125 YEARS AGO: OCT. 14, 1899
Wagon Road: The wagon road between Lillooet and Lytton is at last completed. Although stages have been making through trips for a week, it was not until Friday that the men quit work, and a first-class job they have made of it. Passengers and freight will now have speedy transit, and the saving of quite an item in travel between Lillooet and the railroad. The completion of this much-sought highway will no doubt materially help the trade of this town and district.
Boston Flat: Boston Flat is being turned over by the plough, and as it is all well fenced it will be in shape for crops next season. The water system is not yet installed, but will be before very long, the delay occurring on account of the failure of the pipe manufacturers to get the steel plates for same at the time they expected. Boston Flat should and will give great returns once fitted up and seeded.
Electric Lights: The electric lights going on at 5 o’clock, as they have done the last few nights, accommodate the business men much better then when put on later. The light furnished by the company compares favourably with any other system so far as we know in the Province.
Rinks: The curling and skating rinks are being put in shape as rapidly as possible, and will be ready for curlers and skaters as soon as ice can be made.
Duck Hunting: John Webb and Fisher Williams left last evening for the duck country south of Savonas to get the rest of those ducks and geese. . . Twelve ducks in two hours is good sport, at least Mr. J. Haddock says so, and he claims to have done it. . . A loud wail comes down from the 70-Mile House. It is a protest from the ducks and geese. They claim that Wm. and Marcus Bailey are taking off too many of their community, and that next season’s crop will be depleted. All of the above complaints lead us to hope that the Bailey brothers’ friends will soon receive samples of their ability and industry as duck-hunters.
Whopper Potato: Wm. Bose says he has unearthed one end of a potato that must be a whopper. He says as soon as he can get a couple of people to help him pry it out, he will bring it down town to put in shape for the World’s Fair at Paris. It is a potato that evidently grows very fast, for when Bill told us about it in the morning it was a foot-and-a-half long. That same afternoon he told us about it again and it was over two feet in length and still growing.
100 YEARS AGO: OCT. 11, 1924
Races Next Week; Ride The Mule: If arrangements can be made, Ashcroft will have a visit on race days from the unridable Clinton mule. The buck has never been taken out of this strange animal, that is, he has never been “broke” in. He is a feature all by himself, which maintains a certain interest between other acts, and has a warming effect on the crowd.
Clinton Clippings: The fishermen are having great luck at Kelly Lake these days. The big ’uns are taking the spoon with a vengeance.
Prince Pilots Engine Through Canyon: En route from Jasper National Park to Vancouver, the Prince of Wales [the future King Edward VIII] took over the job of running his own special train. His Royal Highness sent word that he desired to drive the locomotive on its journey through the Fraser River Canyon. The Prince mounted the engine cab at Boston Bar and introduced himself to the regular engine crew. With a copy of train orders before him and his eye on the second hand of his watch, he started the train out of the divisional point on the dot, opening up the throttle and pushing the reverse lever ahead. It was a good start without any slack or jar. As the heavy steel train proceeded through the yards it gathered speed, but about one mile out from Boston Bar cattle were observed on the track, and the Prince slowed down the train and blew the warning whistle. The cattle moved off into the bush and with the release of the brakes the big locomotive, No. 5116, swung again into her stride. The route lay along the south bank of the Fraser, the roadbed following the twisting pathway of the river with the swirling waters a hundred feet below. No better spot could have been designed to give the Royal locomotive engineer a real thrill. With high mountains on each side the train swept on through heavy rock cuttings and through a series of tunnels. Seven miles from Boston Bar, Hell’s Gate was passed, and the Prince could not restrain his anxiety to view the spectacle of the waters of the Fraser being held into narrow confines by the great masses of rock. For a couple of miles the speed of the train was slackened and His Royal Highness peered from the locomotive down into the gorge. For 12 miles more the Prince remained in charge of the engine, dismounting when the train stopped at Stout.
Weather: The weather, which had been of a pleasant disposition for a few weeks, changed its temperament a few days ago and became somewhat frosty.
75 YEARS AGO: OCT. 13, 1949
Asset To Town And District: On Oct. 15, the Ashcroft cannery will once again wind up its tomato canning operations for another season. Although the pack was not a heavy one, the season has been fairly good. The cannery opened up on Aug. 17 when the first tomatoes arrived, and ran through until above closing date. The Ashcroft cannery has been operating in this town every season with the exception of one season, 1925, and the people of the community have greatly benefited through its operation. This year the acreage was about 350 acres of tomatoes, and in good times the acreage has been up to 600. It is a well known fact that the Ashcroft tomato is one of the best in B.C.
Clinton News: The building of the new skating rink and facilities is going ahead apace. A building bee was held on Sunday with a good crowd turning out to lend a hand, and real progress was made. Be sure to turn out on Oct. 21 when it will be “Klondyke Night” in Clinton. There will be all sorts of games and fun, as well as dancing. Come and make whoopee and at the same time help the Clinton Athletic Association, who are working so hard to build a “super” rink. All proceeds of the night go to the building of the rink.
Resorts Meeting: The Hon. Leslie Ayers, Minister of Trade and Industry, was guest speaker at a banquet of Auto Courts and Resorts and Board of Trade representatives at Kamloops. Mr. Ayers outlines the “built-in features” and natural resources of the province, which is attracting new industries and large numbers of tourists. He urged the auto camp and resort owners to extend every courtesy to the visitors. He painted a very optimistic pictures of the development of the tourist industry in B.C.
Bing Crosby At Home With Canadian Veterans: Jasper Park, Alta.: Crooner Bing Crosby proved himself a good catskinner recently as he took over the controls of a big tractor to turn first sod of the new Canadian Legion hall here. He drove up and down the plot, handily manning the controls and singing “Friendly Mountains” as the plow behind the tractor cut the sod. At a reception following the ceremony, he launched the drive for funds by presenting the Legion branch with a cheque for $1,000. Crosby is holidaying at Jasper and playing in the annual Totem Pole Golf Tournament.
50 YEARS AGO: OCT. 9, 1974
Official Opening Of Drylands Arena: At last! We have an ice arena! The official opening was held on Saturday night at 7 o’clock with a good crowd on hand to witness the cutting of the red ribbon. Wm. (Bill) Tuohey, chairman of the Ashcroft Arena Commission, welcomed the crowd and gave a resume of the difficulties and frustrations of 12 long years of work and planning, with many citizens, both groups and individuals, doing their share to bring our fine arena into a reality at last. Babe Pratt, guest speaker, told us how lucky we were to be living in a quiet, respectable town like Ashcroft. He reminisced about his own hockey experiences way back when ye editor Sr. used to attend hockey games in Vancouver when Babe was a member of the Vancouver team; now he has a son on that team and has retired to be a hockey commentator on the CBC. Now the arena is ours to use wisely or abuse. A lot of hard work, planning, and money has gone into this effort, so let’s appreciate it, not wreck and defile it. [The arena was destroyed in a fire nine months later, in May 1975.]
Dedication Of Legion Cenotaph: Following a church parade at St. Alban’s Anglican Church, the dedication ceremony of the Ashcroft Legion Branch 113 Cenotaph took place at Sunday noon with a good attendance. Branch 113 members and Auxiliary members, with Legion members from area branches attending the Zone meeting, swelled the crowd, along with townspeople. The Rev. S. Irwin gave the Dedication address, following which the plaque was unveiled by Sam Kincaid, a 45-year member. [The cenotaph in question was beside the main door of the Drylands Arena, and is still there, although the plaque has been removed.]
RCMP Ashcroft Detachment: The hunting season is back with us again. It isn't hard to tell that if you work in a rural police office in British Columbia. This is the time of the year when we get plagued with calls from ranchers complaining of how some of our devoted sportsmen have left gates open, shot cattle, or chased their cattle into the next country with a motorcycle and run off half the weight the animal gained during the summer. The ranchers are usually joined by those complaining loggers, who return to work on Monday mornings to find half their equipment missing or shot all to ----, well, you know what I mean. A good number of our members are avid hunters and it makes us sad to see prime hunting areas posted, but we know why and believe me, we can sympathize with land owners who do.
B.C. Tel Lights On Campaign: Don’t bother to flick your headlights on when you see one of the B.C. Telephone Company’s many vehicles driving with headlights on during daylight hours. It’s no accident that the driver has his headlights burning. In fact, it’s to avoid accidents. B.C. Tel has initiated a “Drive With Your Lights On” safety campaign as part of its continuing company-wide motor vehicle safety program. Similar programs by other major companies have proven to have a significant effect in reducing accidents, primarily because any vehicle becomes more visible to other drivers when headlights are used.
