125 YEARS AGO: APRIL 14, 1900
Harvey Bailey: Messrs. Harvey, Bailey & Co., at present the owners of the only brick building in Ashcroft, have joined with S. Tingley in the erection of a one-storey brick store on the lot owned by them and Mr. Tingley next to their store. It will contain two stores 15x50 feet with suitable accommodation in the rear for storehouses.
Ashcroft Appearance: Some beautiful lawns can now be seen about town. S. Tingley and J.H. Clements have particularly fine ones. [However] a general cleaning up of the streets and yards in Ashcroft would add to the appearance of the town very much.
Baseball: The baseball game yesterday, according to report, was rather an extreme affair, one side scoring so high they forgot the count, while the other did not score enough to make it worth while keeping any.
Driving: Stewart & Crozier’s livery stable was almost emptied yesterday, so many citizens spent the day driving.
100 YEARS AGO: APRIL 11, 1925
Board Of Trade Monthly Meeting: A letter from the Public Works Department in connection with fire protection for the bridge across the Thompson was read to the meeting. The information was that barrels had been placed with instructions to the local district engineer to keep same filled with water. A member brought to the attention of the chairman that, although there were barrels filled with water on the bridge, there were no pails for the conveying of water in the event of fire. It was decided to write the department advising that water pipes would be more serviceable.
Beer: Although numerous beer licences have been granted throughout the province, nothing has been yet done about Ashcroft.
Roads: Some good work is being done by the government road gang around Ashcroft. The road is being improved at the approach to the bridge. Mr. and Mrs. Ernest Carson, of Pavilion Mountain, were in Ashcroft on Tuesday, driving over by private car. They report the roads in good condition.
Big Slide Blocks Devil’s Canyon In Barkerville District: Gangs of men have been put on by the public works department to clear away a slide in the Devil’s Canyon near Barkerville. A canyon tender is kept busy for several months each winter keeping the road clear of slides, which occur almost daily on this stretch of the highway, but the slide which came down on Saturday afternoon is from 700 to 1,000 feet long and eight feet in depth. In addition to snow and ice, the road is filled with trees, rock, and debris of all kinds. The mail will be transferred over the slide on snowshoes, and freight traffic will have to wait until the track is shovelled out.
75 YEARS AGO: APRIL 13, 1950
Hospital Dance Ashcroft April 28: Lady Minto Hospital Auxiliary will hold their annual dance on Friday, April 28 in the Community Hall, Ashcroft. The members of the Auxiliary are now selling tickets, so get yours now while they last. Good music will be played and the evening will be one of great enjoyment. Auxiliary members are doing a good work at the hospital and all should support them.
C.P. Airline To Enter North: In a few days the C.P. Airlines will begin a service from Vancouver into the north, including Kamloops, Williams Lake, Quesnel, and Prince George. For the first time those interior towns and cities will have direct air contact with ports on the Pacific, and a speedy, comfortable service for express and passengers. 24- and 28-passenger Douglas D.C. 3s, with stewardess service, will operate over the route. The extent of the travel facilities opened up by the new service are almost unlimited. From any point on the route passengers will have a direct air contact with the Orient, Honolulu, and Australia. The Journal congratulates the CPA on this addition to its B.C. service, as it does the towns that are to be thus served, and wishes the route all the success possible. At the same time we are thinking about Ashcroft, that has apparently been left out of the picture. It is not as though we had not the facilities for landing. We have the Radio Range station at the Manor that is in touch by air of all planes going north or south, besides the makings of an efficient landing field. We have also an alternative potential immediately south of the town that could be put in shape with not too much effort. In face of all this readiness, we are wondering why Ashcroft has been left out of the picture. We are in direct communication with Williams Lake, Quesnel, and Prince George; the service would get more patronage for those northern points than from any other stop on the way. With all the agricultural possibilities that Ashcroft has in sight for connection with the new airline, this town might investigate the possibility of getting on the schedule.
50 YEARS AGO: APRIL 9, 1975
Here & There: The Canadian flag flying on the Legion Cenotaph was torn down again on March 31. The persons responsible should go live somewhere else if they don’t like Canada and our emblems, or else act like responsible Canadians.
Three Break-Ins In Ashcroft: Three break-ins took place early last week. The first happened during early Tuesday morning when Archie Nichols’ home was entered and the colour TV stolen. The Ashcroft Medical Centre and the Huston Hollinger Drug Store were also vandalized, with the front glass doors smashed. RCMP are investigating.
L.A. To Drylands Arena: The Executive of the Ladies Auxiliary to the Drylands Arena wish to thank all the ladies, students, etc., who worked so hard and put in so many hours to make the concession stand a success. From Jan. 20, 1975 to April 6, 1975 the total income at the concession stand was $9,227.25. The total debt was $5,669.34, which left a profit of $3,559.91. This money will go back into the Arena in various forms of repair and new equipment.
Lions Club Shopping Spree: The Ashcroft and District Lions Club will be sponsoring a Shopping Spree at Ashcroft’s new Safety Mart store on Friday, May 2, 7 p.m. The tickets are $1 each and are available from any Lions Club member. Proceeds are to Lions Club projects. Prizes compliments of Ashcroft and Cache Creek Safety Mart (three-minute shopping spree); Mark Dumond Hardware (gift certificate); MacLeod’s Stores (gift certificate); Ashcroft Motors (25 gallons of gas); Voyageur Restaurant (dinner for two); Jaymie’s House of Beauty (shampoo and set). Rules for the Shopping Spree are as follows: 1) The person whose name is drawn must do the shopping; 2) There is a $50 limit at the meat counter; 3) No cigarettes; 4) Shopper must leave the checkout with only one cart and return full cart then pick up another one; 5) Shopper is responsible for any damage or breakage of goods while shopping.
