Cape Breton's Magazine

From The Saga of the Reluctant Piper' Announcer: Today is Sunday, August 14, 1955, and radio station CJCH presents its weekly edition of the Information Hour, Today we depart from our usual Information Hour format to bring you a story of yes? terday's ceremony at the opening of the Canso Causeway, Not only was the event a newsworthy one, but ladies and gentlemen, there was one aspect of this epoch-shat? tering occasion whose details were not disclosed, whose interesting, almost un? believable saga remained hidden from pub? lic knowledge despite the volume of words devoted to the occasion by the radio and the press. Shortly after 2 p,m, Atlantic Daylight Time, the snipping of a piece of colourful tartan ribbon marked the offic? ial opening of a man-made link to join the mainland of Nova Scotia to the island which is Cape Breton, And it now can be revealed that the key figures, the central characters, the symbols--the famed 100 pipers,--almost, just almost, failed to ap? pear. The manner in which this near tra? gedy well nigh occurred came about in this fashion: (Sounds of the pipes.) Announcer's voice over the music: They represented the best and all the finest tradition of the Scot? tish people, these upright, square-shoul? dered breed of manly men--the 100 pipers of the crossing. They came from all over the lands which they represent. Down from the mountains they came, up from the val? leys, in from the sea-girt coastlines of their land, over from the distant lees and meadows of the far country, out from the little hamlets and lone communities they came, these bagpipe-fondling bearers of the Gaelic tradition. Truly, these hundred were not to be excelled,.,, But it can now be revealed that on the eve of the big oc? casion, as last minute plans were final? ized and the merest details attended to, the fate of the Canso Causeway was in the hands of one man and one man only. The eve of the occasion was to see but 99 pipers willing to participate. The lone disclaim- ant to participate among the 100 was one Roderick Cameron Colin MacPherson--better known to those privileged few who could boast they knew him as Big Rod the Piper. WHERE TOMORROWS STYLES ARE FEATURED TODAY Jacobson's Ladies' Wear Hudson's Bay jackets and coats Hudson's Bay blankets pure imported suits from Scotland imported cashmere coats mohair blankets 330 Charlotte Sxreet Jacobson's Tw?ed& Hickory tarxan skirts and kilts Icelandic coats and sweaters and ponchos lacobsoift Peter Scott lamb's wool ;'|fl and Shetland sweaters ""' imported pure wool skirts, sweaters and pants '1 • iir-i'* 332 Charlotte Street Sydney Celebrating Our 50th Anniversary 'y''y GOLDMAN & SONS LTD. Tilt HOME OK KINK SKAjOOP" 'Gallant Street Glace Bay Terminal Bldg Sydney Airpor "Tires Our Specialty' SYL'S SERVICECENTRE 295-2911 [jRViNO] 295-2911 Located in Downtown Bftddeck 24-Hour Towing Service (49)