's Other Railway" (the Hamilton & North Western Railway history) might be published by the late fall of this year. Two things occurred that proved this estimate to be optimistic. The first was that the final review of the text revealed a number of outstanding research questions that really had to be resolved. The other is that exciting additional information and pictures came to hand, chiefly with respect to Hamilton and Burlington Beach. The text has now been completed (as much as any text ever is), the book layout itself is now being designed and the images are now being scanned (with close to 400 images being a lengthy job in itself!). We are now hoping for the early part of 2001. I will keep you posted. Thank you all again for your interest and your help. Sincerely, Charles Cooper, Thornhill. ON coopercy@pathcom.com NORTH HALTON SCOUTING BOOK The Scouting Spirit by John Mark Rowe was published in February. The book is illustrated with several photographs. It sells for $5 a copy and will be available at Society meetings or by phoning the author. After outlining the founding of Scouting in 1910, it explains the organization of the sections and groups. A chapter follows the history of North Halton District and then a short history of each section is given. HHH SIGNAGE PROGRAMME As many are aware Heritage Halton Hills, on which the Esquesing Historical Society is represented, has begun a signage programme for homes older that 1939. This is simply an attempt to identify older buildings. It does not imply Heritage designation. Brochures to apply for a sign are available at the Acton and Georgetown Libraries, Glen Williams Town Hall and the Civic Centre. The cost is $100 and research usually takes 2 to 4 months. ACTON MEN FEATURED The Overlanders, the epic cross-Canada treks for gold, 1858-1862, a book written by B.C. writer Richard Thomas Wright, includes the 1862 journey of six men from Acton - John Malcolm, James Kelso, Robert Warren, Erastus Hall, Thomas Dunn and John Burns. The book is a culmination of a decade of research for Wright, recognized as a leading historian on B.C.(s goldrush and author of 22 other books. The Overlanders is printed by Winter Quarters Press and distributed by Sandhill Book Marketing, (205) 763-1406. JEWISH FARM SCHOOL RECALLED I had a delightful chat with Mrs. Rita Gautschi in September about her grandfather Jacob Bruyns. Mrs. Gautschi lives in Bramalea and we met during the summer through my son(s summer job. Jacob Bruyns came to Canada in the Twenties from Holland sponsored by the DeVries family. They farmed the property on 22 Sideroad later known as Waterfalls Playground. Morris Saxe(s Jewish farm school on the 8th Line was operating in the Twenties and Jacob Bruyns worked there. He knew Mr. Saxe very well. The Bruyns eventually sold the Limehouse farm to the Beanie family and moved into Georgetown, buying 33 Charles Street. They sold it in 1955 to the Sargent family. Jacob Bruyns will turn 95 years of age this month. - J. Mark Rowe HALTON REGION MUSEUM UPDATE Get all the latest news about the Halton Region Museum at Kelso at the November meeting of the Society. A Museum representative will be there to share the news about our local repository of historical artifacts. MEMBERS NEEDED TO HELP! The membership of the Esquesing Historical Society has reached an all-time high. Your executive is proud to boast of our paid members, as well as the excellent attendance at our general meetings , averaging 35 guests. Please consider volunteering to help with the work of the EHS. * We need some more executive members. * We need occasional volunteers to help in the Archives. * We need help in the kitchen at our meetings. * We need good bakers to donate a few goodies for our meetings. * We need researchers for Acton Free Press photos. * We need you to write the history of a local person or persons to share at our March meeting, which we can add to our Archives. ESQUESING HISTORICAL SOCIETY SCHEDULE OF MEETINGS Wed. 8 Nov. 2000 December 2000 Hurricane Hazel - Steve Pitt, who is currently working on a book about Hurricane Hazel, will show slides and talk about the impact of this 1954 storm on this area of Ontario. He has interviewed over 70 people and collected many photographs. He is interested in hearing local stories and seeing photographs of local damage. KNOX PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH, Georgetown, 7:30 p.m. No meeting is scheduled. Wed. 10 Jan. 2001 Barber Brothers and their families - Join Mary Finley of Streetsville as she explores the role of her Barber ancestors in the history of Georgetown and Streetsville. KNOX PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH, Georgetown, 7:30 p.m. Wed. 14 Feb. 2001 Step into Your Archives Night - Photos, diaries, school registers and newspapers! Learn all about the EHS Archives and how it can help you with your interests, genealogy or history. This will also be the Annual General Meeting of the EHS. KNOX PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH, Georgetown, 7:30 p.m. Wed. 14 Mar. 2001 Their Stories! - Sharpen those pencils for a chance to share the history of local pioneers and memorable people. Write up the history of locals to share at our March meeting. KNOX PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH, Georgetown, 7:30 p.m. ALL MEETINGS ARE OPEN TO THE PUBLIC AT NO CHARGE! Please bring your own cup for refreshments to help protect our environment. HISTORY IN A NUTSHELL Explore the highways and by-ways of Esquesing township by reading our series of short informative pamphlets about settlements in our township. STEWARTTOWN is the latest pamphlet to join our collection. Read a synopsis of the history of Georgetown, Acton, Limehouse, BALLINAFAD, Glen Lawson, Glen Williams, Norval, Speyside, Ashgrove, Each pamphlet available for only 25 cents! Complete your collection at the next meeting! NATIVE CANADIANS IN 1890 "The number of resident and nomadic Indians in the Dominion at the close of the last fiscal year was as follows: Ontario, 17,752: Quebec, 13,500: Nova Scotia, 2,059; New Brunswick, 1,574: Prince Edward Island, 314; Manitoba and North West Territories, 24,522: Peach River District, 2,038: Athabasca District, 8000: McKenzie District, 7,000: Eastern Rupert's Land, 4,016: Labrador, Canadian Interior, 1,000: Artic [their spelling!] Coast, 4,000: British Columbia, 35,765: Total 121,520." -Acton Free Press, 30 January 1890. ***********Hurricane Hazel (Carolinas, Northeast U.S.) 1954 category 4 - caused 95 deaths! Preaching Under the Palms Book traces history of West Indian Church from Columbus( arrival by Darryl Dean When Canadian missionary Arthur Charles Dayfoot took up his assignment in Trinidad in 1952, he started searching for a book on the history of the church in the Caribbean... But, as Dayfoot recalls, (not a single book was available( when he was making inquiries about a history of the Caribbean church... Rev. Arthur Dayfoot is a long-time member of the Esquesing Historical Society. Dayfoot(s recently published book, The Shaping of the West Indian Church 1492-1962, traces developments from Christopher Columbus( arrival in the New World to the period when the first two of the former British colonies in the region, Trinidad and Tobago, and Jamaica, attained political independence... For history buffs, especially those with an interest in the development of Christianity in the Americas, The Shaping of the West Indian Church 1492-1962, published by The Press, University of the West Indies and the University Press of Florida, is a treasure trove of information. But it is not light reading. It(s a scholarly work bristling with footnotes. The 1492-1870 period of church history was originally covered in Dayfoot(s doctoral thesis for the University of Toronto(s Emmanuel College and the Toronto School of Theology. The text was later revised and additions were made covering the period up to the early 1960's. -The Toronto Star, 26 August, 2000 The Georgetown Cenotaph was re-dedicated on Saturday 28 October 2000. Here(s a few memories of the first time! Georgetown(s Splendid Memorial Will be Unveiled on the King(s Birthday, June 3rd Georgetown(s splendid Memorial will be a work of art, a lasting monument to our hero dead and a credit to the citizen(s of our town. A representative of Mappin & Webb of Montreal, who have the contract for the Memorial, met the Mayor, Reeve and members of the Council Tuesday morning and made all arrangements for the completion of the work. The large bronze group for the top of the monument is being made in England at the present time. It is expected that all will be completed and ready for unveiling on the King(s birthday, June 3rd. -The Georgetown Herald, 30 January, 1924 Georgetown(s Memorial Will be unveiled by Sir Arthur Currie on Saturday at 11 a.m. The unveiling of Georgetown(s splendid War Memorial will take place on Saturday, August 30th, at 11 a.m. Sir Arthur Currie who was Commander in Chief of the Canadian Army in France will unveil the Memorial. Invitations have been sent out by the Town Council to all next of kin of the fallen heroes whose names appear upon the monument, also to prominent military men and others throughout the country, and it is expected that many from out of town will be present at the unveiling. The Guard of Honour and Veterans will escort Sir Arthur Currie from the Public Library to the Memorial. -The Georgetown Herald, 27 August, 1924 When Santa Arrived by Radial For many many years, Georgetown, like many small towns, has been visited by Santa Claus in an annual Santa Claus Parade. Not all that many years ago, he would stop on the four corners of Main Street, sit in his sleigh, visit with children, and give each a bag of candy and an orange. But there was a time when Santa Claus arrived on Georgetown(s Main Street by an electric train. In April of 1917, the first electric (radial( railway, made it(s inaugural trip from Toronto to Georgetown, where the station was on the Main Street, just about where the Canada Trust building sits today. Some people may remember the building was used as a Dairy (1931-1956) and then was the home of the Georgetown Christian Reformed Church (1957-1966) before it was torn down. That radial railway crossed the river and valley area from St. George(s Anglican Church on a 315 ft. long wooden trestle, Georgetown being approximately the mid way point on it(s run between Toronto and Guelph. In 1924, one downtown merchant was Wemyss( Variety Store, located on the south end of Main Street, in a building recently vacated by Irma(s Hairstylist and the Dollar Store. Their advertisement in the Georgetown Herald of December 1924, proclaimed that Santa Claus would (arrive on the 3:20 radial car at Georgetown on Saturday, December 13, and he wants all the boys and girls in Georgetown and vicinity to give him a hearty welcome; in fact he wants everyone to welcome him at the Radial Station.( On his arrival, he released some balloons, some containing prizes in them, and Santa Claus established himself in the Wemyss( Variety Store every afternoon and evening from then until Christmas, to receive the children(s messages! How many years Santa arrived by radial car is not known, but the practice would have to end by 1931, when the Toronto Suburban Railway closed operations due to financial difficulties, which in turn were no doubt aggravated by the much more common usage of the personal motor car. .... Dawn Livingstone, October 1999 December News from Acton 1923 Library Room at Town Hall is now inadequate. The radio fever is growing and numbers of homes are installing equipment for wireless receiving outfits. (Dec 6) Toronto Suburban Railway have purchased additional cars and will double the service commencing Saturday. Acton to Toronto return for $1.45. (Dec 13) A number of small stills have been seized within the past year but Tuesday officers seized the largest outfit that has been seen in this section for some time. The veritable moonshine camp was located on one of ex-Warden D. Campbell(s timber farms in Nassagaweya township. (Dec 13) Hewitson and Company now have 80 employees at their shoe factory here. (Dec 13) Landlord Ritchie of the Sunderland House made quite a hit among citizens and visitors when he turned on the scores of electric lights which illuminate his lawns on Christmas Sunday evening. The effect was quite a fairyland appearance and the hundreds of citizens passing after church appreciate very much the pretty spectacle. (Dec 27, 1923) Esquesing Historical Society Newsletter 1 Esquesing Historical Society Newsletter 11