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WHITBY FREE PRESS, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 21, 1979, PAGE3 Brian Winter's Historical Whitby THE CLOCK FACTORY One of Whitby's short-lived industries in the mid 19th century was a clock factory, which operated from 1872 to 1876 in a building at the corner of Brock and Colborne Streets where the fire hall presently stands. The business, known as the Canada Clock Company, was managed by John F. Collins, a qualified clock maker, who acquired capital from two prominent Whitby businessmen to start the enterprise. These men were John Hamer Greenwood, the mayor of the town, who acted as president of the company, and James Wallace, who was the proprietor. The clock factory was located in a two storey building 100 by 50 feet. The first floor was a general workshop which contained all the heavy machinery. The upper floor contained four departments, one for making clock cases, one for veneering and varnishing, a third for polishing and finishing, and the fourth for putting the works together. The factory contained several lathes and presses, stamps and dies, and a wheelcutter valued at $1,200. There was also a blacksmith's shop with a forge, and an engine room for driving the factory's machinery. The engine was manufactured by the Joseph Hall Works in Oshawa. The company began operations in Whitby in June 1872, and by March 1873 it had 15 employees. By 1874 the Canada Clock Company was shipping lock cases to Berlin (Kitchener) and a wholesale firm in Montreal. By 1875, clocks were shipped out by the carload. The Canada Clock Company manufactured most of the popular styles of clocks of the day, as well as some specialty work such as time locks for bank vaults. Five hundred of the time locks were ordered in June, 1875. By 1875 the Canada Clock Company was shipping clocks to Edinburgh,- Scotland, and the output of the factory was $50,000 to $60,000 worth of locks per year. Much of the credit for the expansion of the dlock factory went to its enterprising proprietor, James Wallace. In October, 1875 a number of Oshawa businessmen approached Mr. Wallace and offered to purchase the Whitby dlock factory. The businessmen raised $20,000 in capital and purchased a site in, Oshawa. Since Oshawa was a manufacturing town far more than Whitby, it was natural that it should try to acquire industrial concerns from its neighbors, if the price was right. However, the price was not right in the case of the Canada Clock Company. A dispute developed between Mr. Wallace and three of the Oshawa businessmen who had subscribed $1,000 each in stock. The businessmen said they wanted the stock given to them and Mr. Wallace would not agree to this, so the deal fell through. The Oshawa men were left with an empty building on their hands, and Mr. Wallace started to deal with the Port Hope Board of Trade for the sale of the clock factory. In the midst of these negotiations, a fire broke out in the dlock factory on Dec. 2, 1875, destroying the upper storey and roof, and causing considerable damage to the rest of the building. The fire and the problems with selling the business were too much for Mr. Collins. In May, 1876, he moved to Hamilton where he became manager of a new lock factory. The company in Hamilton, also called the Canada Clock Company, purchased the stock of the Whitby clock factory and Mr. Wallace took a heavy loss in the transaction. In July 1876 and May 1877 he held two lock sales to try to recover some of his losses. In November 1876, the old dlock factory was sold to George Hopkins for $7,500. Mr. Hopkins, the following year, construc- ted a music hall on the site, which served as Whitby's town hall j from 1879 to 1960. Installation of traffic lights at the intersection of Brock and Burns and Dundas and D'Hillier Streets may be delayed this year because the Town of Whitby has been granted less than 10 per cent of the provincial subsidy it requested for the lights. The town had requested $100,000 in connecting link funds, but the town's public works department reports that only $9,000 will be re- ceived. At the last meeting of council, Councillor Gerry Emm moved a resolution that the town petition Dur- ham West MPP George Ashe to ask the province for more money. 'Councillor Emm, whose resolution was passed, stated he would like to see a petition circulated through the suburbs in the affected areas to gain public support for the needed funds. Both Councillor Emm and Mayor Jim Gartshore stated these were two of the most crucial intersections in the town. The Dundas-D'Hillier in- tersection has to handle traf- fic from both the West Lynde and Otter Creek subdivi- sions, coming on and off Dundas Street. MayorGart- shore described the situation there as "chaotic." The Burns-Brock intersec- tion involves the new road through Centennial Park to the residential area to the west and a major road to the town's industrial park to the east, both of which bring traffic onto Brock Street. Also a light is needed at this intersection for people using the senior citizens acti- vity centre. Councillor Bob Attersley suggested the council should proceed to instal the lights on its own, which would cost the town approximately $20,000 for each site. I Canada Postes Post Canada Postal Rates Effective April.lst, 1979 ass letters Greeting cards Outside Canada and the U.S.... 35¢ Outside Canada% and the U.S.... 180 For other rate changes, please check with your local Post Office. Canada Post... linking 23 million Canadians. Lack of funds delays lights, JOHN BANDURCHIN ClwterelAccountant 111 BROCK STREET NORTH WHITBY, ONTARIO TELEPHONES: BUS: 668-4341 RES: 655-4045