125 YEARS AGO: MARCH 10, 1900
Fire Alarm: Owing to the rather quiet tone of our fire alarm it has been suggested by a member of the fire company that it would greatly assist in letting the members know when there is an alarm if those fortunate enough to have heard the alarm would call “fire!”
Insurance Rates: The action of the insurance companies in raising rates in Ashcroft is strongly condemned by everybody. It is certainly a shame that the fire companies have taken this course after all the expense we have gone to to provide against fire.
Boston Flats Water: John Craigie, machinist, of Vancouver, and W.B. Fison, of Kamloops, are now at work completing the pipeline and erection of the pump for the Ashcroft Water, Electric and Improvement Company, at the power house. The company intend to have everything ready for working so their Boston flat property can be thoroughly irrigated. At Kamloops they have completed a boom half-a-mile in length to hold a reserve of logs. About 100 men are employed getting out logs.
Water Shortage? R. Carson of Pavilion was in Ashcroft on Wednesday. Mr. Carson, who is one of the leading ranchers of that section, says there may be a shortage of water for irrigating this season owing to the light fall of snow.
Curling: Evidently chance amounts to a good deal in curling. There is no other way to account for the games won by some of the new players.
100 YEARS AGO: MARCH 7, 1925
Hay Held Up By Bad Roads: Instructions have been issued by the provincial road engineer to drivers that no trucks over certain capacity are to be used on the road until further notice. The object is to prevent too much damage during the thawing-out period. As a consequence hay-hauling operations on the Cariboo Road from Maiden Creek to Ashcroft have ceased. This is reported to be working a hardship on farmers who have contracts for supplying hay to the Dry Belt Farmers’ Association at Ashcroft.
Clinton Clippings: Ice has been coming in from Kelly Lake for the past week. The quality is excellent this year, and about 22 inches in thickness.
Movies: Tonight in the movie hall, Jackie Coogan in “Circus Days”. Great for the kids. “Covered Wagon” next week at the movies. Don’t miss it.
Newspaper Mistakes: We made a mistake in last week’s issue. A good subscriber told us about it. The same day there was a letter in our post office box that didn’t belong to us. We called for 98 over the telephone and got 198. We asked for a spool of 50 thread and when we got home we found it was No. 60. The train was reported 30 minutes late. We arrived at the depot 20 minutes after train time and the train was gone. We got our milk bill and there was a mistake of 10 cents. We ordered a tin of brown shoe polish and later found they gave us black. Yes, we made a mistake in last week’s paper.
Weather: A few weeks ago there was about a foot of snow on the streets of Ashcroft, now the dust is blowing in real March traditional style.
75 YEARS AGO: MARCH 9, 1950
Narrow Escape: While motoring to Lytton last week, Mr. C. Jaeck and Mr. E.N. Jaeck had a narrow escape. Only 15 feet in front of them a two hundred-pound rock came bouncing down the bank, hit the right hand side of the road, and bounced two feet over the highway right over the railway line below into the Fraser Canyon.
Cannery: Mr. R.J. Ayers is busy painting Canadian Canners signs, which will brighten the premises and town up.
Spences Bridge: The dance held in the Community Hall here a fortnight ago was well-attended, with several Lytton folks, as well as Merritt folks, seen among the crowd. The club plans to have another dance on March 17 and have engaged the same orchestra.
Around Your Hi-School (by L. Louie): Our two budding scientists made baking powder biscuits in the lab the other day. Tasty, eh wot? Personally they tasted more like burned rubber! Don’t blame the girls, though. The utensils were a little out of mode. A bunsen burner served as an oven and an asbestos sheet as the baking pan!
50 YEARS AGO: MARCH 5, 1975
Loon Lake News: A week ago last Monday, Rancher Stan Hook of the 20 Mile was on the mountain south of his place, hunting for a missing horse with his two dogs, one young and the other a large German shepherd breed called “King”. A six-foot cougar suddenly bounded out from behind a log after King. The cat soon realized he had made a mistake by tangling with a 93-pound dog and decided to take to a tree. The infuriated King grabbed his tail before he could make much headway and they once more became a tangle of legs and fur. By this time Stan had time to get his lariat off his saddle and lassoed him on the second throw. He was then able to get his rope over a limb and hang him. Just to make sure he was dead, Stan left him hang for a couple of days before he and his wife, Betty, packed him in. Last fall a hunter reported a cougar following him, when he hastily left the same mountain. A few days later the conservation officer from Clinton tracked another cougar from Dougherty’s and got it in the same area.
30 Days For Shooting Moose: Bill Gillies, Walhachin, plead guilty to shooting a cow moose in the Deadman Creek area and was sentenced to 30 days in Kamloops. This case was investigated by C.C. Williams, conservation officer, Clinton, and Heinz Lunenberger on information received. This is a low moose population area and very few were taken during hunting season. This area is also posted “No Hunting” on the Crown leases.
Fun Fair Proved Fun: The Fun Fair held at the Ashcroft Elementary School on Friday evening drew a good crowd. Displays had been set up in all grades. The fashion show, especially the younger children, created a lot of interest and amusement. As always, the young fry stole the show. The pie-eating contest was won by F. Kilbach, who must have felt full as a tick when he was announced the winner. Where did he put all the pie? Monies from the event will be used for a field trip through the Okanagan and Kootenays by Grade 5 in June.
Ice Carnival: Tentative plans are underway for an Ice Carnival, with the date set for March 22. Cpl. Jim Aird and Mike Fripp are a two-man committee setting up the preliminaries for the event. The Ashcroft Chamber of Commerce will act as sponsor, with Murray Kane as liaison. It is hoped to have displays and participation from every group using the arena facilities, as well as some outside professional entertainment and a beauty contest. Keep this date open and plan to attend. Even get involved and help with the planning!
Happy Gang To Meet At OAP Centre: The Happy Gang of anyone over 50 are meeting at the O.A.P.O. drop-in centre in the old Lady Minto for an evening of socializing, games, and lunch on March 11 at 7 p.m. The members of the Royal Purple, together with the Elks, are organizing an evening once a month for the Happy Gang in our area and all are most welcome. There are over 100 senior citizens in Ashcroft and 65 or more in Cache Creek, so come out and see what we’re up to.
