This poem is about the road which was built during the depression times in 1934 in Radcliffe Township which is now County Road 62 (formerly Hwy.62).The Current thanks Lois Yantha who found it when she was going through old papers and thought that our readers would like to see it. It would be great if someone can provide us with the author’s name.
Mountain Relief
First comes our foreman, a very nice man,
He tries to get as much work done as he possibly can.
He won’t squander money for any bad cause,
But always tries to abide by the country’s laws.
Next comes our blacksmith, we all know him well,
He will sharpen any steel on this side of ---
And when there is no heavy work to be done,
You will see Mr. Felix with fuse and dynamite run.
Next come our teamsters, bundled up in their clothes
To keep old Jackfrost away from their toes.
They’re making more money than the ordinary man..
But they do all the work they possibly can.
Next is the gravel pit, that’s where you see the fun,
When Felix sets dynamite, you’ll see them run.
One day when it was stormy, Joe was prying with a bar.
His fingers almost frozen, never thinking it would jar.
He got so darn excited, and stumbled with the bar,
It landed down on Herman who sank to the ground,
Thinking it was his doomsday he never made a sound,
But when he recovered he made it pay,
And thunder and “V’’’” was heard all the day.
Next come our dumpers away out on the road,
Telling the teamsters to delay with the load.
For all they can do is to throw up the planks
And haven’t even time to sit on the banks.
They were working with shovel and hammer, too
And never had time to bite off a chew.
So the men on the mountain are never slow,
That’s why they’re no equal to the lads below,
For they know what they’re getting and it is not just fun.
It is a dollar and twenty when the day’s work is done.
Above photo: Combermere highway sign on west side of village across from where Hyde’s Bay Marina used to be located. Circa 1940s. Combermere Heritage Society. Retrieved from https://combermereheritage.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/combermere-misc028.jpg
Thanks for sharing!