used for fuel. These lights were lit in the evening and turned off in the morning by the lighthouse keepers. In May of 1962, these lights became automated by the use of battery power, with sun switches to turn them on and off as required. They would be disconnected alterthe fall shipping season. On March 9, 1984, the lighthouses were phased out completely. "Disgraceful conditions at Brush Wharf made it unsafe for landing or shipping freight."16 '
Ships were not the only form of transportation in the early 1800's. At this time, a good road consisted of a 6-7 foot wide cut through the woods. This road would be without bridges, even though it crossed swamps and streams. The constructing of a roadway was simply the cutting down of trees, and the removing of stumps. Paths were slashed through the forest and gradually widened as the need for transportation by cart or wagon increased. Men shovelled fill into horse-drawn dump carts that were hauled to the road building site, where the fill was dumped and spread by men with shovels. ,On swampy ground, or where springs existed, a road was built of logs. This was called a corduroy road. Logs were placed across the road, and then anothertier was layed across the first at right angles. This laying was continued until the road bed was built up to the required level. The rough surface was then covered with clay.
Each district had a road master, who was appointed by the Provincial Government. Their duties were to collect the road tax, and schedule the work that needed to be done in the district. Some of the early road masters in the area were Joseph D. MacRae, James Morrissey and JackRooney. In 1913, a road act was passed and read as follows: "the road master shall divide his district before December each year, to allot as many male inhabitants between ages of 18 and 65 years whose duties will be during this winter to keep highways and roads passable by breaking with horses or teams, levelling ditches, removing snow and opening water courses as necessary. No person shall be obliged to go further than three miles from home. No
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16 The Examiner, June 26, 1885.
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