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OVER THE YEARS By FRED SHINN "I am a new DButch Canadian and very interested in your hisâ€" "Ia your paper this week I read about the barrel making. I wonâ€" der if you could tell how old Canada Barrel is. I work there, but nobody seems to know how eld the place really is. "I emigrated to Canada in 1952 and for some time was employed by the Mount Bridges Trailers, near Strathroy, and later, for several years on a farm. "My wife and two daughters came in 1954 and since then we have taken our Canadian citizenâ€" ship. "We moved to Waterloo in 1966 and in 1967 I commenced work with the Canada Barrels and Kegs." The letter from » which the above ME M excerpts were .. taken, â€" and a Tpiinannml _ phone call from m 3 the writer startâ€" $# * 4 ed my hunt for *W information on PMPAD OA . k 277 M cooperage in Waâ€" P YÂ¥ 9 terltoo and reâ€" [‘ . SHZ sulted in the feollowing story. Empty barrels are shipped from here to many foreign counâ€" tries and returned full to Canada, or they are shipped from here to Ia the process, I was generally assisted by the family of the late J. Charles Mueller, who not only game me access to family records, but contacted a member of the family in Calgary, Alta., who in tura phoned the information to Waterloo. In the early days all barrels were handmade, but for some years now machines have taken over. In 1872, five years after Conâ€" federation, barrel making or coâ€" operage, was first practised in Waterloo by Canada Barrels and Kegs. In the 96 years since, the company has made barrel making a fascinating business. Many years ago, before steamâ€" boats, an ocean crossing took several months. The entire food supply forsuch journeys was carcied in barrels filled with briae and meat. Barrels still play a very imâ€" portant role in the welfare of mankind, having numerous proâ€" ducts, such as fish, medicines, oils. fruits, jams, beverages and paint, packed in them. Today this is not necessary when crossing "the ponds®" takes only a few hours by plane or a few days by boat. How They Rolled Those Barrels Charles Mueller Sr. went into business in this small building in 1872. $ M2 w f#â€" : +. :2 be . it o. [ "a> ; 2.;‘:1. 3 w B e 2z - f l e . e »avike LA k 2 Te k J s * AP e > â€" l RHY 2M _ PB other countries with liquor, fruits and other products. The first barrels made by the Mueller cooperage were mostly whisky and beer kegs and large cisterns which were placed in the ground to catch and store rain water off the roofs of many homes. The kegs and cisterns were all made by hand. The history of Canada Barrcels and Kegs began with Karl (Charâ€" les) Mueller who was born Dec. 4. 1836 at Baden on the Rhine, six kilometers from Basle, Switâ€" zerland. * On March 4, 1903, the first machineâ€"made barrel was turned out and went to the Kuntz Brewâ€" ery. On the same day Walter Charles, the first son of John Charles Mueller was born. In 1906 land was purchased on Erb Street West on the Genze This water was softer than the well and spring water and was used mostly for washing. His mother, who was widowed shortly after his birth, later marâ€" ried a Mr. Schupe. In 1842 the family emigrated to North Ameriâ€" ca, where they spent their first winter in Buffalo. He crossed the Grand River at a natural ford south of Breslau, following a path which ended beâ€" hind the former old folk‘s home on Frederick Street. In 1853 he began work in the cooperage department of the Seaâ€" gram distillery. Nineteen years later, in 1872, he began his own business on Queen Street, in a small frame building adjoining the garden of his home. All barrels were made of white oak. much of it supplied by the Jacob Kaufman Lumber Co. They crossed the Niagara River, spent a year in Vineland then trekked â€" through the â€" Beverly Swamp to Bridgeport. Some years later they moved to Waterloo. In his early teens, Charles worked on the farm of Jacob Hesâ€" peler, near Hespeler. Every Satâ€" urday he walked home carrying a 30â€"pound bag of flour for his family. On Sunday afternoon he would leave again for Hespeler. In 1898 John Charles became manager of what had become known as the Charles Mueller Coâ€" operage. Four additions were addâ€" ed to the building within the next few years. At the turn of the century it was decided to expand further, using machinery. which had to be imported from the United States. His only son. John Charles, born Feb. 21, 1875, entered the business in 1894, when he was 19. Chris Huechn and John Lauber were the first employees. Pond and on Shantz Avenue. A large brick plant was built. The founder retired and his son asâ€" sumed control. In 1914 the comâ€" pany was incorporated as the Charles Mueller Co. Ltd. The plant became the largest cooperage in Canada. It had three lines of machines for barrel makâ€" ing â€" large barrels on the east side, small barrels on the west side, and a separate line for beer barrels. He had all his own tools, which were always kept in perfect orâ€" der, and if any other employee dared to touch them or interfere with his work,. his temper would rise, hammers would fly and his moustache _ would _ stand _ out straight. He always took a great interest in his work. The white oak areas were beâ€" coming depleted, so most of the lumber came from Kentucky and Tennessee. Special steel for makâ€" ing hoops came from the U.S. Steel Co. in Sharon, Pa. Tony Kraus, who came from Petson, Czechoslovakia, in 1903, was employed in the Mueller coâ€" opcrage on Queen Street and when it was moved to Erb Street, he went along. and was given a special corner in the building for repairing these barrels. Large, aging vats, 10 to 12 feet high, had been made in the Queen Street property. These went to Kuntz, O‘Keefe Breweries and to various wineries in the Niagara district. Mueller, a greatâ€"grandson of founder, while on an audit his company found some of Mueller vats still in use. What began modestly with three barrels a day in 1872 was a 1,000 barrels a day output in 1916. There were about 100 employees at this time, many of whom conâ€" tinued with Canada Barreis and Kegs until their retirement. The late Leo Henhoeffer came directly from Euler business colâ€" lege at 16, as a bookkeeper for Charles Mueller and Son. That was in 1906. He became manager in 1916, on the death of J. Charâ€" les Muellier, and continued in that position until his death. Many used barrels, still in good condition, but slightly worn in some parts, are shipped back to the cooperage for repairs, which are done by hand. This is almost a business of its own. On July 14. 1920, the business was sold to the Seagram family, who changed the name to Canada Barrels and Kegs. Plant adaitions and new products were added to the original line. J. Charles Mueller died Oct. 20, 1916,, when he was 41. Several years ago, John Charles the for the FURNITURE â€" LAMPS â€" CUSTOM MADE DRAPERIES â€" RUGS â€" UPHOLSTERING â€" WALLPAPERS â€" SLIPCOVERS â€" VENETIAN BLINDS 9 Claremount Ave. at Belmont Kitchener 7431471 Full particulars of the system of tax credites and an application form may be obtained from the ofâ€" fice of the municipal treasurer at Waterloo City Hall, Waterloo Square telephone number 576â€"2420. The council of the Corporation of The City of Waterloo has authorized the establishment of a system of municipal and school tax credits and refunds under the provisions of The Municipal and School Tax Credit Assistance Act. 1967 to assist elderly persons. A tax credit equivalent to municipal and school taxes may be allowed in property, subject to a maximum of $150, if; i[!)e’tcalf's (a) the owner. and/or the husband or the wife of the owner, is 65 years of age or more and occupies the real property as a personal residence, (@) application is made by the taxpayer during the calenâ€" dar year in which the realty taxes, in respect of which the tax credit is claimed, become due and payable, and (c) the remaining portion of the realty taxes, after the deduction of the tax credit, has been paid. 402 King North Water (Between Weber and Columbia) Open 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. â€" 7 Days A Week CLEM‘s VARIETY Notice To Realty Taxpayers Waterienp Chronicle, Woednesday, March 20, 1968 3 Kitchener Waterloo JESSOPS cleaners City of Waterloo INTERIOR DECORATORS Ontario & Duke Sts. Waterloo Square Waterloo oneâ€"half of the respect of a real