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. -rv' x mm Automotive and Industrial Supplies * Parts for domestic and foreign cars and trucks * Paint and body shop supplies * Tools and equipment * Machine shop service - Celebrating 24 Years in Bowmanville - Call 623-4461 19 Silver Street Bowmanville Broker Limited ANNIVERSARY Doug James Nesta Akey PH \Mffi œÊÈÊÉêè J.J. Mason Harry Conn Insurance 1093- 1917 Charles H. Mason Stuart R. James J.J. Mason & Son Stuart H. Jomes 1917- 1943 Insurance Gayle Windsor Eleanor Damant 26 King St. E, Bowimmville Telephone 623-4406 16 Bicentennial Edition, Wednesday, October 5, 1994 Supplement of The Canadian Statesman Port IziiBlii Harbour Created on. Marsh 4th, 183? On a winter altemoon, the first day of the year 1839, which was the second year of the reign of the young Queen Victoria, 24 good men and true gathered at the tavern of A Hindcs in Bowmanville for the purpose purpose of forming a joint stock company company to develop a harbor for Darlington Township. The names, of those who sat down around Mr. Hindcs' table on New Year's Day, might be considered the roster of our pioneers, for Darlington was still very young and these were solid citizens all. Here are their names. For Bowmanville: Bowmanville: C. Beaman, J. Simpson, John Sumpter, John Lister, James Stephens, Peter Coleman, Luther Price, John Gray, Alex Fletcher, Charles Tiffany. For Port Hope: David David Smart. For Darlington: Donald Cameron, H. S. Reid, William Warren, Warren, Daniel Galbraith, John Smart, D. F. Burk, Robert Fairbaim, A. Hindcs, John Tait, Archy Tait, Timothy Soper, Soper, George Loveman. For Clarke: Allan Allan Wilmott. Today, with the great St. Lawrence Lawrence Seaway project under way, the thoughts of many an old-timer along the north shore of Lake Ontario turn back to the days when every little port saw the great fleet schooners put in with their cargo of coal or sail out with their load of grain; when the steamboats plied their way regularly to American ports with various exports, exports, and passenger boats would take you to Toronto in case and comfort comfort in a morning - if the weather wasn't rough. Port Memories! Bowmanville, or Port Darlington, has its share of memories, for the joint stock company so auspiciously begun on New Year's Day, 1839, (115 years ago) with each of the 24 • shareholders subscribing 24 pounds apiece, continued through many busy and prosperous years. Schooners such as the Oliver Mow at and William William Jamieson, steamers such as ttic Erindalc, Argylc, Garden City, and others continued to call at Port Darlington Darlington till on in the present century, though the big boom of trade was over with the passing of the McKinley McKinley Bill in 1897 which placed a tariff on Canadian barley to protect United States growers. In the hey-day of the barley and grain trade when Oswego breweries were clamoring for Ontario crops, it is said that wagons stretched from the well-known Rag Castle Comer to the wharf, waiting their turn to unload at the .two big elevators which once stood there. At this time two piers stretched out into the lake with a lighthouse, waiting-room and office at the end of the cast pier, and elevators, elevators, warehouses and a Custom house in the land side of the same. _ These buildings and the piers have iast Side, '-Bowmanville, Harbour Pineridge Automotive S. Supply Ltd. ■ During its first ten years, the company increased business by 32,370 pounds according to actual figures taken from the records. Commodities shipped in 1850 were flour, wheat, oatmeal, lumber, potatoes, whiskey, bran, butter, wood, pork, ashes and barley. Prices for the various commodities are scattered through the records so that no estimate of the original total costs can be determined. gradually been removed as their days of usefulness were done till now the harbor mouth is all but filled with sand and nothing remains to tell modem modem cottagers of the once busy days of the Port except a breakwater on the west side of the pier. Four Generations John McClellan, son of the first wharfinger, James, was also Harbor Master for 60 years and owned several several schooners that sailed the lakes. On his business envelopes on the left hand side appeared a beautiful little picture of a three masted schooner, and beneath it his name and address, John McClellan was also the senior member of the firm of McClellan & Co., dealers in grain, lumber, wood and coal, predecessors of the Sheppard Sheppard & Gill Co. here. The company for many years had a huge coal storage storage shed at the wharf. Next in the McClellan line was James Alexander, son of John, who was so well known in Bowmanville district as the kindly and respected manager of the Bank of Montreal. Though entering upon a banking career career as a young man, J. A. McClellan carried on the Port Darlington harbor tradition as the secretary-treasurer of the company, which position he held until his death in 1934. The old tradition tradition cropped out too in his love of making model schooners for small boys, particularly his only grandson at that time, Hariy Hyde. Early Days Going back to the beginning, the Port Darlington Harbor Company was incorporated on March 4th, 1837, the year that saw rebellion flare up briefly against the government in both Upper and Lower Canada. It was the seventh, and last, year of the reign of King William IV. In that same year upon his death, the young queen, Victoria, entered upon her long and successful reign. Complaints Complaints and wrongs were gradually ironed out in the Canadas and the young country began the long ascent to Confederation, maturity, wealth and complete self-government. The Port Darlington Harbor Company, Company, which became a joint stock company as we have seen in 1839, was in on the ground floor of this era of expansion and development. H.S. Reid was the first president, John Simpson treasurer, and John Smart secretary. According to the record provided by the minutes of company meetings from its inception, John Smart was very active in the affairs of the company and laid out plans for the wharf, being instructed to get prices for building a wharf. Prices for the various commodi ties arc scattered through the records so that no estimate of the original total total cost can be arrived at. But the price of timbers at this time shows how plentiful and cheap were products products of the forest. Timbers 30 feet long and 20" x 12" were 10 shillings each or roughly $2.50. The same length in 12" x 12" was $1.25. These would likely be the virgin pine of this area. Costs For many years the steam boats were wood burners, and on October 4, 1840 it is recorded in the minutes of the company that tenders were called for 1,000 cords of fire wood. On October 24 we have an entry noting noting that this was purchased at 5-9 and 6-pcr cord, dr about $1.43 and $1.50 per cord. Considering the quantities of wood consumed by steamers and early railway engines, it is little wonder wonder that the seemingly limitless forests forests were soon depleted. Two other interesting items appear appear in the annals of 1840, the company's company's second year in business. The president, H.S. Reid, journeyed to Toronto to see about establishing a Custom House at Port Darlington, which was apparently done after a proclamation had been issued by the Attorney-General establishing Port Darlington as a port of entry, and a dividend of 7 1/2 per cent was paid for that year. On February 6, 1841, William Mitchell was appointed wharfinger at a salary of 30 pounds a year and in 1847 we find tenders being received for building a warehouse at the wharf. In 1847 also we find the Company Company presenting John Simpson with a silver snuff box suitably inscribed in recognition of his valuable services since the formation of the company. Business was so good in this decade that a dividend of 24 per cent was declared declared in 1848 and 1850. John Milne was wharfinger at this time. Huge Increase During its first ten years the company company increased business by 32,370 pounds according to actual figures . taken from the records. Commodities shipped in 1850 were flour, wheat, oatmeal, lumber, potatoes, whiskey, bran, butter, wood, pork, ashes and barley 100 pounds was voted to help repair Cartwright and Manvers roads and the road to the wharf to facilitate the flow of business. In 1852 Peter Hambly was appointed appointed a second wharfinger to assist John Milne, and Samuel Hoar was hired as laborer. By 1851 the meetings meetings of the directors were advertised in the Bowmanville Messenger in- Continuedon Page 17 Bowmanville's port was busiest from 1839 to 1897, when grain bound for Oswego was a major cargo. Coal was delivered at the harbor harbor up until 1920. One account from 1850 noted that exports from Port Darlington included 29,113 barrels of flour, 27,880 bushels of wheat and 709,000 feet of lumber. Grain elevators arc visible in this photo. Cllffcrest Cleaners Since 1951 Cleaning • Pressing Minor Repairs Suedes and Leathers Shirt and Laundry Services Wedding Gowns « Keepsake Boxes and Christening Boxes Mon. - Thurs. 7:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Friday 7:30 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. Saturday 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Call 623-7061 38 King St. E. Bowmanville (Free parking ancl entrance at rear) 6