The town also supported the war movement
and had a "rubber parade" in an attempt, a successful effort to raise
rubber for the war front. When the war ended, back came Tommy Thompson
and J. Alfred Elsinger, home from a Jap Prison camp.
The town had come a long way from when
workers only received due bills for molasses, salt pork and tobacco.
No longer was this a company town; now prosperity had opened her doors
very wide. «picture»
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Then came fateful day in 1949. It started
out very calmly with the "L . W . Robertson" loading pulp at the wharf.
Then fire struck which was started by kids playing with firecrackers
in Billy Hudson's barn. (They were trying to scare the horses) May 15,
1949 would be remembered for a long time. Before it was over, many great
buildings had been destroyed. The paddleboat became a charred piece
of history while she remained tied up at the wharf waiting for a new
engine. The proud old boat, which had worked for 32 years hauling logs
to O’Leary’s, was now but a memory. All the buildings on O'Leary's wharf
were gone before it was brought under control. Burpee
Jardine lost a warehouse full of cars. «picture»
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In total the damage was more than $50,000.
Three houses, four barns, O'Leary's Wharf
and a paddle boat which was built by the O'Learys in 1917 her name was
the "lallapoluas" also known as the Sidewinder. Firefighters were
called in from Buctouche, Chatham, Rexton, St. Louis de Kent and Moncton
in addition to the Richibucto Dept. Scores of trucks were pressed into
service to haul water. The fire, which started around noon, raged all
after and one Richibucto Firemen, Jean Baptist Robichaud, received first
aid after he collapsed from over-exertion while fighting a fire at his
father's home (Frank Robichaud). The home was later destroyed and all
goods lost. «picture»
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