LOOKING BACK 35 YEARS AGO

Glimpses of Life in Welland and the County in April 1892

By

OLIVER UNDERWOOD

             Then as now April weather thirty-five years ago was the same uncertain proposition as it is today. The Welland Tribune of April 1, 1892 says, “Fishing is in full swing in the river,” and “The canal is clear of ice at this point.” And as further evidence of the arrival of the vernal season, “Only 18 in the jail. Sure sign of spring.”

             The succeeding issue refers to a thunder and lightening storm-supposed to put the kibosh on Old Man Winter; but one week after that, April 15, it is recorded that “A belated snow storm reached town on Saturday and whitened the earth.”

             All of which seems to indicate that weather is weather and always will be and nothing is done about it, just as Mark Twain complained.

Art-High Art

             Passing from the mundane to the field of art, C. Swayze, Welland, announces, “I will give a dozen cabinet photographs and a splendid crayon, 18×22 in a 7 inch frame for $10. See sample of Mayor Brown in my front window.”

             Well, well, well! Likely there are a lot of the up-and-coming generation who have never fastened eyes on that highly artistic combination of a crayon portrait in a heavy gilt frame, flanked by a more sombre framed coffin-plate of the deceased subject-highly artistic, but sure to make the cold chills run up and down the spine of the juvenile beholder.

             An ad for a general servant offers the glittering wage of $12 per month. And when some of the old-timers think back on how some of those old “hired girls” could cook, they will readily agree that the stipend ought to have been all of that per day.

             The Wellandport correspondent of The Tribune hands a fair warning and likewise a stiff jolt to some of the straying sheep of that centre in the following: “We have in our midst, I am told, a place where there is a good deal of card playing going on, and sometimes a good deal of money changes hands. Where are our constables that they do not make a raid? Boys, take warning! ‘Nuf sed’ this time; perhaps more later on, if need be.”

             Thorold town council is discussing the installation of the new incandescent electric lights.

             At Humberstone, a new gas company program proposes to charge $1 per month the year round for all stoves and 10¢ per month for lights; the existing rates being $1.50 for a heater, $1 for cook stoves and 15¢ per light.     

             At Niagara Falls, “the electric railway from the Grand Trunk to the falls is to be completed by July.”

An Old-time Boniface

             The death of Elias Hoover is recorded. He was the father of our Dexter D. Hoover, and one of the pioneers of the county town. Coming to Welland, he built the Welland House and managed it for several years; then went to Port Colborne and built the Erie Hotel. Returning to Welland in 1858, he again took possession of the Welland House and in 1873, he built and occupied the Dexter House.

             The Welland school board is notified by the Board of Health to close the public school for at least one week or longer owing to the unsanitary condition of the outside closets.

             Masonic lodges of the district are being visited by Most Worshipful Grand Master of Canada, J. Ross Robertson.

             Port Colborne votes 162 for and 5 against a $4500 bonus to the glass factory.

All the World Awheel

             O.H. Garner advertises a safety bicycle for $80. The woodcut of the machine bears about the same resemblance to the bike of today, as does the 1907 automobile to the modern car. Those were the days when the aspiring (and perspiring) male cyclist donned a pair of skin-tight black knee pants, a heavy white wool turtle neck sweater weighing fourteen pounds, more or less, and a dinky little cap; and pedaled manfully over the course of a century run-100 miles within so many hours. And thought he was having a grand time!

             The License Commissioners just appointed are Alex. Logan, Niagara Falls; Robert Cooper, Welland; J. Havens Smith, Port Colborne. Applications for 82 taverns, 4 wholesale and 9 shop licenses in county.  

             From Marshville it is reported that our now fellow townsman, A.B. MacLean, has turned down the offer of $200 for his driving horse.

             The Tribune correspondent there takes another jab at the devotees of the pasteboards. This thing has gone far enough and must stop. While we do not pretend to belong to the old orthodox, puritanical, fire and brimstone class, at the same time we do say that of all the mean, low-lived, despicable devices, poker gambling heads the list.

             Niagara Falls Baptists let contract for the first church edifice of that denomination there, the building and furnishings to cost $2000.

             From that same point comes the warning that “The town is going to indict any person throwing ashes on the streets in the future.”

             The impending opening of the new Peace Bridge lends interest to this item from “International Bridge:” “Report says we are to have a ferry here this summer, for which we will be very thankful, as we need some better accommodation between here and Buffalo.”

             At Fort Erie, “The bylaw to enable the village council to borrow $10,000 for the purpose of building a town hall for this village was voted on by the electors, and was carried by an overwhelming majority.”

             The new bell of Christ Church, Niagara Falls, is to ring for the first time Easter Sunday. Its weight is 1000 lbs. and on the bell are inscribed the names of Canon Houston, Wardens, A. Frazer and Walter Woodruff, Supt. Joseph Brown and treasurer W.J. Drew.

             “Mr. Wm. Hutton deserves the thanks of all those who drive between Welland and Fonthill. He has constructed a road scraper, and with it has put a long stretch of road in fine shape for travel. Let his good example find many followers.”-Tribune.

What’s Bred in the Bone

             Talk about today’s sheiks and flappers! When dad and Mother start bawling out, the rising generation might hand ‘em this item from the Welland Telegraph. The noise made in the post office every evening during the sorting of the mail by the boys and girls is so bad that Postmaster Burgar has decided, unless Constable Eastman interferes and keeps better order, to lock the outside door of the office until the mail is distributed.”

             The cold grey down of the morning after fully realized by some of the cut-ups of Niagara Falls: “Some of the boys went over the river the other evening to see the “Two Jacks” burlesque company. Next morning they sang, ‘What a Difference in the Morning.’ ”-Telegraph

             “The plan for the new judges’ stand for the Welland fair grounds has been completed. The structure will 10×10, 18 feet high. It will be securely locked when not in use, so that the small boy who swims in the raceway can not use it as a dressing room. The bell presented by Charles Carter of Port Colborne in 1888 will swing in the peak.”-Telegraph

             The same journal razzes the town fathers as follows: “After a careful examination of the streets and sidewalks, the chairman of the committee came to the conclusion it was high time to make a move, and a gang of men was started to scrape up the mud. How about the broken planks and filthy gutters?”

The Markets

             Butter 18 cts., eggs 12 cts., potatoes 35 cts., wheat 82 cts., oats 31 cts., corn 50 cts.

The Welland Tribune and Telegraph

12 April 1927