From the time of the Cholera to the Rebellion—The population- Business of trait improving—Break-up of the old-fashioned Mercantile monopoly —Early prices - The Dutchman’s one per cent—Richard Irwin—Names of prominent Galtonians who arrived during this period—Rev. John Bayne—A great man who prefers the backwoods of Canada to the intellectual centres of Europe—Erection of the King’s Arms Hotel and other ancient land-marks—Early Musicians—Construction of the Macadamized Road—Galt dam—Unrealized projects.

During the three years which succeeded the events narrated in the last chapter, from 1834 to 1837, Galt at last began to manifest signs of more rapid growth and prosperity. Not that there were no drawbacks; indeed, the cholera was not long over, when a fire mysteriously broke out in a little shop adjoining the hotel, erected by one Alderman as a store, and consumed them both. During this period, however, a great change was passing over the whole Province. It was beginning to awaken out of the torpor which had so long enthralled it, and Dumfries and Galt were among the first localities which experienced the change.

Even at the close of 1834, however, there were very few buildings upon Main Street, and the roadway was rough, and generally very muddy, particularly in the vicinity of Johnson’s pond (which stood beneath and in the rear of the shops now occupied by Messrs. Taylor Smith and Robinson) and the “corduroy” at the south end of it. A description of the appearance of Main Street at this time, appears in the letter received from Mr. Adam Ainslie which has been already adverted to, and we make use of his apt phraseology:—

“When I came to Galt in November, 1834, Main Street was defined by a dry stone dyke, running down each side from the pond at the creek. On the north side there was H. G. Barlow’s tavern (now the Galt Hotel), opposite to the entrance to J. K. Andrews’ Grist Mill, now Gavin Hume’s. Next to the tavern was a house occupied by Isaac Sours (no doubt Scrimger’s Feed Store,) who acted then as a hatter. There was a gate in the wall where Ainslie Street connects with Main Street. On the south side of the street, whereabout Strong’s and Fleming’s stores stand, there was an enclosed yard, with a barn in it. Here Mr. Shade kept his working oxen, &;c. At the corner was Mr. Shade’s White store, which was called the Cash store, and on the opposite side, where the Commercial Buildings now are, there was the Red store, also his, which was a Credit one. About half way down from the tavern, there was a shocking mud-hole, which foot passengers had to cross on a plank since it extended across the street, and there was no getting around it. These were all the buildings on Main Street, except the old school-house at the edge of the pond, which was being plastered.”

This is not a very flattering picture of what is now the principal street in Galt, but it is, no doubt, a faithful representation of what it was just after the calamity of the cholera, and before the subsequent revival took place. Until after 1834, indeed, it was not the principal thoroughfare. The road chiefly used prior to this time, took down past the Dumfries Mills to Chapman Street, some of the early buildings of which still remain, and which was the principal thoroughfare of the village for many years.

Until the beginning of the period we are now describing, mostly all the settlers had been largely dependent upon J\lr. Dickson and Mr. Shade. The business of the place was almost exclusively controlled by these gentlemen. Almost everyone was indebted to them more or less. They owned all the lands except what they chose to sell. There existed, practically, a monopoly in the mercantile line. With the exception of the burned shop, whose business was but trifling, there were but two stores: the Red or Credit store near the bridge, and the White or Cash store, which was erected in 1832 immediately opposite, on the corner where the Wilkins’ stone block now stands. Mr. Shade was for many years the sole merchant in the village. When his business became too extended for one person’s attention, he admitted his nephew, Mr. James Fargus, as a partner, and Mr. Fargus was an enthusiastic rifle shot, and several stories of his adventures were long current. One evening about the darkening, a bear seized one of Mr. Dickson’s pigs and made off with it. The pig—as pigs always do when frightened - squealed its loudest and shrillest, and attention being attracted, Bruin was seen carrying him off into the pine woods ultimately sold out to Fargus and Andrews his entire mercantile interest.

It was impossible to obtain building sites for stores for many years. Some persons from Hamilton tried and failed. It is said that the Hon. Adam Feme, who subsequently built up a large business in Preston—which for a time became a dangerous rival—was prevented from locating in Galt on this account. The ruling spirits evidently endeavoured to keep control as much, and as long as possible, in their own hands. This was certainly very natural, and possibly not altogether without excuse, considering the early sacrifices which they had made.

Forces were at work, however, destined to bring about rapid business as well as other changes. Population was increasing. Men of education and means began to appear. The farmers were becoming more prosperous. Wealth began to accumulate. New enterprises engaged attention. More independence was daily becoming manifest. In short, before the period of the Rebellion (the winter of 1837), Galt had passed beyond the chrysallis stage of its existence, and assumed the more perfect form of an independent, self-governed community.

Prior to this time, Mr. Shade had firmly laid the foundations of the large fortune which he subseqtiently amassed. This he acquired largely by speculations in property and judicious investments on farms, but in no small degree also, by his various business enterprises, more particularly his stores.

A capital story was long current relative to the prices charged for goods in those early days. As Mr. Shade began to grow rich, and rumours prevailed that he made profits of at least forty or fifty per cent, upon his goods, he was one day visited by a well-known, honest Dutch storekeeper in the southern part of Waterloo Township, who could not understand, but was extremely anxious to learn, how that gentleman obtained such handsome prices.

“Mr. Shade,” said he, “I have come down to ask how it is you can get forty or fifty per cent, profit upon your goods, when I have hard work to get one per cent, for mine? Will you tell me the secret? ”

“Only one per cent.,” replied Mr. Shade; “why you must charge more than that!”

“O no, I don’t,” returned his Waterloo friend, deeply in earnest, “When I pay $1 for an article, I never charge more than $2 for it, and I want to know how I can get forty or fifty per cent, like you?”

Mr. Shade explained as well as his risibility would permit, when his interlocutor departed a wiser if not a happier man. The joke, however, was too good to keep, and there is fun to this day over the Dutchman’s one per cent.

The first blow given to the early, old-fashioned business system of Galt, was by an Irishman named Richard Irwin, in 1835. Before this an experiment had been made by one McDonald, agent for a house in Hamilton, to carry on a small store in a building put up by Mr. Louis Lapierre (father of Mr. Louis W. Lapierre, Paris), near where the Galt Hotel now is; the effort had, however, formidable opposition, and was not at all successful.

Irwin had been a peddlar, a class which was then largely patronized, and succeeded, to the surprise of everybody, in renting the White or Cash store as it was called. The general opinion was that he could not supply it with sufficient goods, and that it would soon be back in Mr. Andrews’ hands again. Irwin found unexpected backing, however, which was understood to come from the Stinsons of Hamilton, filled the store with goods of every description, and quite revolutionized the trade in a single month by the reductions made in prices. In many instances articles were reduced one hundred per cent, below the previous prices. The effect of this venture is described as having been “startling” in many quarters. It was soon noised all over the surrounding country, and marked the beginning of a new era in the business of the district.

Mr. Irwin did not long continue lessee of the White store, but about two years afterwards erected the stone store now owned by Mr. Gavin Hume, where he continued, aided by Mr. Adam Reid, to do a large business. He subsequently married a daughter of Mr. John Gowinlock, teacher, and having given up his business, settled on the first farm beyond Gowinlock’s, on the Blair road.

Shortly after this, poor Irwin commenced drinking very badly, and one morning his friends were horrified to find that he had committed suicide in one of the rooms of his house. He was a short, slender, active, quick tempered man, and this sad end to his once promising career, created a most painful sensation when it became known.

What a rapid change took place in the circumstances of Galt during the period between the scourge of the cholera and rebellion times, may be understood from the number of new inhabitants which it then obtained. A list of the more prominent of these persons will be found in the next paragraph, many of whom continued for decades to be well-known and respected citizens, and their names are inseparably connected with the early history of the town. Not over one-third of them, however, have survived the forty-two or forty-five years which have since elapsed, and only four—Messrs. Adam Hood, Peter Dinahy, James Scott, and Alexander Sinclair—continue still to reside amongst us!

Among these early Galtonians were: —Messrs. John Young, innkeeper; Adam Ainslie, barrister; George Lee, watchmaker; William Trotter, contractor; James Johnson, grocer; William Ferguson, blacksmith; Adam Hood, carpenter; M. B. Gordon, merchant; Isaac Sours, woollen factory; John Miller, barrister; Alex. Addison, cabinet maker; Robert Wyllie (afterwards of Ayr); Adam Scott, carpenter; James Craig, painter; Andrew Elliott, grocer; Charles Badenock, innkeeper; Peter Dinahy, workman; Sidney Smith, saddler; H. G. Barnaby, tanner; William Chipman, bailiff; Sweden McDonald, road-maker; Alex. Sinclair, workman; Francis McElroy, blacksmith; Robt. Wallace, baker and grocer; Robert Henshelwood, workman; Thos. Blacklock, butcher; William Stirling, farmer; James Sproule, shoemaker; Richard Irwin, merchant; Theophilus Sampson, innkeeper; George Meikle, distiller; John Kennedy, lime burner; Francis Diggins, workman; Luther Bradish, workman; Robert Emond, tailor Lionel Foster, shoemaker; William Robinson, maltster; James Scott, carpenter; John Batters, store-keeper; James Fraser, mason; Timothy S. Treadwell, merchant; James Kay, carriage-maker, and David McFeiggan, teamster.

A notable addition to the clergy of the village also took place in the person of the Rev. John Bayne. This gentleman was the son of the Rev. Kenneth Bayne, A.M., of Greenock, Scotland. He entered Glasgow University in 1819, where he studied six consecutive sessions, finishing a brilliant academical course at the University of Edinburgh; Having decided to come to Canada, he was ordained by the Presbytery of Dingwall, on the 3rd September, 1834, and on reaching Toronto was induced to supply the pulpit of the Rev. W. T. Leach whilst he went on a visit to Scotland. This he did until the following year, when he was called to the Presbyterian Congregation in connection with the Church of Scotland in Galt, to supply the place of the Rev. William Stewart. At a very early day, Mr. George Smith, shoemaker, acted as precentor for this congregation, and subsequently Mr. Walter Gowinlock, now of Paris, and Mr. Alex. Duncan— all well-remembered names.

Dr. Bayne, as he was afterwards familiarly called, was inducted into his first and only charge in the summer of 1835, and soon became a power in Galt and neighbourhood. He was a man of fine presence, possessed of a massive and logical mind, cultured to a high degree, and his preaching was characterized by a zeal and passionate eloquence rarely equalled. So impressed was he with the mighty import of the message of the Gospel, that he was known to preach for two hours and a half, and sometimes his Sabbath services continued without intermission from eleven till after three o’clock in the afternoon! His style of preaching vividly recalled the pictures left us of John Knox preaching before Queen Mary, and, although possibly a shade too austere, was characterized by an earnestness, and at times religious vehemence, which exercised a powerful influence on the community among whom he had cast his lot.

The picture of Dr. Bayne to be found in so many homes in Dumfries and Galt, was engraved from a daguerreotype, and is very like him when his face was in repose. It hardly does justice, however, to the intellectual power, which, when excited by some inspiring theme, shot out from his usually calm but penetrating eyes; or the mingled firmness and gentleness which played about his delicately chiselled mouth. Though in late years not robust in health, the appearance of Dr. Bayne was at once commanding and pleasing—a man whose glance, once seen, could seldom be forgotten.

Canada has enjoyed the presence of few men, probably none, of greater talents and nobler aims than Dr. Bayne, and the wonder always was, and is, how he preferred Galt and the backwoods of Canada, to those intellectual centres of Europe in which nature and education had so well fitted him to shine.

With so many accessions to the population, increased energy and enterprise became manifest throughout the village. New buildings went up in all quarters, and Main and Water Streets assumed the appearance of regular thoroughfares. In 1835 Mr. Dickson erected the King’s Arms hotel (it became the Queen’s Arms when Victoria ascended the throne in 1837), and induced Mr John Young, who had come to Galt in the fall of the preceding year and entered his employment, to become the first landlord. The old Township Hall, an ever memorable land-mark, was erected in 1838. The ground on which it stood was logged and sown with wheat by Mr. Donald Fraser as early as 1817, and is the same as that on which the present massive Town Hall of Galt stands.

Gordon’s store on the Queen’s Square, which was burned in the winter of 1844, and the old British Hotel, also went up during this period, as well as many other less conspicuous buildings.

Apropos of the erection of the Township Hall, it may be mentioned that the villagers were much elated over its completion, as it settled the question whether the Dumfries Township Meetings should thereafter be held at Galt or St. George, and it was determined to hold a grand ball at its opening. The new hall was elaborately decorated with evergreens and gay artificial flowers for the occasion. The attendance was large from all the country round, and the nimbleness and grace with which some, who are now grey-haired Veterans, then tripped it on “the light, fantastic toe,” would have astonished the languid devotees of Terpsichore of the present day.

Galt’s first amateur band was in existence at this time, and some or all of them furnished the music at this village festivity, it consisted of only three members. There was first, Mr. James S. Glennie, who was Clerk of the Division Court, and whose silvery white locks will be remembered by many. He had been a stock-broker in the City of London, England, and was wont, on occasions, to be eloquent on Bulls and Bears, Consols for Account, and other Stock Exchange lore. His favourite instrument was the violincello.  Another of the players was an old Highlander of the name of John Kennedy, who followed the occupation of a limeburner where Mrs. Ballantyne now carries on the same business. He was excellent at strathspeys and reels. The third was John Garrison, an American by birth. He lived in what was then called “The Log Village,” and close to Kennedy’s. Garrison made his living by hunting, trapping, and fiddling, but chiefly the latter. At all the dances around, Garrison was the man to supply the music. The three formed themselves into a band, and frequently met at Barlow’s tavern in the afternoon, where an audience would soon collect, and they would discourse those sweet sounds which “sublime emotions kindle,” until the close of the day, and often far into the night.

The macadamizing of the Dundas and Waterloo road, which was commenced during 1837, served also to increase the business of the place. This much-needed work was undertaken by the Provincial Government, the following gentlemen being appointed Commissioners to carry it out: Messrs. George Clemens and Adam Ferrie, Waterloo; Thomas Rich and James K. Andrews, Galt; Adam Ainslie and John Cornell, Beverly; and Andrew Todd Kerby and Peter Bamberger, Flamboro’ and Dundas. Several persons in Galt obtained contracts for sections of the road. Messrs. John Young and William Trotter (father of Messrs. William and James Trotter), were joint contractors for three miles of the work immediately below Rockton, and the three-quarters of a mile nearest Preston; Robert Wyllie (afterwards of Ayr), James Wyllie and Norman Ramsay, had the intervening section between the latter and the tollgate, one mile east of Galt; and James Welch, now farming near Strasburo- and Robert Henshelwood, had the mile between the toll-gate and Galt. This undertaking afforded employment to a large number of men, and its completion gave the quietus forever to the terrors of Beverly swamp, and greatly advanced the prosperity of the entire district through which it passes.

Among the other improvements which went on at this time, should be mentioned the construction of Galt Dam and Canal, which were begun shortly before the Macadamized road. This enterprise was due to the Hon. Robert Dickson, who manifested a becoming public spirit. The superintendent of the work was Mr. John Cain, civil engineer, who was brought from Montreal for the purpose. He subsequently died in Galt, after which his family returned to their former home. It was intended to utilize the water-power of the dam immediately, by the erection of grist and saw-mills. The Hon. Robert Dickson did, indeed, commence the mills the same season. But the work stopped with the foundations, and was not proceeded with for several years afterwards.

The superior water power and picturesque situation of Galt have always been amongst its conspicuous features, and it is a matter of regret that two ideas, which would greatly have increased the attractions of both, were not carried out. One was, that a boulevard or ornamental space should be preserved up both sides of the river, leaving the first row of buildings on the east and west sides to face the river and each other. This would, undoubtedly, have added to the already picturesque features of the place.

The second project was one of Mr. Shade’s, and came very near becoming un fait accompli. It was to make a canal from the river above the dam, to the low ground known as Goose Hollow, and then to follow the course of the small creek and swampy ground which at one time lined the western side of what is now Ainslie Street, to Johnston’s pond on Main Street—a place ever to be remembered for its stagnant green water, almost bottomless mud, and bull frogs innumerable—and thence across Main Street, southwards, by the outlet of the pond to the river. This canal might have increased the waterpower of Galt, and certainly would have much altered its present appearance.

So near was this project being carried out, that we are assured Mr. Shade and the elder Dickson had settled upon the price of the lands and the water; but at the solicitation of his sons, Mr. Dickson requested Mr. Shade to release him from the bargain, which he ultimately consented to do with considerable reluctance.