View from Port Hope High School on Pine Street c1900
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from Port Hope Historical Sketches 1901
by W Arnot Craick
In 1873 Port Hope's greatest manufacturing enterprise—the Car Works—was set on foot by Messrs Nesbitt Kirchhoffer, George M. Furby, James G. Williams, Robert O'Neill, Lewis Ross, Thomas Hayden, and Arthur T.H. Williams, with a capital stock of $50,000. Hardly had the Company's Charter been obtained than an order for 400 cars came in from the Inter-Colonial Railway, and other orders followed in rapid succession. For about three years the Company flourished. Extensive shops on both sides of the railway were erected on Ontario street, long sidings were put in and two hundred mechanics were kept busy day and night. But unfortunately financial difficulties set in, followed by a suit in Chancery, which terminated in the sale of the plant to Mr. Helm. For some years the buildings stood idle ...

Next came a period when incendiaries were at work and mills and factories suffered. Woods Brothers' Fanning Mill west of the Drill Shed was burned in 1872; Butterfield's Carriage works on Cavan Street were destroyed in 1873; Molson's huge flour mill at the Electric Light Pond was consumed in the Fall of 1874; and on Sunday morning August 8th, 1880 the famous Car Works on Ontario Street were totally destroyed, entailing a loss of $48,000.

from The Port Hope Times  Thursday July 31, 1879
SALE OF THE CAR FACTORY
The Car Factory property was offered for sale by public auction here on Thursday last. There were very few actual bidders, and it was worse than pulling eye teeth to get a hundred dollar raise each time. Mr. H.H. Meredith, we believe, bid up to $6,000, and Messrs. Randall and Murphy to $7,000, and Mr. Hayden felt he had run the length of his tether at $7,700, which the auctioneer, in trying to get it out of him, assured him was a very lucky number, and certain to catch the prize. The fallacy of this prophesy on the part of the auctioneer was immediately made apparent by Mr. John Helm bidding $7,800, and becoming the fortunate possessor at that price.

The purchase includes the whole of the machinery, buildings, offices, real estate, the material on the premises, and office furniture. The price paid is undoubtedly very low, and Mr. Helm has made a great bargain. What his intentions with regard to the use he will put his new purchase to, we have not yet learned, but he is a shrewd business man, and it probably will not remain long idle, whether he uses it himself or realizes a neat percentage on his purchase from some other one. We trust Mr. Helm will engage in some manufacturing business there himself, and make the so-long-solitary premises resound with the busy hum of industry.

Although a number of outsiders were present at the sale, all the bids were from local parties. Mr. John Mulligan, the Assignee, used every effort to sell the property by private sale; advertising it extensively both in Canada and the United States, and had it not been for the long period of depression, which, thanks to able government is now drawing rapidly to a close, it would long ere this have been utilized. It is to be regretted as a last resource he was compelled to let the property go to the hammer, but we are pleased that the bargain has fallen to the lot of a fellow townsman.

from The Port Hope Times  Thursday March 11, 1880
THE CAR CONTRACT
We were very glad to be able to announce yesterday that a contract had been awarded to Port Hope for the construction of cars by the Dominion Government, but in our haste to make the announcement, it appears we have rather embarrassed the contractor, Mr. Thomas Hayden. If the report current today is correct, Mr. John Helm, the owner of the works here, is asking such an exorbitant rent for the use of the buildings and machinery that it will be impossible to fulfill the contract at the tender price. We sincerely trust this report will prove to be unfounded, and that arrangements will at once be made to carry out the contract.

We are loath to believe that Mr. Helm would stand in the way of the starting up of an enterprise in the town calculated to be of such great benefit, and we should be greatly disappointed in him, if he allows a few dollars, which are of no consequence to him, to be the cause of the work being given to other parties. Mr. Helm is a gentleman of large means—we have always given him credit for possessing a spirit of enterprise and liberality, and it is to be hoped that he will not be too exacting in this instance.

The car works were bought by Mr. Helm for a mere fraction of their original cost, and even If he gave the use of them to the contractors in this case for nothing he would not be greatly the loser, for once open and in running order no doubt other contracts would be secured, and thus a handsome return would eventually be realised by him on his investment.

Report says, however, that Mr. Hayden has made Mr. Helm an offer of a very fair rent, but that such a price is demanded as precludes the undertaking of the work. We hope to be in a position tomorrow to state that satisfactory arrangements have been made, and that the work will go on.

This is a matter in which time cannot be frittered away without running the risk of losing the contract, and therefore we trust Mr. Helm will so modify his terms that it will be possible for the contractors to proceed. We were in hopes yesterday that Mr. Helm was so interested in the contract that there would be no difficulty about the works, but as he is not, for the sake of the prosperity of the town, and for his own interests, we hope he will act generously by those who are endeavoring to improve our local trade.—Daily Times of Tuesday.

from The Port Hope Times  Thursday March 18, 1880
CAR CONTRACT WITHDRAWN FROM PORT HOPE
It seems the days of "forty per cent" are not over yet, and we have a very healthy specimen in Port Hope. The other day in referring to the Car Contract awarded to Mr. Thos. Hayden by the Dominion Government, we gave Mr. John Helm credit for the possession of some enterprise and public spirit, but for the life of us we could not think of any instance in which Mr. Helm had done anything in particular to benefit the town, in which Mr. Helm was not the most interested party.

However, by referring to his public spirit we hoped we might be intrumental in making him believe he had been of some use in the town, and in awakening in him a desire to be of further service. It seems we have failed in this, for, never having known a thought heretofore that was not a selfish one, we presume Mr. Helm is now too advanced in years to feel sympathy for others, or to desire to confer a benefit on the town, when some one other than himself was likely to make something out of it.

Mr. Helm has had an opportunity to do a great service to the town, but his short-sightedness and cupidity so over-balanced his judgment that he could not be prevailed upon to accept anything like a reasonable recompense for the use of his car factory for a short time. Port Hope unfortunately has too many like Mr. Helm—a drag and a dead weight on its progress, and it is surprising, not that it does not make more rapid strides, but that it holds its own as well as it does.

The wealth possessed by a few of our citizens might prove of great advantage to Port Hope in the hands of liberal minded men, but unfortunately too many of them prefer investing their money in a good mortgage, or to shave a well-endorsed note, to encouraging industries that would give employment and prosperity to our people. It is just this class of our citizens who are too high-toned to get their clothing made in Port Hope— too close-fisted to buy their groceries here, because they can buy sugar a cent a pound cheaper in Toronto—too stylish to buy their dry goods outside of Toronto, and spend most of their money there. Patriotic and loyal to the town in which they have accummulated their wealth, are they not? But that such is the case, every one in business knows, and any of our merchants can name those we refer to by the score. They are "independent," and care nothing for Port Hope, except what they can squeeze out of it in the shape of interest.

In the recent effort to secure a Government contract in Port Hope for the construction of cars, when the tender of Mr. Thos. Hayden was finally accepted, and Mr. Helm was approached for the purpose of ascertaining upon what terms he would either rent or sell the car-works, Mr. Helm seemed to think his grand opportunity had arrived, and as though his very life depended on it, he stuck to his excessive demands until the contract was finally awarded to other parties, and Port Hope has in consequence suffered a blow from the effects of which she will take a long time to recover.

It may be said that Mr. Hayden should have arranged with Mr. Helm before tendering, but had he done so, and Mr. Helm had acted as he has done since, he would probably have saved himself the trouble, expense and anxiety he has been to in connection with the business. Mr. Hayden never once thought Mr. Helm would be so blind to his own interests as to ask an unreasonable rent for the car-works, and knowing the competition for the work would be keen put in his tender, and was greatly pleased at the receipt of the information that the contract had been awarded to him, but on applying to Mr. Helm, was astonished at his demand. He would sell, but he would not rent, and his modest price was $12,000! (afterwards, we are informed, reduced to $11,000). Mr. Helm bought the car-works on the 24th of July last, for the sum of $7,800. He has owned the car-works for about 230 days, and offered to sell at spirited, with a vengence.

No one could be expected to submit to such an exorbitant demand, and finding it impossible to buy, Mr. Hayden endeavored to rent, offering $100 amonth, or $1,200 for a year! This was a very liberal offer, and we fancy a great many owners of real estate would be glad of the opportunity to rent their property to a good tenant at such a paying rate, amounting as it does to about twenty per cent per annum! Rather a nice figure, and if Mr. Helm has done his business after this fashion it is little wonder he is rich! We heard a gentleman say the other day he was quite ready to build provided he could get a guarantee for a term of years of six per cent on his outlay. How different from Mr. Helm, whose want of liberality has lost to the town the expenditureof a large sum that would have made quite a difference to our workingmen and merchants during the coming summer.

Mr. Hayden had awarded him sixty box cars at $740 each, making a total for the lot of $44,400. Also,sixty platform cars at $587 each, making a total of $35,220; or a grand total for the one hundred and twenty cars of $79,620! Of this sum, over one half, or say $40,000 would have been paid for labour alone, most of which, while providing remunerative employment for our mechanics and labourers, would have been distributed through the town for the purchase of goods, and everyone would have felt the benefit of it to some extent. This, through the illiberality of one man is lost to the town, and it is little wonder that a very strong feeling is manifested against him by all classes of the community. Of course, it may be said that Mr. Helm has a right to do as he likes with his own property, and so he has; and if he will take our advice he will lose no time in putting a glass case round his car works, for after this "unpleasantness" they are not likely to be required for any purpose for some time to come.

Col. Williams, M.P., is entitled to the greatest praise for his successful efforts in connection with this contract, and so is Mr. Hayden. His offers to Mr. Helm were more than reasonable, and, when he found it impossible to secure the works, in order that the contract should not be lost to the town, offered to give it to Mr. Helm. This offer was also declined, and in consequence some other place, where men of means are more generous and enterprising, will reap the benefit. One would think that a gentleman who has made so much money as Mr. Helm has in Port Hope would not have stood in the way of the expenditure of so large a sum in the town, and he might have been expected to be shrewd enough to see that once the works were in motion they would have been likely to be kept going, for the large amount of rolling stock required by the Government and the railway companies of Canada will be such as to keep all the establishments of the kind busy for years to come, and the works here would have sold much more readily, and for a bettor price while actively at work.

from The Port Hope Times  Thursday March 18, 1880
THE CAR CONTRACT
We had not seen our evening contemporary of Thursday when writing our article on the car contract for last night's issue, and consequently the glaring misstatements made were allowed to pass unchallenged. In the first place, the Guide was wrong in saying the contract was given to "Messrs. Randall, Hayden and Wilson." Mr. Hayden alone being the party to whom the contract was awarded.

This sentence is a rich one: "The offer made by Mr. Helm was so exceptionally liberal that every one rightly informed of it has been astonished at such an offer being made!" And well they might be astonished at an offer being made in which Mr. Helm would realize only about eighty per cent. The Guide says Mr. Helm offered to sell the site, buildings and plant for "$11,000 cash, or for $1,500 cash down, and yearly instalments of $2,000 till the purchase price is paid up." Such an offer was never made to Mr. Hayden by Mr. Helm, and if made to any one else by that gentleman it was never communicated to Mr. Hayden. The only offer made to Mr. Hayden by Mr. Helm was to sell for $12,000, which is too high a price for the works and machinery, considering a great deal would have to be done in the way of repairs. Mr. Hayden was told casually Mr. Helm would take $11,000, provided he was permitted to remove certain material on the premises, which would have left the price very nearly at the original figureasked—$12,000!

We very much doubt the statement that, "were Mr. Helm to dismantle the carworks to-morrow, to demolish the buildings, he could at once sell the plant and the site for more than double what he is now asking for the site, plant and buildings all complete!" In fact, we don't believe it. That would be $22,000, and we would just like to see Mr. Helm guilty of any such eccentricity! Throw away $11,000—not much! But we would recommend him to dismantle the buildings, and put the site and machinery in his breeches pocket, where they will be perfectly safe, for we greatly fearit is unlikely that any one will care to give much for them as they stand now—idle.

The Guide goes on—"More than this, Mr. Helm is prepared, as soon as the gentlemen named can furnish proper security, and can satisfy him that they can command sufficient capital to justify the belief that they can undertake the contract, to offer even more liberal terms than the almost nominal ones stated above." This is about as clear as mud, but we presume the meaning of it can be guessed at. As to the furnishing of "proper security", Mr. Hayden's offer to Mr. Helm was that he would give him $1,000 over the price he paid for the car factory, in addition to paying all expense he had been to in connection with their purchase. This was a bona fide offer for cash, so that the bosh about "proper security" is a malicious attempt to make people believe that Mr. Hayden, independent of the others named, could not give security for $1,500.

Mr. Hayden may not be as wealthy as Mr. Helm, but as he possesses ample means to conduct an extensive business, and has valuable real property, it is not unlikely that he could raise at any time, on short notice, twice the amount of the value of the works; and as to their (the parties named) being able to "command sufficient capital to justify the belief that they can undertake the contract," while we do not pretend to know how much would be considered necessary to "undertake" a contract, it would have made little difference to Mr. Helm, as long as he got paid, whether they had sufficient means or not to carry the contract out. If cash had been paid for the place, his interest in it would cease, and if he rented, there would at any time be enough to secure him about the promises. The learned disertation as to the cost of constructing cars we need not refer to, further than to say that it is very likely whoever made the tenders out knew better than the Guide what a car can be built for, and it is not probable Mr. Hayden, who has the reputation of being a shrewd business man, would tender at a lower price than he could build the cars for and make a reasonable profit.

But if Mr. Helm put such a fancy price on his "fine bargain," he might at least have been reasonable enough to have rented at the high figure offered by Mr. Hayden, $1,200 for one year, for though the contract awarded would likely have been completed within three months a years rent would have been cheerfully given him, and Mr. Hayden would have been willing to run the risk of being fortunate enough to secure additional contracts, which we are reasonably sure he would have done.

The fact is, and it is quite evident to everyone, Mr. Helm thought he had Mr. Hayden in a tight place, and thought, rather than lose the contract he would pay the unreasonable price asked. He was mistaken, and no doubt is sorry enough now that he did not content himself with renting the place, for had he done so there would have, been ample time to make future arrangements, and if Mr. Hayden was not desirous of buying at any price put on the works at the expiration of a year, other parties might have been induced to do so; and in the meantime the town would have reaped the advantage of the employment of a large number of mechanics, and the expenditure of a large sum of money that would have gone a long way to improve business in Port Hope, which has been bad enough for some years past; and it is just such illiberality on the part of the owners of eligible manufacturing sites that has been a constant drag upon the progress of the town. But we hope this case will prove a warning to them, and that for the future they will see that if they ever desire to reap any substantial benefits from their property they will have to change their policy of obstruction.

The Guide's sneer at Col. Williams was quite uncalled for, as that gentleman was probably not aware of the nature of the difficulties which caused the delay. And more than that, we have Mr. Hayden's authority for saying that Col. Williams offered to put his own cheque up for the amount of the deposit required by the Government in order to secure the contract, but as Mr. Hayden was determined not to be coerced into paying Mr. Helm so large a sum more than he thought the works worth, he did not wish the deposit made. That Col. Williams worked hard to secure the contract for Port Hope everyone gives him credit for except the Guide, and anything but a sneer from it could not be expected.

For failure in this matter Mr. Helm is alone to blame, and on himself must rest the odium, let the Guide, beslobber him as it may. Public opinion is decidedly against him, and it will be a long time before the strong feeling entertained against Mr. Helm in connection with this matter is allayed.

from The Port Hope Times  Thursday March 18, 1880
THE CAR CONTRACT ET AL
So it seems from our mysterious contemporary, the Guide, that THE TIMES "will not have to take a long stride to reach communism pure and simple." Of course, we are aware this is an almost unpardonable fault in a good Tory journal—that is, if the journal is really guilty of holding such views. Now, we do not believe the doctrines of the Commune as they are understood by the public, in their opprobrious sense, will ever reconstruct society and its hydra headed evils. Nor have we at any time ever used the communistic arguments to gain for our constituents or ourselves any point whatever. Yet we are believers in the Christian doctrine "that no man lives unto himself," and if the Guide believes that communism, we are communists. In nothing has this been more prominently demonstrated than in this very matter of the car contract.

A wealthy gentleman has it in his power to do an immense amount of good to himself, to his fellow-capitalists, to the merchants, and to the working men of this town, by the simple exercise of his undoubted right to do right, according to the principle laid down above. But that was not the guiding star of his life. His rule seems to have been to make money. He imagined that if he placed the price of his car works at a figure which would preclude the possibility of Mr. Hayden going on with ihe contract that he might possibly get it himself.

And so the Guide informs us in this sentence, "He (Mr. Helm) agreed to take the contract, and employ Mr. Wilson for three months at $100 per month, the Mayor for one month at an understood figure, and Mr. Hayden's expenses were to be paid." A very nice arrangement truly—for Mr. Helm; but a very unfair one to Mr. Hayden, who had been at all the trouble of securing the work. This statement fully justifies our previous estimate of Mr. Helm, which, however, did not contain the information that the Guide alleges it did, to this effect: "He prefers shaving notes and embarrassing poor farmers and struggling tradesmen, with ruinous mortgages. We never said Mr. Helm had done that; it was none of our business.

Our contemporary, in its article of Saturday night, too, attempts to array class against class, but we do not suppose for one moment that capitalists will take any stock in this really communistic follower of the ex-Minister of Finance, who in his speech on the budget said, "Men have risen in rebellion for less cause than the oppression inflicted upon the people of this community by the hon. gentlemen opposite." There's communism for you, pure and simple, and we will not find this organ of the aforetime "fly-on-the-wheel" Ministry writing down Sir Richard Cartwright for this expression. If we had advised the despoiling of Mr. Helm's car works as the Guide darkly insinuates then we would have been guilty of communism in its notorious sense, but we did nothing of the sort. We advised that he encase his works in a glass case. The inference is obvious.

We do not know that any public good will be served by a prolongation of this discussion and therefore we will say once for all, that the tender for the cars was awarded to Mr. Hayden; that the alleged offer of the works for $11,000 was never made to that gentleman, if it was made at all; that it is not "doing as one would be done by" to ask an advance of eighty-four per cent, on a bargain; that Col. Williams, M.P., is entitled to credit in the matter because, rather than see the contract go elsewhere, he offered to put up a sufficient guarantee; and, finally, that the whole reason of our contemporary's animus in the matter, notwithstanding it knew it had the wrong side of the story, is shown in the concluding paragraph of its Saturday's article, in which it drags in and beslobbers Mr. Lewis Ross, ex-M.P. for this Riding, who, it insinuated, would have "done wonders!"

The whole blame rests with Mr. Helm, not particularly because he would not sell at a reasonable price, but because he would not rent at a high price, in order to get the car works started, for once in working order and running we have no doubt they would have been kept going for years. By doing this, Mr. Helm would really have enhanced the value of his own property, and indirectly have been the means of providing employment for a great many of our mechanics and labourers who are now idle, and thus bettered business throughout the town, for every one would have felt to some extent the benefit to the town of the re-opening of the car works. Mr. Helm's public spirit was not equal to the occasion, and Port Hope is the sufferer through his selfishness.

from The Guide  Friday March 19, 1880
THE BIG FIZZLE
All About The Car Contract
Randall, Hayden & Wilson
Mr. Helm Recounts the Whole Story
THE NARRATIVE IN DETAIL
To the Laborers, Mechanics and Business Men of Port Hope

GENTLEMEN,—That you may fully understand my position in relation to the car contract, which the public are led to believe Mr. Randall, Mr Hayden and Mr. Wilson have lost—through no action whatever of mine—and in order to, in a measure, remove the false impressions and falsehoods circulated by Mr. J. B. Trayes, I am reluctantly obliged to address you; and as there is nothing on my part to conceal, I will endeavor to state fully the whole transaction. You, no doubt, all know that I purchased the car works last summer, but it was not until the 24th January last that I got possession of them.

In the meantime I was ASKED BY MR. RANDALL and a number of others what I intended to do with the works—if I would build cars, rent the works, etc. My answer invariably was that I bought them to sell again, and that under no circumstances would I either build cars or rent the works. Soon after I got possession of them, Mr. Randall meeting me on the street, said he was going to tender for some cars, and enquired if I had changed my mind in respect to the disposal of the works. I replied that I had not. He then asked my price, and I named $12,000. His reply was that his means were limited, and that he knew it was no price for them, etc. Before we parted, I gave him to understand that if he could get some one to join him I MIGHT TAKE LESS.

His last words were, "I will tender anyway and chance it," or words to that effect, so far he had not named or hinted at any one joining him in his tender. On Monday the 8th inst. after 3 p.m., Mr. Randall and MR. HAYDEN waited on me, and the latter showed me a telegram from Colonel Williams to the effect that a contract was secured. Mr. Hayden asked me if I would rent the car works. I, of course declined. He then said emphatically, "I will not borrow money; I will not ask any one to endorse for me, and my money is all in coal and vessel property." He added, "I don't care a cent for the contract myself; I will give it to you or any one else if you will pay me for my outlay, sending a man to Ottawa, etc., some fifty dollars." My reply was that I did not want to build cars. Now this is the substance of all that has ever passed between Mr. Hayden and myself in respect to the car works or the car contract.

MR. RANDALL'S SHARE IN THE TRANSACTION
I will now take up Mayor Randall's part in the negotiation. Some time between the said Monday's interview and the afternoon of Wednesday, I casually met Mr. Randall and he asked me if I would not take less than the sum I had named fo the car works. I said "Rather than keep the car works closed, and as I gave you to understand that I might take less, I will give you the car works for $11,000." He asked if I would give the stock on hand. I said I would for $500. He said he knew the amount was no price for the property and his only objection was that he could not raise the money; he then said he had made arrangements for raising $15,000, and if he paid me he would have nothing left to carry on the contract. I then made him the offer of $1500 down, and $2000 a year for five years. He considered it a very fair offer, but objected on account of want of money. He then said: "Why cannot Helm and Nicholls build the cars?" and he offered to render any assistance he could. About this time, Mr. Taylor, late superintendent of the Midland Railway, asked me why I did not induce Helm & Nicholls to take the car contract, and said there was a sure thing of————clear profit on each car. As I had plrdged myself that I WOULD NOT ASK THEM OR IN ANY WAY INFLUENCE THEM TO UNDERTAKE CAR BUILDING AT THE CAR WORKS, I said I would not interfere with them in the matter; they could do as they pleased. A short time after this conversation, some one—I think Mr. Randall—informed me that Helm & Nicholls would like to take the contract. I immediately went to Helm & Nicholls and said I had heard they would like to take the contract.

AN OFFER AND AN UNDERSTANDING
I offered, if they wished to do so, to put them in a position, financially, to take it. In less than an hourvthey decided they would if they could arrange with Mr. Randall and Mr. Hayden. My son, of the firm of Helm & Nicholls, lost no time in seeing Mr. Randall, who agreed to see Mr. Hayden and meet them (Helm & Nicholls) at the foundry before 6 o'clock, or if unable to do so, to meet them at my son's house the same evening (Wednesday), but MR. RANDALL FAILED TO KEEP HIS APPOINTMENT, and, of course, Helm & Nicholls concluded that Mr. Randall had made other arrangements. Next morning I was informed of his failure to meet them, but I thought Mr. Randall would be round after a while, and that there might be no delay on the part of Helm & Nicholls, I arranged with the Bank of Toronto for any funds thay might require in order to enable them to carry out the contract to the very best advantage. I then saw Mr. Randall, and after some negotiation, on behalf of Helm & Nicholls, he left me to see Mr. Hayden, as he said he did not want "to have him left out altogether.

ANOTHER ARRANGEMENT
I saw Mr. Randall after dinner, and I agreed to the following on behalf of Helm & Nicholls: Mr. Hayden to go at once to Ottawa, make the necessary deposit of a 'marked cheque,' get the contract completed; and then, on its being properly assigned to Helm & Nicholls, and they accepted by the Government, Mr. Hayden to get back his cheque, and Helm & Nicholls to pay him four per cent for the time the Government held it; while in the meantime the Bank would allow him a like four per cent on the money. This would make Mr. Hayden good as to the cheque. Helm & Nicholls were to employ Mr. Wilson at $100 per month, and Mr. Randall also at $100 per month, optional, with Mr. Randall, however, to terminate it at the end of the first month, if he could do better, for he said he had a large stone contract in view that would pay him very much better than $100 per month. In addition to these salaries, Mr. Randall asked $500 for his interest in the contract, but it was finally arranged that that Helm & Nicholls were to pay $350, for which Mr. Randall agreed to settle satisfactorily with Mr. Hayden. Mr. Randall added: "My name is firdt on the contract, and nothing can be done without my consent." I afterwards was assured by Mr. Randall that Mr. Hayden would go to Ottawa that night or next morning, and in the meantime he would telegraph Col. Williams. On Friday morning I learned that Messrs. Randall & Hayden lost the contract and the car works remain, I am sorry to say, just as I found them—closed.

from The Port Hope Times  Thursday March 25, 1880
HOLY St. Patrick! Was there a sewer explosion on the Cobourg road Wednesday? One might think so from the very bad smell emitted from that day's Guide. It appears Mr. Helm is mad—very mad—and one might think he had been studying Billingsgate and feeding on swill for the past ten years, by the three columns of venomous abuse and falsehood, appearing over his signature in that paper. It is but fair, however, to give Mr. Helm credit only for the venom, and not deprive the writer, who was paid for putting it into words, of his share. Mr. Wm. Toplis, editor of the Guide who has had considerable experience on the Toronto Globe in this style of writing, is entitled to all the honor of the 'literary' merits of the effusion, but in giving shape and form to the bile of his employer, he made one great mistake— he over-did his work! Perhaps, however, Mr. Helm was to blame for that—for it is well-known that he always wanted men in his employ to do twelve hours' work in ten!

We do not care to follow Mr. Helm through the mire, nor would it be edifying to our readers for us to prove him a 'snake in the grass,' a 'liar,' and several other very nice things, but we do wish emphatically to enter a protest against Mr. Helm giving so life-like a picture of himself, and trying to palm it off on the public with the name of the editor of this paper attached to it. The imposition will not deceive any one, for Mr. Helm is too well-known among the mechanics of this town to gain anything by such a fraud. One cannot but admire the sarcasm of Mr. Helm's amanuensis in thus portraying his employer's character. We scarcely think it neceaaary to defend ourselves from such an attack, though if we did we think it would not be a difficult matter to give Mr. Helm a 'rolland for an Oliver' on every point, but we do not care to descend to his level. We can laugh at his spleen, as heartily as at one of Mark Twain's funniest articles, knowing that the people who read his letter, who are aware of the cause of his having it written, have not one jot of sympathy with him.

As already remarked elsewhere in this issue of THE TIMES, Mr. Helm is evidently very mad. Not mad in the sense of a candidate for a berth in a lunatic asylum; only annoyed in an exaggerated sort of a way. To students of the various idiosyncrasies of the human mind, Mr. Helm, as seen in his lucubration in Wednesday evening's Guide, offers a tempting subject for investigation. The first idea which strikes one is, to enquire "what is Mr. Helm mad about?" His communication does not distinctly say. It does not say that his annoyance proceeds from grief at the loss of work which his conduct has entailed upon the workingmen of this town. Nor does his irrelevant statements about several other matters, outside the car works, furnish the clue to the mystery. It is not until the third paragraph is reached that the reader finds the animus. Then it is discovered. He attacks the editor of this journal, as if the editor had any personal end to serve in referring to Mr. Helm's conduct in this matter. So far from that being the case the editor of THE TIMES never harbored the slightest personal animosity toward Mr. Helm, and so far as he is aware never had any occasion to do so. But journals have a public duty to perform, and this was the sole reason why Mr. Helm's actions were the subject of any criticism whatever in the columns of THE TIMES.

The fact is that Mr. Hayden's statements made in this paper to-day regarding the contract from beginning to end amply bears out this view of the matter—THE TIMES had a public duty to perform and it performed it fearlessly and without the slightest personal feeling of spite or hatred towards the gentleman who owns the car works. If, when the first articles appeared, Mr. Helm had either called at the office of this paper or sent a written communication stating that we were mistaken, his objections wou.d have received due consideration. But he did not choose to do so; he chose rather to lie under what he now terms 'false statements,' and if what is reported is true he announced his policy to be the last refuge of little minds, "I will not say much, but I will pinch the editor of THE TIMES if ever I have a chance to do so." Mr. Hayden's conduct, on the contrary, was the exact opposite of Mr. Helm's. It was straightforward from the beginning, and we are sure that his statement in today's paper will convince everyone by its truth.

The whole affair, then, lies in a nut-shell. Mr. Helm knew the statements made by THE TIMES were true; and being true the deductions could hardly be false, nor were they we are fully convinced. They are borne out in every particular by Mr. Hayden, and he alone knows (because he is the only tenderer) of all the real, not the side, issues of the contract from its inception to its unfortunate close. But our contemporary had put its foot into the mud, and could not draw it out again. Ergo: "We will write Mr. Helm a letter," and gauging the venomous spirit of the man, they struck it fine. He fell into the trap, and the publication of the letter over Mr. Helm's signature was the result. Verily, our contemporary pursues devious courses, and makes us exclaim "to what base uses must we come at last." Again, we say, if Mr. Helm was wronged, he should have come to us, and if he could have produced evidence that such was the case (which he has not yet done), we would certainly have accorded him the full measure of justice.

from The Port Hope Times  Thursday March 25, 1880
THE CAR CONTRACT  (Mr. Hayden replies to Mr. Helm)
To the Editor of THE DAILY TIMES
DEAR SIR,—With your permission I desire to use the columns of THE TIMES to reply to a letter which appeared in the Guide on Wednesday evening, over the signature of Mr. John Helm; or rather, I should say, to that portion of it which concerns myself, and of which I am cognizant of the facts of my own knowledge. To a certain extent I occupy towards the public, whom Mr. Helm addresses as "the laborers, mechanics, and business men of Port Hope," the same position as does that gentleman, in so far that there is nothing on my part to conceal regarding my relationship to the car contract, about which there seems to exist, in some minds, still some considerable misapprehension. It is to disabuse the public mind generally that I address you on this matter, because, as you are aware, I do not like to appear unnecessarily in print. I, therefore, have this plain statement of facts to make, and I challenge any person to successfully contradict them, for I am prepared to furnish evidence that my facts are facts.

As you are doubtless aware, I tendered, in reply to a Government advertisement recently appearing in the Port Hope TIMES, to make 60 platform and 60 box cars. After the usual preliminaries, I received a telegram on March 8th, informing me that the above tender for platform and box cars had been accepted by the Minister of Railways. As soon as I received that telegram, I, in company with Mr. Randall, went out to Mr. Helm's residence, but he was not at home. About an hour after we had returned I met him in Mr. Lewis Ross' store. I, as Mr. Helm says, showed him the telegram informing me that the contract had been awarded to me. I did not ask him, as he says, to rent the car works to me. What I said was, "I will give you $1,000 over and above what the car works cost you (this was meant to include all expenses he had incurred with reference thereto)." Mr. Helm then offered to sell me the car works for $12,000. He then asked me if I did not think the car works were worth that amount. I replied "they are, but as I have my money invested in other business, they are not worth that sum to me." I never said, as he alleges, "I will not borrow money, I will not ask any one to endorse for me, and my money is all in coal and vessel property." That with the other statement "I don't care a cent for the contract myself; I will give it to you or any one else if you will pay me for my outlay, sending a man to Ottawa, etc., some fifty dollars," are both gratuitous and calculated to convey a wrong impression, and do contain a wrong impression of what I said and meant.

What I really said was this: "I will buy the factory at $1,000 advance on what you paid for it; I am willing to rent it at $100 per month; or I will give you the contract," and I never said that fifty dollars would be the amount of my expenses, as the gentleman I had sent to Ottawa had not returned, and consequently I did not know what they would amount to myself. This interview, which was in the presence of Messrs. Randall and Ross, termininated without my attaining my object, the car works for the building of the cars. I afterwards deputized Mr. Randall to negotiate with Mr. Helm, as my offer was still open until such time as the contract might be lost, through not being closed in time. I also instructed him to make a slight advance on my renting offer—to close if $125 a month would secure me the works for one year at that figure, as I was willing to take my chances of securing further contracts after this one had been filled.

The paragraph devoted to Mr. Randall's negotiations with Mr. Helm next claims my attention. I may say, at the outset, that the alleged offers and counter offers made between the Mayor and Mr. Helm contains news to me. They were not reported to me by Mr. Randall, notwithstanding that I had authorized him act up to a certain point in my behalf. Still there are some statements made by Mr. Helm which I can and do emphatically contradict. The whole tenor of the paragraph is that Mr. Randall, not I, was the Government tenderer. Now, he (Mr. Randall) never appeared in the contract, and I doubt very much if he knew of the tender being made by me until I showed him the telegram announcing that I had been successful. I hardly think, in view of these facts, that Mr. Randall would be foolish enough to say of me to Mr. Helm "he did not want to have him left out altogether.'" With respect to this statement in Mr. Helm's letter: " Mr. Randall asked $500 for his interest in the contract, but it was finally arranged that Helm & Nicholls were to pay $350, for which Mr. Randall agreed to settle satisfactorily with Mr. Hayden. Mr. Randall added: 'My name is first on the contract, and nothing can be done without my consent.'" I may say that I never authorized the Mayor to settle the matter in this manner, and I hardly know how to characterize the last statement in the quotation. Simply, however, I say it is not true; I was the sole contractor. Anyone who may doubt this may easily find that I am only stating the exact truth by writing to the department of the Minister of Railways.

Neither did I authorize either Mr. Taylor or Mr. Randall, as is alleged, to negotiate with Mr. Crossen to take the contract; nor is it true that there was an error of $24 in one item on each car. Mr. Crossen could hardly say, as he is reported to have said, that he "would lose money if he took the contract," because I am reliably informed that his tender was only higher than mine by $2 per platform and $6 per box car, which could not make the difference alleged. Besides, if I had a fat thing as Mr. Helm makes out, Mr. Crossen would not fail to take it up if his (Mr. Helm's) inferences are correct. The statement that only $6,500 is all that would be paid for labour can hardly be meant. The contract would require about 100 men for over four mouths, so that anyone can calculate up what mechanics alone would reap from the contract being gone on with, without ever taking into consideration what labour would be required in moving stuff, etc. The amount to be spent in labour would, I think, be much closer to $40,000 than $6,500! The allusions to the editor of THE TIMES I have nothing to do with; I think that gentleman is able to take care of himself. I, therefore, commend this plain statement of facts to those interested, and leave them to judge for themselves of the entire matters at issue.
I am, yours, &c.,
THOS. HAYDEN. Port Hope, March 17, 1880.

from The Daily Guide Monday  August 9, 1880
THE FIRE FIEND. YESTERDAY MORNING. CAR WORKS CONSUMED. ESTIMATED LOSS OF $35,000
Yesterday morning this town was visited by one of the largest and most disastrous fires that has occurred in this vicinity for years. At about twenty minutes to two o'clock as night watchman Ellis was coming down Walton street he observed a light at the south end of the building known as Quay's storehouse on Ontario street, opposite to Car Works, and immediately gave the alarm. In about eight minutes the hose reel and firemen were on the ground, but in that short time the building had became completely enveloped in flames. All their efforts were at once put forth to save the Car Works, which were now beginning to smoke, and before everything was in readiness, they were in and the firemen were at a great disadvantage owing to their being between two fires. However for a time they seemed to be making headway and directed the stream on the storehouse so as to keep down the heat, but suddenly the flames burst forth again from the Car Works and gained access to the interior of the building, spreading with fearful rapidity, and enveloped the whole side of the building; the heat became so intense that it drove the firemen back and compelled them to flee before its terrible effects.

All further efforts of the firemen to save the building were fruitless, and their attention was directed to the surrounding buildings. Onward the devouring element made its way with great rapidity into the main building and enveloped the whole structure; the huge volume of flame shot up hundreds of feet into the heavens and illuminated the town and country for miles around. A gentlemen who was in the country at the time informs us that it was a grand sight as there being little wind the flames went straight up and the immense sparks also shot up hundreds of feet producing a beautiful picture for the distant spectator.

At this juncture the sight was grand, but terrible, the roaring of the flames, the shouts of the firemen, and the nervous sayings of the multitude all commingled, producing on effect that cannot be portrayed. The heat became so intense that the bewildered multitude had to seek refuge in the distance, and great fears were entertained for the safety of Barrett's Terrace, and Mr. Racine's house even began to smoke, but the firemen, came around to this point and kept the buildings wet until the great heat subsided. When the huge pile fell in all further danger was over, and the firemen began to drown out the surrounding ruins. When the fire was at its height it communicated with Mr. Gibbs' nut factory and Mr. Kingdon's blacksmith shop, but through the efforts of the firemen the latter was saved; the intense heat prevented them from getting near enough to the former to be of any avail, consequently it was consumed. The escape of the Terrace was most miraculous, and had not the wind been in its favor nothing could have saved it, as the firemen could not pass between it and the fire.

A train of cars switched off alongside the Terrace were in imminent danger, and had to be run up the track, a fact which shows how intense the heat was. The origin of the fire is a mystery, but it is generally credited to be the work of an incendiary and the hour of its starting gives precedence to this belief.

The buildings and contents originally cost $48,000, and everything was in splendid condition. It was recently purchased by John Helm, Esq., and we are told was to be opened in a short time. Mr. Helm states that an offer was made him a short time ago for some of his machinery, but owing to the anticipation of a contract, which, should John A.'s mission to the old country be successful, as he expected, he declined, and has now lost both. The machinery in the building was of a very superior kind, and could not easily be replaced. The loss to the town will be very great, and it is unlikely that the works will ever be rebuilt. Mr. Helm, we understand, was insured for $9,500, so that his loss will be covered by insurance.

The firemen deserve great credit for their manly and daring efforts to save the building, and we think the town should in some way recognize their valiant services. We have heard some grumbling about what they might have done, but we consider they did all in their power under the circumstances, and worked like heroes.

from The Port Hope Times  August 12, 1880
A BIG BLAZE
The Car Works and Old Drill Shed Destroyed
Some of the Incidents of the Conflagration
ALSO REMINISCENCES OF THE BUILDING
Likewise Items as to Insurance
Our fire brigade are having pretty frequent demands upon their mettle. It is time they had their hose tower up for they have scarcely a chance to stow away their hose than there comes a demand to get out the reels. We sympathize with the brigade most truly on the frequency and severity with which their powers are taxed, while we applaud them in the highest degree for the pluck and industry they display when their services are called into requisition. The mischance in this case is a most serious one, being the almost total destruction of our fine car works together with that of other very valuable property.

About 1:20 Sunday morning, an alarm was rung from the bell on Walton street, and early as was the hour, the whole of the sleeping town was speedily aroused and the most part hurrying off to the scene of destruction. The sky was through all its expanse lurid with flames, even before the alarm bell had ceased to ring. The fire started, undoubtedly in Quay's warehouse, (better known as the old Drill Shed), opposite the car works, which has of late been used for the storage of hay.

The alarm which was given by Mr. Ellis, night watchman, on the first suspicion of anything being wrong, at once brought out the hose company in full strength, but by the time they were able to reach the scene of action and commence operations, a crowd had gathered such as seldom collects in a town of the size of Port Hope. It was simply astonishing the celerity and intelligence with which the firemen went about their work. They did all that could reasonably be expected of amateurs.

And here we would take the liberty of observing that it is not to the credit of any townsman to stand idle when property is being destroyed which might be saved if everyone would, under subjection to orders, lend an assisting hand. The whole work should not be placed on the shoulders of the brave fellows who volunteer to do all they can to save us from the terrible fire-scourge.

The fire started, as has been stated, in the warehouse lately occupied by Mr. Quay, but within a few minutes the sparks had blown to the other side of the street, igniting a corner of the factory. Had there been a high wind, or had the water supply, as on a recent occasion, been small, the work of destruction would have been even more speedy than it was. There was from the start no possibility of saving Quay's premises, and the whole exertions of the brigade were consequently directed to the extinction of the flames in the factory.

Two reels had been brought up on the sounding of the alarm, but it was found necessary to send down for several more lengths, which volunteers brought up by hand. It was judged needful, on account of the danger threatening the Terrace, to detach the hose from the Ontario street hydrant and connect it with the one near Chalk's shop. Had this course not been taken, it is more than likely that this fine row of residences would have been wiped out. The town is greatly indebted to the Hose Company, and also to the Chemical Company No. 1, the latter of whom undoubtedly saved Kingdon's blacksmith shop and Maitland's wagon shop.

DAMAGE AND INSURANCE
The large brick foundry, brick office, frame stable, two storehouses, were not insured, and are standing and uninjured.
The parts burnt down are the frame machine shop and car building shops, including the machinery, which was insured in the Queen's for $6,000 and the Royal Canadian for $3,500. The whole property, including a quantity of material, timber, lumber, iron safe, scales, etc., was purchased at auction by Mr. John Helm for $7,800. The buildings and machinery cost about $30,000. The property as it now stands is considered to be fully worth the money paid by Mr. Helm. After the property was attached, the director endeavored to shoulder the liabilities, but litigation seemed to be the order of the day, and there was nothing to do but to allow the matter to be settled by insolvency.

from The Port Hope Times  Thursday August 12, 1880
SUNDAY'S FIRE
There is nothing satisfactory about a fire except when it sweeps through a locality occupied by fever dens, though even then the conflagration involves loss to a class of people who can ill bear the destruction of their homes and goods, be the discomfort of the former never so great and the intrinsic value of the latter never to small. But when extensive buildings, erected at large cost for business purposes, are burned down, it is a loss without any mitigation. It works disastrously in many ways. If they are at the time of the conflagration in working order there is a stoppage of supplies to many a household; if not, there is a discouragement to capitalists to invest their money in such ventures, and under any circumstances there is a complete loss of property as if one were to throw a bag of gold into the mid-Atlantic, or thrust a roll of bank bills into the stove.

We share the general regret of the community at the destruction of the car-works, although they have long been idle. We have had occasion before now to express pretty strongly our condemnation of the action of the owner of the promises now in ruins in not turning them to account; but there was always a possibility of his being stimulated to do so, or of his seeing it to his interest to transfer them to enterprising capitalists who would turn them to account.

from The Port Hope Times  Thursday August 19, 1880
The following letter has been received by the Chief Engineer of the Fire Brigade from Mr. John Helm; enclosed was a cheque for $50:—
PORT HOPE, Aug. 9th, 1880.
D. Marshall, Esq., Chief Engineer of the Fire Department:
DEAR SIR,—To mark my appreciation of the unpaid services of the Firemen, I beg to hand you the enclosed for them.
I am, etc.,
John Helm.

To which Mr. Marshall has sent the following reply:—
PORT HOPE, Aug. 13th, 1880.
John Helm, Esq., Port Hope:
DEAR SIR,—I have to acknowledge with thanks receipt of your favor of the 9th inst., with enclosure of cheque for $50 as an acknowledgment of the services of the Fire Brigade at the recent fire when the carworks were destroyed, and to express the warm appreciation of the members of the Brigade of your generous donation.
I am, yours truly,
David Marshall,
Chief P.H.F.B.

from The Port Hope Times  Thursday August 26, 1880
The Chief Engineer acknowledges with thanks the receipt of the sum of $20 from Mr. H. Barrett, for services rendered at the late fire by the members of the Hose Extinguisher Company.
We understand it has been arranged between Mr. Helm and the insurance companies, to settle matter by arbitration as to the loss in connection with the fire at the car works.

from The Evening Guide  Monday April 21, 1952
LOCAL LANDMARK BEING CHANGED
Chimney Of Old Boxcar Factory Giving Way To Progress
Port Hope—The seventy-two foot chimney which has become a landmark at the building referred to as the 'Old Mill' on Ontario Street in Port Hope is being torn down. The new owners of the property, Burgess Bros., will open a plumbing business in the building shortly and the chimney which is no longer of any value is being removed as a step toward modernization of the premises.

To one of Port Hope's oldest veterans, John Hayden, of 181 Victoria Street N., the seventy-two foot chimney, which is eight feet square at the bottom, was one of the town's oldest landmarks. Mr. Hayden recalls when the premises was the site of a factory where boxcars were constructed for the Inter-Colonial Railway. The company was owned by the people of Port Hope on shares and Mr. Hayden's father Thomas was one of the original and largest stockholders in the concern.

The present building, where the chimney is being demolished, was an engine house and boiler room at the time, over seventy years ago, Mr. Hayden says, while a foundry and blacksmith shop was located in the position where the present stone works is situated near the Ganaraska River. The first drill shed was located across the road near where where R.E. Sculthorpe now operates a service station, and it was in this building that a fire broke out and spread to the other buildings. Mr. Hayden recalls that a lot of cars were built for the Inter-Colonial Railway on the property and that his father made the castings for the undercarriages in a foundry on Cavan Street.

To Mr. Hayden, the seventy-two foot chimney on Ontario Street has become a trade mark symbolic of life in the early history of Port Hope. But now it seems, the patent rights have expired. The chimney is no more; the trade mark is no more.