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During research conducted in the Wallaceburg & District Museum's archives a group of letters was discovered in a box titled "Eddie Davies Papers". The letters were either addressed to former plant manager, T.B. Dundas, or written by him. Ed Davies was one of the companies longest serving plant managers. He was interested in the history of the factory and made a concerted effort to collect what he could about it. Thus, it is not surprising to find these documents in his papers.Local option was the topic of the correspondence. For those who are not familiar with the term, it refers to a former law that allowed municipalities to decide individually on prohibition. It became law in 1878, with the passing of the Canadian Temperance Act, drafted by Sir Richard William Scott. The law did not garner too much attention in Wallaceburg until the First World War. In 1915 a local temperance group began pushing for a vote on the issue.
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An envelope addressed to T.B. Dundas, manager of the Wallaceburg Dominion Glass Company18 December 1915
Wallaceburg, Ontario, Canada
Credits:Wallaceburg and District Museum
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Dominion Glass Company, Toronto-----To T.B. Dundas22 November 1915
Wallaceburg, Ontario, Canada
Credits:Wallaceburg and District Museum
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Letter to T.B. Dundas Dominon Glass Company manager, Wallaceburg22 November 1915
Wallaceburg, Ontario, Canada
Credits:Wallaceburg and District Museum
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On November 22, 1915, correspondences began between T.B. Dundas, Wallaceburg's factory manager, and executives within the Dominion Glass Company. Dundas took a strong neutral stance. He did not want to get involved in any of the local option debates. He felt that if he encouraged his foremen to influence their employees' views it would tarnish his image. Moreover, he was certain that he was not capable of changing anyone's mind on the issue anyway. From the letters it appears he may have sympathized with prohibition advocates. Nevertheless, he claimed he would not get involved on either side of the debate.6
T.B. Dundas to Ralph King concerning "local option"23 November 1915
Wallaceburg, Ontario, Canada
Credits:Wallaceburg and District Museum
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T.B. Dundas to King, page 223 November 1915
Wallaceburg, Ontario, Canada
Credits:Wallaceburg and District Museum
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Page three, Dundas to King23 November 1915
Wallaceburg, Ontario, Canada
Credits:Wallaceburg & District Museum
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T.B. Dundas to King page 423 November 1915
Wallaceburg, Ontario, Canada
Credits:Wallaceburg and District Museum
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T.B Dundas to Geo Grier, President of Dominion Glass Company Ltd. concerning "local option"27 November 1915
Wallaceburg, Ontario, Canada
Credits:Wallaceburg and District Museum
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T.B. Dundas to Geo Grier page two27 November 1915
Wallaceburg, Ontario, Canada
Credits:Wallaceburg and District Museum
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T.B. Dundas to Geo Grier page 327 November 1915
Wallaceburg, Ontario, Canada
Credits:Wallaceburg and District Museum
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The Dominion Glass Company executives that were involved in the correspondence, in regards to the issue of local option, included: Ralph King, Geo Grier, and a Mr. M. Offer. Letters also came from customers that wished to see an end to the temperance movement in Wallaceburg. These letters illustrate that many men in the company were afraid of loosing key customers. Molson, for example was mentioned by King. It was thought by a number of the executives, particularly those stationed in Toronto that the Dominion Glass Company had to take a strong stance against prohibition in order to satisfy its loyal customers. King appeared the most distraught. He was convinced that Dundas needed to do something to ensure local option would not pass in Wallaceburg. He felt that if it passed the factory in Wallaceburg would lose all of its alcohol related bottle contracts.14
A letter from Walkerville concerning the "local option" vote30 November 1915
Walkerville, Ontario, Canada
Credits:Wallaceburg and District Museum
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