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THE FIRE BRIGADE AND THE FIRE BELL
THE BIG FIRE OF 1886
First there was a building with three stores, occupied by the Misses Petley, Millinery; then Bob Fuller, Furniture and Silverware; and Paddy Lynch's Harness Shop. Then there was a tiny place, commonly known as "the hole in the wall," where an old chap known as "Clickety Clock," did Clock and Watch Repairing. Then came Lewis Ross' Barber Shop. Next, Ross' dwelling. William Senior's Stationary Store; and Fred Best's Butcher Shop. We had no waterworks. True, we had "Mankiller, which now reposes at Fort George, but of reliable water supply, there was none. There used to be a large cistern immediately in front of the entrance to the Town Hall and into it the water from the roof of the hall drained.
This water was hardly sufficient to quench a large fire, and to make matters worse, the fire engine failed to work, notwithstanding the strenuous efforts of the Fire Brigade. It was found afterwards, that someone had shoved a wooden plug into the suction hose. The situation was desperate and a call was made to Niagara Falls, which Town promptly sent down a Steam Fire Engine on a flat car. All the teamsters in Town were mobilized to haul water in barrels from the river at the foot of King Street. This water was dumped into the cistern and the supply thus obtained was enough to keep the pumper going and the fire was finally put out, but not before it had done irreparable damage. The only good feature of this disastrous event, was the spirit of co-operation shown by the citizens and the desire to have some better fire protection.
Four years later, following a lot of discussion, the matter came to a head in the passing of a bylaw by the Town Council to install waterworks. It might interest citizens to known the names of the Council of that year. They were as follows: Henry Paffard, Mayor; John Bishop, Reeve; Councilors, Robert Bishop, J. H. Burns, Chas. Camidge, and Milloy being replaced by W. H. J. Evans, Wm. Hall and James Longhurst. It happened that there was a fire the very day of the vote; a fire that consumed a barn at the rear of the Sherlock home on Melville Street. The bylaw was duly approved by the ratepayers and steps were taken by Council to carry out the provisions of the bylaw. A piece of land was purchased from Walter Meneilley and the present building erected. John Thornton was the Mason. A steam pump and boiler were installed, with James Brown as Engineer in charge. Mr. Brown had had a long experience as a steamboat engineer and proved to be the right man for the job, which he filled for many years, being succeeded by his son John, who recently passed away.
About the first fire after the water system was installed, was the burning of the old building on the spot where Capt. Wood's house stands, once known as the Black Swan Tavern. It was commonly said that someone set it afire to see the new Waterworks work. It had been vacant for a long time and was no loss to the community.
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And those evolutions the girls went through were beautifully done. And the dignity of the soldiers was most commendable. Jackie Saunders was darn good and he must have more in his head than the comb will take out, to go through that long performance so well. And I must say that those who prepared the children did a good job. We are too apt to take our teachers for granted, but they must have been proud of themselves as well as of the children. So, let's give them a pat on the back. It never does any harm to say "Thank you" for a job well done, even if one is only doing his job.
I wonder now if anyone, In this broad land has heard
In favour of downtrodden boys, One solitary word.
We hear enough of "Women's rights." And "Rights of Working Men,"
Of "Equal Rights", and "Nation's Rights, But pray, just tell me when,
Boys' rights were ever spoken of? Why we've become so used,
To being snubbed by everyone. And slighted and abused.
That when one is polite to us, We stare with all our eyes
And stretch them in astonishment, To nearly twice their size.
Boys seldom dare to venture in, Or play about the house,
For if they do, they've got to be, As quiet as a mouse.
And if we should forget ourselves, And make a little noise,
Then ma or auntie sure would say, "Oh my! Those dreadful boys."
The girls may the piano strum, All day, but if the boys,
Play just one tune with fife and drum, Its stop that horrid noise.
That horrid noise, just think of it. When sister never fails
To make a noise three times as bad, With everlasting scales.
Insulted thus, we lose no time, In beating a retreat,
So off we go to romp and tear, And scamper in the street
No wonder that so many boys, Such wicked men become.
'Twere better fare to let them have, Their plays and games at home
Perhaps that text the preacher quotes, Sometimes, "Train up a child."
Means only train the little girls And let the boys run wild.
But patience, and the time will come, When we shall all be men.
And when it does, I rather think, Wrongs will be righted then.
EROSION OF THE LAKE BANK
I remember a good many years ago, the United States Military Authorities took steps to save and beautify their water front along the Fort Niagara River Bank. They divided the work into two parts, using a different protective measure in each of the two pieces. In the first part, they drove iron pipes about fifty feet out from the foot of the bank. They placed bundles of brush between the two rows of pipes. These bundles were wire bound and were loaded down with broken stone. Then the bank was sloped down and some filling was done inside the breakwater thus formed. The other part of their Fort frontage was differently treated. They graded the bank down and protected it with stone riprap to a height above the high water mark. They then planted clumps of sod on the face of the bank and I must say that both methods have proved equally effective, for they have lost no ground since the work was done, some fifty years ago. While the seas along this bank are not as large as on the Lakefront, still when the "stormy winds arise," they are big enough to do a lot of damage. I have, of course, been referring to the frontage on the river side of the Fort Reserve.
Eastern wharf under moonlight
c. 1900
Time meant nothing to him, nor to his dog "Susie" who was a prominent member of the crew, her place when on duty being perched on the bow plate and no doubt, keeping a sharp lookout for pirates and robbers. As the years rolled on, Susie and the Solid Comfort left this mundane sphere, whereupon Mr. Marshall had another smaller craft built which he called "The Susie," but he too passed on and the Susie was acquired by Captain Hoffman, of the American Army. The Captain was a stout old fellow and not at all popular with his men, who irreverently alluded to him as "Old Bean Belly." The boat was renamed Maryeln after the Captain's wife. The Captain had a man named Krohn who was his "Dog Bobber", a pet name for what in our service would be known as a batman. The Captain was an ardent fisherman, but never had much luck. I heard him complaining one day about his poor luck. He said, "There's my wife, Maryeln, she knows nothing at all about it, but I'll be darned if I can catch fish." Well, the Maryeln was ultimately replaced by a new boat and Krohn and the Captain were busily engaged rigging the new ship. Krohn and his brave Captain were both German and the Captain delighted in giving orders, which Krohn cheerfully obeyed without question or delay. So when Krohn got the order to go aloft to reeve the halyards, he of course obeyed and being a hefty man and the ship but a small one, over she went and her gallant crew suddenly became somewhat damp.
I gathered from the expressions on their faces, that they rather disliked their involuntary immersion. Of course, as their vociferous resentment was in the German tongue, I could only get a sketchy idea of what they were saying, but their faces spoke volumes. Hoffman was never known to win a race, but he certainly tried. In one race in which he had the Susie entered, the wind was light and I passed Hoffman, who was dead last, in my rowboat. As I did, I noticed that a barrel stave had got itself neatly across the stem of his boat and he was being left further and further behind; as they had only a little distance to go, there was no use telling him of the brake on his progress.
Before Billy was moved away to Sackett's Harbour, there was one little incident I must tell you about. Billy was going along the sidewalk towards his domicile. He had a pail of minnows in one hand and a fishing pole in the other. Passing along opposite the Fort parade ground where the men were drilling, he was so busy watching them, that he stepped off the walk and rolled ignominiously in the ditch, whereat a shout of laughter arose from the men as Billy was well sprinkled with minnows and water. He was heard to mutter, "Laugh, darn you, I'll make you laugh." Well, the very next day, Hoffman was in command of the post, the Colonel being away, and he marched the men ten miles down the Lake Road in heavy marching order. It was a boiling hot day and a lot of the men collapsed and had to be transported home in farm wagons.
The main wharf at Youngstown used to be owned by Ab Holden, a man with a peg leg. He had a Cider Mill and Apple Evaporator in the buildings nearby. When I was a boy, the steamers called at this wharf. It was later acquired by the Niagara Navigations Company and their boats used it occasionally. But eventually they gave up even this usage.
The Slip was timbered all around and served as wharfage for yachts and schooners. The City of Toronto was laid up there in the winter. Lumber and coal used to be unloaded there. Carnochans had large piles of lumber, usually unloaded at the Nelson Street side, where the row of so-called boathouses is now. Incidentally, it never was intended that these should be used as dwellings. It was expressly understood that any buildings allowed to be erected on a public street would have to be removed should any ratepayer take action. So far, no one has done so, but it could happen.
The old launching ways were still there not so many years ago. I have heard my father tell of a launching taking place. This ship was launched sidewise from the Nelson Street side of the Slip and spectators on the other side of the slip got a good drenching.
Up the river from the Slip, there was a Wharf, along where the Shepherd Boat works are now located. This wharf was intended as a terminus of a line of Steamers and of a Railway that was projected the whole plan being meant as a competitor of the Niagara Navigation Company and the Michigan Central Railway. The late E. J. McIntyre was one of the men interested and as he was the owner of the Waterfront lot, he had put it in to the pool. At this wharf, the Gordon Jerry used to land for fruit and here she landed fragrant cargoes of manure for the fruit growers of the vicinity. S. W. Marchment of Toronto used to furnish this desirable commodity at a price of course. This enterprising gentleman used to buy all the manure from the street railway barns in Toronto and always had a huge pile of it available. This ship was not a beauty by any means and she must have been able to attain the remarkable speed of nearly six miles per hour.
I suppose the first wharf on our side of the river was the one at Navy Hall and which the Park's Commission has lately made an effort to replace. When I was a boy, there was nothing left of this wharf but a few broken stubs of piles. Near this wharf, stood three buildings. The first of these, travelling up river was the Customs House. This has got itself moved a bit inland, and is now the residence of the McGowans. The next place was that of the Red Barracks, now miraculously transformed into the Navy Hall Museum. Here was housed a frontier guard and it had two barrack rooms, which each accommodated twenty-eight men. This building was elevated on posts or piles and under it was kept a boat. As far as I could ever learn, this was not Navy Hall, as Navy Hall was up on the high bank and was destroyed by our American friends before they vacated our premises. I remember discussing this point with Miss Carnochan and she agreed with me. I remember this building being taken down and being rebuilt. I think the Carpenters on the job were John Ellison and Jim Doritty.
Nearby was the refinery of Ralfe Clench. This was moved back as were the other two buildings, when the Railway embankment was built in the early 1850's. One must remember that all the area below this point was a marsh and this was the only point where a landing for vessels was feasible. When the Railway was projected, their right of way was protected by a row of oak piles and a pile of stones. This extended from the Ferry point to the mouth of the Slip. Piles and embankment have disappeared and what was once a marsh has been filled up and is now occupied by many buildings.
Just opposite Paradise Grove, one may see a flagstaff. Here was situated at one time, a fortification known as "The Salt Bag Battery." In my days around the water, O. P. Letchworth of Buffalo had a wharf here where he used to tie up his steam yacht, the Alcina. And he got a gun and erected a flagstaff, to keep alive the memory of the old battery. At what used to be known as Mill Point, on the American side, was a wharf at one time. I do not know its use, but it had all gone but a few timbers when I was a boy. Just about opposite, on our side, was a wharf built outside a bit of marsh, in Field's bend. This was known as the Township Wharf and was largely used by the fruit growers for the shipment of fruit via "The Gordon Jerry." It has entirely disappeared, due largely to the Ice Jam of 1909.
There were also several quite costly private wharves destroyed by that same ice jam in 1909. The late J. J. Wright had one at what he named King's Landing, now owned by Harris Price. There, Mr. Wright used to moor his steam yacht, the Electra, which he used for transportation between his office in Toronto and his summer home here. Mr. Wright used to be annoyed by the noise of Jim McGowan's Ferry Boat, which was without a muffler. So he purchased a muffler and presented it to Jim. I wonder what he would do about the infernal racket kicked up on weekends by the sea fleas from the Club at Youngstown. I must say that it is anything but edifying. If the two sides of the river could get together and arrange for an anti-noise regulation, they would be conferring a favor on all that love peace and quiet.
Dr. Warren had a good wharf at Paradise Grove and I remember seeing his motor boat perched halfway up the high bank following the ice jam. The wharf simply wasn't there any more. And about two miles below Queenston, Mr. Rumsey of Buffalo had just completed a two thousand dollar landing a few days before the floods came. It was quite a handsome structure, built of concrete and with heavy buttresses, which one would have thought would stand any pressure from the river. But, alas, when the turmoil had subsided, there was nothing left but a few scattered lumps of concrete. When one stops to think that all the waters of the whole chain of Great Lakes and all their contributory streams flow through the comparatively narrow strait of the Niagara River, then one must realize the mighty force of the river current when anything even attempts to halt its flow.
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I used to chat with Joe and he had interesting things to relate about his army life. He told me of an outbreak of yellow fever in his Regiment in the East Indies, which took the lives of 200 of their men. He was also in Garrison in Toronto, when there was an outbreak of cholera. He escaped both diseases. He used to be sent out in Toronto to do all the errands. Joe once told me how he came to enlist in the Army. He and four other lads were apprentices in Portsmouth Dockyard, when the got leave to see a Fair in a nearby Town. They walked to the Fair and on arrival they separated. Joe did not see the others until evening, when he came across them in company with an army recruiting Sergeant. They hailed him with "We've enlisted, Joe and you've got to come with us." He said he called them a lot of a certain kind of fools, but wound up with taking the shilling. They were taken to London, where on medical examination, the four of them were rejected and only Joe was accepted. He was pretty mad about the whole thing but he'd sworn them not to tell his family where he was and he wound up his army life in our Town as a pensioner. Joe, in his latter days, came to be known as Strawberry Joe, on account of the fine strawberry garden that he had.
In 1910, sidewalks were built of concrete. Previous to that, however, concrete was laid some years before on the two business blocks on Queen Street by the late John Thornton. A contract was let to Langley and Cook of Niagara Falls and was completed in 1911. Most of the principal streets were paved under this contract and others have been done from time to time, until now all of our traveled streets have a walk on one or both sides. The only trouble now is caused by the trees. These will persist in hoisting their roots upwards and unfortunately, they do not elevate the adjacent blocks of concrete evenly, with one of the results that sundry unwary citizens occasionally find their gravity upset and find to their dismay, that this is a hard, hard world. Then, too, I notice that some of those first walks that were thought to be permanent have to be replaced or repaired. Then, too, the roads and streets. When I was a boy, we ran barefoot in the summer and what fun it was to stir up the thick layer of dust that covered the roads. You, who have never known the barefoot boy, have no idea what an amount of dust a couple of kids could kick up. When I look at the nattily dressed little gentlemen who have replaced the barefoot boy, I am forced to think that times have changed indeed. And speaking of dust, that brings us back to the waterworks. After we had water available, it occurred to the Town Fathers that dust was harmful and annoying and so street sprinkling was added to the duties of the Town employees. One feature of this method of dust laying was that under the summer sun, the water quickly evaporated. The next development was the change to road oil. This was a great improvement on the water treatment. With the paving of so many of our roads, a degree of permanence had been attained and now we are pretty well rid of the dust nuisance. It used to be the fashion for the driver of a horse and rig, to wear a long linen duster. I haven't seen one of these in many moons. There used to be a series of excursions through here by Rail and Steamer each summer and we used to notice that nearly all of them wore linen dusters, men and women alike. Of course, the change in our roads and streets has largely come about because of the motor traffic that has filled them in later years. And the motor car has changed since the first of them dawned upon our vision. I was looking at an illustration in an old book of a lady in a car, which had no windshield and no top. Its wheels were high and the lady in the machine seemed to be perched well up. She wore a wide hat secured with a heavy veil that was well tied down. To keep the dust out of her face, she was also wearing a LINEN DUSTER. Then there had to be signs and rules to govern traffic. No longer is it possible to take a quiet stroll. One now needs about four pairs of eyes and an extra pair of legs to achieve a measure of safety when using shank's ponies wherewith to ambulate about our streets and highways.
These changes I have spoken of have not come about in a moment. They cover a period of sixty years for our waterworks were installed in 189l. Does anyone know where Broadway in our Town was situated? A favorite evening stroll was up Broadway. It was never known as King Street in my early days. And another favorite route was at the Bank, that is the riverbank below the Queen's Royal Hotel. There were benches to accommodate the public. As far as Mr. and Mrs. Niagara are concerned, that has also gone into the dim and distant past. Now the place is embellished with a hideous board fence and a quiet evening or a quiet Sunday afternoon contemplation of the blue Ontario and the smooth Niagara are no more. There are no more quiet weekends to be had. Certainly, "the world do move."
We hear a lot nowadays about the high cost of living. Personally, I think there is too much of "keeping up with the Joneses." We live, most of us, far beyond our means. So, quite naturally, we want more of the long green to do that. The working man must have a car. His family must see all the shows. Kids must be dressed up like little ladies and gentlemen. In fact, there are so many ways of spending money that it is no wonder that so many people have forgotten the meaning of the word contentment. Men don't ask for a raise of pay anymore, or whether they are worth it. They demand it. And things have been so organized and arranged that they have to get it. And up goes the cost of every darn thing we need and Mr. John Public foots the bill.
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Then too, when World War once broke out, carpenters in Niagara were getting thirty-five cents per hour. When Uncle Sam got into the War, a lot of our knights of the saw and hammer, got a job from him putting up housing for troops in training. The pay was sixty-five cents per hour and with time and a half for overtime and double for Sundays, we used to ferry the crowd over the ferry to and from work.
The Thorntons were a family of Masons. The first John, who was the Mason at the building of our Town Hall, also built the hotel at the Dock, for long known as the Lake View, for a Charles Oscar Benedict, who was connected with the Harbour and Dock Company. He also built the old Public School. He left a family, several of who were also masons. The best known of them was John Thornton the second. He built our Waterworks, tall chimney and all. Two of his brothers, Bill and Ab were also Masons, while one son Jim, was a Carpenter. Another Mason family were the Elliotts. Bill was a contemporary of John Thornton, the second, and was a Veteran of the Fenian Raid as was John Thornton. Bill was burned to death in his house on Simcoe Street. His son John carried on as a Mason for years and his sons in turn are still in the business. John Elliott was for years, a member of the Band and was the big Drummer. He was very tall and so was well able to see over his drum when on the march. Another well-known Mason was Charlie Smith. He was our neighbour for years and he and my dad used to cut each other's hair. And quite naturally, his son Charlie Junior was a Mason for a while, but took up the Barber business, at which he worked until his death some years ago. A good many of our Mechanics were able to work at more than one calling. We have with us a son and grandson of the second Charlie Smith who are pretty handy fellows.
Then there were the Ellison brothers, Henry and George and John. John was the carpenter of the family and built many of the houses in my time. The other two were Masons but were also good at the Carpentry. Henry built the house that is now the home of the Legion and there he made his home, until his death. George built the house on Wellington Street, now the home of Mrs. Powell. Among others John built the house now owned by Dr. Wettlauffer, for a Mrs. Russell. George and Henry were Fenian Raid Veterans and all three brothers played in the Town Band. John was for a long time in St. Mark's Choir. I have often wondered what became of Henry's bass horn. Many a time, I have heard him tooting away on it when he was home alone after his wife passed away.
Then there were the Carnochans, father and son, who were in the lumber business when I was young. I can think of several houses that John Carnochan built, among them, the Historical building, the home of his daughter beside it and Billy Richardson's home. John was the brother of Janet Carnochan, who was our local historian, and to whom we owe a great debt of gratitude for her minute account of the history of our Town. We lost a useful citizen when she passed on. John too, was a useful man, as he served four years in the Town Council as well as several terms on the Public School Board.
Jim Doritty was another well-known Carpenter and he also was Town Assessor for quite a while. Then there was Steve Todd. He was another Fenian Raid man. He and Bill Thornton built the Bolton house on the beach. As I first remember that property, there was a small house on it, which Bolton took down. In it dwelt Abby Moran, a small widow with one son Patsy, who was for years partners with John Mills. This little house was once the abode of a man named McNamara, who was the first commercial fisherman. It was from the beach nearby, that the sand was taken to be used in making concrete for cement walks in 1910 and 1911.
The Richardsons were fine Carpenters. William the elder, worked with John Carnochan a lot and also with John Ellison. He it was who with John Clockenburg, built the chair rooms in St. Mark's and laid hardwood floor in the chancel. William the younger was in charge of the building operations at Niagara Camp during the late War. It seemed too bad that all the good work done at that time has disappeared.
Another Carpenter who has passed along was D'Arcy Caskey. D'Arcy was a fine fellow and full of music. He was choirmaster of Grace Church for years. We had a Glee Club which used to meet at his home on Davy Street and many happy evening we put in there. He also was musical director of the Niagara Choral Society of which I was President.
Of course, there were the Swintons, who also did the Undertaking in my early days. The last of them was John, who moved to Toronto and who died there a few years ago.
When I was a lad, there was not much for painters to do, as many of the houses never saw paint. There were some painters however. Jack Doritty was one. He lived in the house on the corner of King and Platoff Streets and was Captain of Number One Company of the 19th Regiment for quite a while, he later moving to Buffalo where he died.
Jack McBride was another painter, who lived at one time in the Reid house on Market Street and later in a house on Ricardo. Barney McBrien was another knight of the paintbrush. He was a happy-go-lucky sort of chap, who had a great habit of starting fights that were usually left to someone else to finish. The last job I remember seeing Barney doing was painting the woodwork on St. Vincent De Paul Church, after it was stuccoed.
With the coming of the Waterworks, there came the business of the Plumbers. Probably the first of these was Sam Crawford. He had his business in a building on Picton Street, next to Mrs. Parker's house. This place has been taken down. Sam was a good workman when he wanted to work, which wasn't always. One could always rely on the soundness of any job Sam did. He later moved to Toronto and died there.
I wonder how many remember the "Cave of the Winds." It stood on the corner of King and Market Streets and was the hiding place of "Windy Armstrong." His name really was Alf, but you never heard him called by that name. He was a great teller of tall tales, but was a very likeable fellow. He had a large family and several of his sons served in the Army during the First Great War. One son, Ivan was in St. Mark's Choir and later became a Toronto Policeman. At one time, the Armstrong business was in the store now occupied by the restaurant, next to Marino's. In Marino's store at that time, was Dempster's Bakery. Mr. Dempster was a paunchy man with a gruff voice. He baked a batch of bread that was a bit off-colour and the Armstrong daughter came in to complain about the bread. "You knew," said she, "Mother and I have very weak stomachs." "Hoho" said the Baker, patting his own most prominent member, "Why don't you have a stomach like mine; you could digest a brick." Muriel, of course, departed thence in disgust. The Dempsters moved to Toronto, where they are still in the Bakery Business. The Cave of the Winds is no more. Its site was leased from the Town by the N. S. and T. Railway. Part of the building is now the Corus home on Prideaux Street and another part is the Bolton home on Market Street. The Armstrongs moved to Toronto many years ago.
SHOEMAKERS AND HARNESS MAKERS
The late Tommy May acquired the building and did some Shoe Repair work there for a time, later selling out to Art Inskeep who had his Auto Repair business there. It is now the home of Dave Carson. Paddy Lynch was a well-known man and did a comfortable business, as nearly everyone who owned horses did business with him. He was a genial fellow, well liked by all and he was Deputy-Chief of the Town Firemen for a generation. Like Paddy, his business has gone with the horses. Paddy had no kin and his effects were sold by the official guardian.
I suppose most of us have had to have shoes mended at one time or another. The Briggs were our Cobblers for many years. Charlie was known to all and sundry and if one wanted to know anything about mostly anyone in Town, ask Charlie Briggs. He knew all there was to know about anyone you mentioned. He was not exactly a male gossip, for he never was malicious, but he sat in his shop like a spider in his web and the news of the world just came to him. Charlie was a devoted adherent of Grace Church and was Treasurer for many years. His brother Dick came here from the West and was usually known as Sycamore Dick. He was a good workman, and was Secretary of the Town Firemen for years until his death in 1915. There was a large Military Camp here at the time, and a young soldier procured a horse from Greene's stable to go for a ride. On turning into Queen Street, his horse was startled and he sort of lost control, the result being that poor Dicky was knocked down so violently that his skull was fractured and he died instantly. There have been several in the Shoe Repair Business since the Briggs passed on and we now have a good man, but most of them only stayed a short time.
The Platts had quite an establishment on Johnson Street. At one time, they had four apprentices learning carriage making and blacksmithing. Another William Campbell, a cousin of the one we have already mentioned, learned his trade there and in my time he worked in other shops. Jim Coleman came here to work at Platt's and was the last to so work at the old place as he later moved his business to Queen Street. Jim served a term on the Town Council and was a member of the Public School Board for a time. Bill Gollop came here to work for Coleman and took over the business after Jim's passing away.
Mike Mackin worked for the Monroes for some years and two of his children were schoolmates of mine. I remember the boy as a droll fellow who used to do excerpts from "Handy Andy" at High School, his school nickname being "Blue Monkey." Oliver Taylor was another good blacksmith and had a shop at the rear of the family home on King Street. Oliver worked for a time down in Texas and had a friend there who used to come here for a visit during the Bass season. Oliver was for a time Game Inspector and at another time, was Provincial Policeman at the Wharf during the Navigation Season. Billy Cushman, a Virgil man worked in Taylor's shop for some time. Jack Broderick also worked there at another time.
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