Showing 43 results

Description : The Holland Marsh Story
(Continued from Aug. 3)

CHAPTER IX
Canning Factories to Help

"Some people say we can't bring all the marsh under cultivation for we'll glut the market. At every stage of this project, from its inception to the present time, there has always been some wise one to rise to in his wisdom and solemnly warn us: "It can't be done." But all difficulties to date have been safely negotiated, and this one will be, too. The method of meeting it has been in our mind for years. We'll have diversified crops, and canning and soup factories, and then see how easy it is. In the Summer, we'll sell everything we can, and what we can't we'll can and then in the Winter we'll sell al we can, and by Spring be ready to start all over again.

"The relation of this reclamation scheme to the unemployment problem of this community, and indeed the province in general, is worth noting. During the past season, from 20 to 25 people were busy mos the time on 37 acres. In the height of the celery harvest, 43 were counted at one time, including three truck drivers hwo were busy hauling the celery to Toronto. Picture the hive of industry when the whole 7,500 acres is under cultivation, and 5,000 people are working daily on the marsh and many other supplying their needs, etc., the grocer, the clothier, the butcher, the implement manufacturer. A sugarbeet factory, and other kindred industries will spring up as the development proceeds, all requiring their quota of men. Seven thousand five hundred acres of marsh, producing this year's average $700 per acre would mean a yield of 5 1/4 million dollars per annum, not to mention greater yields expected. It appears, therefore, that the Holland Marsh reclamation is one of the biggest events that has happened in Ontario in recent years.

Bridges and Roads

"Before concluding, I might point out that the bridge across the main canal at Bradford has been completed, thus providing ingress and egress for both King and Gwillimbury lands near the north end of the scheme. Also a bridge across the smaller canal at the 15-16 sideroad in King is under construction by the King Council. Besides they are digging a large rood ditch along the "third", i.e., the road allowance between the 2nd and 3rd concession, thus providing access as well as drainage for adjacent King lands within two miles of the Bradford highway.

"on the Bradford-Gwillimbury side of the river, similar activity is expected, as the need for roads and bridges develops."

CHAPTER X
Holland Marsh Drainage Commission

What is the indebtness of Holland Marsh growers and all those who have profited from these gardens to those who have served on the Holland Marsh Drainage Commission throughout the years? In dollars, the answer cannot be estimated, but a perusal of the secretary's minutes for that Commission is a revelation. Meetings of the Commission, especially in the early years, were not only held monthly, but as occasion and need demanded, and the records show that such need often compelled several meetings within a week.

The first meeting of the Drainage Commission recorded in the Minute Book was February 14, 1930 -- juse 19 years ago. Members of the Commission were E.J. Evans, Reeve of West Gwillimbury; Denis Nolan, Reeve of Bradford and E.M. Legge, Reeve of King. In that year between February 14 and December 26, the Commission met 38 times. Those first minutes recorded by E.J. Evans named as chairman and Denis Nolan as secretary.

The year 1930 minutes record that D.H. Sutherland, marsh overseer, was instructed to proceed with the building of a bridge across the dredge cut at the pump house and to precure Engineer F.G. Campbell. Tours of inspection on work done on canal banks, on fire ravages and flood damage were carried out by the members of the Commission and reports regarding observations made on these tours were given at the meetings.

During 1931 and 1932, visits to the pumps, canal banks, etc., continued with business meetings following. Pumping appears to have demanded considerable attention in this period and materials as directed by Simcoe Commissioners paid visits to Hamilton and Toronto regarding pumps and possible changes to meet more economical Hydro power consumption.

The Commission's accounts for 1931 and 1932 made an interesting page. These payments to the Commissioners included mileage and were as follows: E.J. Evans $47.80; E.M. Legge, $39.50 and Denis Nolan, $75.00 (this included $20 salary as secretary and expenses for a trip to Toronto.)

The King Township member of the Commission changed in 1933; Mr. MacMurchy replacing Mr. Legge. On April 25th of that year the Commission met Messrs. J.J. Snor of Bradford and J.A.A. Hatrland, Directeur Stichting Landverhuizing, Netherland, The Hague, Holland. Messrs. Snor and Hartland stated their intention of accepting terms offered by Messrs. Manson and May of Hamilton, with a view toward locating a number of Dutch families on the land acquired by the above firm in the Township of King.

By 1934, marsh roads demanded a lot of consideration, as did openings in the canal banks, the latter resulting in a motion that operators in the drainage scheme making openings in the canal banks for the purpose of allowing water to run through for irrigation purposes must have such openings protected by a shut-off valve recommended and approved by the Commission. At the same time Mr. Cox of the O.A.C. was taken to the third line of King, where some irrigation has been carried on, and he was asked to formulate some practical plan of irrigation. The same month, July, the Commission visited drained lands in Western Ontario and, after reporting on that visit, Secretary Nolan completed his report with these words: "The general concensus of opinions of each and every member of this Commission after making this trip leaves no doubt in their minds that the Holland Marsh Drainage Scheme is the best, most complete and largest artificial drainage area we saw and offers many opportunities for irrigation, shipping, marketing and is generally attractive in many ways not so apparent in the scheme it was our opportunity to see."

In the early '40's, the personnel of The Holland Marsh Drainage Commission changed -- it became a Commission of marsh land growers, namely, Turner, Goodfellow, Davis, Horlings and Verkaik. George Horlings was named chairman and Charles Davis secretary, with B. Turner and W. Watson marsh supervisors. In the Fall of 1943, representatives from the councils of the three municipalities met the Commission to arrange for the installation of new pumps to be ready for operation by the Spring of 1944. Louis Neilly, Gilford, was called in for additional advice regarding the installation of these pumps.

Meetings in the past few years have not been nearly so frequent. The Commission's problems have become bigger business, the small details having apparently been largely taken car of in earlier years. The secretary is no longer a member of the Commission, but an appointed official -- West Gwillimbury's Township Clerk, Arthur Kneeshaw. Fred Collings is supervisor of the pumps and the dredge work, which is proceeding on the river. New pumps were installed last year at the north branch of the river. Money i snow spent in much larger sums on much larger projects. Among last year's estimates is an allowance for the expenditure of $15,000 for dredging the river, and $20,000 for dykes.

One of the last motions on the books is typical of the Commission's present problems. It reads: " That the Drainage Commission of the Holland Marsh Area, representing the municipalities of King, West Gwillimbury and Bradford, whereas the Municipal Drainage delay in the repairing and maintaining in good repair and safe condition the dykes and other works connected with the Scheme, would like to discuss with the Minister of Agriculture these several serious problems, as this matter is very urgent, an interview with the Minister be arranged by the Secretary at as early a date as possible."

CHAPTER XI
HOLLAND MARSH CELERY IS TOPS

"Oasie McKinstry should know more about the marsh and its people then anyone I know," stated Charlie David, therefore, we interviewed Mr. McKinstry and discovered that we had been given excellent advice. Mr. McKinstry's experience extends over a longer period of time and a much larger area than most marsh gardeners.

Born in Bradford, he has known the marsh all of his life and his contact with the Holland Marsh Drainage Scheme dates to the digging of the drainage canal. The men on that work transported their supplies by boat in Summer, but in the Winter, Oasie McKinstry and "Casey" Stewart delivered food supplies to them from Sutherland's Store.

Following the completion of the big scheme, a year or two elapsed before settlers began building little homes on the marsh. One of the first residents was C. Coert, on the canal bank, and after he had made a few shopping trips to Sutherland's store and gone away on foot with a very heavy load, he was told that big orders would be delivered. That was in 1930 and those first deliveries really started something. As more settlers arrived, they arranged to shop together and Sutherland's delivery truck, with Oasie McKinstry in charge, delivered the groceries, and often, in addition, some marsh grower's purchases made at stores handling other lines of merchandise. As the marsh population grew, so did its needs. The majority of the residents had not at that time a means of transportation into town to shop at the stores, which in a small part, went to them. The inside of a delivery truck was fitted with many compartments, in which were stored most of the food essentials and three days a week, this "store on wheels", in charge of Oasie McKinstry, served the marsh people. For nine years, Mr. McKinstry delivered good to the marsh people, until good roads, trucks and cars made them independent of such service.

In the early 30's, the Bradford Scheme was worked by Professor Day, while in the West Gwillimbury, Emerson Faris was a big gardener and a good one. There was also Doane's Marsh, Sutherland's marsh and Hurd's. "Ralph Doane and W.W. Hurd did the first ploughing on the West Gwillimbury marsh," said McKinstry. A member of the Doane family being a pioneer down there did not surprise us, but how did Mr. Hurd happen to be so early on the marsh? It may surprise other, too, to learn that Mr. Hurd's father was, about 50 years ago, in business here and at that time he bought more than 300 acres of marsh land, which stayed in his possession and at his death passed on to his son. For years, marsh hay was cut on that area by the late Mr. Thos. Morris, and when the Drainage Scheme was completed, Mr. Hurd began gardening on that big acreage and is still carrying on with this big gardening with great success. Mr. McKinstry has been foreman of his gardens for the past nine years, in the gardening season, and in the winter months is in the Toronto office of Mr. Hurd's firm, Holland Marsh Celery Company.

Although selling largely from their own gardens, the company purchased at seasons from various celery growing areas of this continent and Mr. McKinstry states that the celery grown on the Holland Marsh has a finer flavor than that grown in any other section from which they buy.

Mr. McKinstry has been in contact with the marsh during its early years of struggle and its prosperous years. Like all who knew the pioneer gardeners, his admiration is largely for them. They laid the foundation for the wartime prosperous years. According to Mr. McKinstry, not only have the several developments which have grown from the marsh, organization in marketing, etc., aided in creating prosperity, but the land has mellowed through the years producing better crops. Those who came later reaped the benefits of the pioneers.

Going back to the early gardeners, it was recalled that Professor Day pioneered the Bradford Scheme and after his death this area was sub-divided and most of its settlers came here about the same time. Emerson Faris, too, was a good gardener and others learned a lot from him. The Doane and Sutherland areas have been mostly sub-divided and sold, although sections have been retained by these owners. Mr. Hurd's land was worked on shares during the depression years by unemployed men from Toronto. On the Kind side of the river. Frank Romanelli dares back with the Catanias among the oldest residents left on the marsh. Vic Ferro is also an early resident, but he is now on the Kettleby marsh area.

"The marsh was built up in depression years. The war years were a boom. But even though a recession does occur, there is nothing to fear. A good living is to be had on the Holland Marsh, especially as Nature has been kind here, compared with some Western Ontario drained areas and as a result, drainage operational costs here are lower than in some other Ontario areas," said Mr. McKinstry.

Event Date : Saturday, July 27, 1957
Event Type : Death

Description : The end came suddenly for Bradford's veteran, and well-known townsman, Benjamin Briton (B. B.) Collings, last Saturday morning. During the past year Mr. Collings had shown some signs of his advanced years, but the firm step, the indifference to weather conditions, and the ready reply to all greetings, remained with him to the last. He had not been well for a week or more, but on Thursday he was downstairs in his home and returned to his room unaided. Friday he acknowledged he was tired and stayed in bed and on Saturday morning he was dead. He never had pain. He kept going to the last, and just quit. B. B. Collings was looking forward to the Centennial celebration and meeting old friends, and to many who are returning, Bradford has lost one of the interests for them, in his passing. Few will disagree that he was the most colourful character in Bradford. He knew everyone, and everyone knew him. He had a greeting for everyone, a greeting which seldom was particularly complimentary, but because it was B. B. Collings' remark, it was accepted with a laugh. Few days passed that those whose duties caused them to be about the street, did not have a few words with B. B.
"Mr. Collings was born in Bradford on August 9, 1876 the youngest member of a family of sixteen. From childhood days he was working. He told stories of the days when Amsterdam was a thriving village with its mills and he was an errand boy down there. The Collings family was associated with the Holland Marsh and did a profitable business in cutting marsh hay and selling this hay for packing and mattress making. B. B. decided that if this hay was worth Toronto mattress makers transporting it to Toronto he better get into the business. In the 1890's he went to Toronto and learned the trade and came back to Bradford and opened a little mattress making factory here where he employed some of the lacrosse players of the day. Today it is common practice for sport enthusiasts to give employment to star players but B. B. Collings began that nearly 60 years ago. He then went into the furniture and undertaking business taking a course in embalming. Then back to the marsh hay business and commercial fishing and his final business venture was the draining of what was named the Colbar Marsh area a big portion of which is now Federal Farms' gardens and in this he was singularly successful. This last project was accomplished after he was in his seventies.Mr. Collings and his men were recognized in the Lake Simcoe district as an able life-saving crew. Their business as commercial fishermen took them to all parts of the lake and the river and they were familiar with the water. Few accidents or tragedies have occured on the river or lake to which Mr. Collings and his men were not called to lend their help and they have many rescues to their credit.Mr. Collings was always keenly interested in sport particularly lacrosse and had served in official capacity on various lacrosse clubs. But few sporting events occurred in Bradford throughout the years which he did not attend whether hockey ball or lacrosse.Mr. Collings served on the Bradford Public Utilities Commission for several years and also on Bradford Board of Education.In September 1902 Mr. Collings married Etta May Waldruff of Bradford who survives him with their family of two daughters and one son namely Bernice (Mrs. Gordon Crutcher) of Thornhill; Kathleen (Mrs. Ken Blevins) of Toronto and Norman E. of Bradford. Five grandchildren also survive: Gordon Stephen and Tony Crutcher Tom Collings and Mary Jane Collings. Of the family of sixteen only two survive Dan Collings of Bradford and Libby (Mrs. Selby) of Eston Saskatchewan.The funeral was held from Bradford United Church yesterday afternoon. The services were taken by Rev. F. G. MacTavish assisted by Rev. H. P. Maitland of the Presbyterian Church and Rev. H. G. Blake of Toronto. Interment was in Mount Pleasant Cemetery. The pallbearers were C. T. S. Evans, A. L. Veale, Fred Collings, Roy Collings, Phil Latchman and James R. Webb."

"A cyclone, accompanied by torrential rain and some hail, wrought heavy damage on a comparatively small acreage of the Holland Marsh gardens late last Thursday afternoon. The storm struck in the Springdale area and while crops in general in that area took a terrific beating, about three or four growers, directly in the path of the about half-mile wide storm, suffered the heaviest loss." ...

"George Murray Gillam, 29, of R.R. 3 King, was drowned in the canal, Holland Marsh, in the early hours of Saturday morning.
Werner Ploder, son of Mr. A. Ploder, Holland Marsh, was returning home around 1:50 a.m. when tat the bridge, located at the far end of Ansnorveld, he saw the lights of a car in the water, and hurried to his home from where he called the King township police.
Bradford firemen were called, responding to the call at about 2 a.m. and they took the young man's body from the water, and a few hours later hauled the car out.
The car had gone through the guard rail of the bridge, where the water is about seven feet deep. Mr. Gillam was alone in his car."

Article detailed the opening of the bridge near the Holland Marsh pumphouse which "serves a considerable portion of the Holland Marsh, [and] replaces the old wooden structure which was in a bad state of repair". Officials for Simcoe and York Counties, and King Township attended.

"The first year-round residents of the Marsh arrived in the late autumn of 1934 and took up residence in the row of houses shown in the above picture. They were families from Holland and they named their village Ansnorveld.
Members of the Christian Reformed Church, after selling their first crops, built the first church on the Marsh, also shown above, in the spring of 1936. Today there are two beautiful Christian Reformed churches on the Holland Marsh."

Article in a special edition of the Bradford Witness (its 100th anniversary) based on the history of the Holland Marsh.

Article detailing the development of the Holland Marsh. It was copied from the Prof. W.H. Day Memorial Unveiling programme and published in the Witness alongside the unveiling ceremony story.

Attendance is Representative at Unveiling of Cairn

The unveiling of the Professor W.H. Day memorial cairn, with bronze plaque, which was erected by the combined efforts of the Tourist and Industrial Committee of Simcoe County Council and the municipalities of Bradford, West Gwillimbury Township and King Township, at Bradford town hall on Sunday afternoon in recognition of the valued service given to this district by the late professor in the reclamation of the Holland Marsh, attracted a very representative assemblage. The Province of Ontario was represented by the M.P.P. for Simcoe Centre, George G. Johnston, who was accompanied by his wife. The Ontario Agricultural College was represented by its president, Dr. J.D. MacLachlan, and several members of its staff. The Ontario Archaeological and Historical Sites Advisory Committee had representation in Wm. Cranston, editor of the Midland Free Press, who is also secretary of the County Tourist and Industrial Committee. The counties of Simcoe and York were represented by their wardens, and in Simcoe, by many members of the county council. The county Tourist and Industrial Committee had present practically its entire personnel. The townships of West Gwillimbury and King, and the town of Bradford were represented by their reeves and councils as well as by many residents from these municipalities.

The members of the late Professor Day's family were present with the exception of Stella (Mrs. Caughey) who resides in St. Andrews, N.B., but she was represented by her son, Michael, a student at the University of New Brunswick, presently employed in the civil service at Ottawa for the summer months. Attending were the two sons, William and Harry with their wives and families and the other daughter, Ida (Mrs. Ray Smith) with her husband and family.

Reeve D. Arthur Evans of Bradford was chairman for the program, welcoming the visitors and expressing appreciation to those who had given assistance to the project and to the arrangements for the unveiling day, naming particularly Mr. Louis A. Neilly who designed the cairn. Rev. F.G. MacTavish of Bradford United Church led in prayer and speakers on the program included Reeve Lawson Robinson of Elmvale, Chairman of the Tourist and Industrial Committee for Simcoe County; Reeve Percy Selby of West Gwillimbury and William Hodgson of King Township; Wardens John Small of Simcoe County and M. McMeachie of York County; Charles Davis of the Holland Marsh; Wm. Cranston of the Tourist and Industrial Committee and member of the Ontario Archaeological and Historical Sites Advisory Committee; George G. Johnson, M.P.P., Simcoe Centre; Dr. J.D. MacLachlan, President of the O.A.C. and Professor R.C. Moffat of the O.A.C. and former colleague of the late Professor Day. The latter two gentlemen were introduced by Glen Henderson, a graduate of the college. Immediately following the unveiling ceremony by William N. Day, elder son of the late Professor Day, C.T.S. Evans, Q.C., whose father, the late T.W.W. Evans, Q.C., as municipal solicitor, played a prominent role at the time of the reclamation of the marsh, spoke briefly and read a letter from Rev. Harold W. Vaughan, Th.D., D.D. now of Brantford, who was minister of the United Church here previous to and at the time of Professor Day's death. Quoting that letter:
"It is a splendid thing which the people of this County of Simcoe and the Townships of West Gwillimbury, King and the Village of Bradford, undertake to do this day. For over three years it was my privilege to know Professor Day and to see the determination with which he pursued a great vision - a vision which took him out of the Agricultural College, away from the cleanliness and order of classroom instruction into the muck and toil of labour on the Marsh. However, he knew it could be done. He was certain that the Marsh could be drained, irrigation ditches strategically placed, and eventually a battle of moisture control won and productive vegetable land created on a large scale.

Unfortunately, Professor Day was not spared to see the fulfillment of his vision, although even at that date, enough of its promise was there for him to know that he had been right.

The problem of marketing of the attendant economy, of the finalizing of chemical research in fertilizers, and above all, the detail of storing and packaging, still had to be conquered. I well remember the time that Professor Day died of a heart attack while working in the Marsh itself. It seemed, in a way, pathetic and yet there was also something of majestic triumph in the manner of his death, for he died working at the task to which he had given himself unstintingly across the years, and today the people of all this area know a new prosperity and opportunity because of the vision and perseverance of this fine man.

Thus, to honour his memory is not only to pay tribute to the past and to the vision of one who was more largely responsible than any other for the present result, but it is also to commit yourselves as citizens of these areas to a continued interest in this project and to its consistent growth for the welfare not only of the people here but of consumers throughout the whole land."

"A 19-year-old Downsview man, Robert O'Brien, was the second driver to end up in the canal in the past four weeks. Mr. O'Brien lost control of his car on Friday night after freezing rain covered area roads with slick ice. O'Brien was not hurt in the mishap."