125 YEARS AGO: DEC. 30, 1899
New Century: When does the nineteenth century end? Anyone at all in doubt should attend the debates going on at the Ashcroft Hotel. Any time during the day or night the debate goes briskly along. Sometimes the ’99 men are on top, and sometimes the ’00 men. The question was settled last night in favour of ’00.
Christmas Tree: A Christmas tree, containing valuable and acceptable presents for 64 children, was held in the hall on Wednesday evening last. There was a good attendance from town and neighbourhood, and all seemed to enjoy themselves. An interesting programme was rendered, much to the pleasure and profit of the audience.
Splendid Dinner: F. Nelson, of the Cargile House, served a splendid dinner to his regular and invited guests. The dining room, under the direction of Mrs. Nelson, was beautifully decorated with spruce and pine boughs, arranged in part to hang from the ceiling and to hold a number of coloured candles. If anyone was hungry after following the courses of soup, turkey, chicken, ham, roast pork, sauces and salads, to say nothing of mince, lemon, and apple pies, plum-puddings, and cakes, the fault was entirely their own. Special mention should be made of the ability displayed by Mr. Gordon in the effective manner that he destroyed the shape of the turkey under his charge. For a generous, full, complete, and entirely satisfactory piece of turkey, Mr.Gordon’s method of carving is highly recommended. Nor must the roast pork be omitted. It wasn’t a piece, but a whole porker. Every bit of him was there except the squeal.
Clinton Notes: Government Agent Soues presided at the Christmas dinner at Joe Smith’s. Mr. Soues remarked that he has been chief carver at Christmas dinners in British Columbia for the past 32 years. May he long continue.
Improvement: Thanks to the C.P.R. for the improvement they have made of the approach to the station. Another petition to some other power will be necessary to complete anything like a decent road.
100 YEARS AGO: DEC. 27, 1924
Clinton School Closing; 30 Below Zero Don’t Freeze The Christmas Spirit: The school entertainment and Xmas tree was held here on the 19th, as per schedule, regardless of the severe weather prevailing at the time, the mercury having hovered around 30 below for several days. The concert was greatly appreciated by all present, and it is conceded that it was one of the best, if not THE best, that ever has been given by the Clinton school. Much credit is due the teachers for the excellent showing made by the children, who are to be congratulated for the ladylike and gentlemanly way each of them carried out their individual parts. It must certainly be gratifying to the parents, and particularly to the mothers, to note the feeling of confidence among teachers and children, and the excellent display of discipline. After the concert the presents were distributed by Father Xmas, and the small children enjoyed themselves by dancing until midnight, when lunch was served, after which the older folks indulged in dancing until the wee hours. Music was supplied by local talent, which left nothing to be desired.
Walhachin: The Christmas tree and school entertainment was held in the Bungalow on Saturday last, and was very much enjoyed by all, especially the younger members of the population. The programme of entertainment was followed by the appearance of the real Father Christmas himself, who distributed the presents and bags of candy, fruit, and nuts to the children.
Missed The Train: Mrs. Nicol, of Spatsum, was in Ashcroft one day last week and missed the return train. Fortunately, it was the night of the dance, and she passed a few hours here.
Old-Time Weather: The cold snap which was predicted by local prophets to end in about three days has already continued about two weeks and shows no sign of letting up. It is like one of the old-time winters.
Pleasant Trip: Constable Gorman and Indian agent MacLeod had a pleasant trip a few days ago. Their object was the 100 Mile House, but it appears they ran out of bare ground, Lizzie [the car] lost her courage, and would no longer face the storm and snow drifts, so they beat a retreat from the 87 Mile, and reached town on a bob [sleigh], slightly disfigured but still going strong.
Electrification Of C.P.R.: Sooner or later the electrification of all works must come, and the proposal of the C.P.R. to adopt this means of power in the near future between Revelstoke and Calgary is just a beginning of what is inevitable in the industrial world. The time is coming when all wheels will be turned by hydro-electric power, for the coal and oil supply must have a limit, and will come to an end one day at the present rate of consumption. Coal beds and oil deposits will become exhausted, because there is no means by which the shrinkage can be made up. But we can see no end to the world’s water power until such time as the planet dries up to that degree that the rivers cease to flow. And, according to our view of things, this will not take place within the vision of man. Hydro-electric is the power of the future, and when that time arrives, the country with the most mountains and the greatest waterfalls will be the richest in the world in industry. And British Columbia will be one of the first on the list, for it has millions of horse power of this kind waiting the day when its great rivers will be harnessed for this purpose. The electrifying of the C.P.R. from Revelstoke to Calgary at a cost of about $20 million is the beginning of a system that will cover the entire line in British Columbia in the near future.
Bah Humbug: Christmas comes but once a year, and that’s enough.
75 YEARS AGO: DEC. 29, 1949
Heavy Snow Blocks Traffic: The sun broke through the clouds about 1 p.m. on Thursday following 48 hours of continuous snow, bringing the fall for the month of December, 1949 to date to 21.6 inches, which must be something of a record for so early in the winter. Last winter our entire snowfall was 19 inches. Public works crews in the entire district have had a busy Christmas season, having to work long and late hours to keep roads open. Roads have been kept open in the interior all through the holidays, and travel has been quite normal up the Cariboo road and east to Kamloops. The canyon route and Hope-Princeton are both closed. This morning brought difficulties following the heavy fall during the last 24 hours. Mr. Muir, our milkman, was forced to go around the loop to the Manor to get into town, as a raging wind along the Bonaparte had piled the snow into huge drifts. A bus en route from Clinton was stalled above Calder’s place. The 11 o’clock bus from Kamloops last night went thru a thick coating of ice formed by water running from an irrigation ditch, running over the road just past the Semlin, and did not get into town. The local public works is busy clearing the walks of snow in town.
Clinton: Don’t forget our feathered friends this bitter weather. With their natural food covered up with snow, life is hard for them. They go to bed in the fir trees at 3:30 p.m. and from then till 7:30 or 8 a.m. is a long, cold night, specially if pickings are scarce. Why not throw out crumbs, finely ground meat, or meat scraps. The chickadees and juncos enjoy a piece of suet hung in a bush or low branch of a tree out of reach of cats, but the sparrows like to eat off the ground. Their cheery twitterings will repay you for the little bit of trouble. Give them a happy holiday feast too!
Car Insurance Rates Going Up: Because of the sharp increase in the number of serious and even fatal automobile accidents attributed to operators under the age of 25, a new classification is being introduced which gives preferred rates on pleasure cars where there is no driver in the household under that age. According to continent-wide statistics, drivers under 25 contribute more than their share of responsibility for automobile accidents in the traffic world. While mechanic’s labour costs, in line with general wage increases and automobile parts and accessories, have been boosted at a rapid rate since 1939, premiums for bodily injury and property damage insurance, and also those for fire and theft protection, are actually less today than they were in 1939. The automobile that you could replace for $1,200 in 1939 would cost you today $2,400.
50 YEARS AGO: DEC. 25, 1974
No Journal: The next publication will be on Jan. 8, 1975. The staff is taking a two-week holiday.
