The photos found in this blog post are the property of Huronia Museum, Midland, Ontario. Any reproduction for commercial use without permission is prohibited.  Any other distribution must credit Huronia Museum.  Please contact the museum with any questions you may have. 

WANT OSSOSSANE ROAD OPEN TO WYMBOLWOOD   
Free Press Herald headline of Wednesday, August 9^th, 1961. This lengthy article describes the conflict at a Tiny Twp. Council meeting with two opposing cottager groups; one wanting the beach road closed the other not. Reeve Maurice had to call for order many times. 

     After hearing presentations of a delegation of approximately a dozen ratepayers, Friday, Tiny Township council reversed their decision on approval of Midland’s request to dump garbage in Tiny Township. With Ed. Copeland as spokesman, the delegation registered a strong complaint against allowing the dump in Tiny. They urged council to turn down all requests from outside municipalities to dump in the township. Chief fear expressed by the delegation was that the dump would contaminate and pollute water in the area. A nearby swamp drains into a creek which eventually flows south and eastward and winds through Brooklea Golf Club property and into Wye Lake. 

25 Years Ago – 1936
The nine-mile stretch of road from Elmvale to Wasaga Beach., known as County Road No. 15, was officially taken over by the government as a provincial highway. * * * The four windows of the Georgian Hotel, Midland, facing on Hugel Avenue, were filled with winter sports togs, skis, hockey outfits and shooting paraphernalia to impress summer tourists with Midland’s winter attractions. * * * Summer cottages at Nottawaga Beach had their first telephones with the completion of a telephone line from Penetang down the 11th Concession. * * * Despite a period of drought Midland’s water supply, secured from the creek and five artesian wells, was still meeting all demands of more than a million gallons of water daily. * * * Bush fires in the Port Severn,  Honey Harbour and Glouster Pool vicinity were brought under control but were only two miles from the Georgian Bay power line which served Coldwater, Waubaushene, Victoria Harbour and Midland. * * * Lloyd Scott, Ray Rivers and Donald Maracle caught the first pickerel in Midland harbor in years. It measured 27 inches and weighed four and a half pounds. The fish was believed to have followed the Letherby and Sons log raft down the lake and into the harbour. * * * Declining attendance at the three Midland public schools coupled with the necessity for economy resulted in the schools’ management committee deciding that the staff could be reduced by the three retiring teachers, committee chairman T. M. McCullough revealed. * * * The Owen Sound Daily Sun-Times donated a trophy for softball competition between all towns, cities and villages bordering on Georgian Bay between Tobermory and Parry Sound. 

    A Bala girl, Miss Judy McAdam, reported this week that part of a shrine, erected more than 30 years ago on a cliff overlooking Georgian Bay, has been damaged. Miss McAdam said that, recently she took a canoe trip down the Macdonald River and stopped at the little shrine. She said the frame which held the story behind the erection of the Madonna of The Bay had been smashed and the story torn. She said if she could obtain a copy of the story, she would replace the broken frame and the story. The shrine was erected by Ted. A. Becker, Sr., of Buffalo. N.Y. in May, 1931, after he had recovered from a critical wound, received in a shooting accident near the Macdonald River outlet to the bay. [Was it ever repaired? I have never climbed up there to see the contents of the frame.] 

    Within two hours of his departure from Ottawa Air Marshal Hugh L. Campbell, Chief of Air Staff, Royal Canadian Air Force, arrived at Edgar Thursday to make an inspection tour of the air defence site. A turbo-prop Cosmopolitan aircraft of Air Transport Command flew the CAS to Camp Borden and the usually one-hour long trip to Edgar was completed by an H34 helicopter in less than 15 minutes. “Station Edgar is an important link in the Radar Control and Warning network which surrounds this continent. The officers, airmen and the airwomen who man this station maintain a 24-hour watch on the skies, 365 days of the year. They are the eyes and ears of our air defence system”, commented CAS Campbell. 

    The Town of Midland received official notification Friday, that it is being sued by W. F. “Bud” Turnbull, former superintendent of the public works department. W. A. Hack, town clerk, said yesterday the notice received indicated Mr. Turnbull was suing for damages on the grounds of wrongful dismissal. The damages sought are for an unstated amount. Midland council at a special session, March 17, asked for and received Mr. Turnbull’s resignation. 

Something new has been added to the grounds of Regent Public School, Midland. Being erected by G. O. Maxwell of Balm Beach are two new portable classrooms, designed to take care of over-crowding in some classes at the school next September. Tender for the two cottage-type buildings was $4,120. 

No doubt the marine railway at Big Chute has carried some strange craft during the many years it has served as part of the Trent Canal system. Getting a lift “over the hump” is a new-type house boat, powered by a large outboard motor. It completely hides a fair-sized cruiser at the rear end of the rail car. 

 

SAY PARKING PROBLEM NEEDS URGENT ACTION
County Herald headline of Friday, August 11^th, 1961. There is an immediate need in Midland for off street parking space for 150-200 cars. This was evident at a meeting of the planning Board and a representative group of businessmen held in the municipal building Tuesday night. Land use, said Mr. Lawlor, is one of the biggest items in preparing an official plan, based on an estimated projection of the town’s growth over the next 20 years. By that time, if it follows the population increase curve established in the years 1947-60, the town will have a population of around 14,500. 

    Long a familiar sight on the Midland waterfront, the Georgian Bay buoy tender St. Heliers is now a long way from her familiar haunts, according to newspaper reports originating in Ottawa and the Caribbean area. The story is long and rather involved; but it is definitely known that the St. Heliers was sold last year to a firm in London, Ont., — and later in 1960 resold “to other interests.” Built as she was in 1919, the St. Heliers had a long and honorable career, and might have been thought eligible for an easier life of retirement. Renamed “Tropic -Sea,” the honest old St. Heliers left her workaday life as a buoy tender in the Great Lakes, to sail under the house flag of the Companla de Navigacion Tropicana. The company, so far as can be ascertained, flies the flag of Honduras. [The Toronto Marine Historical Association published a very interesting account of the St. Heliers’ life after Georgian Bay. In their publication she is “Ship of the Month #268” found here with reference to our own Vern Sweeting as a contributor;  https://www.maritimehistoryofthegreatlakes.ca/GreatLakes/Documents/Scanner/ShipOfTheMonth.html  

    Possibility that the 17th Concession Road in Tiny Township will be opened on the westerly side of Cook’s lake is seen in a promise made by Tiny Township council to a Mrs. Allport.  Mrs. Allport told council she had purchased a permanent residence located alongside where the concession road allowance intersects with the lake. She said she intends to move there permanently and has a daughter attending school. Council promised to open the road when Mrs. Allport builds a connecting road between her property and the township allowance.  At present, access to the lake from the west is over a trespass road running through a pine patch. 

Willard Perrault, 16, of 48 Fifth Street, Midland, emerged the winner of the cross-lake swim at Midland’s Little Lake Wednesday, finishing well ahead of a field of 20 swimmers. The event was sponsored by the summer playground committee of the Midland Y’s Men’s Club. Perrault covered the distance in 26 minutes, 25 seconds, while Randy Small and Herb Chapman waged a battle for runner-up spot, Small winning out. 

RADAR TIMER TO CHECK MIDLAND CAR SPEEDERS
Free Press Herald headline of Wednesday August 16, 1961. Midland Police Chief George Wainman announced yesterday that the new radar speed timer purchased by the town will be in use starting today. Chief Wainman stated that for the balance of this week minor speed violators will be stopped and warned without summonses being issued. 

    Commencing next year cyclists in Penetang will be required to purchase a licence for their bicycles at a cost of $1 each. This decision was reached by Penetang council, Monday night when police chairman, Councillor Ralph White asked council’s approval to purchase the plates. 

    Work is slated to get underway before the end of the month on a major addition to the Canadian Tire Associate Store on Bay Street, East, Midland. Contract for the construction of the building has been awarded to Webster-Smallwood, Midland. Present service department of the Bay Street store is to be converted to a warehouse with additional warehouse space to be built on behind it. A complete new four-car service department of modern design will be erected across the back of the property. Licensed mechanics will be employed when the building is ready for operation, some time in the spring of 1962. Another 2,000 square feet of floor space will be added to the present display area. Complete new lighting will be installed and modern self-service displays will largely replace the present counter set up. This addition and modernization will be the third expansion for Canadian Tire in Midland since 1948, designed to meet the demands of the growing community. 

 TEN YEARS AGO – 1951
Officials of Midland and Penetang chambers of commerce met to facilitate the exchange of tourist accommodation information between the two towns. * * * For the third time in two weeks, S.S. City of Dover, sailing from Midland, was unable to accommodate all passengers who sought to board the vessel. * * * The Canadian Bandmasters’ Association 20th annual convention was held in Midland with approximately 170 bandmasters and their wives attending. * * * A soap-box derby and children’s costume parade was held on Penetang’s Main Street. Ron Ladouceur was the derby winner. * * * J. J. Macksey, Midland relief administrator, noted that the government’s new old- age pension would save Midland taxpayers approximately $4,000 annually after Jan. I. * * * Midland Junior Chamber of Commerce was making plans to host the Jaycee Region 5 conference at the Delawana Inn, Honey Harbour. * * * Kiwanian Ben Gardiner warned his fellow Midland Kiwanians that Midland was in danger of losing its CNR passenger service. * * * Midland – Orillia Combines ended a lacrosse campaign at Arena Gardens by losing to Orangeville Dufferins 15-9 in an OLA intermediate playdown series. * * * Midland’s “Mr. Hockey”, George S. Dudley was off to Yugoslavia to attend the annual meeting of the International Ice Hockey Federation. * * * Coldwater council was starting expropriation proceedings to erect a new hydro power line. The council also decided that those in arrears on water accounts would have that service cut off if the accounts were not paid.   

 

Editorial page picture entitled “Rails and River at the Big Chute”. [Rails are the marine railway.] 

 An interested visitor at the Indian Village in Midland’s Little Lake Park is Dr. G. E. Hall, president of the University of Western Ontario (second from right), seen talking with members of the Midland Y’s Men’s Club, sponsors of the Village. From left to right are Dr. Wilfrid Jury, noted archaeologist under whose direction the Village was erected, Clarke Edwards, Frank Bray, John Bridges, Dr. Hall, and Douglas Haig. 

Another project which is providing employment for a number of workmen and tradesmen in this area this summer is the addition to Bay Mills Ltd., on Fourth Street, Midland. Steel for the new building was put in place last week. Contractors are Webster – Smallwood Ltd., Midland. 

Midland Indians had to settle for a 5-5 tie in the opening game of the South Simcoe Baseball League playoffs with Thornton at Town Park Saturday night. Here Murray Yorke sends a fly ball to centre field for the first out of the second inning. Thornton catcher is Joe Timmons and umpire is Bill McGill of Orillia. 

$590,520 for MPDHS APPROVED BY OTTAWA 
County Herald headline of Friday, August 18, 1961. Hon. Michael Starr, federal minister of labor, in a letter to Dr. P. B. Rynard, M.P. for Simcoe East, advised he had approved the federal government’s grant for the addition to Midland – Penetang District High School. In the original plan the cost of the nine room addition was to be borne on the basis of 75 per cent by the federal government and 25 per cent by the provincial government. “This addition will provide classrooms, laboratory, shops, and auxiliary areas necessary for an additional 220 vocational students. The estimated total cost of this vocational addition, including furniture and equipment is $787,360. The federal government’s share of this amount will be approximately $590,520.C. Gauthier, MPDHS principal, commenting on Mr. Starr’s letter said, “I am pleased that it has passed Ottawa.” 

    Unveiling of an historical plaque, commemorating the founding of Midland, will be held on the Post Office grounds, August 22, at 2.30 p.m. Mayor Charles Parker will unveil the plaque in a ceremony to which the public is invited. This plaque is one of a series being erected throughout the province by the Department of Travel and Publicity, acting on the advice of the Archaeological and Historic Sites Board of Ontario. Tuesday’s ceremony is being arranged and sponsored by the Midland Chamber of Commerce, whose President, William R. Orr, will be chairman. 

    Wednesday night members of Midland council expressed concern about the garbage disposal situation. Mayor Charles Parker and most members of council had just completed an hour’s inspection of the dump. It was decided that the area to the north of the present dumping site would be under brushed and cleared immediately.  A large section of the westerly end of the dump will be filled in and closed to dumping, council decided and they hope that this work can be completed in the next two weeks. The area to be closed will be fenced and signs posted prohibiting dumping in that section. Dumping will be allowed only in the south-east section of the dump site. It was agreed.  Mayor Parker stressed that the steps being taken were only temporary until a new disposal site is found.

The photos found in this blog post are the property of Huronia Museum, Midland, Ontario. Any reproduction for commercial use without permission is prohibited.  Any other distribution must credit Huronia Museum.  Please contact the museum with any questions you may have.  

GO HOME AREA COTTAGEERS FIND MISSING SCUBA DIVER 

Free Press Herald headline of Wednesday August 7, 1961. 
The body of missing scuba diver David Phipps of Toronto was found about 3.30 p.m. yesterday about four miles from the spot where his boat was found. Provincial Police at Victoria Harbour said the body was discovered near the shore of a rocky island just south east of Red Rock. Some summer cottagers, whose names are not known to police, found it floating in the water and informed Harbour OPP. Sgt. Blake Ball and Constable Jack Ambeau, who commenced dragging operations in the Pine Island group, near Go Home Bay, yesterday, received the message shortly after the body had been found when they made a phone check to the Harbour detachment office. The search for Mr. Phipps, about 40 years of age, began when his wife reported him missing. A search revealed his boat, the 28-foot cruiser Viking, was anchored near Grey Island. There was no sign of Mr. Phipps, an experienced scuba diver. A quantity of diving equipment was found in the boat.  

    Present indications are that the Officers Quarters Museum at Penetanguishene may set an attendance record this year, according to the museum committee treasurer, Miss Annette Brunelle. Admissions up to last weekend indicate well over 2,000 persons have passed through the turnstiles. This number could easily be doubled, as there is no charge for children when they accompany their parents, it was stated. In addition to paid admissions, more than 100 busloads of school children visited the museum during the month of June. On the basis of approximately 30 per bus, this would mean well over 3,000 children visited the museum. 

    An historic plaque, commemorating the founders of Midland and specifically, Baron Von Hugel and the founding of the Midland Railway, is to be erected by the Ontario Department of Travel and Publicity and unveiled this summer. Possibly the man whose connections with early Midland go back farther than any living citizen today is Harvey E. White of 182 Seventh Street. Present CPR agent in Midland, Mr. White is the grandson of the late Jabez Dobson, one of the four men generally recognized as the first pioneers of Midland. The other three were Richard Murphy, Tom Smith and John Hartley.  According to George R. Osborne’s book, “A Story of Early Midland”, Jabez Dobson came to Midland in 1862. He owned all the land between King and Eighth Street, including the water lots as far as Ottawa Street, which he purchased from James Tudhope for $200. Hugel Ave. was the southern boundary of the farm. Before coming to Midland, Dobson had been in charge of a farm at the |Boys Reformatory in Penetang. There he met Jane Ganton, who was to be his future wife. After working for a time on a Medonte farm he married her in 1861. Her home had been on the Scotch Line of Medonte. When the young couple came to Midland there were only three other houses, belonging to Murphy, Smith and Hartley. Land in the vicinity was not very productive for farming so it may be assumed the four families eked out a precarious living. Oxen supplied the motive power for tilling and for transportation. There were many drawbacks and disadvantages, not the least being the depredations of bears and other animals, which frequently carried off calves and the family porkers, not to mention ruining crops. Mr. Dobson was pathmaster for the district and one of his jobs was supplying logs for the corduroy road along King Street which, at that time, was little more than a path through a bog. Mr. Dobson eventually sold his farm, the Midland Railway securing the waterfront and the rest going to the Midland Land Co., Baron Von Hugel and Dr. Spohn. This was in 1871. At that time Midland had been decided on as the terminus of the Midland Railway, which was to link Port Hope with Georgian Bay. In 1879 the name of the town was changed from “Munday’s Bay” to “Midland City”. There were ten children in the Dobson family, all born in their log-cabin home at the corner of Dominion Ave. and Third Street (in 1961 a vacant lot across from the municipal building). “In this primitive setting” wrote Mr. Osborne, “the story of Jabez Dobson is a saga of hardy pioneering in what was then the newest northern settlement”. Mr. White, whose CPR office is on land once owned by his grandfather, cannot remember Mr. Dobson, although he does recall his grandmother. 

    Penetang Parks Board officials are curious. They would like to know who the person was who wanted steel drums so badly, he stole them from the Bayfield Park float. Chairman Andy Vaillancourt said the theft is believed to have taken place sometime Sunday night. Platform of the float was left high and dry on the beach, the steel drums having been removed. 

    Although not entirely pleased with the idea of having another municipality’s garbage dumped in the Township of Tiny, council Thursday gave approval to the town of Midland to use the Dragoman property as a sanitary land-fill garbage disposal site. Midland council was represented at the special session by Mayor Charles Parker. Reeve Percy Crawford and  councillors Walter Woods, Oliver Lesperance and Bill Thompson. Clerk Wm. Hack accompanied the delegation. Reeve Montcalm Maurice, probably expressed the feeling of the majority of his council when he said, “personally I don’t like the idea of having someone else’s garbage dump in the township, but I understand it is not always possible for a municipality to dump within its own limits, so we have to give and take a little.” Strongest objection to the plan came from Deputy-reeve Doug Holt who voted against the approval resolution when it was tabled. Deputy-reeve Holt felt quite certain the water table in the area is too high for a sanitary land-fill dump. At one point he said. “I still don’t like the site I’d stake my life you’ll hit water no lower than six feet.” 

    Penetang Bottling Co. Limited was the first independent bottler in Ontario to put the new “Fanta” drink on the market, according to Mrs. Helen Booth. A product of Coca Cola Co., the new drink is being produced in three flavors. Mrs. Booth said her information is that the “Fanta” name originated in Coca Cola plants in Germany during World War II. Apparently the German plants were unable to obtain Coke syrup, and in order to keep -production going, manufactured a drink from supplies that were available. The name Fanta was put on the drink and it was produced throughout the war until syrup of regular Coke became available. The new drink has been on sale in the United States for some years, and was only  recently brought into Canada. At present it is available only in a few zones of Ontario and Quebec. Mrs. Booth said the local plant has been able to put the drink into Barrie, Orillia, Midland and Penetang. “We can’t get a sufficient supply of bottles at present to cover any more than the four towns,” she said. “The resort areas will obtain the drink as soon as the supply of bottles permits it.” [Still not reliably available in Canada although I bought 355 ml bottles of Fanta pineapple last week.] 

TEN YEARS AGO
Midland Public Utilities Commission’s new Queen Street hydro substation was put into operation. * * * Port McNicoll’s village clerk, B. J. Brownell, was notified by government officials that the village’s qualified voters would vote Sept. 27, whether or not the village would have a brewers’ retail store. * * * Discussions were taking place between Midland and Penetang on the advisability of consolidating new hospital accommodations. * * * Midland’s municipal rest rooms, located on Elizabeth Street, behind the fire hall, were opened to the public. * * * The third annual quilt and rug fair, sponsored by Simcoe Arts and Crafts Association, was held in St. Paul’s United Church, Midland. * * * By a 7 – 1 margin, voters of the area adjoining Wasaga Beach turned down a proposal to authorize Sunday sports. * * * Principal James Robinson of Wiarton Public School was presented with gifts on his departure to take up new duties as principal of Midland’s Sixth Street Public School. * * * Definite proposals from Premier Leslie Frost reached Penetang council and chamber of commerce concerning the development of the Officers’ Quarters Museum on the Ontario Hospital grounds. * * * Representatives of the Dominion Travel Bureau and the National Film Board were in the Midland – Penetang district taking pictures for use in Canadian government advertising and publicity. 

This sylvan setting in the Black Lake area in the Severn River district is symbolic of the peaceful havens of recreation which exist in Huronia and South Muskoka. Many of the cottages erected along the shores of Black Lake have been completed within the last few years. 

The top sign, located along William Street in the Wireless Hill area of Midland, motorists claim is a mastery of understatement. The lower sign, tacked underneath by some witty individual, recommends the remedy for the condition, which has existed for more than a year and a half. 

Acting on direct orders from their Commissioner, OPP officers in this area are conducting an all-out campaign to lower the traffic toll on highways throughout the district. Here Constables Les Fraser (left) and Glenn Gracheck conduct a safety check of cars using Highway 12, near Martyrs’ Shrine.  Commissioner Clark has issued orders that appropriate charges be laid against motorists whose driving, or the condition of their vehicles, create road hazards. 

The newest cabin cruiser anchorage on Georgian Bay is this set-up at Petaguashene Beach on the Northwest Basin of Penetang Bay. Although not all visible, seven craft were tied up when this photo was taken.

Whipper Billy Watson retained his British Empire wrestling championship at Midland Arena Monday night by taking two falls out of three from challenger Stan Stasiuk. Here Whipper Bill has not only Stasiuk but referee Joe Golab his “gentle” embrace, against a corner post. Wrestling cards are held at the arena every Monday night under the sponsorship of Midland Minor Hockey Association. 

“Guck”, such as that seen at the lower left-hand corner of this picture, is the despair of Harbormaster Jack Blackburn and chamber of commerce officials, anxious to attract more visiting craft to Midland harbor. The small boat in the background seems actually to have cut a path through the debris-strewn waters of the central slip. 

When Mrs. Andre Robillard of Penetang marked her 92nd birthday recently, five generations of the family were present The five generations are left to right above Mrs. Andre Robillard, her son Ligourie Robillard, 71, his daughter, Mrs. Armand Brunelle, their daughter, Mrs. Don McPharlin, and six-month-old Janet McPharlin. 

Among the fastest  growing sports in the country these days are trap and handgun shooting and North Simcoe is well equipped to entertain devotees of these sports. TOP: Dietrich Nebelung (left) and Pete Abraham try their luck on the range of Huronia Handgun Club, just west of Midland Golf and Country Club- LOWER: Members are seen enjoying an outing at Penetang Gun Club, located on the back road from Midland to Penetang. Visitors are welcome to attend sessions of either club, held every Thursday- night. — Rolfotos

BIKE, LAD TOPPLE OFF DOCK, EX-SCOUT AVERTS TRADGEDY 

County Herald headline of Friday, August 4, 1961.
For the second time in about a year, a seventeen year old Victoria Harbour youth has averted drowning tragedies by rescuing children when they got into trouble in the water. The unassuming hero is Douglas Brodeur, son of Mr. and Mrs. Sib Brodeur of Victoria Harbour. In his earlier years, Doug was a Boy Scout. The Harbour youth’s latest life-saving feat  took place about a week ago, this newspaper was informed yesterday. Doug was sitting on the dock at Victoria Harbour when 10-year-old Gary Kaus of the Harbour came along the dock on his bicycle. In some manner, the bicycle struck one of the bollards on the dock and the young boy and bicycle toppled into the water, about eight feet deep at that point. When young Kaus did not come to the surface soon after the plunge, Doug dived in after him. He discovered the boy’s foot was tangled in the bicycle and he could not get free. By the time the youth freed the lad and got him to the surface, the Kaus boy was gasping for life. He recovered shortly afterward, however. About a year ago, Doug also saved the life of a pre-school age girl when she got beyond her depth while playing in the water. 

    As a result of what has been termed “a railroading attitude” by county council, in establishing the new registry office in  Barrie, Orillia council this week agreed to form a special committee to explore the possibilities of seceding from the county system. One Orillia alderman claimed the town, the largest single tax contributor to the county, had been “sold down the river” in the registry Office move. He said he had had numerous complaints as to why Orillia did not get preferential treatment by county council when the $300,000 registry office, “with its $60,000 rumpus room”, was voted on at the June session of county council. Reeve J. C. McDonald said the county council vote was 40-4 in favor of the Barrie location. Mayor George McLean said he was under the impression county council had already decided where the new registry office was to office was to be located before the Orillia delegation of 13 lawyers and others approached the council. 

    Robin Benson, a violist in the Midland-Penetang District High School orchestra, will be among 95 outstanding young instrumentalists from all parts of Canada who will present a concert in the Stratford Festival Theatre August 20. Included on the program will be the Roman Carnival Overture (Berlioz); Fourth Symphony (Dvorak); Tryptich (Pierre Mercure); and other works. 

    Among the early pioneers of Midland whose names are still carried by descendants in the town is H. S. Ruby. The town’s first baker, his name is perpetuated by Miss Shirley Ruby, a granddaughter living at 176 Elizabeth Street, and Henry Sargeant Ruby, who resides at 268 Queen Street, a grandson. The first H. S. Ruby, according to Midland historian George R. Osborne, arrived in Midland on foot from Barrie in June, 1875. Deciding to stay, he obtained the services of Jabez Dobson and a farmer named George Osborne. They went back to Barrie, loaded Mrs. Ruby and the seven Ruby children and all the family effects on two hay-ricks, and returned to Midland to stay. At that time Midland was still practically a swamp. King Street was just a corduroy road when “H S.” started the ’’City Bakery” on Midland Ave. (The building still stands (1961) and is used by an automobile parts firm.) It is recorded that the only residence on the west side of King Street at that time was the little log house of Jabez Dobson. The only places of business were two stores, operated by Nelson Courtemanche and John and Alex Waterson. There were also two hotels, one operated by James Duncan (the Queen’s) and the other by Charlie Rankin. A bush road (now Queen Street) led to the only sawmill, operated by H. H. Cook. Mr. Ruby’s first batch of bread was made from 50 pounds of flour secured from John Lummis of Wyebridge. By the end of the year, Mr. Ruby was using two barrels of flour a day. The only help available was that of his wife and family. Midland was incorporated as a village in 1879 and Mr. Ruby was appointed its treasurer. For fairly good reason, it seemed. There were no funds to meet the expenses of the infant, and struggling village, so Mr. Ruby,  along with a few others, had to bear the expense of the charter. He also, from time to time, was forced to advance his own funds to carry on the work of the village. After 21 years as a village, Midland became a town in 1900 and Mr. Ruby was one of its early reeves. The population around this time was about 4,000, indicating a fairly regular growth. Mr. Ruby, who lived to the venerable age of 93 years, also served the town in county council and as a school trustee. His son, the late A. W. Ruby, carried on the bakery after his death. “H. S.” was responsible for one important “first” in the history of Midland. His was the first telephone in town, and the year was 1880. It connected the bake shop on Midland Ave. and the Ruby store on King Street, adjoining the Georgian Hotel. Made in Detroit, the early-model phone was purchased from a travelling salesman. Operation of the phone was simple. A person in the bakery wishing to call the store (or vice versa) rang the bell at his end. The only “wrong numbers” were caused by birds perching on the wires, or mischievous boys hitting the wires with sticks, which caused the bells to ring. The advent of the telephone in Midland preceded by only one year that of the first electric light, which, it is claimed, was also the first in the entire province. It was installed in H. H. Cook’s mill. So unique was the electric light, powered by a plant imported from Scotland, that many excursions were chartered to Midland to see it in operation. 

Dear Editor:
The wooden day – passenger ship “WINONA”, official No. 94717, was built in 1902 at Port Stanley by John Ellisin for Geo. K. Crocket, president of the Navigation Company of Port Stanley, and was registered in the name of this company. Her length was 101.2 feet, width 22.9 feet and depth, 6.8 feet, gross tons 230.54.  She had a fore and aft compound engine with 16-inch stroke and two cylinders of 12 and 24 inch diameter, built in 1902 and boilers built by Polson Iron Works  of Toronto in 1902. On May 25, 1906, she was sold to James Playfair, Midland, Ont., and on August 3, 1906, he transferred her registry to Midland. On August 23, 1906, she was sold to Isabella D. White, of Midland, and on May 13, 1907, she was sold to James Purvis, of Gore Bay, Ont. In 1919 she was rebuilt at Wiarton and re-registered with length 110 feet, width 22 feet, depth 8.9 feet, gross tons 232.81.  Her closing entry reads as follows: Registry closed 4th December 1931, on receipt of information from Capt. H. C. Boyd, Gore Bay, Ont., that vessel was destroyed by fire at Spragge, Ontario, on November 13, 1931.

W. R. WILLIAMS. 

The Toronto Marine Historical Society researched Winona for their “Scanner” publication, ship history #207. They concluded that Playfair probably had no involvement with Winona, that it was case of mistaken identity with the Midland steamer “Winnanna” built in 1906 at Midland and captained by Wm. White, which burned at Tobermory in 1909. The first hand records from the Purvis family at Gore Bay made no reference to Playfair or White in regard to Winona. But, the official registry, Dominion List of Shipping 1907 to 1918,  does show Isabella E. White as owning Winona, Isabella being the wife of D. L. White of Midland, partner of James Playfair. (The Winona was a wooden passenger steamer that spent most of her service life in the North Channel, she would have been similar in appearance to our Midland City.)  

    Ten-year-old Paula Fecteau, a member of the senior girls division of Midland’s summer playground program sponsored by the Midland Y’s Men’s Club, submitted the best essay on “Water Safety”, swimming instructor David Seaton told this newspaper this week. The essay, which was to be 300 words or less, was a must for swimmers seeking to pass their tests. About 56 essays were submitted, Mr. Seaton said. 

This odd looking odyssey — a boat crossing the road —isn’t really a mirage. It is actually a boat crossing the highway — four of them — on the marine railway at Big Chute. After several days of enforced idleness because of mechanical failure, the novel railway is again transporting large numbers of craft “over the hump” to the upper reaches of the Severn River and the Trent Canal system. 

One of Midland’s “grand old men”, Thomas A. Sharp marked his 86th birthday Tuesday. He was guest of honour at a birthday party staged by his neighbors in the back yard of his fine home, 215 Queen Street. 

One of the most impressive visitors, in size at least, to Midland Harbour so far this year is the 68-foot cruising yacht “Ceramic”. The American yacht is seen above at Great Lakes Boat and Machine dock on the north side of the harbour. 

Huronia is a colourful, history holidayland. Local color is even preserved in highway fingerboard signs as illustrated in the top sign pointing to Granny White’s Road. Apparently Mrs. White was a Tay pioneer. 

Graduation exercises were held in St.  Paul’s United Church Monday night for 11 members, of the first Certified Nursing Assistants’ course sponsored during the past year by St. Andrews Hospital. Left to right are, front row, Mrs. G. Marchant, Mrs. M. Okenka, Mrs. J. Wilcox, Mrs. W. Bramah (instructress), Mrs. N. Genier, Mrs. L. Steer; back row, Mrs. M. Magloughlin, Mrs. A. Moreau, Mrs. B. West, Mrs. M. Gibson, Mrs. M. Reynolds; Miss Joyce Leon.

 

Picturesque gardens are popular show places for summer visitors. Shown below are the CPR gardens at Port McNicoll, the Martyrs Shrine and Midlander Tom Trew’s regal lily garden.  

 

Editorial page photo entitled; “Space Age Clipper Ship”. Large crowds of visitors swarmed over HMCS “Buckingham” as the RCN Spencerian class frigate held open house at Midland dock Sunday. On a training cruise on the Great Lakes, the ship carries 161 men and officers. The ship is under the command of Lieut-Cmdr. T. B. L. Hebbert. 

Officers of HMCS Buckingham, the Royal Canadian Navy frigate which visited Midland last week on a training cruise, played host to a number of civic dignitaries aboard ship Friday night, prior to their departure next day for Owen Sound. Left to right are Mr. and Mrs. Bill Hack and Lieut-Cmdr. Bud Kidd, executive officer; Alderman and Mrs. Oliver Lesperance; Alderman and Mrs. Albert Atkinson; and A. J. Preston, president of Midland Golf and Country Club, and Mrs. Preston. The officers of the Buckingham had been guests of the town at a dinner held at the golf club earlier in the week. 

Stubborn as an army mule is the wreck of the old Major, which employees of Waubaushene Navigation Company are trying to raise from the west side of Midland harbour. Ten inches of quick sand over a bottom of hard-pan clay cling stubbornly to the old vessel, which was sunk many decades ago to form a small dry dock. Barge beside the Major contains tractors and other heavy equipment used in an effort to dislodge the old ship. 

FIRE DESTROYS G. DOBSON’S HISTORIC SHIP. 
      The old ” MAJOR ” drydock owned by Ganton Dobson of Midland, which had recently been beached on the west shore of Midland Bay previous to being towed to Owen Sound, was totally destroyed by fire early last Saturday morning. (Dobson had decided to move his dry dock business to Owen Sound.)
      The cause of the fire is still shrouded in mystery. Many of Midland’s citizens were awakened by a strong smell of smoke blowing off the bay, and upon investigation discovered it to be issuing from the burning hulk of the old MAJOR. 
      The life story of the MAJOR is one of the most interesting tales of the Great Lakes. 
      She was owned by Ganton Dobson, for many years president and general manager of the Georgian Bay Shipbuilding and Wrecking Company, and is now occupying the same office in the newly formed Georgian Bay Shipbuilding Co., Ltd., which had planned to take her to Owen Sound to continue her career as a dry dock. She has been in service for 52 years. Of wooden construction, reinforced with steel arches and Howe Truss, she was built by a noted shipbuilder, James Davidson, in the year 1889, in Bay City, Michigan. She was 202 feet long by 41 feet beam and 20 feet deep. She had a very successful life until November 9, 1913. This was the year marked by so many disasters on the Great Lakes. 
      When she was on Lake Superior, carrying a load of coal and making heavy weather, she rolled her smoke stack off her. She was abandoned by her crew, but some hours after she was picked up and towed to Sault Ste. Marie, where her cargo was salvaged and the steamer sold to the late Jas. Playfair and his associates. They brought her to Midland where she underwent repairs, and was put in the stone, coal, ore and grain trade. This she carried on until the year 1918. Her engines were then taken out and put in a new steel boat. The hull was sold to the Georgian Bay Shipbuilding and Wrecking Co., who made her into a dry-dock in the winter of 1921 and 1922. Until recently she had lain at the foot of Midland Avenue. 
      The MAJOR had dry-docked 230 ships, of all kinds, successfully; many of which were extensively rebuilt; thus providing many men with work throughout the depression, besides bringing much trade to the merchants of Midland. 
      There are not many ships left on the Great Lakes at the age of 52 years still carrying on business. This one was one of the last built by Mr. Davidson. 
      Free Press Herald, Midland 
      Wednesday, October 1, 1941 

It is understood that she was scuttled between Brebeuf and Giant’s Tomb Islands.

An eye catcher for tourists approaching Midland from the south on Highway 27 is the gaily-colored new Brooklea Golf and Country Club’s clubhouse and swimming pool. The pool was officially opened last week and is proving a popular spot for both club members and visitors. 

One of the big attractions at Midland’s new Brooklea Golf and Country Club is a handsome swimming pool, plus, no doubt, bathing beauties. Here Faith Cripps relaxes on the diving board while two smaller tykes take advantage of the cool waters on one of the hottest days of the year. 

Lots of fishermen spend hundreds of dollars on fancy equipment and still don’t achieve the results this lad did with a four-foot tree branch, a piece of old line, a 10-cent hook and a dead minnow. Happy lad is 10-year old Bobby Sakaguchi of Toronto; proudly displaying the three-pound bass he caught in Midland’s Little Lake last Wednesday afternoon. 

Two of the busiest men in Midland these days are Lieut. Wm. Johnston of Midland Salvation Army Corps and his assistant Cadet Lewis Ashwell, standing at right. They are organizing an odd-job service for employable unemployed persons. 

Camp grounds at Little Lake Park are jam-packed with tents and trailers these days. Space appears to be at premium as tent ropes criss-cross each other. The scene above is reminiscent of 25 years ago. 

ARMY ADOPTS NEW PLAN TO REHABILITATE JOBLESS 

Free Press Herald headline of Wednesday, July 26, 1961.
A unique experiment, which it is hoped can be developed into a year-round service, was launched Monday by the Salvation Army Corps of Midland as a means of rehabilitating employable unemployed persons who are not eligible for unemployment insurance or municipal welfare. The project involves an odd-job service force of about 20 men, all heads of families, who now have no source of income and require work immediately. Administration of the service and labor pool will be supervised by local Salvation Army officers, with headquarters at 235 Second Street, Midland. The officers are working in co-operation with officials of the National Employment Service in Midland. 

     For the second weekend in succession, what might have been a major tragedy was averted on Georgian Bay Sunday evening when six persons were picked from the angry waters following a flash storm. Last week four men from the Etobicoke area narrowly escaped drowning after clinging to their overturned boat for an hour and a half off Methodist Island. Sunday night it was Mr. and Mrs. Mel Lockhart, well-known Victoria Harbour couple, their daughters, Penny, 19 and Margaret, 18, Patsy Crawford, 10, of Toronto, and their 2-year-old  grandson, Rickey McMann. Following the hottest day of the year, the Lockharts were returning with the four children from Port Severn to Victoria Harbour. Around 8.30 p.m. huge storm clouds suddenly appeared in the west, followed shortly afterwards by heavy winds and, finally heavy rain. In the heavy seas that developed, waves broke over the sides of the Lockharts’ 14-foot boat, which was powered by a 40 hp motor. Soon the boat filled with water and sank. The boat was equipped with seats of life-saving material as well as life jackets. Mr. and Mrs. Lockhart clung to these for almost an hour before they were finally rescued,” said OPP constable Bill Mohan.  Fortunately, the two adults had time to fit the two-year-old boy firmly in a lifejacket  before the boat sank. By the time Const Mohan was able to get the police boat to the scene, the six persons had been picked up by two boats which came out from the Waubaushene cottage area. One of the boats picked up Penny Lockhart and 10-year-old Patsy Crawford, who were attempting to swim the mile and a half to shore. Const. Mohan said, both Mr. and Mrs. Lockhart were very tired and stiff from more than an hour in the water and their efforts to keep the little lad’s head above the water. 

     Members of Simcoe County committees for homes for the aged will be selecting and ordering furniture for the new addition to Georgian Manor at a meeting in Penetang today. Reeve Alf Cage of Penetang, a member of the committee, said the building is fast approaching the point where it will be ready for the furniture. Asked whether an opening date had been set, he said, “there is no official date but I think the earliest possible date would be September 15.” 

    A one-time regular occurrence in Midland 25 or more years ago, a graduation ceremony for trainees at St. Andrews Hospital, Midland, will be revived July 31. The graduation will take place in St. Paul’s United Church next Monday. Receiving their certificates will be eleven students who enrolled in the Certified Nursing Assistants’ course at St. Andrews last fall. Principal speaker for the evening will be Dr. P. B. Rynard, M.P. for Simcoe East. 

    A man reporters can truly write about as being “90 years young”, is Msgr. J. M. Castex, popular parish priest of Penetang, who marked his 90th anniversary Saturday, July 22. When I visited him at his cottage at Marygrove this week, I found him enjoying the cool breezes wafting through the shady knoll on the high promontory overlooking the entrance to Penetang Bay. I hesitated to disturb him, for he was engrossed in his Bible. Somehow he must have sensed my presence for suddenly, he looked up; then, with a smile on his kindly face, beckoned me to come nearer. As the distance between us decreased and allowed his slightly failing eyesight to identify his visitor, he greeted me and patting the arm of a nearby chair, invited me to sit with him. Although he has spent the summer at this spot for some 16 years, Msgr. Castex is as thrilled today as he ever has been with the marvelous view out through the “gap”. He can see as far as Waubaushene on a clear day. A stand has been built at the edge of the lawn to hold a powerful telescope and, he says, “I can even see the fishing lines of those fishing in boats several miles away.” When he had finished extolling the virtues of this location I turned the conversation to his own personal history, and found he had come to Canada at the age of 19. On that crossing he spent 10 days on the ocean travelling third class. “And you can imagine what third class was like in those days, he said, with evidence of distaste in the grimace on his face. He landed at Quebec City, August 4, 1890. Since then he has returned to his native France seven or eight times. More recent trips have been by air, the latest of those two years ago. When I asked him whether or not he was going to fly again, he came back quickly, “By all means.” Marygrove Camp has been one of his favorite projects, and there is little doubt he could talk enthusiastically about it for hours. Although it was an extremely hot day, Msgr. Castex insisted on showing his latest pride and joy, the new chapel at Marygrove, opened only three weeks ago. “Do you mind walking over there through the bush?” he asked with an impish grin on his face, and promptly started off through a woodland path. 

25 YEARS AGO
H. Martin and J. Smith, both of Toronto, in a weeks fishing off Woodland Beach caught 30 lake trout with a total weight of 150 pounds. The biggest was 14 pounds, two ounces. * * * Tondakea Lodge, Franz Johnston’s outdoor school of art was beginning its sixth successful season at Balm Beach with a big addition being made to the main lodge. * * * Rev. L. A. Duce, minister of Clavary Baptist Church, Midland, was leaving that church to further his studies. * * * Under the direction of W. G. McQuay, Midland contractor, the federal government was equipping the five corners of the three piers of the Midland dock with oak and concrete buffers. * * * More than 300 attended the song and hymn service at Little Lake Park, Midland, which was led by a mass choir. * * * Midland boys’ and girls’ summer playground activity at Little Lake Park was jointly sponsored by the Midland Board of Education, Midland Kiwanis Club and the Midland YMCA. * * * Midland Planing Mills had just completed the installation of machinery in their new plant and were taking over the retail end of the business formerly carried on by Midland Wood Products Limited. * * * Following a meeting with the Hon. David Croll, Tiny Township council officials decided to delay their decision to cut off all relief until further consideration could be given to the matter by Mr. Croll’s department. * * * Midland Branch 80 of the Canadian Legion held a Decoration Day service and placed wreaths on the cenotaph and on the graves of service personnel at the Anglican, Roman Catholic and Lakeview Cemeteries. * * * Midland Kiwanis Club was preparing its “Millionaires’ Street Carnival” with $800 in prizes.   

     The presence of mind of an 11-year-old boy averted a tragedy at Penetang Red Dock Sunday. The hero of the incident is James York, son of Mr. and Mrs. Charles York, Penetang Road. He played a leading role in the rescue of his young cousin, Irvin Crawford, 7, son of Mr. and Mrs. Clarence Crawford, 1631 Glenholme Ave., Niagara Falls, Ont. The two boys, both non-swimmers, were on a fishing expedition with their fathers. Irvin toppled off the dock into deep water. Jimmy reached out as far as he could, grabbed the struggling boy and held on until Mr. York and Mr. Crawford arrived to pull him out. After his rescue, Irvin commented: “I lost my shoes.” 

TWO FEDERAL CONTRACTS AWARDED TO LOCAL FIRMS

County Herald headline of Friday July 28, 1961.
Two Midland firms have been awarded substantial contracts by federal government departments, Dr. P. B. Rynard, M.P. for Simcoe East, revealed yesterday. The two contracts total $78,341.94, one of which is for Department of Defence Production and the other is a Central Mortgage and Housing Corporation project. Largest of the two contracts was awarded to Ernst Leitz (Canada) Limited of Midland. It amounts to $53,341.94 for precision equipment ordered by the Defence Production Department. The CMHC contract was awarded to Thomas G. Wilcox and Sons of Midland and amounts to roughly $25,000. This newspaper learned yesterday that the contract covers a landscaping project for 118 new CHMC housing units at Petawawa, Ont. Included in the work is grading, sodding, shrub planting and so forth. The Wilcox firm plans to start the grading next week. It is expected about three weeks will be required to complete the project, if good weather prevails. About 10 men will be employed on the project, four of them members of the staff of the Midland contracting company. The Wilcox firm has completed landscaping projects for the Department of Highways and at RCAF stations at Camp Borden and Edgar, recently. 

    Penetang’s police force will be able to celebrate the 70th anniversary of its founding Sept. 11 of this year. It has not been operating as a municipal force for all of the 70 years, however. For a number of years a detachment of the OPP was stationed at Penetang to provide municipal police protection. From the single man appointed 70 years ago, the police department has grown to a staff of five men today. A request from Lieut. Col. J. J. Pratt, command provost marshal of the Canadian Army’s Central Command, for an old police hat badge sent Penetang’s Chief Constable Jack Arbour searching through the town’s bylaws this week to determine when the town first appointed an officer of the law. The search turned up Bylaw No. 193, dated Sept. 11, 1891, appointing James Francis Dempsey as chief constable. The bylaw, beautifully handwritten by Harry Jennings, clerk, and signed by W. H. Hewson, mayor, reads as follows: “Bylaw 193 of the Corporation of Penetanguishene “To appoint a Chief Constable, night watchman, sanitary inspector, truant officer and caretaker of the Fire Hall. “Whereas it is deemed necessary and expedient for the good government of the Corporation of the Town of Penetanguishene to appoint a Chief constable, night watchman, sanitary inspector, truant officer and caretaker of the Fire Hall for Town of Penetanguishene. “It is therefore enacted by Council of the Corporation of the Town of Penetanguishene in Council assembled that James Francis Dempsey be and he is thereby appointed Chief Constable, night watchman, sanitary inspector, truant officer and caretaker of the Fire Hall, with all the powers invested by Statute in each and every of said offices, and that for the due and proper fulfillment of all the said offices he shall receive the salary of Four Hundred Dollars per annum together with the amount granted by the Court of Sessions for lockup keeper, and any and all Court fees which he may become entitled to in Criminal cases where the prisoners may be convicted to the County Gaol, but to no other fees as constable. “That this bylaw shall take, effect from the passing thereof and that this appointment may be terminated at any time at the pleasure of the Council of the Corporation of Penetanguishene.” 

    If you heard the boom of guns and saw the flash of starshells the last two nights on Georgian Bay, there is no cause for alarm. F. K. McKean, district marine agent at Parry Sound, advised last week the HMCS Buckingham, which recently visited Midland, and her sister ship the HMCS Lauzon carried out gunnery practice Monday night, and starshell firing Tuesday night. These practices were carried out on a firing range established near the centre of Georgian Bay due west of Parry Sound, Mr. McKean stated. 

      With St. Ann’s Parochial School scheduled to start operations in September, Penetang will have a total of six schools in operation.  The new venture will accommodate Grade 11 pupils for the coming term. It is expected the school will be enlarged to house Grade 12 as well, next year. The parochial school is of a private nature, with parents contributing fees for children who attend the institution. Affairs of the school will be governed by a parish committee, with Msgr. J. M. Castex at its head. Others on the committee at the present time include Father J. Kelly, vice chairman, Father L. O’Malley and Father Guy Hamel, Jerome Lacroix, Bernard Leclaire and Romeo Asselin, secretary. Two temporary buildings are now under construction on property adjoining the Knights of Columbus Hall, Poyntz Street. The buildings are of a type generally known as “portable class-room”. Committee member Bernard Leclaire said, this week, attendance is expected to be approximately 35 pupils. 

    Penetang Legion has embarked on another expansion program at its club headquarters, at Simcoe and Peel Streets. Work is well underway on a second-floor unit above the addition to the ground-floor auditorium completed several years ago. The new room, approximately 42 by 65 feet, will be used as a recreation room for club members. At the same time, the basement underneath the auditorium addition is being finished off with plywood panelling on the walls. An entirely new heating system is being installed in the building, with sufficient capacity to care for the extra space being created. There is also a possibility that air conditioning may be installed in the auditorium, according to Legion officials.