CHAPTER 13
Tragic Events
THE EXPLOSION OF A CANNON
On July 2nd, 1894, Formosa Community was all prepared to celebrate another Dominion Day Celebration just as had been the established practice for
many years past.
In order to do something special a small group perceived the idea of firing a cannon at six o'clock in the morning. A firing piece weighing several hundred pounds was known to be stored in Messners
warehouse.
Early in the morning, with ropes attached, it was pulled up the hill and placed beside the school. Great care was excercised
in loading the muzzle with powder so as to
create the loudest bang possible. Then came the crucial moment. All were
cautioned to stand afar off. Joseph Anstett, who no doubt was the master mind of this unusual opening of the celebration, was given the fateful task of placing the match to the touchhole.
The rusted barrel of the ill-fated old cannon could not withstand the pressures of
the blast but broke into pieces which were scattered several hundred feet into
all directions, one such part of shrapnel iron striking Mr. Anstett and causing him to die instantly.
Needless to say, this early, sad, incident put a complete damper on all the activities planned for this annual event.
WELL KNOWN MERCHANT DROWNS
After attending early mass on Sunday, July 7th, 1912, Frank Oberle, 41-year-old merchant in Stoney Creek, along with
Anthony Schnurr his neighbour hotel keeper, set out for a morning dip in
the creek at the Uhrich cow pasture. The swim hole, as it was called, was well known to both of them. When Tony seemed to suffer cramps, he called
for help. Mr. Oberle succeeded in the rescue but in doing so was seized
and drowned.
EXTRA ORDINARY EVENTS
On Good Friday, April 12th, 1912 the winds started to blow and before noon had already become so strong that those who had come to morning services had
difficulty to reach home either walking or with horse-drawn vehicles.
About mid-day it was completely unsafe to be outside. Trees were being uprooted and twisted off as though the trunks consisted of toothpicks. Barn
roofs, sheeting and rafters were lifted and broken. Power windmills on barns battered to smithereens. Complete rail
fences had been taken away and broken
by the force. Most homes had some broken windows. Good Friday 3 p.m. services were cancelled. The few stalwarts who by
sheer determination had reached the Church were asked to return home.
Where large bush
tracts existed portable sawmills were set up to cut the downed timber into lumber.
LOCAL RESIDENT CRUSHED TO DEATH
As was the custom in the 1920's farmers
would take contract to haul gravel on to the
roads in winter time with teams and sleighs. John Retlinger, on whose farm the gravel pit was located, while
loading, was trapped and crushed by
a huge slide of material. When help arrived a short time later he was
frantically released but had been injured so severely that he died a few
days later.
FRANCIS WAECHTER
Francis Waechter, a 20-year-old
son of Andrew Waechter, the Gold Medal Farmer, came to a tragic death September
6th, 1902, by asphyxiation from a faulty gas lighting system in a Toronto Hotel room.
A bovine animal of
huge proportion, weighing some 2800 lbs., had been raised on this farm and was in great
demand as a side show attraction. Francis had taken it to the Toronto Exhibition and was in charge of the animal. He had retired to his room in a
hotel in good health but found dead the next morning. The father, Andrew Waechter, was grief-stricken by this sad event
and died at the early age of 58 years, on March 12th, 1903.
CHURCH SPIRE STRUCK BY LIGHTNING
On November 2nd,
1916, at eight o'clock in the evening, a single bolt of lightning
accompanied by a loud clap of thunder, struck and set
fire to the lofty 165' wooden spire of the Formosa church.
Shortly after, a
small star-like fire became noticeable at the very top of the spire. Soon
a crowd gathered. A bucket brigade was formed to relay pails of water up
the steep bell-tower steps.
Two youths, Erwin
Benninger and George Tiede continued up the ladder into the
spire, throwing dippers of water to dampen the woodwork.
Under the direction
of Rev. C.W. Brohman, an urgent call was placed to secure the
horse-drawn wood-fired steam fire engine on a steel-wheeled chassis
operated by the village of Mildmay.
Philip Weiler, who had one of the early automobiles, was asked to organize farmers
with tandem teams of horses to help in rushing the equipment to the
scene of the fire.
Thresher tanks
hauled water from the creek to the church and were in readiness for the
arrival of the fire engine.
Shortly after the
lightning struck rain began to fall, followed by a heavy fall of snow.
This slowed the progress of the fire.
The large iron
cross, which had been anchored in a large wooden ball at the top of the
spire, came tumbling down, red hot from the fire.
Soon after, the pumper succeeded in extinguishing
the flames, which by that time had burned off about fifteen feet of the spire.
Undoubtedly this
event was the most talked-about few hours in Formosa's history.
A SAD DAY IN FORMOSA
On the Sunday Afternoon of July 12th,
1936, while attending a family picnic in the Chepstow area, Joseph Waechter, aged 32, while swimming in
the river, suddenly disappeared and drowned.
A short time later
the saddened community learned of the serious car accident wherein
Ralph Schnurr, aged 17, was instantly killed and his brother Joseph,
aged 15, severely injured. He died the same evening. This accident took place
1 mile east of Formosa.
FLU DEATHS IN 1918
Practically every
household was stricken with pneumonia-like flu in 1918. Often six or seven members of the same
family were ill and had to remain in bed for one to three weeks. Someone had to
go out to milk the family cow or cows and look after the chickens, pigs, etc. which each householder had to
have. On the farms chores had to be done. So, often people going out to
do these necessary errands would suffer a relapse. Then too, whiskey,
which was the best-known medicine at that time, was not readily available and
many doctors had not returned from Army Services.
Nine deaths in 35
days from flu were recorded. Victims were aged 18 to 35.
1918
Oct. 10 — Ludwina Schiestel ................................................... 25 years old
Oct. 14 — Josephine
Opperman.............................................. 18 years old
Oct. 19 — Seraphine
Benninger .......................................... 20 years old
Oct. 29 — John
Joseph Fedy................................................... 26 years old
Oct. 22 — Joseph Schlosser...................................................... 18 years old
Oct. 23 — Frederic
Meyer ....................................................... 30 years old
Oct. 24 — Simon Euper............................................................ 34 years old
Oct. 26 — Philip Weiler.............................................................. 25 years old
Nov. 14 — Francis Kramer.......................................................... 35 years old
THE MURDER OF STEPHAN NEUBECKER
This man with a young family had
farmed on Lots 22-23, Con. B, Carrick
Township. In the winter of 1868, he found a market for the wheat which he had grown on his farm. The market
was at Seaforth, so with team and
sleigh the 40-mile trek was begun. After selling the produce and procuring his money, the return trip was
begun. By late night he reached Bruce County
via Belmore. All seemed well until he was accosted and robbed. His team was found early the next
day. He lay battered, helpless and nearly frozen in the sleigh-box. Without
regaining consciousness he died a short time later. He is buried in our
cemetery in Formosa.
The assassin was traced to the
American Border, found, and returned to Bruce County where he was tried,
convicted of murder and condemned to die. To this day there is reason to believe
that the hanging was not properly
carried out and that the murderer escaped. A copy of the death warrant issued
by the Coroner of that time is shown herein.
Province
of Ontario Warrant
County of Bruce To the Rev. Father Schmitz
To wit: of the township of Carrick in the County
of Bruce
Whereas I, with my inquest, the day and year
underwritten, have taken a view of the body
of Stephen Neubecker who now lies dead in your township and have proceeded therein according to law.
These are therefore to certify that you may
lawfully permit the body of the said Stephen Neubecker to be buried; and for so doing this shall be your
warrant.
Given
under my hand and seal this day of February in the year of our Lord, 1868.
J.P. Kay,
M.D. Coroner