125 YEARS AGO: MARCH 24, 1900
The Town Cemetery: Editor Journal—Sir: I would draw attention to the deplorable condition of the Ashcroft burial ground, brought about presumably by animals, which are allowed to roam far too freely through this town. Besides the destruction wrought in our gardens by the numerous wandering cows, there must now be added the desecration of the graves in our “God’s Acre.” Living as we do under conditions existing in an unincorporated town, and until there exists some central authority, or other controlling body in our midst, may we not morally claim consideration at the hands of our friends who are owners of horses and cows, insuring as far as they can, that their animals shall do the least amount of damage. Yours faithfully, A. Anstey Dorrell.
Gardening: Gardening is the order of the day, and judging by work put on the gardens this season, some very pretty places will be the result.
Deposit Needed: If anyone wants to borrow the lawn roller they must make a deposit to insure its safe return. After a long search it was found deserted and evidently forgotten.
Anyone For Tennis? Why not have a tennis court or two in Ashcroft, managed in some such manner as the curling rink. Grass can be easily grown now, and although it might be late this season before the ground could be put into shape, the matter is worth attention.
Base Ball: George Borthwick, acting manager for the Kamloops Base Ball Club, wishes to get into communication with the Ashcroft Base Ball team with a view of arranging a series of games the present season between Kamloops, Lillooet, and Ashcroft. He is now corresponding with Lillooet, and thinks if arrangements are made ahead, matches might be arranged with much less expense than in the past. The Ashcroft team should have a meeting and appoint a secretary to consider Mr. Borthwick’s letter.
Dentist: Dr. Curry of Kamloops will be in Ashcroft about a week longer. Persons requiring their teeth attended to should not lose this opportunity. All work guaranteed. Gas for painless extraction.
100 YEARS AGO: MARCH 21, 1925
Ashcroft Party Has Nasty Spill; Car Rolls Over “Bluffs” And All More Or Less Injured: Alec Ogston, barrister, driver of the car; his wife, Mrs. Ogston, and baby; Mrs. (Dr.) Gibson; and Miss Rolston, teacher of the junior division Ashcroft school, were all more or less injured when the car in which they were driving went over the “bluff” about three miles from here on the Cariboo Road. During a momentary turning aside from the wheel on the part of the driver, attracted by some movement of the baby, the car went over the bank and rolled down the steep hillside, turning over four times, and came to a stop against an irrigation flume 40 or 50 feet below. The injuries received appear to be only superficial. Mr. Ogston is the most seriously injured, his face being badly scratched. Miss Rolston had cuts on her lip and right hand and a bruised arm. Mrs. Ogston and Mrs. Gibson escaped miraculously, and baby Ogston, a few years of age, perhaps owes her life to the fact that Miss Rolston threw her free of the car during the mishap. The spot where the machine went over is a bad one just beyond the stone wall; and, had it not been for the flume, they might have tumbled many hundred feet further to the Bonaparte River. Word of the accident was brought to the town by the driver of the C.A. Semlin car, and a number of citizens, including the doctor, hastened out to render first aid. In the meantime M.P. Botterill, of Clinton, who had been in Ashcroft and on his way home, turned at the scene of the accident and brought two of the ladies to town. The party from Ashcroft conveyed Mr. and Mrs. Ogston and baby home. They were all taken to the hospital, where their injuries were treated.
P.T.A. Masquerade Dance; St. Patrick’s Night One Of Most Enjoyable Ashcroft Events: To the lilt of splendid Irish music and in a setting richly trimmed with the colours and emblems of Ireland, Ashcroft honoured St. Patrick on Tuesday night last, the 17th, in the community hall ballroom in one of the most successful and popular masquerade dances ever held in the old burg. Dancing began shortly after 9 in the evening; the grand march took place at about 11 o’clock, and 65 or more couples marched in unison with the music. A benedict [newly married man] asked the Journal to raise the objection that no married man got a prize. But a young lady who was sitting across the table from the Journal reporter said the married men had already got their prizes. Supper was served at about midnight by the ladies of the P.T.A., under whose auspices the event had been arranged. The people were accommodated at long tables in the assembly hall below, 65 at a setting. The food, consisting of sandwiches and cake, was donated by members of the association and others. The gross proceeds amounted to $79.
Clinton Church Meets Last Payment; Large Attendance At Congregational Meeting Of St. John’s Church: At the congregation meeting of St. John’s Church held recently in Clinton, there was a large attendance. The new church, opened in December 1922, is now practically clear of debt, and the last installment on the loan will be met in a few weeks. Now that the debt is cleared, the energies of the people will be directed toward supporting the missionary operations carried on within the bounds of the Clinton-Williams Lake mission field. To visit all the points on this field entails a journey of 1,000 miles.
Political Convention: An effort was made to have the coming Liberal-Conservative convention for the selection of a candidate for this district sit in Ashcroft, but the weight of numbers in Kamloops killed this.
75 YEARS AGO: MARCH 23, 1950
Savona News: Spring is here! Scotty, complete with pack, has started north. This is sufficient to say to the people of Savona, but to those who won’t understand, here is the explanation. For years, “Old Scotty” (no other known name, no address) has walked into Savona every year late in the fall to spend the winter in a caved-in root cellar, and left on foot to travel north every spring. We’ve heard he has been seen in Williams Lake. Who knows how far north he does go? We do know we won’t be sure if winter is here to stay if Old Scotty doesn’t return.
Clinton Annual Ball To Be Held May 11-12: Clinton’s 82nd Annual Ball will be held on May 11th and 12th this year. This is big news to all who have formed the habit of attending this historic event. There will be as usual two nights of dancing to the music of popular dance bands. So put two big dark rings around these dates on your calendar and make it a date to attend along with the hundreds of others from Victoria to the border.
Miss Spencer Will Manage Ranch: On March 15 Miss Barbara Spencer, daughter of Col. Victor Spencer, took over the operations of the well-known Dog Creek Ranch, comprising 300,000 acres. The ranch runs about 3,000 head of Herefords. The ranch will from now on be known as the Circle “S” Cattle Co. Ltd., with Miss Spencer as president and managing director. Miss Spencer has been acquiring her interest in and knowledge of cattle on her father’s home ranch at Lytton, known as “Earlscourt”. She recently took some of the cattle from there to the Winter Fair at Toronto.
A Third Door To The Pacific: Away back in Hudson’s Bay days attempts were made to pierce a road through the wilderness of the interior from Williams Lake to Bella Coola on the Pacific coast to give B.C. a third outlet to the Pacific Ocean. The road was to accommodate the fur traders around Fort George, and later in gold rush days a short cut to the Cariboo gold fields. Neither of the schemes seem to have been successful at the time, but today a road from Bella Coola would be a wonderful tourist attraction and would open up a wonderful agricultural and stock raising and grazing territory. It is suggested that the people of Bella Coola “Do it themselves.” There is only 12 miles of road to complete. In this 12 miles the road must rise about 2,000 feet, and much of the grading would be dirt. Geography presents no real difficulties. The problem is in getting the proper authorities to see that this is more important than other projects. If one could surmount that difficulty, then this fall you could take your car through the coast range and down the Inside Passage to Vancouver. It would be worth while because the tourist dollars would circulate freely from Williams Lake to Bella Coola and the balance of the province.
50 YEARS AGO: MARCH 19, 1975
Drylands Carnival Set To Go Saturday: The carnival committee announced today that the ice show starting in the Drylands Arena this coming Saturday evening at 8 p.m. will have approximately 200 people participating in the show. Some of the features of the program are guest skaters from the Mount Paul Skating Club in Kamloops, an area beauty contest with Queen candidates from Clinton, Spences Bridge, Ashcroft, Cache Creek, Savona, and Logan Lake, pro hockey guests, a long-awaited game between the mothers and the Pee Wee Pups, and a Schmockey Game. The Ashcroft Secondary School Band will also be in attendance, and the Silver Blades Skating Club will be doing four numbers during the show. Advance tickets are on sale at the arena ticket office and Jay-Rays Men’s Wear in Ashcroft. See you at the Carnival.
Ashcroft Detachment RCMP Weekly Report: With warmer weather upon us and summer approaching, this office is again in receipt of complaints from citizens of both villages regarding noisy dirt bikes. We fully appreciate this sport is a healthy activity for the youngsters and a good outlet for excess energy which might otherwise be used destructively. However, we also appreciate the feelings of many people of both villages that the bikes are a noisy nuisance and the operators inconsiderate. The roar of dirt bikes all summer is far from pleasant for many people. Parents take note that you can be held responsible. Riding on private property with owner permission is of course permissible. Dirt bikers in both villages are reminded to walk their bikes to the hills. Once in the hills, might we suggest going a little further back and away from developed areas where the bikes cannot be heard. With parent and bikers’ cooperation we should have no more complaints. Good biking.
Desert Stage Postpones Play: The Desert Stage regrets that it will have to postpone production of the play “Design for Murder” until the fall. Insufficient numbers showed up for auditions and it proved impossible to find enough players at this time. It seems likely that the fall is the best time to put on a play in Ashcroft, and on this basis the Desert Stage will wait until then.
