the 158 days of free labour given at eight hours a day. That labour was valued at $4 per day for a total value of $632. The minutes stated that appreciation was expressed to Mr. William Miller for raising the church with his equipment which was freely and gladly given.

While the church now had a foundation underneath, no move was made to dig out the clay to make a usable base— ment. This development wouldn’t occur until the early sixties

«. NV“

The following excerpt was printed in the journal Homer on Friday, May 25, 1962.

Slight Damage to Lot 16 United Church

There was slight damage ~ this mainly caused by smoke and water — to the interior of Lot 16 United Church following a fire last evening in the building. The fire, of unknown origin, was brought under control by nearby residents and finally put out by the Miscouche Fire Department.

It is reported that the blaze was first discovered by an unidentified person who left a note on the door of the Manse during the temporary absence of the pastor, Rev. Ralph E._]ohnston, telling that the furnace in the church was smoking.

The fire alarm was sounded first by two women of the community, Mrs. Wilfred Lyle and Mrs. A.K. MacGregor, who arrived at the church to hang new drapes in the Sunday School rooms.

On arriving at church they found the building filled with smoke, and afterward, Rev. Mr. Johnstone, who had arrived home and discovered the note on his door, arrived at the church to investigate the message about the smoking furnace.

A call for assistance was sounded, and among the first of many to arrive was Darrell Lyle, who carried a fire extinguisher which he used to put out the blaze around the floor in the vicinity of the furnace.

The building was so filled with smoke that when the Miscouche fire truck arrived the hoses had to be handled from outside the building until the fire under the flooring was completely doused.

The presence of a large amount of soot in the church suggested that an explosion of the furnace may have occurred.

58 LOT 16 UNITED CHURCH AND ITS PEOPLE