Businesses In Meaford 1865
14 retail stores
7 churches
4 hotels
2 tanneries
2 saddle makers and harness shops
5 blacksmiths and wagon makers
2 physicians
3 law offices
1 foundry

Meaford Area Statistics - 1865

Number of days for mail to get to Toronto from Meaford in Summer	1
Annual Salary for Hugh Jordan as constable and Town Hall caretaker	$12.00
Cost to rent the town wharf for 1 year	$200.00
Grant to St. Vincent Agriculture Society to erect fences for their first show	$10.00
Size of Meaford's Grain elevator	80,000 bu
Years before the first telegraph received in Meaford	2
Population of Meaford	1100
Barrels of fish shipped from Cape Rich to Toronto	800

Farm Prices at the Bradford Market June 1864

Eggs	6-7 cents per dozen
Butter	18-20 cents /lb
Oats	43-50 cents per bu.
Flour	5.00/Barrel
Pork	4.50 c.w.t.

Farm Prices at the Bradford Market April 1865

Eggs	13 cents per dozen
Pork	6.50-7.00 c.w.t.

Wharfage rates at Stevenson's Wharf - Meaford - 1865

Hogs, sheep and calves	5 cents
Horses and Cattle	25 cents
Plows, harrows, sleighs	25 cents
Wagons	3 1/2 cents
Liquor in Barrels	20 cents
Shingles	2 cents per thousand
Potash in barrels	12 1/2 cents

Production Statistics - St. Vincent Township - 1861

Spring Wheat	67,015 bu
Fall Wheat	6,359 bu
Barley	3,438 bu
Oats	31,191 bu
Peas	21,198 bu
Turnips	38,670 bu
Potatoes	40,844 bu
Pork	1,080 barrels
Fresh Fish	2,972 barrels
Maple Sugar	33,438 pounds
Butter	59,586 pounds

Significant Local events in 1865

A forest fire burned at Mountain Lake for the whole month of July 1865. The smoke from the fire drifted south and with a temperature inversion filled the Bighead River Valley wih smoke. We know that Muir was in the area in July 1865 becasue he notes that he visited the garden of J. Cox. Cox lived near the shore about 3 km from Meaford, and not far from the Trout Family Home.

Town Hall Construction completed at a cost of $2490