We used to make things in this country. #90: Southern Industries Ltd., Marieville Quebec

Back in 2010 I was displaying a bunch of old woodworking tools at the Frontenac Heritage Festival in Sharbot Lake, when another of the exhibitors asked me if I would be interested in an old pump that had originally been used to pump water from her cistern.  She wanted it out of her basement but thought it was too neat just to junk.  She lived just up the street so I went to have a look at it.  It was an old cast-iron reciprocating piston-type pump made, according to the label, by "Southern Industries Ltd. Model 250" out of Marieville, Quebec.  She said it was original to the house when it was built in the '40's.  A quick Google search indicates that Southern Industries became Southern Deming out of the U.S. in 1946.  Anyway, the pump was a lovely thing but not quite my cup of tea.  I tried to donate it to the Kingston Pump House Steam Museum, but they weren't interested.  So, I sold it on Kijiji to someone who was happy to give it a new lease on life.