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Tornado Hits Bradford

Bradford - A tornado smashed through Bradford yesterday at around 3:30p.m., causing considerable damage. There were no reports of injuries. Fletcher St. was the hardest area hit, with residents reporting shingles torn off roods, trees uprooted, windows smashed, small sheds torn to pieces and fibreglass insulation spread everywhere. Part of the roof of the Fletcher St. home of Bradford doctor Larry Barcza was ripped off. Stanley and Muriel Cairns were driving to their home at the corner of Scanlon Ave. and Colburne St. when the twister struck. "There was a great ball of flames," Mr. Cairns said. It was later found that they saw an optical illusion caused by the wind ripping off red fibreglass roofing insulation. Mrs. Cairns added "When we were coming down the road we could see debris flying through the air."
The couple, who moved into their house six years ago, lost their back patio. Mrs. Cairns said the sound of the storm was "terrible - just like a roar." She said she'd never seen such a storm, and added "you wouldn't want to, either." Just down the street form the Cairns on John St., Luis Moniz didn't see the storm, but he felt it. He was inside his house when the tornado hit and told reporters he could feel the velocity of the winds. At Fred C. Cook Public School there were a few children playing on the school grounds just before the twister struck. A workman at the school, Robert Laraby, told The Witness the doors of the school couldn't be closed because of the force of the wind. he said the lights went out and a picnic table outside was blown away. "The kids were getting extremely nervous." He said the tornado lasted about two to three minutes. Desmond Paul Smith was on his way home to his Holland St. apartment when it struck. He was heading north through the main intersection when he saw "stuff going up in the air and a big bolt of lightning. It knocked lines out and I saw flames from the hydro poles."
He said he saw branches as long as 6 ft. going 300 ft into the air, and saw huge trees knocked over with their roots exposed. Mr. Smith said he warned a man on the street that there was a tornado coming and the man didn't believe him. "Then he looked behind him and started to run." The Bradford man also saw the 20-ft. hole in the roof of International Fruit Distributors and said staff there showed him a huge tractor trailer which had been lifted several feet to a new resting place by the force of the winds. Traffic lights at the main intersection were knocked out and power was blacked out in several areas around town. Power was restored in some areas at 6 p.m.
Hail the size of mothballs also swept through the town. By press time damage estimates were unavailable. Shocked resident toured Fletcher St. to view the worst of the damage. Bradford police reported numerous minor car accidents, and the Bradford Fire Department was kept busy responding to calls about downed power lines. Minutes after the tornado struck, an official of the weather office at Toronto International airport confirmed that tornado warnings had been issued for a large area of southern Ontario. It appears Bradford was the hardest hit area. The Witness office on Dissette St. was also blacked out by the tornado, and staff put together the final pages of this edition with manual equipment by candlelight. Our thanks to Newmarket photo lab for the use of their facilities.

Letters regarding payment for Emily Callicott’s stay at the Toronto General Hospital.

"Excessive Speed is Cause of Fatal Accident on Highway 11
William J. Lees, 28, of 612 Harvie Ave., Toronto, was instantly killed late Saturday afternoon when the car he was driving swerved off the highway south of Mr. Clarence Wood's gateway, snapped off a Hydro pole in the ditch, and threw the driver partly out of the right window..."

"Friday, June 30th, Midnight, the Centennial of Canada's birthday was welcomed bu the ringing of all the church bells and fireworks. There was quite a crowd of people on the street in Centennial costumes. This proves the point that we are proud to be Canadians. Many thanks to Rev. Saunders for looking after the preparations for the event. The United Church was a very interesting sight on Sunday." ...

Municipality :
Community : Bradford West Gwillimbury
Lot :
Concession :
Description : Town Gathers for Joe Magani

"I don't know if I really deserve all this, just because I gave a stinkin' 20 years of my life to the town." - Joe Magani, January 28, 1977.

More than 180 persons were on hand at the Bradford
Community Centre Friday night to honor "Uncle Joe" Magani on his retirement from 20 years in Bradford politics, the last 16 of those as mayor.

Reeve Ken Wood was chairman for the evening, and he opened the meeting by introducing head tables guests, and then handed the microphone over to Charlie Evans, former reeve, county warden and town solicitor for Bradford.

Mr. Evans conveyed apologies on behalf of former Ontario Lieutenant-Governor Earl Rowe who was unable to attend because of the storm.

"Earl told me to say he's sorry that he and his wife couldn't come because he would have loved to be here tonight," said Mr. Evans.

He went on to read a message from Mr. Rowe: "Joe should be commended for his tremendous service to the community of Bradford, and Bradford is a much better place because Joe Magani lived here."

Mr. Rowe's statement was greeted by warm applause from the audience.

Continuing, Mr. Evans said, "I sure would like to pay tribute to our guest of honor. I sure would have liked to see Joe's mother here tonight, but I understand he ordered there was no way she was to come out on the roads tonight.

"Joe's mother would sure be proud and pleased with her little boy tonight," he added, and this was also applauded.

He pointed out that Mr. Magani had been involved in municipal politics for more than one-eighth of Bradford's life, and that he had been mayor for more than one-ninth of its life as a municipality.

"I have been close friends with Joe for a long time, and any good things for Bradford, one of the guys in there on top was Uncle Joe," he said.

Mayor Roy Gordon was then called upon to present Mr. Magani with a set of monogrammed golf clubs.

Mr. Evans quipped, "Well, Joe, I gave you lessons with these (the clubs) 30 years ago, and I'll be glad to give you more lessons."

The microphone was then turned over to the guest of honor, and he said, "I heard a few rumours about this...that's beautiful. First of all, I want to thank you all. That's a beautiful gift... I don't know if I really deserve all this, just because I gave a stinkin' 20 years of my life to the town."

"I don't know if you know it or not, but these (golf) clubs are the best in the world. I really love all of you, and I think you're fantastic people. I just don't know how to thank you."

Chairman Ken Wood then called on Bradford Fire Chief Harold "Butch" Boyd to make another presentation.

Mr. Boyd said, "We have a little gift here for Uncle Joe. He's been tellin' me what to do for the last 20 years and I've had to go along with it...And now I've got him on the spot, I don't know what to say."

The gift from the firefighters was a gold-plated fire helmet naming Mr. Magani as honorary chief of the Bradford Fire Department.

"By the way, ladies and gentlemen, we've got the best fire department in the province of Ontario. And I said that before I got this gift." said Mr. Magani. "You know, I've always wanted one of these," he added as he placed the helmet on his head.

Spotting former fire chief, Ted Gapp in the audeince, he said, "Hey Gapp, now I'm in the same class as you."

Mr. Gapp replied, "Joe, you always backed the fire department 100 percent, but I remember one time when I was manager of a ball team and you thoght you were a ballplayer."

Mr. Boyd said, "Joe, the first good Sunday that you're home I'll let you wear that hat and drive the fire truck."

Mr. Magani replies, "I really thank you from the bottom of my heart."

He went on to introduce his daughter, Denise, and her husband, Mike Gasko, as well as other relatives and close friends. "But you know, the closest family I have," he said with an expansive gesture, "they're all here."

Mayor Gordon was then introduced, and he said, "I think Joe Magani is a super guy, and I can't say enough about him. He's a lovely guy, and I'm not gonna miss him because I'm gonna get him to do a whole bunch of things."

Turning to Mr. Magani, he said, "I think you're the father of Bradford."

Simcoe Centre MPP Art Evans said, "I have played golf, baseball and hockey with Joe, and we've been on council together. Joe was a driving force behind our centennial.

"But I probably know a few more things about Joe than you do," he added, and recounted a couple of anecdotes about Mr. Magani.

Mr. Evans told about one morning when a group of gentlemen shaved all the hair off the former mayor's chest.

Noting that "those are big shoes Roy Gordon has to fill," Mr. Evans recounted another story about the time they sent Mr. Magani's golf shoes floating down a creek.

In concluding address, he said "Joe mentioned those golf clubs were the best in the world. Well, I think Joe Magani's the best in the world."

West Gwillimbury Reeve John Fennell said, "Joe always laid his cards on the table. We always knew what Bradford wanted and what West Gwillimbury wanted.

"Joe was always as close as the telephone, and we knew we could always get some good advice. I hope you'll have many happy years here in Bradford, and knowing you, you'll be involved. So if you can't phone us, maybe you can write us," he said, and presented Mr. Magani with a pen and pencil set on behalf of the township council.

Former county warden and West Gwillimbury reeve Orville Hughes said, "I know they talk about you and I retiring, Joe, and I hope they mean from politics. Because unless you made a lot more money in politics than I did, we're not ready to retire yet."

Chairman Mr. Wood adjourned the meeting, and the evening continued with dancing till the early hours.

"Lavish was the praise Monday night as approximately 200 Bradford residents gathered at the community centre to pay tribute to nine firefighters who have each given more than 30 years of service to the town..."

BRADFORD - They came by the hundreds yesterday (Tuesday) to pay their respects to a dedicated fire fighter - Harold "Butch" Boyd, Bradford's fire chief, who died Saturday in York County Hospital in Newmarket.

He was 64.

Firefighters from across southern Ontario came to pay a final tribute to the quiet, modest man who was buried in full uniform yesterday at Newmarket Cemetery.

His comrades formed an honor guard after a simple ceremony at the Lathangue and Skwarchuk Funeral Home.

Up until the morning before he died, Butch was preparing for a fire safety campaign involving his pet project: having smoke detectors installed in every home in Bradford.

WORK TO DO

His widow Eileen recalls him telling fellow Bradford firefighter Jim Church Friday, "I've got to go down to the fire hall. There's a lot of work to do."

"Being fire chief was his whole life," said Sherran Breedon, his daughter. "The only time he ever went anywhere - Quebec and Regina - was to a convention as Bradford's fire chief.:

Former Fire Chief Ted Gapp remembers Butch as a "real good, dedicated fireman."

He was born in Newmarket, moving to Bradford in 1937 where he opened a butcher shop. He married Eileen in 1942 and moved into the house, coincidentally, directly across from the future fire hall where he would spend so much of his time.

Eileen smiled when she remembered his unorthodox style of buying a home.

"He never even looked inside the place. He just figured that since he was getting married he needed a house."

She fell through the floor as soon as she stepped in for her first look.

36 YEARS SERVICE

Butch joined the fire department in 1943. He was also a charter member of the Bradford Lions Club, although he stopped his activities with the club some time later.

In addition to his profession as butcher, Butch was also a restauranteur, pool hall operator, and manager of the first vacuum plant in Ontario - "A jack-of-all-trades," according to his daughter.

Butch became fire chief after the retirement of Ted Gapp in 1975.

He was an avid curler and belonged to the curling club up until three years ago.

But his first love was the fire department.

Despite recent hospitalization, he continued to organize his safety campaign, arrange the weekly practice drills, conduct school tours, and when the need arose, supervise firefighting.

He was rushed to York County Friday evening after he developed breathing difficulties. He died the following morning.

Harold Boyd leaves his wife Eileen, daughter Sherran (Mrs. George Breedon) of Bradford, three grandchildren, Laurie, Paul and Trish, and a brother Glenn of Scarborough.

Pallbearers were Orville Hand, Bill Breen, Ron Bannerman, Lawrence McKnight, Jim Church and George Allan. Flowerbearers were Ted Gapp, Ken Carter, Roy Storey, Bev Everitt, Gordon Church and Ted Bulpit.

Two articles on the railway activity.
"Traffic on G.T.R.
Passenger traffic is so heavy on this division of the Grand Trunk that for the past ten days the Muskoka and Pacific Expresses have been sent through in two sections. From the 17th June to June 31st, 5,000 more passengers were carried over this division than for the corresponding period last year.

North West Excursions
The G.T.R. and C.P.R. will issue Farm Laborers' Excursion round trip tickets from all stations in ONtario via North Bay to Winnipeg and other points in Manitoba and Assinaboine territory on Aug. 22nd, for $28. Fare going $10. Tickets good till the 15th November. Special trains leave Toronto at 1.30p.m."

"To help solve the housing problem for the thousand or more people made homeless by the flood a trailer town is being planned.
Bradford Rotary Club members are in charge of this project and the objective is 100 trailer cabins to be located on the ball grounds. It is proposed to install showers and toilet facilities to serve this big trailer camp.
The search for a sufficient number of trailers is already underway."

Shipping record for a shipment made by the Corporation of Bradford to Toronto using the Grand Trunk Railway, dated July 6, 1918.