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Now you see it, now you don’t. Magician Chris Gardiner entertains the kids at the Midland fall fair. Chris always has a big audience in front of Vic Strickland’s booth in the curling rink, where he presented nearly 30 performances. 

Newcomers to Canada Mr. & Mrs. Stoiamo Wolk and Mr. & Mrs. Urban Priaro have launched a leather goods business in Midland at 333 Midland Ave. manufacturing purses, belts and handbags in the Italian style. 

Midland’s new municipal building is nearing completion on Dominion Ave. W. after many months of delays. Windows in the picture above are on the south side of the building. Firemen will occupy the east end facing Second Street. The work of moving equipment into some parts of the building is expected to begin next week. 

Lionel Bourgeois encourages visitors to enjoy themselves at the opening of his new showroom last weekend. Mel Lavigne’s orchestra provided the entertainment for dancing Friday night. Nearly 2,500 guests visited the showrooms Friday and Saturday nights to view the results of the $25,000.00 renovations. 

Lionel’s niece and nephew, Patsy and Larry from Victoria Harbour watch the festivities. 

Toronto students made their way to the Martyr’s Shrine Thursday afternoon carrying a 140-pound wooden cross. Collective purpose of the 93-mile pilgrimage was to ask a divine blessing on their school year.

 Toronto students made their way to the Martyr’s Shrine Thursday afternoon carrying a 140-pound wooden cross. Hole in the shoe of Sheldon Currie bears testimony to the arduous pilgrimage. Other students are Chris Rupert, Joan Bellis, Glenda Czerny and Barbara Maslon.

Joe Lavechia of Wilsons Taxi pours diesel fuel into his new Mercedes-Benz 180D, one of the first diesel cars ever seen in Midland. It is an economy model put out by the German firm and is known for its sturdiness and economy. 

Tiny German “Isetta” seen about Midland lately surprised onlookers with its 70 miles per gallon performance. Built by BMW the car only weighs 770 pounds. Lloyd Atkinson has obtained the agency for this line of automobiles. 

Winners of their respective divisions at the recent MPDHS track meet and going to the Tudhope meet in Barrie Saturday are; Tony Moffatt, junior champ; Rodger Leclair, juvenile; Bruce Bowen, Intermediate and Ron Blair, senior. 

St. Andrew’s Hospital administrator Andy Davidson, left, receives a cheque for $62.75 from the Midland Rotary Club represented by Les Barber. The money will be used to buy five dozen bedside carafe sets. 

Frank Cadieux of 85 Olive Street found this Siamese “triplet” tomato growing among the 225 tomato plants he has in his garden. Mr. Cadieux has lived in Midland for 40 years and had a garden most of those years had never seen three tomatoes from one blossom before. 

This float, called “Snow White and Rose Red” was the entry of Elmvale Public School in the Fall Fair parade Tuesday afternoon. Little girls are Bev McLean and Joan Rawn. Nearly 1,000 children and a score of floats took part in the parade. 

This group of cheerleaders from the Elmvale District High School were a feature of the school parade at the Elmvale Fair Tuesday. Garbed in red and white, they are; front row, Pat Bate, Jimmy Jay, Sharon Crowe; back row, Stephanie Shaw, Bonnie Flotron and Judy Campbell. 

Several acres of new usable land will be available in Midland’s Little Lake Park next season as a result of work being carried out by the Park Commission this fall. A bulldozer cuts out the underbrush, levels the ground and removes a number of stumps left by trees blown down in the recent hurricanes. The plan is to move the playground equipment from behind the park booth to this new area at the easterly end of the lake. A new beach was already created in front of this area two seasons ago. 

• The headline, September 25th, 1957, Free Press Herald; Board to Bill Area Municipalities For Indigent Patient Rate Losses The daily ward rate for most hospitals including St. Andrews is $7.00, $4.50 is covered by the County and the difference will be charged to the communities who do not contribute tax dollars to the hospitals operation. That amount was $11,000.00 in the first six months of this year and has been written off. Hospital board chairman R. J. Pinchin stated at the recent board meeting that the deficit was very serious and a bank loan of $95,000.00 needs to be addressed. Pledges made two years ago during a capital campaign for the hospital expansion have not all been met and despite letters and personal contact, many will never be honoured. Only Tiny Twp and the village of Victoria Harbour provided funds for the expansion.
• The headline, September 27, 1957, County Herald; One Killed, Five Hurt In Tractor- Car Smash; An Orillia man who was riding on the drawbar of a farm tractor was killed instantly when the tractor was rear-ended on Hwy 12 east of Coldwater. Four young men in the car from the Coldwater area were headed to Orillia to work when the driver was blinded by the morning sun.
• A black squirrel rescued from Penetang Bay by Richard Matthews of Highland Point was so thankful it has made a permanent home in the boat.
• Coldwater village clerk Chester Martin had a run on marriage licences when three separate couples showed up within 15 minutes.
• Penetang Bottling Co. is completing a two-storey addition to its Main Street facility.
• David Finch, owner of the local Canadian Tire associate store treated his staff and their families to a tour of Algonquin Park Sunday. Seven cars with 35 passengers enjoyed a tour of the fall colours. Judging by reports, the “eats” were a big feature of the day.
• Reliance Service Station Yonge St. W. Midland has re-opened under new management. Karl Strohm is the new owner and will service all makes of cars and trucks and all types of European cars.
• Weddings –  Jean Beverly Beauchamp, eldest daughter of Mr. & Mrs. Wilfred Beauchamp of Victoria Harbour and Douglas Marshal Moreau, son of Mr. & Mrs. Jack Moreau of Waubaushene, at St. Mary’s Church, September 14th.  —  Mary Shirley Valcheff, daughter of Mr. & Mrs. Pano Valcheff of Port McNicoll and Karl Robert Sangster, Midland, son of Mrs. R. S. Sangster, Stellarton NS at Sacred Heart Roman Catholic Church, Port McNicoll, September 7th. — Wilma Maxine Reynolds, daughter of Mr. & Mrs. Frank G. Reynolds, Waverly and Donald Lloyd Irwin, son of Mrs. Ernest Irwin, Big Bay Point, at Waverly United Church, August 31st. — Helen Norma Lewis, daughter of Mr. & Mrs. Morgan Lewis, Midland and Al Richard Ireton of San Francisco, CA. at St. Paul’s United Church, September 14th. —  Alma Marlene Burnett, daughter of Mr. & Mrs. Ivan Kirby Burnett of Midland and Donald Thurston Fox, son of Mr. & Mrs. Harold Fox of Midland, at St. Paul’s United Church, September 2nd.
• Fifth anniversary of Burnies Bakery, Elizabeth Street E. Midland.
• Commencing October 1st milk prices will be one cent higher per bottle in both pint and quart sizes. Distributors and Producers Association of Penetang, Midland, Port McNicoll, Victoria Harbour and Coldwater.
• Number 1 tulip bulbs at Mac. Perrin’s Flower Shop, .69 cents per dozen, $5.50 per hundred.
• Three year old Peter Kraiker of Donalda Street was struck by a car on King Street after running out onto the road, he was not seriously injured.
• Miss Baker leaves $1,000.00 to St. Andrew’s Hospital. Miss Baker had served as superintendent of the hospital for 30 years.
• Former mayor of Midland, John S. McDowell, dies in St. Andrew’s in his 81st year. A native of Ebenezer, Mr. McDowell came to Midland in 1906 where he ran a men’s store until 1929. He later moved to Bradford and operated a store there until 1940. He returned to Midland in 1948.
• Vandals desecrated St. Ann’s Church Thursday night in a flurry of lock and cupboard smashing throughout the large building. After spending considerable time destroying the “Poor Box” they were foiled by its design which sends the money down a chute and through the floor. Police believe the culprits hid in the church after closing and had some knowledge of the building. Gold chalices and other sacred vessels, some studded with jewels were not taken even though the cupboards containing them were forced open.
• Devastating fire at the Moose Deer Point reserve leaves a family homeless and their 51 year old baby sitter dead. The five year old twins he was minding were saved unharmed. The family had no insurance and the home was a complete loss.
• 25 Years Ago This Week (1932) — To pare expenses to a minimum. Midland Board of Education eliminated one of the entrance(Grade 8) classes in the town schools for the year. High school entrance subjects were to be taught in Regent and Central schools only. * ** A group of district citizens, interested in establishing a flying club, attended a meeting in Midland YMCA. Hoyt Wice was elected president and Les Letherby, secretary-treasurer. * * * Ray Borland won the mile swim at Little Lake Park. One of 19 swimmers in the race, his time for the distance was 21 minutes and 30 seconds. * * * Twenty-five Georgian Bay district communities, at a meeting in Midland, organized the Georgian Bay Municipal Electric Association. About 100 delegates attended the session. W. H. Gurney of Wingham was elected president. * * * Dogs were taking a heavy toll of North Simcoe sheep. Councils in Tiny and Tay Townships paid out $119 to farmers whose sheep had been killed by dogs. * * * Apple orchards in the district had been hit by a blight that was threatening to destroy the entire crop. Many farmers and orchard owners were feeding the apples to pigs. * * * Relics of the martyred Brebeuf and Lalemant, which had been sent to France 300 years previously, were returned to the Martyrs’ Shrine in a glass casket. Following a special service, they were deposited in the sanctuary of the shrine church.