Great prosperity of Galt from 18.30 till it became a Town- Principal Manu -factures and Business firms-—It is called the “Manchester of Canada”— Effects of the Crimean war—Reminiscences of the old Militia muster— Amusing incidents—Formation of the Mechanics’ Institute -Some familiar faces now nearly forgotten--First officers elected—Early lectures by Galtonians in “Noah’s Ark”—Splendid lecture course in 1855-’5(>, and afterwards—Crowded meetings—Excitement and fun now preferred to lectures—What does it portend?

From the year 1850 to 1857—when Galt became a town, and our narrative closes—was probably the most active and prosperous period in its history. Not only was the village the best grain market for twenty or thirty miles west, but in consequence of its flouring mills, foundries, woollen mills, axe and edge tool works, paper mill, and numerous mercantile establishments, it had already become sufficiently prominent, more particularly for the excellence of its manufactures, to be called the “Manchester of Canada.”

Among the principal manufacturing establishments carried on in Galt, before or shortly after 1857, the following may be mentioned :—

Messrs. James Crombie & Co.’s foundry; McNaughton & Wilson, Dumfries flouring mills; H. H. Date’s axe and edge tool factory—as early as 1851, this establishment obtained medals at the World’s Exhibition in London for a case of edge tools exhibited; Robinson & Howell’s woollen factory; Lutz, Cook & Co., foundry; J. B. Attwood & Co., staves and shingles; R. & J. Blain’s flouring mills; R. & D. H. Forbes’ paper mill—in 1857, this had given place to a steam waggon factory, begun by Mr. Wm. A. Shearson; Peck & Dykes’ malt house; Edward Whitney, brewery; James W. Davis & Co’s, foundry; Barbour, and Malcoin’s chair and furniture factories; the carriage shops of James Kay, and Todd, Walker & Brydon; and Andrew Elliott’s distillery. Besides these establishments, there was a pail factory, at one time carried on by James Young, grain-buyer; a, last factory, commenced by Lioniel Foster, and afterwards carried on by Danforth & Young; the planing mills of James Scott and of Roger and James Robson; Galt woollen factory, carried on by Thomas Davidson; Angus Ferguson’s sash and door factory; John Scott’s marble works; a haime factory, and the usual accompaniment of carpenters’, smiths’, and similar shops.

The number of first-class mercantile establishments in Galt in 1857, shows what an active business place it had already become. In the dry goods line alone, there were John Murphy, A. Poison & Co., Thomas S. Fisher, John Macmillan, W. H. Job, Alex. Campbell, and James & Charles Brown. The latter gentleman was killed at the Desjardins Canal accident, on the 12tli of March, 1857, and McDonald & Ogilvie succeeded the firm in business. In both dry goods and groceries were: Adam Warnock & Co.; in groceries alone, Fleming & Robinson, Osborne, Spiers & Co., William McBroom, Williamson & Struthers, and P. Z. Romaine; hardware and groceries: Gavin Hume; hardware alone: James Warnock & Co., and R. Esterbrook & Co.

Of all these establishments, those of Gavin Hume, James Warnock & Co., and Fleming & Robinson are the only ones which have survived the twenty-three years which have since elapsed, the latter business now being carried on by Mr. John Fleming, jr.

Who first applied the name of “Manchester of Canada” to Galt, is not accurately known, but the name of the late Mr. William L. Distin, who lived the last twenty years of his life in Galt, has been associated with it. Whoever was its author, it had its rise before Galt became a town, and the cap seems to have fitted, as it was promptly put on and continues to be worn to this day. The following well deserved tribute to the manufactures of Galt, from the pen of an able writer, would indicate that the name is not altogether undeserved:—

“The manufactures of Galt have not been stimulated into false vitality by public aid, or puffed into transient notoriety by foolish rivalry. They rest upon a solid basis. Enterprise and capital combined, seizing hold of the inherent advantages which the town possesses, have brought them to the position they now occupy, and we doubt if another town could be found in which this branch of trade rests on a more secure foundation. The element of stability in any manufacturing business is of great value. Where it exists, there you are sure to find skilled workmen employed, the very best material used, the latest improvements adopted, regardless of expense, and vigilant care exercised in seeing that no imperfect work is sent out. In this position, stand the manufacturing establishments of Galt to-day, enjoying a reputation for the excellence of the work done, second to non-e in the Province.” The Crimean War which broke out in 1854, raised the prices of produce in Canada to an unusually high figure. This gave a great impetus to the whole Province, but nowhere was it more visible than in Galt and vicinity. Farmers became wealthy ; property went up in value; building lots, on back streets, sold at fabulous prices; new enterprises, both public and private, were freely entered into, and the people generally were seized with a spirit of enterprise, progress, and it must be added, of extravagance, which subsequent events did not justify.

It is impossible to follow the building operations of the place during this inflation; indeed, such a record would possess little interest except as regards a few of the principal public edifices erected. These will be duly noticed as we advance, accompanied with a brief reference to a few of the more prominent events which transpired before the whilom wilderness, whose history we have striven to follow, became the Town of Galt, with all the glory of a Mayor and Corporation.

Among the excitements of this period—now happily forgotten—was the annual muster of Militia 011 St. Andrew’s Church hill. Under the old law, the whole male population of each county, between certain ages, was divided into companies, regularly officered, and required to muster on Her Majesty’s birth-day. The first battalion Waterloo Militia was composed of ten companies, whose officers were the following well-known citizens:—

At this time—1857—tolerable good feeling existed between the officers and men of the battalion, but a few years previously the formality of mustering on Her Majesty’s birth-day, which was rather a useless one, had evoked a great deal of ill-feeling on the part of the people, who paid very little attention to these crude attempts at drill, but a good deal to any movement calculated to harass or turn the laugh upon the officers. Some of these gentlemen, on the other hand, felt the importance of their spurs, and instituted a series of annual Courts-martial, at which all those persons who failed to muster were summoned and fined. This increased the ill-feeling, and lead to systematic efforts to break up these annual musters. Some curious pranks were played.

On one occasion, as the superior officers rode into the field, one not of their number, also followed in full uniform—sword, epaulets, and all—though not of the orthodox colour and style. This was a youthful Darkey, on an old, lean, cadaverous-looking horse, the effect of whose singular and mirth-provoking appearance can readily be imagined upon the eight or ten companies of Militia-men, annoyed at being kept engaged on a public holiday, and ready for any fun at the expense of those in command.

On another occasion more serious results occurred. The men had just finished answering to their names, when someone from near Ayr tossed up a football about the middle of the field. This cunning device took like magic. First one stepped from the ranks and gave the ball a kick, then another followed suit, until, in less than five minutes, the annual muster assumed the appearance of a gigantic foot-ball match! This bouleuersement was supremely ridiculous, and naturally caused great annoyance to the officers. In the midst of the excitement, one of those then in command, Dr. John Moffat, who had been in the regular service, and was of a rather excitable temperament, put spurs to his horse, galloped after the football, and struck two or three times at it with his sword One Dowswell, at one time a tinsmith in Galt, picked up the ball in his hands, when Moffatt, who was much excited, struck another blow at it, which, either accidentally or intentionally, struck Dowswell on the head, causing an ugly wound. Believing the blow had been aimed intentionally, very bitter threats were ma*de against the Doctor, who shortly afterwards galloped from the ground amidst a rattling shower of stones.

"Whilst the officers generally endeavoured to perform a disagreeable duty as agreeably as possible, the circumstances were such as to render this impossible. Besides being a disagreeable break in a public holiday, which in those days were not very frequent, the people could see no use in the annual muster, more particularly as scarcely any of the officers knew anything of drill themselves. A circumstance which strikingly exemplified this, became the standing joke of the battalion for many a day afterwards.

A worthy farmer of Dumfries was an officer of one of the companies. He had gone to the expense of a uniform, and took a great deal of interest in the annual drill. One Queen’s Birthday he had exercised his company pretty freely in marching them across the field and back again, when he proceeded to give the command to halt. Whether it was the excitement of the occasion, or that his mind was on other thoughts intent, was never,, and will probably never now be discovered, but, instead of crying “Halt!” to the astonishment of his men, he loudly cried out “Who-a! Who-a!” This unfortunate lapsus lingua was so suggestive of the oxen and the ox-goad, that his company became so limbered up with laughter as to be unequal to further duty, and were speedily dismissed.

Galt Mechanics' Institute was formed at a public meeting presided over by the Reeve, Mr. Morris C. Lutz, with Mr. David H. Forbes as Secretary, on the 31st May, 1853. Fifty names were handed in as members before the meeting separated, among whom were the following gentlemen, once well-known citizens, and not already mentioned in the course of this narrative: Messrs. Oliver P. Knox, William Robertson, William Boyce, Matthew Bell, Robert Mathieson, Isaac W. Whiting, Samuel Tongue, George Biggar, Peter Dawson, Sylvester Smith, Robert Williamson, William Grassie, James G. Fraser, and James Geddes.3 The first officers elected for the Institute were:—

Mr. Morris C. Lutz, President.
Vice Presidents: Mr. James Crombie, Dr. Richardson, Mr. James Cowan,
Mr. William Jaffray, Secretary and Treasurer.

Committee—Dr. Kerr, Isaac W. Whiting, Alex. Addison, Sydney Smith, John Barbour, George Biggar, D. Ramore, William Boyce, Henry H. Date, Daniel Howell, Andrew Scott, and John Davidson.

Shortly after the Institute was begun, in consequence of the resignation of the Secretary, Mr. Robert McLean was appointed thereto, and Mr. Alex. Addison became Treasurer. The Galt Circulating Library was shortly afterwards merged into the Mechanics’ Institute, the books of the former being purchased for £40, payable by membership in the new organization. The services of Mr. James G. Fraser were obtained as Librarian, at the modest sum of five pounds per annum, with the use of the Telegraph office for meetings thrown in.

It was not until the winter of 1858, and after the Association had been allotted a room in the new Town Hall, that the Reading Room was started, at which time Mr. Alex. Addison became Librarian as well as Treasurer. It was much due to this gentleman’s exertions that the Library and Reading Room have long been a credit to the town and vicinity; during the twenty years throughout which the Reading Room was under his control, very rare were the days which did not find him at his post, and his well-known face and figure will remain indissolubly linked with the Mechanics’ Institute whilst the present generation lasts.

During the early days of the Institute there was quite a rage for public lectures, which it was thought could be made a source of revenue. They were rather unfortunate, however, at the start. Rev. Dr. Mair, of Fergus, agreed to lecture on “Sacred Music” on the 10th March, 1854, but after due notice had been given, he was unable to attend on account of sickness. Then the Rev. Hamilton Gibson was announced to lecture on “Astronomy,” on the 16th March, but on that day both of Galt bridges were carried away by the spring flood, and so the lecturer could not get across the river to delight his audience with a description of the heavenly bodies.

Among the earliest lectures, all of which took place in “Noah’s Ark,” of fragrant memory, were the following, which will doubtless recall to some minds reminiscences of these gatherings: l)r. Kerr, on “the best means of supplying towns with water, with special reference to the best means of increasing the water power of Galt; Rev. James Strang, on “Horticulture;” Dr. Richardson on “Man,” which we know from a high authority, is the proper study of mankind; and Dr. Whiting on “Efficient Systems of Medical Practice.” The record makes no reference to a lecture delivered by an old Galt acquaintance, Dr. Thomas Seagram. This gentleman was, however, not to be behind the other Medicos, but the subject he discussed cannot be recalled. The worthy Doctor had a habit of using the phrase, “as the saying is,” and it is recollected that, after proceeding about fifteen or twenty minutes, the recurrence of “as the saying is” became so frequent, and the words were used in such curious connections, as to quite excite the risibilities of the audience.

These local lectures not having been successful pecuniarily, the Committee of the Institute turned their attention to gentlemen at a distance, doubtless persuaded that “distance often lends enchantment to the view.” During the winter of 1855-6, a most admirable and successful course of no less than nine lectures was provided. The lecturers and their themes were as follow:

1. The Poets and Poetry of Scotland,”—by Dr. Scott, Newark, New Jersey, on Dec. 10th.

2. “Modern Infidelity”—by Rev. Robert F. Burns, Toronto, on Dec. 13th;

3. “The Reciprocal Obligations of Commerce and Christianity,” by Rev. Robert Irvine, Hamilton, on Dec. 20th.

4. “The Nature and Advantages of the Study of Chemistry,”— by Rev. Wm. Ormiston, Hamilton, on Jan. 4th.

5. “The Sidereal Heavens,”—by the Rev. David Inglis, Hamilton, on Jan. 11th.

6. "The War in the East,”—by Rev. Dr. Blackwood, Philadelphia, on Jan. 25th.

7. “Our Own Age,”—by Mr. Thomas Henning, Toronto, on Feb. 8th.

8. “Success in Life,”—by Rev. W. F. Clarke, London, on February 19th.

9. “Marks of Design in the Animal Creation,”—by the Rev. Robert Burnett, Hamilton, on March 9th.

The people of Galt and neighbourhood must have had some taste for lectures in those days, for this long winter course was largely attended, the New Connexion Methodist Church, in which most of them were held, being frequently crowded to the doors. Nor was this season an exception. The succeeding winter some difficulty was found in procuring sufficient lecturers, but during 1857-8 another course4 of lectures was arranged, which would have reflected credit upon any city on the continent, and which was equally well patronized, the people greeting the lecturers with crowded houses week after week.

Some pertinent queries naturally suggest themselves in regard to this matter?

How is it we have no such tempting courses of lectures now offered during the winter months? Has our Province ceased to supply lecturers qualified for the purpose, or have the public ceased to take an interest in, or become too intelligent to require information upon the subjects usually taken up on the public platform? One thing is certain: a great change has come over the people in this respect. Lectures are not attended as they formerly were. Mechanics’ Institutes find they don’t- pay. Only such names as Gough, Tyndall and Beecher draw. But the tea-meetings, the tableaux, the skating rinks, the walking matches—everything embracing excitement and fun —are crowded during the winter months.

What do these symptoms portend? Would the Rev. A. C. Geikie, if now in Galt instead of Australia, have placed them among “Canadian Tendencies” (upon which he lectured), worthy to be admired and encouraged?