Person Record
Metadata
Name |
Harris, W. T. |
Places of residence |
Owen Sound, Grey County |
Titles & honors |
Mayor of Owen Sound |
Notes |
W. T. Harris Co. Limited was a Wholesale Grocery business at Owen Sound, Grey County. It began on October 7, 1912. The store location was just north of the Tenth Street and Second Ave. East intersection. On February 16, 1922, during the evening, a furnace room fire broke out. Some apartment tenants were trapped on the third floor. They were rescued by Percy Huff and John Hart. The power lines were melted nearby, causing a blackout in the City. The Owen Sound Fire Department responded. Mr. Harris was the Mayor of the City at the time. The building became an ice-laden shell, that was photographed by various people. Unfortunately, a few days later, the north wall collapsed, causing a fatality. It fell onto the Assid Simon's produce store next door, killing Mrs. Julia Simon, who had emigrated from Syria about ten years previously, and who was age 35. Mr. Harris was able to get the fire department to assist him in tearing down the rest of the building. The fire prompted interest in upgrading the city's firefighting truck and equipment. On October 7, 1922, W. T. Harris celebrated the tenth anniversary of the W. T. Harris Co. Ltd. (Wholesale Grocer) business. He had just expanded his business and now had six salesmen. His territory covered from Owen Sound to Atwood along the Grand Trunk Railway (G.T.R.), and south to Orangeville. The business also served the Bruce Peninsula, using a truck. He had fifteen employees in the Owen Sound store building. Mr. Harris purchased the former Ross Hotel (north of the Seldon House hotel) to use as a warehouse after his disastrous February fire. Archival Items: 1980.141.159 Owen Sound City Council photograph includes W. T. Harris 1982.066.006 Photograph showing the ice-encrusted building of the W. T. Harris building in 1922 (after the fire) 1993.024.028 Booklet, FACTS ABOUT OWEN SOUND, c. 1924, has an image of the W. T. Harris storefront. |
Occupation |
Owen Sound Alderman (City Councillor) c. 1920 Mayor of Owen Sound c. 1922 Merchant W. T. Harris Co. Limited (Wholesale Grocery) |
Publications |
Croft, Melba Morris, RENEWAL OF A CANADIAN PORT SIRENS ACROSS THE SOUND: AN ILLUSTRATED HISTORY OF THE OWEN SOUND FIRE DEPARTMENT, 2006, p. 30 Ontario Death Record, March 11, 1922, Julia Simon of Owen Sound (formerly of Syria) |
Role |
Business person |
Spouse |
_________, m. 1____ |
Children |
Irene Harris (m. Herbert W. Lemon) |
