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Mill survives four fires, a depression and two world wars by Danny Millar "As near as I can figure out, it was built in 1868 and opened in 1870," said the seventh manager in the history of the Master Feeds building on Water Street in Port Perry. } According to Harvey Mahaffey, who became manager number seven in 1955 and retired on October 10, 1975, the mill was first opened by William Ross and his father Aaron. William Ross is a one time member of parliament. Mr. Mahaffey knows inti- mately the details of the building's history. He started working at the mill on May 16, 1943, and his father Mervyn Mahaffey starting working there in. 1939. The old building has seen __ many changes; some -- through expansion, some through renovations, and some through fires. Len Beadle, an 18 year employee recalled one. "We had a fire there that burned the back part off in 1958. It was where the grinders, rollers, and the mixers were." Mr. Beadle recalls another night. He was locking up, and went downstairs and could smell smoke. He and Tom Dart found a fire in the elevator leg, and between them they managed to extin- guish it. "It cost us. about $500 to put a new leg on the bottom," he says. There was a major fire in Port Perry, way back in 1884. "The whole main street burned down," said Mr. Mahaffey. He presented a photograph that was repro- duced in a history book on the local area. It showed the length of what is now Queen Street razed to the ground. The large mill at the end of the street is the only thing standing. But the old building has seen numerous additions as well. Mr Mahaffey told of the turn of the century when they had 18 bins that could hold 2,000 bushels each. They added three bins a few years later. "When Hogg and Lytle took over (1916) they added a grinder." In subsequent years some of these bins were split into smaller ones. It was this grinder that had to be replaced following the 1958 fire. The cost? "I would estimate the whole thing at about $58,000 - $68,000 at that time," said Mr. Beadle. "We had to put in a. new grinder, a new roller, and all new elevators." According to Mr. Mahaf- fey, the buying and selling process of grain has gone full cycle in Port Perry. From 1900-1939 the grain was bought and Shipped from Port Perry to,other places, some even in Europe. After that they had to buy and ship the grain in from Manitoba, Saskatchewan, and Alberta because there wasn't enough feed for the cattle here. In the previous period they wer were doing the custom grind- ing for the local farmers. There used to be a railroad running through this town. It picked up the grain from several stops from here to Lindsay including ware- houses in Seagrave and Blackstock. It also stopped at Oakwood and Myrtle Station, where some process- ing was done. Mr. Beadle called this train the "Nip and Tuck." The track was torn up in 1942 to build war supplies. There are a couple of stories as to why the grain had to be imported from the prairies. Mr. Beadle says it is because "it finally got so farmers weren't making so much grain,' but Mr. Mahaffey said it was forced 'because they didn't have enough cattle feed here. Because of the constant risks in the grainery trade the Port Perry building had to be insured by the presti- gious Lloyd's of London at one time. '"A mill has the highest rate of insurance of pretty well any business," said Mr. Beadle. There was another change- over in 1962 when Maple Leaf Mills bought the processor from Toronto Elevators, who had purchased it from Hogg and Lytle. These were the last of the heydays of the old mill. It was a busy place back then, as Mr. Beadle estimated there were 200-300 farmers a month "on the average." Current Manager Mike Doyle figures that number has shrunk to 100. The Master Feeds retail store has also grown with the rest of the building. 'The store was doubled in size in 1953 to go into more farm supplies," noted Mr. Mahaffey. "Then in-1960 it was expanded again. And that was four times the space. And in 1970 we doubled it again and that was the last expansion. Mr. Doyle says the Fro: cessing remains the same as it was back in the 1940-60's. They will grind the grain, roll it, or put molasses in it, just like they always did. Mr. Doyle believes that the reason the mill work has been reduced is because "so many guys have gone to their own equipment and also there is less cattle, and feeding practices have changed. Now they buy and sell grain and ship it to Ontario and Quebec. Like Mr. Mahaffey said, they have gone full circle. Now there are three men runing the mill. It has seen a long history. The mill has survived every manager from the Ross's to Mike Doyle, four fires, one depression, two world wars, and at least one full century. \ PORT PERRY STAR -- Wed., August 6, 1980 -- 9 for over 110 yrs. A century ago these belts and wheels were constantly used, today they sit idle. An old cart that could be as old as the mill, and can still carry 800 Ibs. of grain with ease. El A UE A LWIA FAN] handrails. A weigh scale lies dormant, tucked into a secluded cor In the upper shaft, dust from but grain lies undisturbed along forgotten ner. {RRR DARGA BL AC fy 2, ve 08 v ay NET pr ---T a Cn Cn #. IEE, WIM . Ee £45 PEP ee (4 At Ea hy Se wy -. fo eo NRCS, 1] ry I