125 YEARS AGO: Dec. 5, 1896
Skating Rink: J. Burns put in a few days this week fixing up the skating rink has made a good job of it. The committee consulted the highest authorities and have been given power to so regulate the weather that there will be skating every day till summer. As soon as the weather gets a little colder the citizens of Ashcroft can once again enjoy the keen delights of good skating. It doesn’t signify if you don’t know anything about skating as half the fun of the skaters is teaching the non-skaters the errors of their ways.
At Home: The Revd. Mr. and Mrs. Anstey Dorrel held an “at home” to a number of their young friends at the vicarage, Tuesday evening. A pleasant time was had, the evening being spent in music, games, etc. It is the intention of the vicar and his entertaining wife to have a series of these during the coming winter, and will be greatly appreciated by the young people of Ashcroft.
Clinton: A very successful entertainment was held on Thanksgiving evening under the auspices of the Methodist church. There was a large and representative audience, most of the inhabitants of Clinton being present, besides many from the surrounding district… At the conclusion of the programme abundance of refreshments were served, the ladies having provided tea, coffee, and cake of most excellent quality.
New Office: The new office of the W.B. Bailey & Co. in their forwarding building on the railway side of the street is a very commodious and convenient place in which to transact business. Work is done seemingly more easily in a pleasant office or shop. The business of the forwarding firms at Ashcroft has reached large proportions within the past two years, and from the present outlook it will largely increase in the near future.
100 YEARS AGO: Dec. 2, 1921
Cattle “Hoofed” It Down Cariboo Road; Rancher’s Stock Reached Williams Lake Just As The P.G.E. Quit Functioning: When floods halted traffic on the P.G.E. several weeks ago, a large herd of cattle had just been brought down from the range [to Williams Lake] to be shipped to Vancouver. Rather than take them back again, the owner decided to drive them into Ashcroft over the Cariboo Road, a distance of 163 miles. He realized, he said, that this meant a loss in the aggregate to him, but he felt it would be inadvisable to await resumption of service on the government railway. There are no trains yet. A few days ago, an engine carrying first class mail only, left for Clinton. However, it was discovered at Lone Butte there was not enough oil to make the run and come back.
Smithers To Incorporate: By a vote of three to one the citizens of the town of Smithers, in the Bulkley Valley, have decided to incorporate under the Village Act, in order to be able to conduct their own affairs. The vote was 169 for and 54 against. The vote followed a week’s campaign in which the “fors” and “against” vied with each other on the aspects of the issue.
Snow Fall: Judging from the amount of snow falling in the valleys, it is expected that the fall on the high mountains will be very great. This gives promise of plenty of water for next summer’s irrigation.
Interesting Story Of Vanished Family; David Clark Sentenced To Two Years For Theft Of Missing Woman’s Jewellery — Circumstances Indicate Deeper Guilt: On Saturday at noon, David Arthur Clark, found guilty of the theft of the jewellery, the property of Mrs. Halden, of Granville Ranch, in the Dragon Lake area, near Quesnel, was brought before Justice McDonald for sentence. Clark was pale and nervous as he stood in the box facing the court. His rather shifty eyes betrayed a mental agitation which found expression in an attempt to discredit police testimony when he was asked the usual question as to whether he had anything to say why the sentence of the court should not be passed upon him. Besides the jewellery which Clark has given away, Chief Constable Greenwood has traced to Powell River and Burnaby, long lists of ladies’ wearing apparel, the property of Mrs. Halden, which Clark had given away to people who lived in Quesnel, and who later moved to these places. In only one case did he sell anything, and in this case only received $8. Every circumstance in the case points to the hand of the thief Clark [being involved in the disappearance] of the Halden family. His clumsy efforts to delude the law are unavailing, but equally unavailing are the efforts of the law to connect him with the disappearance of these three people unless their remains are discovered, which seems unlikely after the lapse of time.
75 YEARS AGO: Nov. 30, 1946
Unexpected Landing: Mr. and Mrs. Goodman, flying an ex-army corporation Stenson aircraft, were forced back from Boston Bar and had to land at Ashcroft Manor, where they stayed the night. They had come from Anchorage, Alaska, where Mr. Goodman is a pilot for Alaska Airlines.
School Board Meeting: The first annual meeting of Ashcroft School District No. 30 opened at the Lady Byng School Ashcroft, at 2 o’clock Saturday, November 23, and continued till 10:45 p.m. A resolution was passed urging the Department of Education to give financial assistance in the construction of school dormitories. … and that the government be asked provide a grant to assist in paying a subsistence allowance to the parents of children in outlying parts of the districts where there are no schools and transportation is not feasible.
Free Moving Pictures Tuesday: Posters are out around Ashcroft announcing an outstanding film programme to be put on at the Community hall on Tuesday, December 3rd. Conservation is the keynote of the show, with three major films demonstrating measures for the protection of public health, of children’s eyesight, and of Canada’s fur-bearing animals. The principles of foresight and economy underlying reforestation and irrigation projects, will also be shown. These are pictures dealing with important subjects that everyone should make an effort to see.
50 YEARS AGO: Dec. 2, 1971
Election Pot: …At least in Ashcroft! The old town is still running as always, keeping everything quiet till the last minute. Well, Monday at noon everyone who intended to run for the vacancies in civic office at the pending election December 11, had to state their intentions in writing, so we have a contest for all three seats. For Mayor, [incumbent] Shohe Saito and Oscar Johansen. For Aldermen, Michael J. Bloomfield, Chris T.R. Hollis, Joseph Mazurkewich, W. Wally Rolston, Charles A. Winslow. So there seems to be plenty of interest brewing in Village affairs and this is as it should be. There is a good cross-representation offering their services in the administration of our local civic government. In Cache Creek, A.F. Art McLean will become mayor in 1972 by acclamation. For Aldermen, George Benna, David Debert, and Norman Vennald will contest the two vacancies occurring on council. Villages and towns are conducting their affairs with tight reins on the purse strings these past few years with each succeeding year bringing increased demands for controls, concern for pollution control, sewage disposal, health facilities, educational demands, to name a few. Our dollars will only stretch so far and we need men who will spend them wisely for the betterment of the area as a whole.
Running For Mayoress Lytton Village: Miss Hazel Hill is running for Mayoress for the Village of Lytton. Miss Hill is a retired school teacher and she feels that she can serve the people of Lytton with integrity. For Aldermen, Mr. E. (Bud) Crowston, Mr. Delmor Jackson, and Mr. G. Griesenthwaite will run.
Why A School Referendum?: Why does the Provincial government make taxpayers vote on the building of schools, when the cost hardly affects their property taxes and has absolutely no effect on the majority of taxpayers? The majority of people’s homes in this School District are assessed at less than $6,000, their school taxes are offset by the home owners grant and all things remaining proportionately equal, will never pay any school taxes on the cost of building these schools.
editorial@accjournal.ca
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