Morningstar Mill in Winter, Thorold, Canada
My photo post processed in Topaz Labs/BuzSim filters
DeCew's mill was on Beaverdams Creek, a tributary of Twelve Mile Creek. Another person with a mill further downstream on Twelve Mile Creek was William Hamilton Merritt. Both mill operators were troubled by low water levels, especially in late summer. Merritt proposed a canal to divert water from the Welland River to Twelve Mile Creek. This scheme would later evolve into the first Welland Canal. Initial plans were to construct this canal by way of Beaverdams Creek, which would have provided additional water to DeCew's mills as well. DeCew was a founding member and stockholder in the Welland Canal Company and partner to Merritt. However, the route of the canal was changed to descend the Niagara Escarpment via Dicks Creek to the east of DeCew's mills. Not only would this fail to provide the additional water he wanted, it would also cut off the headwaters of Beaverdams Creek, thereby reducing the water flow and effectively destroying his milling business. DeCew divested in the canal company and turned into a bitter opponent Merritt and of the canal. It was only after more than six years of lobbying that he received any compensation for the losses to his mills.
Morningstar Mill in Winter, Thorold, Canada
My photo post processed in Topaz Labs/BuzSim filters
DeCew's mill was on Beaverdams Creek, a tributary of Twelve Mile Creek. Another person with a mill further downstream on Twelve Mile Creek was William Hamilton Merritt. Both mill operators were troubled by low water levels, especially in late summer. Merritt proposed a canal to divert water from the Welland River to Twelve Mile Creek. This scheme would later evolve into the first Welland Canal. Initial plans were to construct this canal by way of Beaverdams Creek, which would have provided additional water to DeCew's mills as well. DeCew was a founding member and stockholder in the Welland Canal Company and partner to Merritt. However, the route of the canal was changed to descend the Niagara Escarpment via Dicks Creek to the east of DeCew's mills. Not only would this fail to provide the additional water he wanted, it would also cut off the headwaters of Beaverdams Creek, thereby reducing the water flow and effectively destroying his milling business. DeCew divested in the canal company and turned into a bitter opponent Merritt and of the canal. It was only after more than six years of lobbying that he received any compensation for the losses to his mills.