HOUSE FAMILY AND THE TELEGRAPH

HOUSE FAMILY AND THE TELEGRAPH

Paper Sent to the Name of Peter House For 43 Years-Eight Members of the Family Now Subscribers-A Telegraph of The Early Days

[Welland Telegraph, 24 September 1907]

A copy of The Welland Telegraph, bearing the far-off date of July 4, 1867, has been given to us by Mrs. Peter House. It was sent from this office to Mr. House over forty years ago and he had been at that time, three years a subscriber, so for forty-three years until this very date The Telegraph has been a regular visitor at the House home, and though he, some few years ago, passed from the scene, the name on the label still remains unchanged and is still read by the life-long partner of his joys and sorrows.

The Telegraph is proud to relate another important fact in connection with this interesting matter. Eight members of Mr. House’s family are today subscribers on The Telegraph list. That is a record surely that has never been equalled.

The paper dated July 4, 1867 which now lies before the editor on his desk, was published, so the advertisements says, in Evans’ new brick block near the Court House. The subscription price was $1.50 if called for at the office or delivered through the mails, and $1.75 if delivered by carriers. “Subscriptions” says the advertisement “are payable invariably in advance,” and yet, strangely enough there is provisions for an extra charge of 50 cents a year if the subscription is not paid in advance. The publisher of The Telegraph way back in 1867 was Edward Rosenorn Dewhurst.

Advertisers

Among the business cards we find these:

George Baxter, barrister, Thorold and Welland

L.D. Raymond, barrister, Welland

T. Craig, barrister, Welland

J.C. Rykert, barrister, St. Catharines

McClive & Hamilton, barristers, St. Catharines

B.H. Lemon, M.D., Thorold

J.W. Schooley, M.D., Welland

Q. Johnstone, surveyor, Welland

Daniel Brooke, barrister, Welland

J. McGarry, M.D., Drummondville

F.C. Longnecker, dentist, Welland

Other advertisers are:

D’Everardo, Fonthill, money to loan

Geo. Gordon, British American Hotel, Chippawa

Joseph Vanderslip, hotel, Welland

S.N. Pattinson, Welland, auctioneer

John McWhinney, Ontario Hotel, Welland

Henry Fitch, Royal Exchange Hotel, Fort Erie

D. Fitch, Thorold, Livery stables

George Lampman, Welland, jeweler

Stamford Brewery, St. Davids

Willson Brooks, Bailiff

James McGlashen, assignee

Robert Hobson, sheriff

Hamilton Times

Bryant, Stratton & Co., Commerial College, Toronto

Samuel Hopkins, Port Colborne, dry goods

Lock’s Tailoring and Clothing House, Welland

Charles Treble, insurance agent, Fort Erie

Robert Harper, farm for sale

S.D. Woodruff, Superintendent of Welland Canal

Samuel Berriman, Stamford, grape wine for sale

Brydges & Co., Welland, liquors

Marshall’s Photograph Gallery, Welland

John England, Fonthill, photographer and jewelery

I.G. Carter, Port Colborne, dry goods

The New Ministry

A despatch from Ottawa gives the following personnel of the Confederate Ministry and the offices held by the several ministers:

Sir John A. Macdonald, Premier and Minister of Justice

Hon. A.T. Galt, Chancellor of the Exchequer

Hon. G.F. Cartier, Minister of Militia

Hon. A.J. Ferguson-Blair, President of the Council

Hon. Peter Mitchell, Minister of Marine and Fisheries

Hon. Alex. Campbell, Postmaster General

Hon. H.L. Langevin, Home Secretary

Hon. A.G. Archibald, Foreign Secretary

Hon. William McDougall, Minister of Public Works

Hon. J.C. Chapais, Minister of Agriculture

Hon. W.P. Howland, Minister of Internal Revenue

Hon. Mr. Tilley, Minister of Customs

Hon. Edward Kenney, Receiver General

It is said that Messrs. Galt, Howland and Tilley, Kenny and Campbell are to be constituted a treasury board.

An Estimate of George Brown

The most interesting thing in the paper is an estimate of George Brown by Thomas D’Arcy McGee. The letter was written by Mr. McGee to a gentleman in Peterboro and The Telegraph publishes it in full:

I see George Brown is making devoted love to you once despised Dogans, so that at long last, I suppose I may congratulate myself on what I had so often the last eight years despaired of -George’s conversation to common Christian civility and decency in his dealings with us. If a doubt lingers in my mind as to his sincerity now, it is not a doubt of old date, it arises from his conduct, speeches and swagger last session, on the one question you ever had before parliament, as a class, namely, the school question.

It was bad and foolish enough for Master George to oppose minority rights and guarantees at the Quebec conference as he did, and was beaten, but to make a boast in the debut of ‘66 that he had done so-to tear the motion paper out of Robert Bell’s hands, placed there by that minority in order to raise an unusual and unparliamentary ‘point of order’ objection against the motion-and still go to the same minority in ‘67, and ask them to tag on to his fall, or stump, is eminently characteristic of that modest speculator in petroleum and politics.

The truth is Brown is nothing if not an agitator, and there never was a mere agitator in history that grew up into a statesman.

He has no constitutional reading of any kind out of ordinary newspaper topics. Take him off one or two back topics and he is an extremely ill-informed man.

He cannot receive or balance more than one idea at a time, and that idea masters and goads him, like the single object in the eye of a shy horse; it gives him a certain access of animal force, but it utterly deprives him for the time being of all powers of self-control, of reflection and almost of reason itself.

I know his mental peculiarities well, and except as a bell-weather he is good for nothing.

I see he is still at his antedeluvian idea, an Upper Canada party, on his principles. No interest-no man east of the Coteau, is to be recognized as worthy of consideration, till Ontario is organized in sectional array, and Ontario can dictate terms, within, if not without.

Admirable unionist. True model of confederate statesman! It is this you inaugurate the new era, with the old tactics, the old war-cries, and the old madness.

Yet this is Brown patriotism and Brown Statesmanship. Ugh! It is sickening to think how such a bladder can find followers.”

Niagara Falls Extortions

Under the heading “Barnett Triumphant,” the following despatch from Ottawa is given:

The extortions formerly practiced on visitors at Niagara Falls, must now cease, as the Government has by exclusive lease to Thomas Barnett, given him exclusive control of the passage by the permanent stone railway and pathway to the Falls. The prices have been regulated as follows: One visitor may descend without a guide by paying 25 cents, with a guide and without a waterproof dress, 50 cents, with guide and waterproof dress under the Falls, $1. No guide permitted to descend the staircase unless furnished by Barnett, and he only shall furnish waterproof dresses. The guide must be of good character and be on hand at all times. The staircase erected by Saul Davis may be closed up or removed by Barnett without cost.