HISTORY OF BOWMANVILLE
Part 35
By Mr. J. B. Fairbairn, P. M.
The Christie’s were also very early settlers and well known by our businessmen. Isabel, the second daughter, went to Montreal when a young lady and married Mr. John Paterson, who was at the time an employee of Henry Morgan & Company, then having an immense business in the dry goods line. He was a nephew of Mr. Morgan’s. After leaving them he went into the wholesale manufacturers of spices. He had a most successful business history, retiring from it, like a sensible man that he is sufficiently early so as to give himself respite from carking care. He has ample means and I think fully enjoys all the blessings resulting from his fruitful efforts. My daughter Georgina married his son Henry Morgan Patterson whose mother is still full of activity and cares for her household with unceasing attention. Elizabeth remains unmarried and resides with the others in Montreal. Of the sons, John has just retired after a faithful service of
thirty years in the Telegraph Company. J. B. is the postmaster of Trenton.
During one of Mr. Daker’s many visits to Bowmanville he suggested to me the advisability of applying for their agency. I acted upon this suggestion and got a notice in due course and sometime in 1852 I entered the employment and have ever since done what I could to serve the public and conserve their interest in this branch of public usefulness.
O. S. Wood was the General Manager, one of the finest men you could possibly know. When we had only one wire to work with it was a difficult problem often as the business grew it was almost at times impossible to get your message attended to. I have watched the instruments eight hours at a stretch to get a chance to call an office. The larger ones having the precedence of the circuit. Perhaps the man who was sending the despatch would ask every half hour if it had been sent. It was a most trying position for the operator. Toronto and Montreal would monopolize often for three hours at a stretch and then the other larger places would come in first.
In the olden days of the Grand Trunk, there was a kind of wooden tower standing at the station in Toronto. I notice that a fellow wrote on it in a good bold hand "Job never travelled by the Grand Trunk Railway," I know he never stood waiting and watching the old single telegraph line. If he had, I think he would have lost his reputation, or at least have had it sorely tried.
The duty of keeping the line repaired devolved on the unfortunate operators. MY section was four and a half miles west and east to Newtonville in Clarke. What a time we often had! I generally got down and out during the worst weather. A sleet storm was looked upon with dread. We had to hustle out and drive till we met a break. The tug of war came in our efforts to sling the thing clear of the ground and get it in running order. Dr. C. N. Vars who had charge at Oshawa was the best hand we had. He could climb a pole like a squirrel and many an hour he spent in this laborious exercise. There was a section near and below Newtonville where we had continuous trouble. After a lightning storm many of the poles, came to grief. It looked as if there was some attraction in the earth that caused the electric fluid to leave the conducting wire and run down the poles to the ground. I noticed that invariably it followed the natural grain of the timber. I have seen as many as twelve pol
es at a time more or less injured within a radia of two miles. The telegraph business expanded rapidly and as soon as additional wires came into use we did a large amount of telegraphing.
In looking at an old book in which the messages were entered, I find that there are scarcely any now living who at that period- about 1860-used so extensively this method of buying and selling. How familiar the old names are. Of the people here and many large firms in Toronto and Montreal it is hard to get the fact into one’s mind that they are all blotted out. Forty years has buried out of sight the whole population f men who were then as we are now struggling with might and main to get a little of earthly things so soon to be left behind. No use grumbling, such is our fate. The high water mark was kept up until the telephone came into use. We had at one time as many as sixty communications a day.
Here is, in my humble judgment an object lesson by the following statement of facts that should be learned by many of our large establishments all over the Dominion where there has been so many fierce conflicts between labour and capital arising out of the greed of the great capitalists on the one hand and perhaps sometimes the unreasonable demands of the employees on the other. Namely that I know no great corporation where so many of the employees have been so long working for the same institution as in what is now The Great North Western Telegraph Company of which H. P. Dwight was so long the general manager and guide. No doubt during all the years he has had the benefit of a wise sound board but still I am persuaded that the outcome was largely due to the management of the gentleman named. He held the scales between his shareholders who were looking for dividends and the toilers who largely helped to earn them. He did not look upon us as so many machines to accomplish the purp
ose and then to be cast aside without consideration when the end was served but rather as a brother man striving on the same plane as himself to earn a living and get on in the battle where so often the fight was keen and sharp.
That this is no fancy of my own, let me name a few with whom it has been with me a pleasure to co-operate for so long a time. In the Toronto office there is today, J. T. Towsend, one of the Inspectors, R. F. Easson, manager of the press department, Mr. Trickey who still slings the lightning to all parts of the Globe, Ben Toy, Chief Operator up to the time of his death. In the outlying district east of Toronto, the Yule’s at Whitby, until the amalgamation of the companies, myself at Bowmanville, Stanley Paterson, Port Hope, George A. Cox, Peterboro, now one of the financiers of the Dominion, Thompson, Belleville, Bethune, Ottawa, and hosts of others who have grown grey since they first became connected with the organization. I am constrained to mention as an example of Mr. Dwight’s goodness of soul an instance of it that came under my own observation. He sent a lad here in 1852 to teach a student I had how to manipulate the instrume
nts. A fine little chap he was, as sharp and quick as they are made. Unfortunately he took consumption and had to go home to his mother, a widow, who was living near Rochester in the state of New York. It was whispered about among the telegraph connection that DW, as he was called in Telegraph pariance, provided the means out of his own pocket to enable his mother to have him properly cared for. The good a man does is often unknown and soon forgotten. There is however a recording angel and comfort can be drawn from the assurance that even a cup of cold water given in the name of the Master will in no wise lose its rewards.
I believe that O. S. Wood is still able to take part in the activities around him. He was a splendid man. My wife and I were in Montreal in 1861, when he was in the hey-day of his popularity and fame. He gave us a reception at his house and among other celebrities that we met there was Hon. Luther H. Holton and Lloyd Garrison one of the great men who took such a prominent part in working out the freedom of the slaves in the southern States. This was an unexpected act of thoughtful kindness to us, almost strangers. Such was the man.
I am tempted to refer to at least two of the many young men who learned telegraphing with me. If I had time to trace them, it would be interesting. They all turned out well with one exception. One of them is a good sample of the many cases I have had to do with during the last fifty odd years. I will go somewhat into particulars.
THE LATE
JAMES BROUGHAM FAIRBAIRN, J.P., P.M.
MR. FAIRBAIRN’S DEATH
Citizens of this town were shocked by the sad news that reached here Saturday morning announcing the death of our esteemed Postmaster, Mrs. James B. Fairbairn, J. P. . Deceased has been suffering from stones in the bladder and on the best medical advice obtainable, underwent an operation in the General Hospital on August 15, by Dr. Cameron. Since that time his life has been hanging in the balance but his system was unable to bear the strain and he passed to his reward early Saturday morning in his 75th year. He was an exceedingly well informed man and took very great interest in the educational interests of the town. He was a member of the High School Board for over forty-five years, part of which time he occupied the position of chairman. After the death of Col. F. Cubitt he was appointed Chairman of the Board and since 1897 until the present has held the position with much acceptance. His advice and good judgement were taken as a safe guide in all important
matters. He was a great reader and took a deep interest in current events.
He possessed a splendid memory as has been shown for many months in the interesting history of Bowmanville and its early settlers which he has been re-producing in the pages of THE STATESMAN for many months. His kindly disposition and thoughtfulness will be gratefully remembered by many in the town who have been recipients of his favors from time to time. St. Paul’s Presbyterian church of which he was a valued member and official likewise loses a faithful official and friend. Being connected with this church all his life his object has ever been to uphold and support the faith of his fathers. He has ever shown a special interest in the young people and always greeted them with a smile.
His position as postmaster brought him in contact with nearly everyone in the town and his cherry word and kindly enquiry will be missed by rich and poor alike. Few men have had better opportunities of studying human nature than he and few have improved the opportunity more. He was a good judge of character and placed a high premium upon it.
Mr. James Brougham Fairbairn was one of a family of thirteen children-8 girls and 5 boys. His brother William on Honeyoic Falls, N.Y., is the only surviving member, his last surviving sister, Elizabeth McTavish, Morris, Man, having died on August 2, one month ago.
He was married three times, first to Miss Jane Lee, Port Hope second to Miss Rogers, Peterboro, and his third wife and the mother of his six surviving children was Miss Carrie Diamond, Toronto. The two sons are Mr. Rhys D. Fairbairn who conducts an extensive manufacturing business in Toronto; Mr. Thomas M. Fairbairn in business at Guadalupe, Mexico; the daughters are: Mrs. W. C. Cubitt, Mimco; Mrs. H. M. Paterson, Montreal; Mrs. J. Shirley Denison, Toronto, and Miss Fairbairn at home, who has been he father’s close companion since the death of her mother, a position few daughters have filled better or more faithfully.
Early in 1828 when Bowmanville was called Darlington Mills, Robert Fairbairn, father of the deceased, received word of his appointment as the first postmaster, no office having been opened here up to that time. The first post office established in Darlington township was at Black’s Hill, near where Tooley’s flour mill now stands. Col. Black was the first postmaster. On July 5th, 1828, Robert Fairbairn’s commission was issued and the post office was transferred from Black’s Hill to Darlington Mills. This was in the 9th year of the reign of King George IV. Mr. James B. Fairbairn virtually grew up in the post office and has practically had charge of it since 1845. He was really appointed postmaster on the 28th of January, 1857, almost 50 years ago, when the Hon. Robert Spencer was Postmaster General. Thus it is that Robert Fairbairn, the father, and James B., the son, have held the office of P.M. in
Bowmanville over 78 years. It is doubtful if a similar case exists in the Dominion.
The post office has been moved several times but early in 1905 the new Government post office was occupied and Mr. Fairbairn has taken great pleasure in showing visitors through the splendidly equipped building. He was not long spared to enjoy the new quarters.
Next - Bowmanville and Darlington History Part 36
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