Originally Published in Heritage Happenings, March 1998
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The third Heritage Paper based on the handwritten Waterdown Council Minute Book for 1911-21 looks at life in the village between July 1914 and July 1916.

During the years of W.W.I., the following served on Waterdown Council: Reeve: J. F. Vance, Councillors: William Edge, J. H. Prudham, Richard Smith, James J. Burns, N. A. Ryckman, F. W. Crooker, A. Newell, D. Davies and J. Gilliland.

• At the July meeting of 1914, an Electrical Inspector for the village appointed.
• Council authorized the Hydro Electric Power Commission of Ontario to construct the proposed extension to the Plains Road Electric line at the August meeting. Due to the length of the council meeting, business was completed the next day when a By-Law was introduced to improve the protection of people employed in the building trade.
• At the same meeting, Council requested that the County Treasurer strike the registered tax against Christian Davids’ property on Raglan Street for the years 1908-1911 from his books.
• In September Fred Carson was paid $300 for laying cement sidewalks in the village (Council had authorized the work for John, Albert, Queen and Mill Streets in May).
• Concerns about the condition of the High School resulted in the introduction of a By-Law at the October meeting to provide for the issue of Debentures for the amount of $12,500.
• Accounts for the month included $5 for selecting Jurors, $5 to James Simmons for Bell Ringing, $5 to C. Davids for the support of his family during the month and $200 for Fred Carson laying cement walks.
• When Council met in November, the members voted unanimously that “this council defend the matter in the Supreme Court of Ontario between Jas. Fowler and the Corporation of the Village of Waterdown, engage Mr. Evans as lawyer to defend the actions and that the Reeve be instructed to attend”.
• In December, communications were read to Council from the Registrar of the Supreme Court of Ontario re: the case of Jas. Fowler v. the Village of Waterdown and from Evans & Slater re: the case, giving Bill of Costs for both Plaintiff and Respondent.
• Dr. Hopper received a remuneration of $10 for expenses to the M.H.O. conference in Toronto and not the $20 requested, Waterdown & East Flamboro’ Agricultural Society given $30 for 1914 and the Waterdown Public Library $75 grant for the year.

• At the first meeting of the new council in January 1915, Mr. John Mitchell was re-appointed to the Board of Education as Trustee for 1915 and 1916. The Accounts paid included $3.75 to Star Printing Co., Dundas for printing election ballots and election expenses of $13.25.
• Messrs Ryckman and Newell were instructed to see that the Fire Engine was in proper working order for 1915.
• In February Dr. Hopper requested that the Sanitary Inspector check on all outhouses and backyards on the north and south side of Dundas Street, west of the bridge, with a report that all necessary repair work be completed by May 18th.
• At the same meeting the Committee members sent to inspect the Fire Engine reported that “they found the hose in a useless state with ice, but believed everything was in a good state now as far as they were able to tell without a test with water, that the outfit not be allowed out, other than for real use or drills, that a number of pails be purchased to go with the engine in case of fire and that they be required to drill!”
• The Village Council sent a letter to the Hon. W. H. Hearst, Premier of Ontario following the April meeting endorsing the Hydro-Electric Railway programme of providing transportation facilities and supplying hydro electric light as a way of relieving the considerable unemployment problem in the province. A second letter sent to the Prime Minister, Sir Robert Border urging the Dominion government to support the petitions that they have received and provide the necessary subsidies.
• At the May meeting, the first indication of residents serving in the war occurs when Councillors Smith and Ryckman request that the village purchase two wrist watches, one for Clifford Nicholson and one for Robert Buchan who had volunteered with the third contingent to be sent overseas to the front.
• In June Council voted to purchase a #7 Success Fire Extinguisher for $250 from John Manville Company with the understanding that they receive a 5% rebate on all further fire extinguishers purchased within one year.
• They gave Mr. Sparks permission to fence across Water Street until such a time that it was needed for transportation purposes, requested that the Hydro Electric Power Commission of Ontario construct the proposed hydro line from Aldershot to Wabasso (La Salle)
• The Clerk, Mr. J. C. Medlar was requested to write to the Mayor of the City of Hamilton thanking him for his kindness in sending the Fire Chief and Firemen to help the village crew put out the fire on the morning of May 25th and in case there was no charge, that he forward a cheque for $25 to the Firemen’s Benefit Fund. They also voted to purchase 100 feet of fire hose and make the necessary repairs to the Fire Engine.
• A month later when accounts were to be paid, Council agreed to pay Wilbert Cummins $46.21 for repairs to the Fire Engine, but refused to settle the bill with Crescent Oil Co. and ordered the Clerk to return the hose because of its exorbitant price.
• Lt. Col. Jas. Ballantine, Commanding Officer of 76th Battalion appeared before Council in August requesting a donation for the comfort of his soldiers and a Committee to be struck to purchase wrist watches for all residents of the village who enlist for overseas service in 1915.
• Following communications with the Red Cross, in October Council voted to donate the sum of $200 to the British Red Cross Society as a result of an appeal from Lord Lansdowne through the Lieutenant Governor of the province, Sir John S. Hendrie.
• In November a letter from the Headquarters, 2ns Division, Niagara Camp read to council regarding the establishment of a Roll of Honour for volunteers.
• Students entering the school grounds up the slope from the C.P.R. bridge resulted in Council expressing concern, but only agreeing to construct steps up the incline if the School Board would accept responsibility for any accidents or damage.
• The continuous expense of paying for cement sidewalks resulted in the appointment of Councillors A. Newell and R. Smith in November to measure all the sidewalks laid during 1915.
• Waterdown Council in December agreed to grant the use of the Drill Hall to Lieutenant Nicholson for recruiting purposes.

• With the start of a new Council in January various appointments for the year were made, Geo. Potts to ring the village bell, Councillors Davies and Gilliland Committee for roads and bridges, Councillors Crooker and Smith Committee for Fire, Police and sidewalks, Mr. P. Davidson Trustee of Waterdown High School, Charles Prudham, Collector of Taxes and Robert Spence as Assessor at a salary of $30. The resignation of Geo. Church as Village Auditor and John Smiley as Village Constable and Sanitary Inspector was recorded. Their replacements were Alex Davidson as Auditor at a salary of $5 and Geo. Potts as Village Constable at a salary of $40, Sanitary Inspector at $5 and Truancy Officer for no pay!
• In February Council agreed to pay a maximum rate of wages of 20 cents an hour for all corporation work during 1916 and to pay Geo. Potts $10 to care for the chemical fire engine for the year.
• In the Spring, Miss Agnes Forbes volunteered to go overseas as a Red Cross Nurse, and a request was received from the Women’s Patriotic League for support of her work. Council voting $11 towards her expenses!

© The Waterdown-East Flamborough Heritage Society 1998, 2023.