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4 The Acton Free Press The Acton Don McDonald Publisher Founded In 1875 Ac on Fine ess one the Inland Co L ted news vatic include The Picket News The Brampton I Poll The Indepondeni Ma nil II The lion Canadian Champion The News The km E Beaver Thi Week Ofhawa This and The lie accepted on condition lhai in the event of si portion of the space occupied by the erroneous item allowance lor not b charged lot but the balance of advertisement wifl be paid for the applicable rate Irt the event of a typographical error good or sorvee eta wrong goods or services may not be told a moiety an offer and may be any Ismail Registration Number EDITORIAL DEPARTMENT Editor- Hartley Cotes News Editor Helen Murray It Sports Editor Robmlnscoe ADVERTISING DEPARTMENT Advertising Manager Bill Cook Classified Advertising Msrvlm BUSINESSACCOUNTING OFFICE Manage Fran Gibson ShrieyJocque Carolyn CIRCULATION DEPARTMENT Manager TELEPHONE 853 Business and Editorial Office Disston decision blow to Actons economy Rumors of a permanent plant shutdown at Actons Disston Canada plant denied at the first part of June have proven correct Over 125 employees of the plant will be out of work on September 29 with eight weeks notice Employees were notified by registered mail last week that the company would be closing down its Acton operations September Two days later employees leave According to company sources some employees may have the option of staying with the company and moving to its new location in Montreal Closing of the plant is a severe blow to Actons industrial economy The company has been a steady employer since it built a new plant in Acton back in 1957 and operated three divisions which pro duced saws knives trowels steel rules Thermoid which produced brake linings clutch facings insulated tapes and the refrac tory division which produced high heat insulated brick for steel makers and foundries The company moved here from Toronto where it had been located since 1904 to get spacious modern facilities on a major trucking line It had markets for its products all over the world Rumors of a proposed closing circulated when employees were informed R Hoe and Co one of the oldest saw manufacturers in the United States had made a bid to pruchase part of Canada s production facilities for woodworking tools This has since been verified public relations officer E then it was not known whether the purchase would affect the Acton plant or its employees Em ployees however surmised it would mean closing lines and work going to American plants Hopefully the Hoe company will rehire Acton workers and con tinue production at the plant Disston recently Feb 1979 signed a two year contract with Local of the United Steel Workers of America which was described as a break through by union representatives The contract gave employees a cent per hour raise in the first year 35 cents the second year and cosy of living allowance as well as other improved benefits The agreement was signed after a three week strike the third in the companys 22 years in Acton Lowest wages at the plant were 03 per hour while highest were 7 The shutdown takes over a million and quarter dollars out of circulation from wages which originated the Acon plant It is a severe blow to the local economy Plans for the plant were not revealed at this writing but it is obvious Haltons industrial commissioner William A Mar shall should be made fully aware of the impact of the closing on the economy of both Acton and Hills Hopefully at this time of increasing industrial develop ment and strength the Hoe company may find the Acton facilities desirable and the location here suited for Acton is close to the major Canadian markets and is an ideal location for some other company interested in locating new major markets and appreciative of small town advantages The irony of the move to Montreal cant be dismissed The Province of Quebec is ex a dram of many of its large companies many of them moving to Ontario In Actons case the move is counter clockwise Cyclists to be drivers Bicyclists should be reminded they will have new respon under the Highway Traffic Act The tragic death last week of a cyclist in should be ample reminder that bicyclists are to have new responsibilities under the Highway Traffic Act Introduced recently by the Hon Jim Snow Minister of and Communications the Act proposes to more clearly define a driver It officially makes a bicycle a vehicle and its operator a driver It is hoped the amending legislation will impress upon cyclists they must comply with regulations and rules set down under The H Act the same as the driver of any other vehicle Cyclists especially children have been giving motorists around Acton and district some tense moments as they dart out of stop streets without stopping two and three abreast on roads noting traffic both ways failing to give signals and committing other traffic infractions Clearly when accidents happen it is not only cyclists who are to blame Motorists also have to be wary when they observe bicycles on the road and give them ample room to navigate But cyclists should always remember it is better to be a live cyclist than an injured or dead one It is foolish to argue with a vehicle which may be 2500 pounds heavier Better to observe safety precautions and stay alive Children particularly should be reminded of the dangers of the road on bicycles and urged to observe all the precautions and traffic laws Hot weather of the pail week brought of people to the cool re Saudi Susan and Cheryl found one way to beat the freshing waters Fairy Lake Kim and Tracey Arnold along with heat Fond memories of a weekly editor 20 years Back issues 10 years ago Taken Iron Issue the Free less of Wednesday Jul 1069 Acton Jehovah arc busy these days building their new Kingdom Hall on i Highway new building is bring con traded alongside old Lome school The reo Press has received word thai Morris Pharmacy on Mill St has been purchased by the Canadian Imperial Bunk Commerce The building as owned by Mrs Cooper and has been idle slnu last year when Mr Morris decided dispose of his business Trudy Moms Acton first Ontario Scholar has won four more awards it ljuecn has just completed her year there Mrs Laura is helping tomplcti the assessing All Attomans who in Music League lestival in Toronto plact high with accordionist Joe Peine an out standing eight awards The others wire Sheila heyni Norman Paulsen in hupp Colleen Do Morn Bonnie and Sharon Vhats tht future for the towns water lank The 40year old tank lb no longer heeded It used to store water from spring Council will be discussing the problem A couple of big anniversaries are coming up for weekly newspapers or unity newspapers they are called these days In July the Canadian Community News papers Association is celebrating its diamond jubilee at a convention in Toron to In Ontario the Echo is cele brating its 100th birthday this July Id like to take in both as a member of the former for years and editor of the latter for the period Some of the happiest years of my life as as work goes were spent In the weekly business And as work goes It vent a long way about hours a week It requires a certain type of personality outlook to be a happy weekly editor it did when I was one It s a lot different low with young hard hosed editors fresh of journalism school imitating the echniquea of the dailies First of all you had to have a complete ack of material desires You could make a but you never got rich or even well do Next you had to keep your back shop the- printing staff And anyone who ever tried to keep a staff happy knows that its about as easy as attending a picnic of rattlesnakes without being bitten Then of course you had to tread the thin line between being fearless independent and outspoken and selling enough adver tising to keep body and soul together The guy who attacked town council for some nefarious bylaw and the guy who went out and tried to sell ads to the six merchants on the town council were the same guy very often There were the inevitable typographical errors to harry the obfuscated editor In a wedding writeup the bride very often come out as the bridge In funeral ac counts the pallbearers were apt to be des cribed as six old fiends who carried the coffin to its final rest In a small town there are currents of jealousy and antagonism and family feuds that run deep and strong Praise a local politician for making a good move and his third cousin from the other side of the family would call you up and tell you with detail what a snakeIn Ihegrass your first man was Venture to criticize however gently an athlete or a public figure and you d have your ears scorched by close relatives who normally despised the guy but rallied to their roots when an aspersion was cast on the clan Hell no fury like a Women tute whose account of its meeting in eluding everything from who said Grace lo what they ale was cut by the blue pencil And then of course there were the drunks who would call you up at 3 a m to ask you to settle an argument about who scored the final goal In the Stanley Cup playoff And the kooks who would call you up and try to plant a libellous rumour or demand that you come out to the farm and take a picture of their homemade threshing machine There was always some country corr furious because her news consisting of who visited whom on Sunday afternoon was crowded out by a rush of late advertising Why don t you leave out some ads There was no variety in the week ly business when you were reporter editor advertising manager proofreader and general for the tyrants in the back shop I distinctly remember a St Patrick Day night when there was an unexpected heavy fall of snow An elderly gentleman of Irish descent had been celebrating the day In the pub When he t arrived home by ten clock his housekeeper called for help The local pubs were alerted and the hockey rink where there w is a game in progress Most of the male population at least half of the half lit stormed of f to search for the missing man We found him covered In about a quarter mile from his house Back to the rink and the pubs remember shouting at deaf old ladies who were celebrating their ninetieth birth days and getting some of the most prising answers How long has your husband been dead Nah he never was much good in bed To what do you attribute your long life was always a good wife And so To be a successful iditor though not necessarily a good one you had to con tlnually straddle fences This becomes a bit of a chafe after a You had to be able to write on demand 1 remember one week when there was absolutely nothing to fill a twocolumn four inch space on the front page In about twenty minutes I knocked out eight column inches of sparkling prose In which the reader had to read to the end to cover that nothing worth reporting had happened that week It sounds as though m knocking the game Not so These are fond memories And there were rewards most of them in tangible It was kind of nice to be intro duced to strangers as our editor It gave satisfaction when a subscriber from away down in the States dropped in on his way to fie summer cottage and sold he Sure liked that piece about the deer hunt And there was a certain quiet pride in one status My daughter aged eight produced the fitting requiem when I left newspaper work and went into teaching But Daddy she observed that means you re not The Editor any more I sadly agreed The catch basin in front of the Coles home ha become a cause that means and the numbers pausing to inspect it has also aroused considerable public opinion Problem is whether it is favorable or otherwise For instance one fine chap who insp ected the basin observed Perhaps we could pool our information and more could reahie the benefits of having a shell hole In their front lawn Then he grinned and pedalled his bicycle down the Drive A letter arrived from a gentlemen named Don something or other which noted I was now in the pool business It suggested that it I dldn t want my arm busted or a leg unfastened I better get out quick The writer said his pool tickets sold for Si each and The would not appreciate being undercut by a relative GO By Hartley Coles newcomer Perhaps the most persistent piece arrived unannounced at my door this Tuesday morning slipped there with picture enclosed for future considerations It read Dear Sir Actons newest swimming facility located on Elizabeth Drive better known by the local name of the Cole Hole is creating an Industry at least for the town and region A new sign has been posted by the town works Region engineers will design and protective fencing and paving Tenders will be called soon and as long as they reach budget they will be completed or temporary fencing and paving will be Installed Recreation Is arranging a swimming program for ad vanced and beginners The parking authority is working on a new parking lot Council will be announc ing a new charge system for admittance Attendants will have to be hired Council will apply for a grant from Region or Province for diving and flood lighting equipment The Conservation Authority want to take over the project and flood the entire Maintenance is open to tender The pool will be officially opened by the first person to accidentally fall in or the first from regional council to appear on the scene The pool will remain open as long as there is flooding Official name suggested is the Ed E Poo Signed Chip off the Block A sign hat already appeared on Elizabeth newest hole A committee to Save the Boat People has been organized in Guclph to cover the city and surrounding towns and villages of Acton Fergus Erin Rockwoodand rural areas The main objective of the committee is to organize and provide sponsorship of refugees through churches service clubs community groups and individuals as well as to promote public awareness of the needs of refugees We ve had calls at the Free Press from people wondering how they could assist the Boat People and this committee seems to have all the answers for church service club or any group or individual They would be glad to send someone out help Simply phone Indeed a worthy cause and one Acton and district could embrace with the same generosity displayed for others that have been oversubscribed I a Wen from the Issue of I- Press Thursday Jul 16 I9j1 When Queen saw for thi time last Thursday afternoon there were many from Acton there joining the thousands cheering spectators Away at Guide tamp are Janet Adams Janet Itognvaldson Sandra Hargrove Kathryn Vicky and Jill Hurst A widespread gas war hit Acton I uesday Prices went as low as tents a gallon The hopes of Mann went up in smoke when his small tannery was dps troyed by ire An expert tanner hi comes Iron Yugoslavia Ivan del It himself a hand it the Legion Junior Pipe Band and flute bond paraded at thi anniversary of the of the Boyne for the first time in years K Browne stayed ho mi Lodge members tailed on him before lift Illness forced him to stay home it lilt age of 50 years ago Taken from the of the Press of Thursday Julv Acton parlicipatid in the Walk and iclcbration at They paraded to the station headed by their flute and drum band Miss Margaret and Miss Mary Stewart passed their Normal School examinations gypsies were lined and it Ciuelph for having mesmerized a bread truck driver was taken in the flim flam Master Mclvin of It II I lock wood has treated something of a record for himself having started a rural school at the age of six and now having passed the first year of Collegiate at age 12 Much credit is due o his teacher Miss Jcssit Lindsay of who put him through his Third Book Fourth Book and work all inside a period of two The tennis courts and bowling greens of Acton Athletic Society are busy places evenings 100 years ago Taken from the Issur of the I rrr Thursday Jul IT IHJ9 not Canadian newsdealers shut low illustrated weeklies which tend to demoralize our youth Parcel post rates have been reduced lo six tents for our ounces and under and six cents for every additional four Milton papers make boast about their new sidewalks No wonder Their old ones were a disgrace A reckless drunkard at Minn i rushed a wine glass between his and swallowed It He soon died in dreadful agony Knox church choir has been dissolved The elders thought the lads and lassies should sit doon in front the mini and the ciders could witch them The organ which has been used in the Methodist church for two or three yiars has been exchanged or a new one The Toronto Telegram advocates short sermons during this hot sweltering weather We second the motion Nobody ever realizes how much time is wasted in this world until he comes upon a groupof men working on their statute labor