1915-01-21ss

“Dundas, Jan. 21 - Complaint is being made about the cutting of trees on the mountain side on the north of the town, on the long strip of woodland and mountain, belonging to the township of West Flamboro’ “

Hamilton Times.   January 21, 1915.

The face Niagara escarpment as it passed through the City of Hamilton had long since been denuded of trees, but such had not been the case in the nearby town of Dundas. In both Wentworth County communities, the escarpment was popularly known as “the mountain.”

In the case of Dundas, the “mountain” loomed directly over the core of the historic small town. Its beauty and natural features were readily accessible to residents and visitors as well:

“This land lies between the G. T. R. right-of-way and the mountain top, and is one of the beauty spots and resorts for the town’s people in the summertime.”¹

¹ “Destroying Beauty Spot : Fine Old Trees at Dundas Being Cut Down.”

Hamilton Times. January 21, 1914.

Perhaps it was simply the need for fuel in the cold winter months, especially for those hard hit by the economic downturn of the previous year and a half:

“The people consider it a shame to have these fine old trees destroyed. These trees have been cut down by Dundas people in need of firewood, and apparently without authority from the township.”1

Sydenham road, a steep road which ran along the face of the escarpment from the business district of the Valley Town to the top of the mountain, was the scene where an effect of the illegal tree chopping was evident:

“One of the trees fell right alongside of the Sydenham road and broke the wooden guard, leaving a dangerous spot for drivers. At another place, the road guard has been robbed of its planks, and there is not much protection for drivers.”

The Times urged authorities to interfere, lest some serious damage to travelers might result.

At the same time, the Sydenham road area was the location where municipal government officials had provided some work for the unemployed:

“”The town has reopened the stone pile under the brow of the Sydenham road, where a number of men are employed in changing the solid, compact fossiliferous dolomite into road metal by the hammer process.”¹

Nine days later, the Town of Dundas was again featured in an article in the Hamilton Times, again about conditions in the same vicinity as the previous article.

The second time did not deal with the loss of trees but to the influx of birds, despite the cold weather:

“A flock of several hundreds of beautiful Arctic buntings were noticed on the G.T. R. track yesterday. These birds usually come down from the north during the extreme cold spell as this cold weather is quite moderate for them. They remain for a week or perhaps a few days.

“Great flocks of purple finches are now feeding on the railway embankment on the weed seeds. This is about the only place that any such food is exposed. The adult males have brown-red and strawberry red colors, and are quite pretty.

“There has been a great gathering of crows this last few days. The Indians consider this a sign of warm weather coming. The likely explanation is that the heavy snow has stopped some food supplies, and the crows get nearer to town and railroads where many odd bits of corn and grain are dropped from the cars. The specimens near town seen near town are very fat and healthy-looking.”²

² “Winter Birds Are Numerous : Artic Buntings, Purple Finches and Many Crows : Nature Observers Interested in Their Movements.”

Hamilton Times. January 30, 1915.