[Essex Free Press, May 29, 1896]

LIGHTNING DID IT

The New West End Toll Gate A Victim of the Elements


About eleven o’clock on Wednesday night, (May 27, 1896) the cry of fire rang through the streets. 


A few young people heard it but as the official alarm was not given, not much attention was paid to it.  It proved however, that the new toll house at the west end was being consumed, it is said a visitation of the powers that be, by the devouring element. 


The agony was not long drawn out, and no regrets are recorded.  Various opinions are hazarded as to the origin of the blaze, but all good people unite in saying it was “struck by lightning” 


Other dark hints are afloat, but they are libellous, and it is dangerous to repeat them.   




Essex Free Press, July 24, 1896


 

THREE EYESORES GONE


The Talbot Street Gravel Road Co. met with a loss on Tuesday night when their toll gate houses at the north-west end of town, at Maidstone and at Oldcastle were destroyed by fire.  The two latter have been standing for a long time but the former was only built last week, toll being collected there for the first time on Thursday before it was burned down. 


The company’s loss removes three eyesores to the people of this part of the county and we hope the day is not far distant when the gates will be discarded and this road made a free road.  There were no contents of any value in the house at Essex, and at the other houses nearly all the contents were removed in time. 


The flames did not spread to any other buildings.  We have not heard if the buildings were  insured or not.  There is no doubt but that the buildings were set on fire, the Essex one going first, then the one at Maidstone and the Oldcastle one last. 


Had the new manager of the road not aggravated the people in this section of the county by persisting in having a gate just at the entrance to the town, in fact within the town limits, there would not likely have been a fire that night. 


People are used now to travelling on free roads and not being compelled to step and pay a toll of five cents and upwards every time they desire to go to or from a town. 


The Detroit Free Press in an item on Thursday morning said a lot of ammonia had been thrown into the building at Essex.  From what we have been able to learn, this statement is not true.  No attempt was  made to injure the occupants of the houses at Maidstone and Oldcastle but they were assisted to get their goods out.  There is still one gate between Essex and Windsor.

Essex Free Press, July 24, 1896


Essex Free Press - August 7, 1896


 

L. B. Cornway, of Toll Road fame, laid a charge before P.M. Bartlet, in Windsor, on Monday, against Harry C. Leonard, of this town, of this town, on a charge of using abusive language.  From what can be learned of  the case, the two gentlemen were in an hotel together, and Mr Leonard having imbibed quite freely of Walker’s best, told Mr. Cornwall that he was a coward and afraid to go to Essex.  Mr. Cornwall, no doubt, thinks his bravery being called into question a sufficient reason for the complaint.  The case was set down for  yesterday (Thursday, August 7, 1896)