The headline you see isn’t about recent rainfalls that occurred here this spring or summer. It’s the top headline on the front page of the July 6 issue of The Renfrew Advance of 1967. Yes, 50 years ago Renfrew County had a wet spring and a wet summer just like now. It came after a few very dry summers (1963-1966). Sound familiar?
Some years ago an elderly Renfrew man came to see me with a box full of all The Renfrew Advance weekly newspapers from 1967 -–the Centennial Year. He had saved them up and wanted me to have them as he knew I was a history buff. They have been a real treasure –full of local news and photos. I’ve read through them a few times and in recent weeks I have been going through the May, June and July issues.
The Renfrew Advance was a wide and long newspaper – 16-and-a-half inches wide and 22 inches long. Circulation was around 4,000. It was owned by D.W. McCuaig, who was also the editor. The July 6 issue has 16 pages.
Here is part of the front page article on the rainfall: “One of the heaviest rainstorms in recent memory struck the district Sunday morning. Black clouds turned daylight to near-dusk and the rain poured down. It followed heavy downpours during the night. Streams and creeks, already full, overflowed banks and the Bonnechere River, swollen and brown with runoff from fields, was over Spring flood levels.
In Admaston Township the rain washed out the road near the Dave McIntyre farm on the 5th concession. District farmers waiting for the ground to dry to work on a heavy hay crop saw fields soaked again. Maturing hay is being damaged and only a small percentage of the crop is cut. Grain and corn fields are being hurt by the continued wet weather.”
Farmers didn’t have a rain gauge in those days like they do now. Rain was measured that fell in pails and it was reported up to four-and-a-half inches fell that Sunday. Renfrew County Ag Rep Frank Dench reported in the previous issue of The Renfrew Advance that four inches of rain fell from June 6-17.
The July 20 issue of 1967 also had a farm related headline on the front page. It doesn’t give the reporter’s name and I assume it was written by reporter Winnie Nute. It read: Weathering summer down on the farm. The article reads as follows: “As of July 17, frequent showers continue to affect Renfrew County farm operations. It is difficult to believe how changed weather conditions from one year to another can affect farm crops.
“In 1965 at this time of year, hay was at a premium and was even being gathered on roadsides. During the year, hay sold generally at $40to $50 per ton as high as $1 per bale. This year at least one farmer is advertising hay for free for taking it off the field. Others are advertising it at 10 to 20 cents per bale on the field.”
That was 50 years ago. I’ve heard people say they’ve never seen it so wet as it was last weekend. It’s been wet before
Next week I’ll give you some interesting tidbits from the pages of The Renfrew Advance of 1967.
