125 YEARS AGO: JULY 23, 1898
Chilcoten [sic]: A pupil of Mr. Bailiff, named Wright, sent on to learn ranching as an apprentice, has left Chilcoten and is now on his way out. He is going back to his home in England, not being satisfied with ranch life. It is unusual for this to occur. As a rule young Englishmen take very kindly to life in Chilcoten, and when once acquainted with the country and familiar with stock raising, they settle down and become permanent residents. They make a good class of settlers, and, on account of the most of them, if not all, receiving assistance from the old country, do well financially.
Cattle: Large bands of fat cattle can be found in Chilcoten, and buyers of fat cattle will be welcomed by the stockmen.
Cataline: Cataline [the legendary packer] reached Quesnelle last Friday from Stuart’s lake, having made the trip down in six days.
100 YEARS AGO: JULY 21, 1923
Road Improvements: A portion of the Merritt-Spences Bridge road at Sawmill Flat is to be diverted at a cost of $1,200, as well as a diversion at Clapperton to cost $800… Work has begun recently on the road which is ultimately to extend the Cariboo road into Prince George. It is fully expected to have the road open for traffic next season.
Barnes Creek Water Troubles: The recent heavy rains on the hills and ranges have not relieved the irrigation water situation on Barnes creek, as would appear from an action which began recently in the supreme court between Mr. T.D. Mitchell and the Interior Cattle Company, defendants, and Chas. Gibson, plaintiff, supported by Geo. Chataway, W. Thompson, Bute Ranch and Anglesey estates. It would appear that the plaintiffs have prior water records from Barnes Creek, and an interim injunction has been granted them against the defendants using water from said creek. The land which was sought to be irrigated by the defendants is the Goss and Evans property, some miles east of Ashcroft and near Walhachin. Mr. Mitchell claimed to have put into Barnes creek from Olive and Elijah creeks more water than he had taken out, and denied breaking weirs at head gates on the creek.
Mary Ellen Smith, M.P.P., Speaks On Women’s Responsibilities In Civic Life: The Board of Trade of Hope and district had another large stone in its ultimate monument of success when a large, representative and enthusiastic audience gathered in the memorial hall to greet Mrs. Ralph (Mary Ellen) Smith on the occasion of her first visit to Hope at the invitation of the Board of Trade. Taking as her subject “Women’s Responsibilities in Civic Life”, Mrs. Smith enlarged on the various spheres of woman’s advancement during the past 10 years, sketching out the various stages through which she had passed until she has reached the proud position in the affairs of the nation to which she has now arrived. Dealing with both civic and provincial opportunities, the lecturer, with her usual eloquence, pointed out to her audience the possibilities for the future, and advised the women to keep their shoulders to the wheels and now that they had the 50-50 place with the men in the government of civil, municipal, federal and provincial affairs, not to shirk their responsibilities. Mrs. Smith dealt with such legislation as the mothers’ pension act and the women’s minimum wage act, going on to show that it was by women’s work that these laws were placed on the statutes of the province. [Ed. note: Mary Ellen Smith, first elected in 1918, was the first female Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) in B.C., and both the first female cabinet minister and the first female Acting Speaker in the British Empire.]
75 YEARS AGO: JULY 22, 1948
Clinton Fire Scare: Clinton had another fire scare on Tuesday afternoon, when an alarm was sent in from the Lime Plant, two miles out of town. As usual the Clinton people responded instantly and reached the scene in record time. The fire was in a wood shed close to the manager’s house and was extinguished without damage to the house, although the shed was destroyed.
Cannery Will Start About August 15: Ashcroft branch of Canadian Canners (Western) Ltd. in this issue have an adv. asking all who wish to work in the cannery this season to register now, as operation for the tomato pack is expected to start about the 15th of August. The tomato crop this year is perhaps the best as far as quality and quantity are concerned. At the Walhachin plantation bushes are producing a bumper crop, and a heavy harvest will be taken. Other acreages are showing up well and the famous Ashcroft tomato with a flavour all its own will soon be on the market, as semi-ripes are now being picked at Walhachin.
Accommodation For Teachers Needed: The Ashcroft School District No. 30 needs accommodation for teachers in Ashcroft. A house is needed for a principal and his family, also a house or rooms for his assistant and wife. Rooms or rooms and board are also needed for other teachers in town. If there are any home owners, or others in town, who would open their homes for teachers, will they please get in touch with Mr. N. Matick, secretary treasurer, Ashcroft School District.
Fish Ladder Withstood Fraser Flood: Except for superficial or comparatively minor damage the million dollar fishways at Hell’s Gate withstood the terrific battering of the Fraser River in the greatest flood in 50 years, and salmon are going through to their spawning grounds. Top of the concrete and steel fish ways are now three feet out of water. The river gauge now stands at 51 [feet], compared with 108 at height of the freshet. Average August level is 32, dropping to 18 in October.
50 YEARS AGO: JULY 19, 1973
Rail Clears After Wreck: Canadian National’s main rail line, knocked out Saturday by a derailment, was back in service Sunday night. Railway officials blamed hot weather for the derailment of 12 cars of an 86-car coal train near Ashcroft. CN traffic was re-routed over the CP Rail main line while the line was out of service. A CN spokesman said a sun kink, caused by expansion of the tracks under intense heat, was responsible for the derailment. Temperatures in the Thompson River area reached 98 degrees on Saturday and 95 degrees on Sunday.
Rattlesnake Victim OK: A Savona youth is in satisfactory condition in Royal Inland Hospital today after being bitten by a rattlesnake Monday. According to assistant hospital administrator Roger Charman, such a case is a rarity in Kamloops. Only one or two people each year are brought to the hospital for snakebite treatment. Small children may be endangered by rattlesnake bites, said Mr. Charman, but it is seldom they prove fatal for adults.
New Court House For Lytton: The Honourable Wm. L. Hartley, Minister of Public Works, and the Honourable A. B. Macdonald, Q.C., Attorney-General, have announced the award of a contract to Crystal Construction Ltd., Kamloops, in the amount of $40,194 for the construction of a single storey building about 1,800 sq. ft. containing a courtroom with ancillary facilities at Lytton.
Cache Creek New Road: The Dept. of Highways is proceeding with excavation of a new street from Back Valley through Britannia Subdivision along MacLean Drive on the bench above Cache Creek and will join Stage Road. When that is completed the present Back Valley Road meeting the Trans-Canada at the top of the grade will be closed.
Ashcroft Fish & Game Club: The club is sponsoring B.B. Gun and Pellet Gun classes. These classes are to teach people gun handling as well as gun safety. The programs are for young people between the ages of 11 and 18 years, and are free to everyone interested. For more information write Ken Brown, Box 563, Ashcroft, so that we can set up classes which will be convenient for all. [by] Ken Brown, Sec. Treas.
editorial@accjournal.ca
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