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The new brass at the GBMEA (Georgian Bay Municipal Electric Association) chosen during their convention in Midland this week. Front, J. Low of Uxbridge, A. T. Smith of North Bay, Col. A. A. Kennedy of Owen Sound, C. J. Halliday of Chesley. Back Row, J. E. Wilson of Barrie, B. A. Evans of Bradford, W. Booker of Meaford, Charles Parker of Midland, E. Faelker of Hanover, H. Thiess of Orillia and V. A. Ellis of Collingwood. 

Seven-year-old Mary Lea Rutherford, daughter of Mr. & Mrs. (Lillian) Charlie Rutherford of Midland, holds an oddly shaped carrot which was found last week by Mrs. J. G. McArthur, 313 Manly Street, in her garden. 

Mr. & Mrs. Harold Jackson recently moved to Midland, 277 Manly Street. Mrs. Jackson (Phyllis Maude Henty) is the granddaughter of popular adventure story writer George Alfred Henty. They are holding one of his books, part of a complete set of first editions they own. Mr. Jackson is related to Stonewall Jackson whom Henty wrote about in his book “With Lee in Virginia”. 

The water went around this dam at the Midland Public Utility reservoir site at Sunnyside on Thursday. The far bank washed out but will be repaired. It is the larger of two earth compacted dams that supply water to Midland. 

Water over the dam. The flooding of Sunnyside Road is the result of the failure of one of two earth compacted dams at the Midland Public Utilities reservoir site on Thursday. 

The new manager of Agnew Surpass shoe store in Midland is local son Robert Bates. He has worked for Agnew Surpass for three years, Robert is the son of Mr. & Mrs. William Bates, the husband of Leona Culbertson and father to Donald 18 months and Sandra Lee, a few weeks old. [Don’t tell the Bates but they will have another son, Terry] Robert is replacing another native son, Lionel Parliament who has been promoted to the St. Thomas store. Jack Danby was the previous manager. 

• The headline of September 4, 1957, in the Free Press Herald; PUC Recommends Major Rate Cuts for Hydro Consumers in Midland. PUC secretary Stewart Holt announced today that a request for a downward revision had been submitted to the Ontario Hydro Electric Power Commission. Domestic consumers could expect a 16.8 percent reduction, commercial consumers 23 percent and industrial consumers 7.05 percent.
• The headline of September 6, 1957, in the County Herald; 400-Low-Cost Home Subdivision Reaches Planning Stage at Port. Another “one dollar agreement,” entered into by the village of Port McNicoll recently, may add some 1,400 to 1,500 new residents to the village population over a 10-year period. The agreement between the village and the Meadows Land Development Company is similar to one which resulted in the successful Paradise Point cottage sub-division. In the latter instance, the village sold the sparsely-settled area formerly known as Flat Point to C. A. Meadows and Associates, several years ago, for $1.
• 10 Years Ago This Week – Anglers reported that the summer of 1947 had been one of the best bass seasons in years. Both Midland Bay and Little Lake had proved to be fertile grounds for the fishermen. * * * Port McNicoll ratepayer’s voted in favour of the establishment of a utility commission for the village. * * * Midland Boys’ Band under the direction of A. J. Laley won third place honours in their class at the Canadian National Exhibition. They received 76 points, 12 points less than the London Police Band.  * * * Three cardinals of the Roman Catholic Church attended pontifical high mass at Martyrs Shrine. Bernard  Cardinal Griffin, Archbishop of Westminster, London, celebrated the mass, Norman Cardinal Gilroy, Sidney, Australia, spoke to pilgrims, and James Cardinal McGuigan, the Archbishop of Toronto, blessed the cornerstone which was to be placed in Fort Ste. Marie. * * * More than 500 passengers arrived at Midland aboard the S.S. Noronic. It was the first of the ship’s three post-season visits for the year. * * * Midland’s red-brick town hall had been condemned by Midland council. It was termed a menace to public safety. [the 1896 building was upgraded and continued in use as the town hall and courthouse until demolished in 1955, the land being sold to Loblaws]* * * Penetang Lions Club had completed what its directors termed a banner year. One of the major projects of the club was the Lions Club Community Park. * * * More than 1,000 exhibits, the largest number of entries in the 54 years of the fair’s history, were featured in Coldwater’s fall fair.
• Dear Editor: Your article on July 31 re the near drowning of the little Lepage girl makes strange reading to one who was present. Knowing the reputation of your paper over many years I am sure the mistake was not by design. The facts are the girl was rescued, revived and saved before police, doctor, or respirator arrived at the scene. The person who brought the little girl out of the deep water and revived her was none other than my son, John Brubacher of Guelph, who did a splendid job. Instead of thanks for his efforts, he was ignored in your article on the mishap and his place taken by the police. Being modest he was not inclined to make much of the event but I am not so modest and must ask you to give him the credit due for his successful efforts. Let me take nothing from Mr. Ingram who found the girl and made her rescue possible. If he had not found her so quickly she could not have been revived.  But he was exhausted from his efforts and from there my son John took over, assisted by his brother Carl. He took her to shore and immediately applied artificial respiration. By the time the police, doctor and artificial respirator arrived he had her breathing. When they finally arrived they did all they could to speed her recovery, but make no mistake, by the time they arrived she was saved. John  Brubacher has had wide experience with the Kitchener-Waterloo YMCA at their Beausoleil Island camp and is well qualified for such an experience. The girl is indeed lucky he arrived at the scene at the critical moment. The police etc. did all they could and I would not take anything away from them. However, they were not there at the critical moment. I would suggest it should be easy to get the facts from the spectators present when the girl was taken from the water. I leave it to you to publish my letter or make any other correction you deem suitable. Albert Brubacher
• The body of Douglas Monague, 50-year-old, of Christian Island, was pulled from the waters of Georgian Bay at Cedar Point, Tuesday afternoon. Sighted by another man, the body was lying in the water approximately 40 feet from the dock. The dead man is known to have gone to Penetang Monday afternoon. No one has been found who had seen him after that time.
• A lifelong resident of Midland, William Scott Bowman died August 24 following a 15-year illness. Funeral service was held August 27 at Nicholls funeral home. Rev. Charles Carter of Victoria Harbour officiating. Interment was in Lakeview Cemetery. Pallbearers were Dr. James Small, James Moss, Fred Bath, Doug Edwards, Graham Jones and Don Wilson. William Bowman was born April 9, 1914, in Midland and was educated there. He had lived on First Street for 10 years and on Midland Ave. for 33 years. A butcher by trade, Mr. Bowman had been in the business for about 20 years, some of which was spent with his father in Penetang and also in Midland. Mr. Bowman was a member of the Presbyterian Church. Surviving is his mother, Lavina Bowman of Midland, a sister, Joyce Bowman of Midland, and a brother, Murray Bowman of Sioux Lookout.
• Arrangements have been completed for the launching of “Tagish II “, second of two patrol boats built for the RCMP by Grew Boats Ltd., Penetang, Tuesday afternoon. A number of RCMP officials are expected to be present for the launching. Present plans call for the craft to be sponsored by the wife of an RCMP official. A duplicate of her sister ship, “Carnduff II”, which was launched May 22, the Tagish II is designed for patrol work, probably in the Windsor area. With a length of 50 feet, three inches, and a 13-foot, six-inch beam, the new craft has a depth of three feet, three inches aft. She is powered by twin, 12-cylinder gasoline engines operating twin screws. She also carries a powered aluminum lifeboat in a well, constructed in the after-deck. The vessel features a large uncluttered bridge with the wheel, dual engine controls and binnacle compass. Engines are mounted beneath the bridge deck.
• J. E. Francis Beckett received a pleasant surprise on her 93rd birthday Sept 1st. While staying at a cottage owned by her daughter at Sturgeon Bay and relaxing on the lawn a band of pipers led a procession into the yard. Mrs. Beckett was being feted by the Black Watch Scottish Regiment pipers and an afternoon of songs, music and highland dancing was enjoyed. Some years ago Mrs. Beckett had donated a piece of waterfront property to the Black Watch camp for their enjoyment. [The Black Watch Camp was located on the current Bell Falls Campground property adjacent to the Sturgeon River]

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Stopping off on their way to a world encampment of Girl Guides at Doe Lake Camp, Huntsville, was this group of American guides from New York City and Long Island NY. Front row; Marion Lavigne and Karen Wood, Midland. Second row; Camille Guiliani (leader of the U.S. party), Jean Boyle, Joyce Malakoff, Nancy Walsh and Patsy Scharbach of Midland. Third row; Nancy Scharbach, Midland; Ann Smith, Eileen Anderson, Barbara Banks, Ruth Sanches, Eleanor Browner, Doreen Moreau of Midland. The girls enjoyed boat trips, visits to historical locations and picnics at Little Lake Park while here. 

A notable note is being perused by Billy and Karen Atkinson, 196 Eighth Street. It’s the very one their father, Albert Atkinson, placed in a bottle and tossed into Lake Huron 24 years ago. The note read;

“Nov. 28, 1933. S.S. Saskadoc. Real stormy night. Waves coming over decks. Nearly everyone sick. One boat in sight can see lights.  A. Atkinson, Old Fort, Midland, Ont.”

It was found by a vacationer in Honey Harbour this summer who mailed it to the Free Press office with this note;

Aug. 7, 1957. Dear Sir: Enclosed find a note that I discovered in a bottle on my beach at my summer home, Honey Harbour, Mermaid Island, last week, just before returning home. It may be of interest to some families in Midland. Rev. John M. Strodel Buffalo, New York. 

Miss Jean Wallace is the first woman to win the Simcoe County women’s golf title since 1950 and is seen above with her trophy at the Midland Golf & Country Club. Shooting rounds of 82, 84 and 85, Miss Wallace’s total of 251 was two strokes better than her nearest rival, Mrs. Betty Robinson of Collingwood. 

 Penetang firemen had a four-hour battle on their hands when they were’called out about 5 a.m. Sunday to extinguish a blaze in Chas. Scott’s barn. The fire was first discovered by Mrs. Peter Marchand, who heard the “crackling sound of flames”.  She called to her son, Leon, who turned in the alarm. The barn contained a large quantity of hay and straw, as well as approximately 2,000 bushels of oats which had just been threshed recently. No estimate of the loss is available at present. The loss is partially covered by insurance. Greatest “worry of firemen was that the flames might spread to nearby wood and sawdust piles, or to the new arena. 

We could find no record of this Fairmile, Q089 built at Creavettes in 1942, as a local cruise ship. Here sister Q088 built in Toronto was the Penetang Eighty-Eight or Midland Penetang Eighty-Eight of local fame. Bob Gilles, son of Midland banker R. G. Gilles was the pilot of the helicopter on this northern expedition. 

If these eggs were to hatch, assistant curator R. A. Grigg would have had some strange new exhibits for Midland’s Huronia Museum, largely devoted to displays of Indian lore and early pioneer life in North Simcoe. The big object in the centre is a cream-ish coloured ostrich egg, surrounded by two black emu eggs. Donated to the Museum by Miss Riddell, of Toronto and Go-Home Bay, the eggs were part of a collection made by her father, a sea captain. [ This photo was taken at the front desk of the old Huronia House Museum, the James & Charlotte Playfair home, note the  staircase behind.]

Many examples of early native handicrafts were recently donated to Huronia Museum by Miss Riddell of Toronto and Go-Home-Bay. Many of them were obtained by her late father, a sea captain. Getting a close look are Jane Upper, daughter of Mr. & Mrs. C. Upper, Grimsby and John Cranston of Midland. 

• The headline, Midland Free Press August 28, 1957; Lake Shipping Grain Slump Causes Early Layoffs For Local Tars [tar is an informal name for a seaman] The slump in Great Lakes grain shipments, attributed to the 723,000,000 bushel glut on the market, has hit North Simcoe district sailors, a National Employment Service official told this newspaper yesterday that approximately 22 local sailors are affected by the grain situation. He said the group represents about five per cent of the total registered mariners at the NES Midland office.
• The headline, County Herald August 30, 1957; Near Beer Consumption Rapped by Cadi In Penetang Case. Magistrate Kenneth A. Cameron indicated in Penetang court yesterday he would not differentiate between the controversial beverage “near beer”, and the regular product as far as minors are concerned. Asking that the press take particular note of his stand on the matter, the magistrate said: “It is my understanding that ‘near beer’ is an alcoholic beverage within the meaning of the act, and that will be the attitude of this court.
• There are still some honest people in the world, according to Penetang Police, who had a concrete example last week. According to Sgt. L. Robillard, a Barrie salesman came into the office carrying a bank deposit bag which apparently contained a fair sum of money. He explained that he had found it between his car and one parked alongside. Police found the owner of the bag, a Penetang business concern, and returned it before the firm had time to report the loss.
• Students at Midland-Penetang District High School copped three out of four Dominion-Provincial Bursaries allotted to Grade 13 graduates in Simcoe County. Winners of the three top bursaries of $500 each are Myrna Bannon of Vasey, Jeanne Sauvé of Penetang and Joe Tersigni of Port McNicoll. The bursaries are awarded on the basis of scholastic ability.
• 25 Years Ago This Week – A sack containing a number of bones wrapped in a baby’s dress was found at the roadside of W. Forget’s farm. Chief Wm. MacDonald and Prov. Const. Robert Beatty investigated and found that it only contained fish bones. * * *  The boat “Vigilants” moored at Penetang Bay for two years burned at her moorings. The remains were towed to the North West Basin to be beached. * * * The Q. S. McFarland and the Emperor unloaded a total of 575,000 bushels of grain at Midland elevators. * * * Tay Council had to pay approximately $62 to sheep owners in the district to recompense them for animals killed or hurt by dogs. * * * Judge C. W. Holtcamp (sp) of Probate Court, City of St. Louis, spoke at the luncheon meeting of the Kiwanis Club. His subject was “the question of confidence as related to the existing depression.” * * * Thomas Lambert Chew, pioneer lumberman and well-known in Simcoe County, died August 15. * * * A big tourist parade was scheduled for August 2.  Prizes were offered for best entries. * * * The firemen’s tournament was held at Elmvale with teams from Midland, Penetang, Coldwater, Elmvale, Orillia and Barrie competing. * * * Clarke Edwards was the instructor at the playground activities in Port McNicoll under the CPR recreation club.
• Orland French, 13, of Waverley, is getting good results from his summer agricultural project for the Midland-Penetang District High School. The chickens he has been caring for only started laying on August 17, and have already produced three double-yolk eggs and one triple-yolk egg. It was a four and a half-month-old pullet who produced the triple-yolk egg. His birds are a cross between the White Wyandotte and the Rhode Island Red. Orland will enter Grade 10 at MPDHS this fall.
• Canada, and more particularly Penetang, received a boost from an American visitor through a letter to the editor which appeared in Saturday’s issue of the Globe and Mail under a heading “Gratitude to Hospital”. The letter was written by Mrs. John C. Flynn, Eggertsville, N. Y., and came following hospitalization of her son in Penetang General Hospital. The “Mr. Leroux” spoken of in the letter is Wilfred Leroux, Robert Street W. The letter was as follows: “As an American, I wish to thank the Canadian people for wonderful, friendly consideration of my family. Recently, my son Jack was rushed from Honey Harbour to Penetang hospital after haemorrhaging from an ulcer located in the bowel. The sisters, doctors and nurses were marvellous not only to Jack, but to my husband John, son Pat and daughter Margie, and we were given every consideration to make our burden lighter. “We found the Penetang Hospital a very modern, up-to-date institution which reflects the character and excellent training of those in charge. Our two weeks’ stay, during which my son was operated on and recuperated, will always be an outstanding experience we shall never forget. “Mr. Leroux (Jack’s roommate), Mrs. Leroux, their daughter and two sons adopted us as their own during our stay. The hotel manager and clerks of the Brule Hotel showed personal interest which summarizes our thoughts that Canadians are wonderful people.”
• Arthur Wright, 52, of William Street, Midland, plunged 40 feet to his death Wednesday afternoon at the Dorr-Oliver-Long plant in Orillia, where he was employed as a crane operator. Mr. Wright was killed instantly when he fell headfirst to a concrete floor from the cab of the crane he operates in the plate shop of Orillia’s largest industrial plant. He was preparing to start the night shift and had climbed a vertical ladder on the wall to the catwalk on top of the crane. There he threw the main switch and descended into the cab. Seconds later his body came hurtling down to the floor.
• Crackling noise of flames around midnight, Tuesday, woke Wilfred Piitz in his Lafontaine home and likely saved the lives of Mr. and Mrs. Piitz and their children. Mr. Piitz was apparently sleeping upstairs in the house, along with two children whom he grabbed when he realized the building was on fire. Rushing downstairs, he roused his wife and the family made their way to a next door neighbour where they were able to turn in an alarm. By that time flames were bursting through the roof of the building.
• A resident of Penetang all her life, Mrs. Isidore Le Page died Aug. 19 at Penetang. Funeral service was held from the home of Mrs. John Smith, Aug. 23. Interment was at St. Anne’s Cemetery, Penetang. Rev. Leo Rausperger officiated and the pallbearers were six grandsons; John Le Page Jr., Isidore Le Page, Henry Le Page, Clement Le Page, Wilfred Le Page and Clement Contois. Mrs. Le Page, the former Suzanna Trudeau, was born and educated in Penetang. She lived there all her life and in 1889 she married Isidore Le Page. A member of the Roman Catholic Church, Mrs. Le Page belonged to St. Anne’s’ Society. Predeceased by her husband July 1, 1929, Mrs. Le Page is survived by sons John of Penetang, Peter of Pine Portage, Anthony of Midland, Joseph of Midland and Isidore of Montreal, two daughters, Cecelia Irwin of Toronto and Alida Gartner of  Toronto. Also surviving are one sister, Emma Carriere of Toronto, 33 grandchildren, 65 great-grandchildren and 4 great-great-grandchildren.
• Dean Martin is starring in “Ten Thousand Bedrooms” at the Roxy.