PAGE 14, WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 1980, WHITBY FREE PRESS Potash wasWhitby's first ma>jor idustry back iii the 1850'9s JiawJ t IÀ SPECIALI mmR CHILORtEN' S tMS HAIRCUTS )RICE 1/2 PRICE ys0 Onty Mondays Only 668-5441 By EUGENE HENRY This robust and purposeful pioneer womnan, is making potash from the ashes that were left, after clearing the settiers land of its standing timber by fire. Such devastation of the virgin forest took place for- thi of Whitby, on the rise of ground going up to Brooklin and Lake Scugog. The bur- ning generated tons of ash and potash. For export markets, through what was then "Windsor" harbor. It was the first industry in these parts, froni the days of first settiemnent till about 1830. Ten acres of burned tini- ber would produce 2500 pounds of potash, packed in hogshead barrels. In retrospect, it seerns to be a great waste of a precious resource. It was necessary then however, because the land was needed for cash G~te~i~5 Yeczr Degistered GuarMntedInwestmentiCertif icateI lys the Investors RRSP ~. Answer Machine today' 4%fýe -- OYO Namne Address -________ 1 1 .6 % * City __-_Occupation __ plus a Tax Deduction as wellPhnNo d to hetp you determine what it means in 5, 10 or 15 irs. there s Investors RRSP Answer Machine. Send jpon today or cati 579-850835 ea Briar Si., W ib Phone- 7-508 ect t0 chage wtout notice hi*d5 the first settier often derived enough income from potash sales to pay for the clearing of his land. Potash is made by boiling wood ashes in water, skim- ming off the impurities and e vaporating the liquid. In, chemist language it is called potassium carbonate. In layînan's ternis it is known as "llye", an ingreclient of soft-soap grease bring added as required. Clearing the land by fire was a long and laborous process. It was indeed back- breaking toil for only highiy motivated men and his willing beasts. Monster fires in tahe new clearings, made the night skies bright and clouds of swirling black smoke f illed the air. It was dirty work, of- ten for days on end and the potash making continued, tii the clearing of the land was at an end. Eventually ail of the land that was good for farming was "granted" to the last in our first wave of settiers and eventually, the clearing fires subsided leaving a searred by fertile landscape, dotted with stumps that would remain there for many years to corne. The potash trade declined and then came to an end as new soap making technology was developed in England and' Germany. The primitive, broad-brimmed, black pots, the paddles, and skimmers of our first "ipotasheries" became oh- solete and then collectors items. But those who processed ashes for their far- mer/neighbours up Ashburn way probably observed, with a nostalgic shrug- "Welll It was good while it lasted." The cleared fertile land brought crops of wheat and other grains in excess of the settiers immediate, per- sonal needs. This surplus of grain in Whitby area barns, justified the building of grist mills - but that is another story. GO gets go Don Mazankowski, Federai Minister of Tran- sportation has endorsed Scott Fennell's proposai to extend GO train service east of Pickering to Oshawa. Fenneil, the Progressive Conservative incumbent in the February 18 election made the announcement last week. He has proposed that a spur line be installed to free the main C.N. lines east of Pickering during the peak periods. Manzankowski said that the Conservative gover- nrnent wiIl give top priority to implementing a study based on Fennell's proposai. Fennell said that his plan wilI fully support a private member's bill in the Ontario Legisiature, by Durham West Conservative MPP George Ashe, to electrify the railway system. oný MBsa PEI 1/21P Monda, BLAIR PARK PLAZA WHITBY, ONTARIO DR. D.W. MILNE WISHES ToANNOUNCE THE OPENING 0F HIS OFFICE FOR THE PRACTICE 0F DENTISTRY TuahtbyMalOff ice Ilours 1615 Dundee Str..t B ponmn Whltby, Ontario 416579-0145 1