125 YEARS AGO: JAN. 6, 1900
Christmas In Cariboo: Editor Journal — Sir: I take pleasure in writing you these lines and wishing you and your esteemed paper a prosperous New Year. In Cariboo, especially during the holidays, it is customary to get all the old timers together, and for the new timers to pay their respects to the pioneers who opened Cariboo’s trails that we might come and take equally with those old pioneers who made Cariboo’s name famous from the Atlantic to the Pacific. Here on the North Fork of the Quesnelle, one of the remotest corners in Cariboo’s broad domain, were assembled as jolly a crowd of old timers as you would meet anywhere from the far headwaters of the Stikine or the mighty Fraser. We kept Xmas on the North Fork of the Quesnelle River. We had some of the old pioneers and a few bottles of “be joyful”, which soon disappeared. We sang all the latest songs, toasted everything from the Queen to the success of the horseless carriage. North Fork Quesnelle, Dec. 28, 1899.
Settlers’ Club Banquet: Next Monday night the 8th inst., the old settlers’ club will have their annual banquet. It is to be hoped there will be a good attendance. It is an enjoyable occasion and only comes once a year. All members should make a special effort to be present, remembering like the soldiers of the Grand Army in the States [in the Civil War] that the membership is gradually lessening, and there are none to spare on such occasions as an annual reunion. The banquet will be held at the Ashcroft Hotel.
Roads: Freight is moving along the Cariboo road very slowly, and unless we have snow soon there will be large quantities of supplies that must lie over for some months, as it is almost impossible to make any headway with heavy loads as the roads are now, and as they are likely to be for some months unless snow comes soon. We may, however, have two months or more of sleighing yet, and if so the conditions will be materially improved.
New Stage: It is reported on what seems good authority that Wm. Parker, of Big Lake, Cariboo, will put on a stage line running from Ashcroft to Quesnelle Forks weekly. It is said that Mr. Parker is now making arrangements for a start in early spring.
New Service: On Monday, Jan. 1, the British Columbia Express Co. inaugurated a regular service carrying passengers, mail, and express from Ashcroft to Quesnelle Forks, leaving Ashcroft Mondays and the 150-Mile House Wednesdays, and making close connections to all points in Cariboo. This service will be first-class in every particular and is sure to have the approval of the travelling public.
Skating: Skating is now the popular pastime in the evening.
Dance: A dance at Cole McDonald’s last evening attracted quite a number of Ashcroft young people and called them out the 12 miles or so. A pleasant time was reported by the few who have as yet returned home this morning.
Surprise Party: A surprise party at Premier Semlin’s house, now occupied by Mr. and Mrs. Hemans, was one of the pleasant incidents of last week. Dancing was kept up until 6 o’clock the next morning, which proves conclusively that a good time was had.
100 YEARS AGO: JAN. 3, 1925
Sixty-three Pound Turkey; Clinton Repeats Old Reputation For Record Birds: In the supply of the Christmas market with the chief article for the Christmas table, the turkey bird, the Cariboo takes no mean place. From the district surrounding Clinton, one Clinton merchant has already handled over five thousand pounds of turkey, each bird weighing an average over 11 pounds, and one weighing 63 pounds. The end is not yet. There are many loads of turkeys to arrive at Clinton and other points before the Easter season. The severity of the weather immediately before Christmas prevented many farmers from marketing their products in time for the Christmas demand. Several thousand chickens and fowl were sent to the market from Big Bar, Bonaparte, Dog Creek, Bridge Lake, Forest Grove, and Chilcotin.
Quesnel Notes: D.A. Stoddart, our local member, has made himself solid with the staff and patients at the local hospital, having donated four fine turkeys for their Christmas dinner. Mr. Stoddart’s generosity is appreciated, not only by the staff and patients but by members of the hospital board and citizens generally.
Weather (Ashcroft): About a foot of snow fell in Ashcroft and vicinity last Saturday and Sunday and is lying around as it fell. The weather moderated after the fall, and has been hovering about the freezing point all week. After much strenuous work cleaning the snow from the skating rink, the ice has been put in good shape, and the skaters are making hay while the sun shines, so to speak.
Weather (Lytton): Old Jack Frost has finished his stuff in freezing up water pipes, noses, feet, and ears and has said goodbye, at least for the time being, and milder weather has taken his place. Let’s hope he stays away.
75 YEARS AGO: JAN. 5, 1950
Old Barn Recalls B.X. Days Here: The old log building across the river from Ashcroft on the “Tingley” property recalls old “B.C.X.” days away back in the [eighteen] eighties. The stable is being demolished by Mr. N. Macleod, apiarist of Ashcroft, after standing on its historic site and giving service for over 65 years. The historic building was first put up at Cache Creek as a stable for the housing of B.X. stage horses some time in the [eighteen] sixties, before the completion of the CPR in 1885, when Ashcroft became the Gateway to the Cariboo country. It was taken down log by log and moved to Ashcroft, and, since there was no bridge over the Thompson River at the time, it was set up by Steve Tingley for the B.C.X. Mr. Tingley had bought land from the original owner John Craig, who dispensed milk to Ashcroft, and the land was known as the “Milk Ranch”. The demolition began last year, and on the dove-tail ends of the huge logs were consecutive numbers in red, so that they might be replaced correctly in rebuilding. The building is about 30 by 60 feet in dimensions, and the logs are hand hewn their full length, giving a face of about two feet and tapering up to two-and-a-half feet at the other end. It is difficult to tell where the huge timbers were procured, but it is thought to have been up Back Valley from Cache Creek, where there is such pine timber to this day.
Cold Weather Hits Ashcroft: The weather is still cold with occasional snow flurries. Our lowest temperature to date has been 25 below zero on Monday night. The snowfall now for our second month of winter stands at two feet. The Public Works crew have had a busy weekend clearing snowdrifts piled up by the wind. Several cars and trucks were stalled at Ashcroft Manor until the Lillooet snow plow cleared the way.
Clinton: The New Year in these parts rode in on a wave of frigid air from the Polar regions, it being 48 below zero on the morning of Jan. 2 in Clinton. The New Year was celebrated with a dance in the community hall on Saturday night, sponsored by the hall committee. Owing to the cold and the state of the roads, it was attended almost entirely by the local people, with a marked absence of out of town patrons. Noisemakers and paper caps were handed out at midnight as the New Year was heralded in, after which refreshments were served. Dancing continued till 3:30 a.m. Music was supplied by B. Hill’s orchestra from Watch Lake.
Walhachin: The Christmas season of festivities and holidays has come and gone. Everyone here seemed to have a pleasant time with a few house parties here and there. The weather was fairly mild, although the large amount of snow made travelling a bit awkward. Extremely cold weather ushered in the New Year, the temperature hovering around 20 below zero at times. A few of the young people motored to the dance at Ashcroft on New Year’s Eve, but they had difficulty in getting back owing to the snowdrifts on the roads.
50 YEARS AGO: JAN. 1, 1975
No Journal: The next publication will be on Jan. 8, 1975. The staff is taking a two-week holiday.
