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t 2 The Canadian Statesman, Bowmanville, September 19,1984 SMALL TALK By Donna Fairey "\ Lions Told About Natural Gas Supplies J There's a fine line, they say, between genius and insanity. Perhaps it was a slip over this theoretical line which permitted a man posing as a government government health inspector to hoodwink not only the local newspaper but many ofPortHope's leading citizens. It was Wednesday, August 26th, 1924 when a gentleman calling himself Dr. H. Bemus breezed into town. Although Although his arrival was unheralded nobody questioned his credentials. credentials. Certainly nothing in his polished demeanor demeanor suggested he was other than he claimed to be - a government government health inspector inspector and ex-R.C.M.P. officer. officer. He was cordially received received by townsfolk and conducted official tours of the community's community's dairies, hospital, water supply system, dump, stables, hotels and other buildings, both private and municipal. At the conclusion of his fraudulent inspections inspections he wrote a scathing scathing letter to the editor of The Daily Times which indicated that Port Hope was a potential hotbed for disease. The published letter read, "During my investigation into the sanitary conditions of the town this week I have found certain things I think the public are entitled to be advised advised of." Dr. Bemus claimed that local dairy operations operations were unsanitary and suggested they were distributing disease-carrying disease-carrying milk. And on he went. "On examination of the water supply system I find that the intake water pipe is filling up with sand. This pipe should have been extended extended further out into the lake meaning that less chlorine would have to be used," wrote Dr. Bemus. He said the situation was against all principles of sanitation sanitation and should be corrected corrected immediately. Then the devious doctor doctor hit on the Mill Street and Hope Street dumps. "I find both of them in a deplorable condition and would draw the attention of authorities to section 91 of the Public Health Act, which prohibits the dumping of any refuse refuse in close proximity to homes or the lakeshore." Dr. Bemus said he found diseased meat covered with millions millions of maggots. Neither did home- owners escape the criticisms criticisms doled out by the Slaughterhouse Plans From Page 1 tion," he said. He also objected to the way in which names for a petition were gathered. gathered. He said he received an anonymous letter warning that the slaughterhouse would be undesirable undesirable and asking him to join in the opposition. "To me, that is a type of scare tactic tactic and if the person who is sending that letter does not sign his name, I do not consider it valid," he said. After spending all Monday morning morning hearing speakers for and against the abattoir, the committee voted to support the residents and not approve a rezoning by-law which would permit the facility. Councillor Diane Harare said she can sympathize with the applicant seeking rezoning but added that in her opinion the presence of residential residential development will not support support the slaughterhouse. "To me, the thing was decided years ago when the 10 acre lots were approved," approved," she said. "In my opinion, it ceased to be an agricultural area when the council of the day allowed those 10-acre lots." Councillor Marie Hubbard stated that the conflict between urban and rural land use is the result of numerous land severances in the countryside. She said development should be encouraged in Bowmanville, Bowmanville, where services are in place and the town can capitalize on plans for residential growth. "The urban area of Bowmanville is dying on its feet," she said. Councillor Bruce Taylor and Newcastle Mayor Garnet Rickard both suggested that it would be wiser to refer all comments made 1 at this week's public meeting back to staff for further study. But a motion to table the matter for further study received little support. "I feel its premature to make a sudden decision at this point in time," said Councillor Taylor. The committee's decision against the slaughterhouse now goes to Newcastle council for a final vote next week. Another recommendation from the committee was aimed at resolving resolving the need for a slaughterhouse while denying permission to locate it at the present site. Mayor Garnet Rickard and Ward One Councillors Bruce Taylor and Ann Cowman have been asked to meet with the applicant and attempt attempt to find an alternate location for the abattoir and meat processing processing operation. Constable 9 s Corner By P.C. Don Anderson There is no excuse for a motorist to pass a stopped school bus with red lights flashing. As a motorist you must drive with added caution whenever you see a yellow school bus ahead of you or travelling towards you. Remember, Remember, if the red flashing lights on the school bus begin to flash, traffic travelling in both directions must stop, and remain stopped until the flashing flashing red lights are turned off. A driver failing to stop for a school bus, if convicted, could Van Belie Floral Shoppes ... much more than a flower store! 4 STORES • Highway No. 2 • King SI,E„ Oshewe • SlmcotSt. N., -- • King St. W., VAN BELLE- Bowm.nvlll. •Trademarks of Van Belle Gardens Ltd face a fine of $100 to $500 for the first offence and for any subsequent offences a fine of $250 to $1000 or imprisonment for up to six months or both, and a loss of six demerit points. As a parent you should remind remind your child to be very careful when getting on or off the school bus. If they must: cross the road stress that they look for approaching traffic and then look a second time to be sure it is safe to cross, tell them to look to the school bus driver for a signal to cross. The children learn bus rules at school, encourage them to use these rules and to assist the bus driver by staying in the seats and keeping the noise down, The school bus stopping law applies everywhere, regardless regardless of speed limit, on highways, highways, country roads, city, town or village streets. Motorists meeting a stopped school bus, with red lights flashing, must stop unless they are on a highway divided by a median strip. Median strip means the portion of a highway constructed to CORRECTION NOTICE Due to circumstances beyond our control, we cannot supply the following specials which were advertised in the September Savings flyer inserted in this paper. Page 3 Liberty Pure Vegetable Oil, 3 litre jug... $3.99 Page 11 Powered Old Dutch Cleanser, 400gcont 2/$1.00 Rain checks issued forOld Dutch Cleanser only. Miracle Food Mart regrets any inconvenience this may have caused our customers. miracle foodmart separate traffic travelling in one direction from traffic travelling in the opposite direction. The median strip is a physical physical barrier, or an unpaved strip of ground. Motorists overtaking a stopped school bus with red lights flashing on any highway, highway, must always stop at least 20 meters before reaching the bus. In both cases motorists may not proceed until the bus resumes motion or the lights have stopped flashing. Be on the alert for children and school buses when on the road during school hours. A child's life could be in your hands. Building Report July's building activity was up by almost $1 million over activity in July of 1983, according to a report from the town's chief building official. official. The July figures show that permits were granted to structures valued at $2,967,800 during the month. To date, 95 single family houses have been started in the Town of Newcastle-- an amount double that of the previous year. Among the buildings receiving permits were 15 residential dwellings dwellings under construction at the Ridge Pine Park retirement retirement community. As of July 31, the total value of buildings receiving construction permits in 1984 stood at $11.6 million. In comparison, $13.6 million million worth of construction projects had received permits permits in 1983. Building statistics were received and filed during Monday's meeting of the town's general purpose and administration committee. good doctor. "I am sorry to state that on my inspection inspection of yards, pigpens, pigpens, manure pits and outside conveniences, I find these in many cases to be in a filthy and very unsanitary condition." Dr. Bemus had good words for only two local establishments in town. One was the hospital where he said the only fault was the questionable questionable milk supply. He also applauded the Queen's Hotel in what would amount today to a five star rating. Incidentally, Incidentally, Dr. Bemus was roomed at the Queen's during his brief encounter encounter with Port Hope. The doctor's letter ran on the front page of the Times under the heading - The Sanitary Conditions of Port" Hope. If readers were upset and worried over Petro-Canada Wins Fuel Contract Petro-Canada Products, of Downsview, Ontario, has been recommended as the supplier of an estimated 300,000 litres of domestic fuel oil to be used by the Town of Newcastle this winter. The firm was the lowest of eight bidders to submit prices to the municipality after a recent tender call. Members of the general purpose committee recommended recommended Monday that the low bid be accepted, subject subject to final approval from town council. The low bid submitted by Petro Canada Products was $81,570. More Meetings For Council? Newcastle councillors are thinking of holding additional additional evening meetings. The issue surfaced Monday Monday when a committee of council reviewed a recommendation recommendation from Chief Administrative Administrative Officer Dave Johnston concerning the holding of meetings on days immediately after a holiday Monday. Usually, when a holiday Monday occurs, the meeting which would normally take place Monday morning at 9:30 is shifted to the same time Tuesday. But this creates difficulty for some regional councillors who are then faced with both regional regional and local meetings on the same day. To help regional representatives, representatives, the chief administrative administrative officer suggested meetings be shifted to Tuesday evenings whenever a holiday Monday has occurred. ' But that solution was not immediately accepted by all councillors because some feared that there would not be enough time to complete a large agenda in one evening. And Newcastle Newcastle Mayor Garnet Rickard Rickard noted that evening meetings would hardly be appropriate for members of council who have spent their morning and afternoon afternoon at regional meetings. Councillor Diane Hamre suggested the shorter evening evening sessions may, however, be an incentive towards increased increased efficiency. "You drag the work out to fill the time we've got," she said. The topic has been referred referred back to town staff for further recommendations. Fire Losses Fire losses reached $59,000 during August, according according to the monthly report report from the Town of Newcastle Newcastle Fire Department, Firefighting staff said in a report Monday that a total of 58 alarms were received during the month. In addition, 102 fire prevention prevention inspections were made at various locations within the municipality. Thanks to you It works... FOR AH OF US its contents, their concerns concerns were quickly put to rest the following day. The Times printed another front page story, this time under the heading - Port Hope Is Badly Hoaxed. It turns out that the knowledgeable doctor was, in fact, an escaped patient from the Ontario Ontario Psychiatric Hospital Hospital at Whitby. He was somehow found out and arrested by the provincial provincial police in Cobourg. Before the man was returned to his padded cell, however, he had managed to dupe several several other communities along the lakeshore between between Whitby and Cobourg. In Bowmanville, Bowmanville, for instance, he called a special meeting meeting of the town council and addressed them on the sad state of their sanitary conditions. Now tell me? Was the man a genius, or insane? insane? According to a General Manager for Consumers Gas, Canada still has a large commodity of natural gas available to them. Mr. Keith Walker, General Manager for Central Ontario, was the guest speaker at the Bowmanville Lions Club meeting on Monday evening. In his talk, Mr. Walker assured the Lions that our country has an abundance of the energy source. It is government government interference that causes the inflated prices. I ' ■!* • ■ ütpr:-; v/.?."-' Vv . m tafe ■ • Viy-pÆ 45 , r rS-W'ï! v, 1 ■ ' '■ SUITS '2 and 3-piece models 'Quality all wool and wool blends Selected Group Values To $150.00 V. " : "V.„ 1 1 1 , v- y-« * -.?'>• ■ />vA'Vv A \ V,;:. !>.'& 'i-?Av ïrS 1 - ■!£ If,vi' ; v v, i à T ÎY SPORTSJACKETS AND BLAZERS • Quality all wool and wool blends • Traditional single breasted styles • Sizes 34-46 Regular, Short orTall. Selected Group now49 50 now75 00 JM MEN'S SHOES • Selected group • Wide range of styles • Values up to 60.00 NOW JiV-M Ê' I ■> t * " M '°» »VUT MAN , V-y,':Vv' v.1,' {*•)" fj ■ . ,, ! y "V" Vr.""v v- . v;' - : MON. td FRI. 9:30 to 9:30 SAT. 9:30 to ■ ' : vA , . r;:j \A;-A". Mr?-- • ,y „ „ EW m If®:#