We must now give the history of a transaction successfully carried out by Mr. Dinsmore, which was the most important and far-reaching in its effects of any piece of legislation ever transacted in the township of Blanshard. It has been stated elsewhere that the toll-gates had been abolished in the township, at great cost to the municipality and the splendid roads leading everywhere made free to all.

From the period that a market building was erected in St. Marys, the Town Council had from time to time passed by-laws levying certain fees on all the products of the farm sold anywhere within town limits. If a farmer sold a bag of wheat he paid ten cents. If his wife or daughter has a dozen of eggs or a pound of butter in her basket, she had to contribute a few cents to the town treasurer. Failure to comply with the bylaw always led to a prompt interview with the mayor, which usually ended by augmenting the town finances and depleting the wallet of the agriculturist by a corresponding amount. It is true that the corporation graciously granted the vendor from the country the privilege of exposing their wares in the filthy old rookery dignified by the name of the market building. The farmer's wife was bold indeed who could enter the doors of a place the air of which was redolent with the effluvia of the fertilizing particles which adhered to the decaying hides which were usually lying promiscuously here and there in its dirty chambers. Her only alternative was to remain outside in the summer heat or winter cold; but in either case the town got its toll.

Since the township has given free roads to every person who chose to use them, the representative of the township he make repeated efforts to have these obnoxious imposts removed, but without effect. At a meeting of farmers belonging to a certain association, three delegates were appointed to interview a committee of the town council for the purpose of coming to some agreement whereby the objectionable bylaws would be repealed. As might be expected the town felt quite secure, and the committee of the council simply ignored the Blanshard delegates. But a solution of the difficulty was close at hand, and such a solution as no one ever expected. The action of Mr. Cathcart some year before in buying the gravel road leading into St. Marys was made the lever to solve the problem. An officer of the municipality, in a private conversation with Mr. Dinsmore suggested the coercive measure of placing a toll-gate on the main road leading into St. Marys, which would have the affect of shutting off a large amount of the trade going to the town, and of course injure the interests of the citizens. Mr. Dinsmore at once saw the opportunity and adopted the idea. When Mr. Cathcart bought the road he simply bought up the stock at sixty per cent of the face value of the shares. He never surrendered the charter of the old company, and by retaining that right made the township of Blanshard the sole owners of the road. This action saved the whole scheme. After the tollgate had been erected an action was attempted against the township by the town to compel the removal of the gate. It was held that according to the Municipal Act no township had the right to impose imposts of that kind. It was shown, however, that the township did not erect the toll under any right it might have under the Municipal Act, but by the rights given by the charter of the London and Proof Line Road Company, which company was now the township of Blanshard. This move, therefore, completely collapsed. The policy of placing a toll on this road, although very generally accepted by the people of Blanshard, met with a good deal of opposition in some sections. The members of the council were not by any means unanimous in the matter, two of the number being opposed to the movement. To the honor of James Dinsmore, William McCullough, and James Spearin, the two last of whom have passed away, they stood their ground like heroes, until the difficulty was settled to the entire satisfaction of both the municipalities. The St. Marys people did not yield without a struggle. The gate was kept on for two years and rented for a third, when one afternoon, to the inexpressible delight of the three gentlemen I have named, Mr. E.W. Harding, who, I think, was mayor of St. Marys at the time, came into the council hall at Blanshard, prepared to settle the dispute. Mr. Harding had urged a settlement during the whole time of the difficulty, but had not been able to accomplish much, until a falling off in the business of the town touched the pockets of his constituents. A better man could not have been chosen to represent the town than Mr. Harding, and before he returned that evening the whole matter was arranged, and the lease of the tollgate cancelled. During these two years the gate has been profitable to the people of Blanshard. A check was issued to every ratepayer, upon the presentation of which to the toll-keeper he was allowed to pass free. All outsiders had to pay. Thus the $1,200 which the township received for the two years they kept the gate was contributed by the adjoining municipalities, and relieved the Blanshard ratepayer to a corresponding amount in his taxes. This little episode between St. Marys and Blanshard brought the market fee question so prominently before the people of Western Canada that the legislature of Ontario abolished forever this vexatious tax.

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