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Pitt Street Blacksmith Shop – 1912

From the Evening Record – April 13, 1912:

    Pitt street is marching right to the front as part of Windsor’s business section. This view shows the old blacksmith shop between Ouelette and Goyeau, which has been purchased by Joseph Appelbe as the site of the new vaudeville theatre. There is a dispute over part of the property in this section between Mr. Appelbe on one hand and P.A. Belleperche and Osterhout & Little on the other.

    The story goes that last fall Mr. Appelbe set out to acquire some Pitt street frontage. He owned the Erie Tobacco Co. at that time, but he wanted some more property in this section. There were negotiations with the Cameron estate in Toronto. It is said that Mr. Appelbe first offered $75 a foot. Then it is claimed, he closed up the deal at $100 a foot. Just about the time the transaction was being wound up Osterhout & Little shied their castor into the ring, making a deposit with John Curry & Co. here, as agents for the Cameron estate, for some thirty feet of the same property Mr. Appelbe has been after.

    Osterhout & Little agreed to purchase their strip at $125 a foot, and told Mr. Appelbe, if he wanted the property, he would have to pay them $200 a foot. Osterhout & Little still claim they own the land, but Mr. Appelbe says they are suffering from a rarebit dream. After Osterhout & Little had announced that they purchased the Bains building, a few feet past the blacksmith shop, Appelbe returned the compliment by closing a deal with John Bains, the owner, whereby Appelbe actually got the deed, which settles all argument (sic) Walter Cruise claims he had an option from Bains and sold to Osterhout & Little.

    It looks like a merry little battle in the courts for somebody.

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