May 29, 1942
PROTECTORS OF BEACH PROPERTY—
The above picture of the new fire truck at Hamilton Beach along with firemen and members of the C.D.C., was taken on Victoria day, just before the truck made its initial trip to Burlington. Persons in the picture are, first row, from left: Gordon Truscott, chairman of Beach commission; J. F. Robbins, assistant chief; William Greenwood, secretary of Beach commission; Daniel Hazel, fire chief; C. R. Chadwick; Howard E. Nickling, police chief, and John Lynch, commissioner. Second row: W. C. Hewitt, B. R. Somerville. Lieut. G. E. Hayward, Lieut. W. F. Thornton and Clare W. Simmons. Third row: A. R. Robbins, ? Rosebrook, B. G. Allan, M. J. McMaster, Capt. J. L. Dibden, Charles Pearson and Lieut. F. A. Milligan.
1945
Burlington Beach Resident Feels Charges Unfair
To the Editor:
During the past week a letter signed "Fogo" was published in your column castigating Burlington Beach as a defiled swamp. This correspondent claimed a disease epidemic would break out as a result of flooded conditions of the Beach along the bayside streets. Well, we had flooded conditions in 1895, 1915, 1929 and 1943 and an epidemic did not ensue. Then, a number of transient residents up toward the canal presented a petition to the Government asking that the flooded streets be sprayed and all the children be inoculated against germs. So much for that! It is well known that stagnant water is a breeding place for mosquitoes and sand flies. This kind of water also contains typhoid and polio germs, so does the pure water, hence the chlorination of the city's water supply.
The months of July and August constitute the season for infantile paralysis germs, and is the result of pollen-carrying germs also. A case of polio happened in 1912 in which a local boy contracted the disease through bathing in Lake Ontario, but this was pure water! He was crippled and died at thirty years of age in 1939. These children are receptive to the germ. However, this is no reason why spraying stagnant water should not be done. We must remember typhoid fever! And so I would calm the fears of Beach residents from being alarmed, because the polio season comes like all things in nature, in cycles and regardless of stagnant waters. Look at Britain!
With the views expressed by "Fogo" Hamilton Beach is being given a bad name, spoiling business and keeping tourists and future-residents away. For does he tell why Beach-flooded waters are disease-ridden? And so I will explain the cause, if such there be. The condition all along the bayshore is deplorable, dirt, filth, and slimy oil-soaked bottles, logs, and barrels swish atop the waters and come to rest on the Beach shore. The faster the refuse is cleared up, the bay waters deposit more, including millions of tiny dead fish killed by the filthy water. This all comes from the waterfront industrial centre, in Hamilton. Hasn't the City
Council agitated long and loudly against this pollution of Hamilton's beautiful harbour? One day last week the dense smoke was so thick for about an hour that station 5 residents could hardly see each other on the street as a southwest wind wafted it across the Beach. The smoke came from the dump on the south shore. And so, why does "Fogo" write about the Beach ? In closing let me advise our Beach mothers not to be unduly alarmed by such nonsense. The waters will recede in November,
Royston C. Kime.
Hamilton Beach,
Beach Residents Are Alarmed About High Water
To the Editor:
The residents of Hamilton Beach are really alarmed about what the spring of 1946 will bring in the way of high Lake Ontario waters. The conditions at present owing to the high waters of the lake and bay have made life miserable for many residents. Because their cellars are flooded they are unable to light their furnaces, the coke floats around and they well-nigh have to fish for it. In one cellar at Station 10 the water is actually four feet deep and frogs and turtles playfully swim through the stagnant water. This condition exists on the lake-side as well. One family shivered for three days without fire in the furnace as the water was up past the grates. The depth varies from 18 inches to three or four feet according to how near the houses are to the lake or bay. One or two families have moved to the city on account of these deplorable conditions.
The Beach residents claim many reasons for the high waters and flooded gardens and cellars. It is stated that, owing to the diversion of the waters of Long Lac and River Rouge in various power projects, the level of the lake waters has been raised. One sailor on the Beach says that the waters are two feet above normal. It is claimed that in the spring of 1946 the bay and lake will almost flood the entire Beach. This will be caused, it is said, by the damming and backing up of distant waters into Lake Ontario when the Great Waterways project is started.
Back in 1914 the bay waters were very high. At that time plank bridges were erected so that residents could get to boat and ice houses on the shore. Every seven years the lake waters rise. The waters of Lake Ontario rise in three cycles. During the first half of the fourteenth year the high water is at its maximum. As the years move toward the twenty-first the high lake waters should recede and then the cycle starts all over again. In 1914, as most of the houses were summer cottages, the residents did not complain much. The average rainfall for Ontario is from thirty to forty inches a year, but during 1943 was fifty inches and the water that year was unusually high. Being the fourteenth year from 1929 the water should have kept receding, but it has not done so! The water was so high in 1895 that lake and bay met during an east storm.
Another explanation for the high water is that the earth in its revolutions is turning crookedly on its axis and thus precipitating the unusually heavy rainfalls and moisture in this part of the world. It is pointed out that in Asia, Africa and Australia there has been the greatest dry spell in those continents' history. In Australia thousands of sheep died of thirst and starvation because the grasslands had been burned up. Another claim is that the bursting of shells over in Europe has caused the repeated showers and rainfalls. Hence the high Lake Ontario waters.
The fact remains that 1945 has seen an unusually heavy rainfall in this part of the world. Perhaps if a wall was constructed 100 yards out in the lake from Beach road to the Brant Inn, another sandbar would be formed and thus would eliminate the flood menace on Hamilton Beach.
Royston C. Kime
High Waters Of Lake Ontario And Recurring Flood Problems
1951
To the Editor:
Since writing my last letter on the flood problem caused through high Lake Ontario waters I have received information giving the cause of these conditions and the solution. Accordng to this version it is claimed that 90 per cent of storm damage is caused by high water during the time navigation is closed, and when flood season comes Lake Ontario is already at high level. And then the remedy is put forth, if the lake level was lowered three to five feet by opening the sluice gates in the Lachine lock gates at the close of navigation, Lake Ontario could then be used as a reservoir in the early spring. It is then stated that the spring floods alone would bring Lake Ontario up to normal level and by doing so would, in a big way, by absorbing this over flow, prevent the flood damage in lower St. Lawrence Valley.
Thus by lowering the lake five feet it would make the shoreline 100 to 150 feet further out, on which the breakers which are washing away the highways and homes would expend their energy. For it is said bottleneck is at Lachine Rapids
Again, it is claimed that if the outlet of Lake Ontario beginning slightly below Kingston were dredged deeper to allow more water to pour out into the St. Lawrence it we be a far better solution. This we be a big job and would cost a few million dollars.
However, many rumours are going around that Hudson Bay and Lake Superior water diversions have caused such high Lake Ontario waters, that diversions on the Albany River are the real reason, Long Lac and the River Rouge and so forth. These rumours cannot all be right, so Lachine could be the real cause. It will be remembered that I intimated that removing the oak trees on the bayshore and the poplar bushes on the lakeshore and filling in the swamp was a factor in Hamilton Beach flood problem. In the opinion of an Indian who has lived in Ontario all his life cutting down trees along riverbanks and forests near bays and lakes has be one of the real factors causing flood conditions in Northern Ontario However, it is to be hoped that the flood problem can be solved by opening the sluice gates in the Lachine lock gates the Ottawa government will pass enabling legislation that the danger of high Lake 0ntario waters will be eliminated. In closing, if people built all their homes inland there would not be enough room in the cities for the population or any shipping by water and the age of tribal savages would return. For, contrary to "Simple Simon's” letter, most of humanity's ills are man-made.
Royston C. Kime
Hamilton Beach.
Cartoon, Hamilton Spectator.
August 19, 1947