Now it gets hectic. In
the Dunnville Chronicle of 1905, I find a very short note that
states the East Pier is being rebuilt. That is the extent of any
information for the year of 1905. But wait a minute in an article
dated 1906, in the same paper there is an estimate that the cost
for the renewal of the entrance pier will be thirty thousand
dollars. A few more details come to light a couple months later
when in May of 1906 I discovered that Superintendent Weller of the
Welland Canal was in Port Maitland and Dunnville, making
preparations for rebuilding the East Pier at Port Maitland which
was partly washed away the previous fall. Mr. Weller granted
permission to members of the Lower River Knockabout Boating Club
to build a dock at the north end of the Long Bridge and will let
them have the timber and planking required from the pier which was
to be torn down.
Construction continued into 1907, when
the Chronicle reported that Ed. Martin and Mr. LeRoy, the foreman
at the work on the pier left on Friday for Cobalt. Then in the
fall “Mr. Big Dipper and Redskin” were reported to have
completed their work and left for Thorold. I can only guess who or
what Mr. Bid Dipper and Mr. Redskin were!
In 1908,
there was a series of advertisements in the local papers
requesting sealed tenders for repair to the West Pier. They were
to be sent to L. K. Jones, Secretary for the Department of
Railways and Canals by August 14th. This finally will lead us to
the photos mentioned in the opening article in this series. In one
of the 1909 construction photos you will see the wood planking and
stringers from an earlier attempt to build something that
hopefully this time will stand up to the wrath of Mother Nature.
During the 1909 reconstruction project large concrete coping
blocks were placed on and around the old wooden-beam pier in hope
of finally holding back the ravishes of the many storms which
could be expected to smash into the harbour. Let us jump ahead
nearly one hundred years for just a sentence or two, and compare
two photographs. One is from the photos borrowed from June High
the other is one I took on Sept 9, 2002 during the last
reconstruction project on the West Pier. In June’s photo as
mentioned above you can see the wooden-beams. If I were a better
photographer and could have climbed down into the bowels of the
construction you would have been much better able to see those
same wooden beams shown in June’s much better photos. They lay
in the shadow just below water level.
In 1920, we would see
improvements to the West Pier when the lighthouse was modernized.
The improvement was described as “the enlargement of the fog
horn house and the installation of more powerful machinery.” In
addition to the rebuilt lighthouse a sixty-foot tower was added.
This was the range light which was installed on September 24,
1920. It took about four days in all to complete the job. So why
do I tell you the exact date? Because in October 2000, I wrote an
article in the Chronicle stating that the top section of this very
range light was now in the possession of Bill Moyer of Port
Maitland. The tower had been removed on September 26, 2000, as
nearly exactly to eighty years as one could arrange. As I write
this article we are working with Haldimand County to install this
piece of history in Esplanade Park in Port Maitland.
The
summer of 1929 saw a major reconstruction project take place on
the West Pier when a contract for nearly one hundred thousand
dollars was awarded to Cameron and Phinn of Welland. I have no
information what was repaired or built during that project.
The
summers of 1924 through 1929 saw the construction of the Port
Colborne and Port Maitland piers. The construction of both piers
took place on the north side of the Feeder canal between where Dan
Minor docks his fish tug today and Talisman have their rigs
docked. Concrete cribs were built and floated into place, then
sunk, resting on the lake bottom. This story could take a full
article in its self. Maybe that is a subject for another series.
It was during this time that the old wooden East Pier was removed
and the pier replaced in 2002 was built. We are all familiar with
the new break wall and how it was built in two sections. I am
sorry, but I must editorialize a bit here. When the current break
wall was being planned, the story has it that a break would have
to be established in the break wall. This at least was according
to Fisheries and Oceans Canada. The reason given was because the
fish were accustomed to having the break in the former concrete
pier and filling in the gap would disrupt their breeding habits.
Now really, are you serious! The break, as we knew it while
growing up was not designed into the original pier. I have not
found any documentation of exactly when the East Pier was placed
there but the best I can suggest is that it was in the summer of
1929. The break occurred on February 25, 1930 when ice jammed
between both piers and forced the water to go under the cribs
which were simply sitting on the sandy bottom. Soon the soft sand
which had already been compromised by the years of aqua quarrying
by the sand suckers slipped away and the section at the bend of
the pier sank. I just bet you the fish were delighted to begin
their new breeding habits which would last for seventy-two years,
and then be preserved for eternity by our kindly fisheries
personnel! End of editorial!
If you want to see the
only known photo of the East Pier before the break occurred visit
the Port Maitland lock and see our new information board.
Other
work has been done to save the West Pier in the years since 1929,
though I am not familiar enough with what that has been to tell it
here. The 1929 project seemed to be the one that has lasted the
best of all the efforts.
Only those of you who are
young enough to have many years ahead of you will know how the
2002 reconstruction will last. I was fortunate enough to have
access during construction and attempted to photograph shots
similar to those that June High loaned me. Construction of the
West Pier was major. The entire concrete surface was removed,
pilings were driven into the river approximately two feet from the
side of the old pier and the outer wall was removed. New concrete
was laid on top of and within the cavern created by the pilings.
Electrical wiring was reinstalled for the light standards and the
light house. Now we wait to see what Mother Nature has in store
for our old but new again piers!
Please take note in
the two photos with this article; they were both taken from nearly
the same place. One was taken in 1909, while the other was in
2002. If I were a better photographer, you would be able to
identify the 1909 work in the 2002 photo.
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West Pier construction Sept. 2002
West
Pier reconstruction c1909
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