125 YEARS AGO: NOV. 25, 1899
Savonas: Recent improvements at this pleasant little place will be readily noted by anyone acquainted with the town, since its establishment when the C.P.R. was built. Ferguson’s Hotel has been thoroughly renovated and refitted, and is now in condition to comfortably quarter many guests, and the splendid boating and fishing, in season, makes Savonas a delightful place to spend a few weeks in the summer. The new station building and the water tank, both just completed by the C.P.R. (the latter supplying water to the hotel), the addition to Jane’s store, the grading of streets, the new school house, a new, large, and commodious barn for use in connection with the hotel, each and all show up well. Many commercial men now so arrange it that they may lay off a day or two at Savonas for the fishing, and regular summer visitors are becoming quite numerous. Kamloops Lake, on which the hotel is built, is a beautiful stretch of water. Boats are kept for the use of guests, and if anyone enjoys fishing, a half hour’s fight with a Thompson River trout will cause the summer visitor to go again and again to Savonas.
Loss Or Gain? At the time of the severe rainfall, or cloud burst as it was called, of last evening, on the mountain side owned by J.C. Barnes, large quantities of clay wash was brought down onto the streets of Ashcroft. Since that time we have had no dust but have had much mud. The question now agitating the city council is, shall Mr. Barnes be voted a pension or sued for damages. “There is never a loss without some gain.”
Roads: The busy Cariboo Road is in the worst condition that it has been for many years, the wet season and heavy travel of late having cut it down very badly.
Weather: The weather for the late part of November is delightfully clear and warm. The winter cannot be in any case a very long one when it is so late in starting in.
Ashcroft Dance: On Thursday evening of this week the young people of the town had a pleasant dance at the town hall.
Entertainment: On the night of December 5 the Owen A. Smiley Concert Company will give an entertainment in the Town Hall, under the auspices of the Ladies Aid Society of the Methodist Church. The Smiley company are very highly spoken of, and that the entertainment will be good is beyond question.
Lost: A bunch of keys was lost by Mr. C.M. Seeley on his way down from Cariboo last week. Will any one who may have picked them up kindly send them to the Journal office at Ashcroft.
100 YEARS AGO: NOV. 22, 1924
To Connect Up In One Year; Work On Trans-provincial To Start Immediately, To Lytton In 1925: Completion of the Trans-provincial Highway from Vancouver to Lytton is the programme of the Public Works Department. With this link complete, it will be possible for motorists to go from the coast to the interior, swinging north from Lytton and then south again by way of the Marble Canyon. The highway from Lytton on will be built in 1926, under present plans. Work on the first unit of the Highway scheme will be started almost immediately as an unemployment relief problem. Work will push on to Ashcroft later by way of Spences Bridge, and traffic will be able to get through by motor next fall.
Women’s Auxiliary Sale: The sale of work and tea to be given by the W.A. to St. Alban’s church will take place in the town hall on Wednesday, Nov. 26 at 3:30 in the afternoon. This is an annual bazaar and the usual patronage is anticipated. The ladies have been working hard for this, and many nice articles will be offered for sale.
Dance Notice: There will be a dance in the town hall on Wednesday, Nov. 26, first class orchestra. General admission 50 cents.
Families Getting Smaller: Canadian families are getting smaller, according to a report dealing with dwellings and families in the Dominion. In this, Canada is only marching shoulder to shoulder with all other civilized countries, and the more civilized we become the smaller the families will be until, presto! There will be no families at all. And it is one of those world wide movements which nothing on Earth will stop. It is one of Nature’s schemes for a future of which we are densely ignorant. It began with the rise in the standard of living, and the higher goes this standard, the lower down will grow the birth rate. A man, for instance, would be foolish to have five children when his income will only support two. The business of raising a family has grown too expensive for the average man. One hundred dollars every time a child is born; another hundred every time one dies, which often happens; dollars for high-priced clothing, food, accidents, epidemics, unnecessary things that must be purchased to keep up with the Jones family: dollars, dollars, and more dollars, and then some!
One Phone For Every 9: Canada has one telephone for every nine persons. The number of telephones in the dominion in 1923, according to figures just published, was 1,009,203, or 11.03 per 100 population. Of the provinces, British Columbia stands highest with 15.57 telephones per 100 population. Prince Edward Island is lowest, with 6.08.
Weather: The weather, which had been very frosty for a week or more, suddenly changed, and during the past six days has been an imitation of Indian summer.
75 YEARS AGO: NOV. 24, 1949
Mrs. C. Eagle Cuts Ribbon For Opening: To mark the completion of the road from Clinton to 116 Mile, the ribbon was cut at that point by a pioneer of Lac La Hache, Mrs. Celia Eagle. The procession of cars then travelled to Clinton, where nearly 300 people, the guests of Dawson Wake and Co., sat down in the Community hall to a sumptuous dinner, turkey, cold meats of all varieties, delicious salads, cranberry sauce, pickles, olives, rolls, ice cream, and cake. Chief Engineer Harry Anderson expressed the hope that a similar celebration would be held at Cache Creek and at the 150 Mile next year to mark the completion of the road to both those points (loud cheers and clapping). After the banquet the hall was cleared so that it could be made ready for the dance, which commenced at 10 p.m. and continued to 3 a.m.. Music was provided by players from Kamloops.
Clinton: Someone took advantage of the heavy fog of two weeks ago to provide themselves with “Red flannels” for the winter. Three clothes lines were raided on washday of that week. John and Jack Botterill lost two suits of underwear, while Mr. Josh Simpson lost one and three sweat shirts with “Clinton” written across the front. Game Warden Bill Fenton lost a new khaki shirt; as a clothes pin was gone off a second similar shirt it is thought the thief was disturbed and made his getaway.
Ready For Dance: Everything is in readiness for the Ashcroft Board of Trade Firemen’s Ball this Friday, Nov. 25. The hall has been decorated and the Windy City Six orchestra from Kamloops will supply real modern music. The Dollar Doll, another feature the Board of Trade is sponsoring, will benefit someone who holds the lucky ticket, because half the proceeds from sale of tickets will go to the winner. There are door prizes every hour, on the hour, Dutch auctions, novelties, and refreshments. Proceeds from the dance and Doll will go towards fire fighting equipment in Ashcroft. So the more you give the better protection.
Around You Hi-School (by L. Louie): I think, dear readers, that you will be treated to a Flutophone Recital at the Christmas Concert. We are practising up the popular carols such as “Good King Wenceslas” and “Joy to the World”. Just think: this may be your one chance of a lifetime to hear the one and only, unsurpassed, Lady Byng Flute-Tooters. It’s sensational, it’s colossal . . . it’s crummy.
50 YEARS AGO: NOV. 20, 1974
Third Body Found In Hotel Fire: A third body was found in the debris of the Ashcroft Hotel on Thursday afternoon last about 3 p.m. It was felt identification would not be possible due to the charred remains, however a pathologist will try to determine whether the bones are male or female. The RCMP dog traced the remains in a very short period of time on Thursday on its second trip to Ashcroft when the ashes had cooled sufficient to allow it to work more freely.
Thanks From The Firemen: On behalf of Chief Tosh Negoro and the officers and men of the Ashcroft Volunteer fire department, I wish to thank all of the many people who assisted us during the recent hotel fire. Special thanks are in order to the Red Cross society and the many people who donated soup, coffee, sandwiches, and pop. They were well appreciated. We were very happy and thankful to see many ex-officers and men of the department pitch in and man the older pumper. For a time, we did not have enough men to man more than one truck. These ex-firemen, along with a few others that pitched in, were instrumental in keeping the holocaust in check at the rear of the hotel and kept the fire from spreading to nearby businesses. To our armchair critics, I say yes, there probably was a better way to do the job. However, we are volunteers, and do not profess to be professionals. (Signed) Rod Craggs, President, Ashcroft Volunteer Firemen’s Association.
Body Found Near Clinton: An unidentified body was discovered in a shallow grave four miles from Clinton on Friday. RCMP said the body was found by a hunter in the area around Rabbit Creek. Apparently access to the site is available only by all-terrain vehicles and by foot for one mile. No cause of death has been determined, but RCMP said the pathologist’s report indicates the person has been dead from between two months and a year. The body is believed to be of a male about 5 ft. 7 in. in height.
RCMP Ashcroft Detachment: Every once in a while most policemen hear a parent threatening a small child. The threat is usually made loud enough for the man in uniform to hear and goes something like “YOU’D BETTER BEHAVE YOURSELF OR I’LL HAVE THAT POLICEMAN TAKE YOU AWAY.” While the parent was making this remark, these are some of the thoughts that were possibly going through the mind of the policeman: 1. Don’t threaten your kid with me! What do you think I am, a monster or something? 2. Look after your own “-----------” kid. You can insert the word that fits the child, eg. sweet, horrible, etc. 3. If you think I’d take that kid away you’re nuts! 4. No wonder the kid acts like that! 5. I wonder how they’ll control that kid when he is no longer afraid of police. If you are having discipline problems with your child, take a good look at your habits, and next time your child is acting up, please don’t threaten him or her with the police.
At Ashcroft Library: The Story Hour for Children ages 3 to 4 years every Tuesday morning at 10 a.m. at the Ashcroft Library continues to be a success. A fine group of young children have come out regularly, and the program is halfway through the series of eight.
One Way Street? It has been suggested that Tingley Street in north Ashcroft be made a One Way Street. The idea has found favourable discussion at council meetings. As this street is the through highway to the schools it would afford more protection for students walking to school and also for children who are playing at the park. Traffic patterns have changed noticeably in the past year or two in the Village of Ashcroft, and decisions must be made to improve safety conditions within the town. How do you feel about this idea? Let Council know your opinion.
