Results for ‘LETTERS’
[Welland Tribune, 19 January 1900]
The following are extracts from a letter received by A.L. Pattison from H.B. Stringer, now of Port Dover, whose son has recently departed with the Second Canadian Contingent. Mr. Stringer is a native of Pelham, and his spirit will be applauded by his friends in the township. Mr. Stringer writes:-
“We had always hoped that our son would not offer himself for foreign service. He went to Hamilton on Tuesday morning. On Wednesday he telephoned us that he would be home in the morning, and would leave on Friday.
I said to him a day or two ago: You have no idea what you will have to go through. I pointed out to him the great dangers of warfare, particularly under the circumstances now existing in South Africa. I detailed to him the horrors of the civil war in the United States, He listened attentively, and then said: If I pass the medical examination, I am going.
The people have responded nobly to the spirit of the times. They gave him $75 in cash, insured his life for $1,000, and he also received $50 from the city of Hamilton.
There were thousands at the station to see them off, and many presents were showered on them by the patriotic people.
I said, as the train moved out:-”Shall we see him again-there are one hundred chances against him.”
The empire must be upheld, if all the boys in Canada are required to do it.”
H.B. Stringer
“Huron Lee”
[People’s Press, 9 October 1906]
Do the people of Welland think it was wise to encourage the industries they have already secured, or was the bargain a bad one? And are they not securing these industries still more cheaply? Do the people of Welland realise that the product of one factory is the raw material for some other factory, or in some way connected by stock holders or in a friendly way with some other industry, and that when they have secured a few more factories than they now have they will be able to secure others on account of the ones they have and will have, which position Hamilton has already reached, and it is in sight for Welland.
Do they realise that more factories, more population, would tend to encourage the government to additional improvements, encourage the railways to spend additional money and increase their transportation advantages. In other words, does Welland want to become a city or would they rather remain a country town? I shall watch with interest the result of the vote to be taken October 11th.
Yours very truly,
J.W. LYON
[Welland Tribune, 9 April 1874]
To the Editors:-
I noticed that the TRIBUNE of March 12th said that the town hall would, “as it should,” be built in the village of Ridgeway. In the issue of March 19th you give your reasons for having the hall located in a town, which I agree are quite correct, as I have always been in favor of shooting two birds with one stone, as you remark. At the same time I am in favor of fair play. The question should be decided by the ratepayers and, whatever the decision, I would not say a word. As regards the centre of the township, if you will look on the map you will find Stevensville as near the centre as Ridgeway,-and, as you very properly suggested, it ought to be built in a town, why not give the township the privilege of voting it where they choose. The Ridgeway people had petitions going the rounds for months, but never circulated any in the vicinity of Stevensville, until the people of that place got wind of what was going on, when at a late hour some little counter action was taken. If the Council had taken Mr. Councillor John Hershey’s plan to give the ratepayers an equal chance, all would have been satisfactory to the public, though for my part, I am a great stickler for good roads, and under present circumstances would rather see the money laid out on a road from one thoroughfare to another.
Yours, &c.,
A ROADMAKER
Stevensville, March 23rd, 1874.
The writer of the above, if we recollect aright, at first wanted to have the town hall built in the exact geographical centre of the township, but we are pleased to see that, struck by the cogency of our reasons for building in a village, even if not exactly in the centre, he has somewhat changed his mind in this respect, and now confines his demands to having a vote taken between Ridgeway and Stevensville. We thought this matter had been settled-and by the ratepayers themselves. We have been informed, and we believe correctly, that a large majority of the ratepayers petitioned the council to build the hall, and to build it in Ridgeway. With a petition before them endorsed by a majority of the ratepayers it would have been sheer nonsense and a piece of extravagance for the council to have asked a vote, and they, having the money on hand, very properly resolved to comply with the prayer of the petition, and, after passing a resolution to that effect, proceeded further to instruct the reeve to procure estimates, &c. If the facts respecting a majority petition having been presented are as stated in the foregoing, and we believe they are, the plea of “A Roadmaster,” had been fully forestalled and falls without weight. If the ratepayers cannot agree between two or three sites for a town hall, there is no earthly chance of their ever agreeing upon the roads which the money should be spent in case it was determined to lay it out on roads. Money has been justly propounded by good authority to be the root of all evil, and we fancy the sooner the money-the bone of contention-in this case is spent, the matter will place reign within the building of Bertie. TRIBUNE
[Welland Tribune, 12 March 1873]
A serious hitch has taken place here between the Reeve and the License Inspector. Last January Messrs. Eden and Treble competed for the Reeveship, the latter being the successful candidate.
The Council, elect, however, were favorable to Mr. Eden, and they proffered him the position of Inspector of Licenses, which he accepted, as he declared, not for the pecuniary emoluments attaching thereto; but if possible, to assist in checking the drunkenness prevalent in the village. Some one who would act independently and without ulterior motive in view was wanted, and Mr. Eden was selected. Well, Mr. Eden went on and licensed ten houses, which, heavens knows, is enough for the village. Other applications were made, however which the Inspector rejected on the ground of want of proper accommodation. Last year several obtained licenses under false pretenses, offering stables not attached to their houses, and which accommodated neither hay, oats nor horses from one end of the year to the other. Can such be called public houses, when the law most distinctly says they shall have accommodations for at least six horses? Two of these miserable groggeries are owned by Mr. Treble, and he, the Reeve and a J.P., did his best to have them licensed, but in vain, as the Council and nineteen-twentieths of the ratepayers sustained the Inspector. One party who had gone to considerable expense in getting four bedrooms and beds, with proper stabling accommodations, obtained a certificate from the Inspector, which he presented to the Reeve for his signature.
He, (the Reeve) however, refused to sign, but went to his house and asked to be permitted to inspect it which was very properly refused, as he had no authority from the Inspector. Mr. Treble still withholds his signature, and says he will not give it unless the Inspector (Mr. Eden) gives certificates for his houses, thus attempting to coerce Mr. Eden. The other day petitions were circulated for the dismissal of Mr. Eden, but fools to sign them were not found. What a piteous position for Reeve to be found in, merely because he happens to be proprietor of two miserable groggeries, in one of which the proprietor was recently stabbed in several places at a late hour at night. The culprit was brought up before the Reeve, and committed to the lock-up, but broke out and escaped. A meeting of the Council took place on the 5th inst. Present-The Reeve and Messrs. Harris and Thompson. A resolution was drawn up by the Reeve and moved by Mr. Harris, to the effect that, in the opinion of the Council, stables a convenient distance from the tavern would be considered as attached, which resolution was forwarded to the License Inspector, who thanked the Council for their kind expression of opinion, which he said was not asked nor desired, and expressed his determination to still be guided by the statute.
Fort Erie, March 11, 1873
(For the Welland Tribune)
Ontario, California, Feb. 25, 1895
[Welland Tribune, 8 March 1895]
Mr. Editor-I saw in your issue of the 15th inst, that myself and my son, Wm. Hill, were going to return home at once to Canada, which was a mistake, as we do not, so far as we know at present, expect to return until about the last of April or the first of May, and perhaps not then.
We came here expecting to spend the winter in a fine, warm and healthy climate, but have been greatly mistaken. We arrived in the city of Los Angeles on the first day of December last-remained there the greater part of December and January, and I never put in two months of more disagreeable and unhealthy weather in Canada. Although not freezing, it was cold, damp and rainy the greater part of that time, and quite unfit for any person to go out of the house without the protection of gloves, overcoat, overshoes and an umbrella, and the streets were as muddy as I ever saw in the town of Welland; and no stranger has any business there without a full purse, for which he is likely to be held up on the street at any time and his little boodle taken from him, although we have had no such misfortune. We came to Ontario, California, the 9th inst., where we are now. It is a most delightful place. It rained for the first four days, but as soon as the weather cleared up the roads and streets were dry. The streets are well shaded with trees, beautiful hedges surround every plot of land for miles around, and at an elevation of over 1200 feet above sea level. Now, with respect to friend Ward, whom we have not seen for the last two weeks, I hear he is still on the upper shelf. He has now got the reputation of being one of the greatest Nimrods (self excepted) of any dead shot in Southern California. I assure you it was very amusing to me, while on our hunting expeditions, and passing over our hunting grounds to see him going along with his gun at his shoulder and a dead bead drawn on the game before he could see it, and through the swiftness of his intended victims they are clearly out of harm’s way before he sends his deadly lead after them, but not into them, as he intended to do.
It was quite true, as previously reported in his letter, he downed some game, but he failed to say it had been previously crippled by some other sportsman; it is also true he did bring to the ground a great bird which, upon investigation, proved to be a turkey buzzard. These great birds are protected by imposing a fine of $50 upon any person who kills one of them. The object in protecting them is that they devour great quantities of all kinds of animals that die on the plains and roadsides, of which we have seen hundreds. We saw great flocks of these large birds hovering over animals not yet dead, ready to devour them- and when some distance from Friend Ward I saw a great flock following after him, I suppose counting on a good square meal; I at once saw the danger he was in and hastened to assist him. He also saw his only chance of escape was to shoot the leader, which he did; it was a clear case of self defence to save his own life and he was acquitted. I am enjoying myself at present-not fishing in the Welland river, but by by hunting and bringing to grief all game that crosses my path, such as rabbits, badgers, gophers, coyotes, deer, squirrels, and grizzlies, but more squirrels than bears. We have been pleased by meeting our friend, Mr. George Hansler, who is great hustler in a hoss deal and other business. We have also met friend Alex. McGlashan, who is also a great hustler at taking it easy.
John Hill
Memories of The Old Cart
[The Welland Tribune and Telegraph, 3 December 1921]
Editor Telegraph and Tribune
Welland, Ont
Dear Duff:
A few weeks ago I saw in your paper a short article about the old Telegraph cart that was lying at the back of your office and still in use, and you mentioned something about placing it in the museum or putting another pig’s ear on the wheels or something to that effect. It stirred up old memories of that cart and my days of devildom in the Telegraph office. I served my apprenticeship pushing that cart and it was over thirty years ago too. It was known all over the town by the noise it made going along the sidewalks Friday mornings at two, three, four and six o’clock. Many a citizen in those days with a bad conscience and insomnia were awakened by the Telegraph devil pushing the mail home after midnight in order to catch the six o’clock train in the morning. But there was one morning in particular of all the particular mornings I remember. That cart was just the width of the sidewalks, a half inch to spare on each side. I left the office at three o’clock a.m., going out the back way and across the bridge at Division street and around East Main street to Burgar street and down Burgar to Dorothy where we live on the corner. It was snowing to beat the band, but we never had a mishap. We never missed that six o’clock train either. I got to bed about four and sharp at a quarter to six mother called me, and I started out for the station in the dark and snow. I navigated alright until I got to Teskey’s corner where there was quite ditch. The train was whistling and I got excited. The snow was two feet deep and I was three feet high and that cart went off the sidewalk into the ditch. I said some naughty words, but finally went back to the house for my big brother George; he was three and a half feet high. We got the mail out of the snow and started for the depot with it on our backs, but Squire Hellems was late that morning too and he and “Prinny” came galloping along the road. We blocked the way and never was so near going to the coop as that morning. The “Squire”was pretty mad until he saw who it was, but by that time we had the Telegraph loaded on his sleigh and away we went. Conductor Boyle was a pretty good old scout and he waited for us. Give my regards to the old cart and when you bury it hang a wreath on for me.
Yours very truly,
C.H. Sawle
New Hamilton, B.C., Nov. 28.27.
By
Lorne Pierce in The New Outlook
[The Welland Tribune and Telegraph, 20 April 1926]
Those who knew Janet Carnochan (and who did not?) will wish to remember her surrounded with her jealousy guarded treasures in the Niagara Historical Museum, Niagara-on-the-Lake.
When we called, the museum was cloaked in the shadows of an autumn evening. The building was deserted, save for two people. One pored silently over some musty tome in the gallery; the other, a little white-haired woman, sorting piles of miscellaneous old historical pamphlets at a big table at the far end of the room, was none other than Miss Carnochan herself. Above her hung E. Wyly Grier’s portrait of herself in oils, a gift of friends to the museum. General Ryerson introduced us, and when he remarked that we, too, were collectors of Canadiana, her hand sought the pile of rare papers and moved them unconsciously a little way off as if warned by some instinctive fear that we might wish to collect these, too.
The Niagara Historical Society was her very next of kin and the museum her dearest godchild. The money with which the building was purchased and equipped, she raised, very largely, through her own efforts, and the wealth of material filling shelves and cases, and overflowing onto the floor, some ten thousand items in all, was, for the most part of her own harvesting. Many precious treasures are there, among them Brock’s cocked hat and general’s uniform; also the kettle in which Laura Secord hid the family savings when the invaders came. Her grey eyes sparked, and her pale, deeply-furrowed face grew proudly flushed and almost youthful, as she handled, with something like reverence, these rare and precious books, documents and historical mementoes. The greatest honor she could possible bestow was to allow us to take in our own covetous hands the rarest book in her locked treasury case.
Janet Carnochan was born of Covenanting stock in Stamford, Ontario, November 14, 1839. She taught school in Brantford, Kingston and Peterborough and for thirty-nine years instructed the youth of Niagara-on-the-Lake in both the public and high schools.
Along with William Kirby, F.R.S.C. author of The Golden Dog, she was one of the leading spirits in the local library board and in the Niagara Historical Society for upwards of a third of a century. Our own membership and interest in the work of the Society was due chiefly to her personal solicitation, and many another can say the same. The Historical Museum was, as we have seen, very largely her own inspiration, although she had staunch assistance from William Kirby, Mrs. Thompson and others.
Untiring in collecting historical material, she was also indefatigable in tracing and recording the less-known incidents in the history of Niagara Peninsula, from the earliest days to the present. The Niagara Historical Publications are rare and valuable brochures, and are mostly due to her enterprise. Her own books, pamphlets, broadsheets and poems, all historical and patriotic, are an important collection in themselves, and the library or collector who possesses them is indeed fortunate. Miss Carnochan’s chief contribution is not so much that of historian as the inspirer of students of history. More than one writer of history and biography on Canadian themes has been enriched by her knowledge and inspiration. Constantly alert for data, she recorded her findings in the form of interesting, chatty memoranda, and as her interests knew no bounds these multitudinous notes lacked, as was inevitable, the cohesiveness and specialization of historical research. They were rather the materials out of which history may be written. Proud she was of the honor the women teachers of Toronto paid her when they gave her name to their chapter of the Daughters of the Empire. Prouder still was she when Canadians caught the spirit of her love for the adored past of the Dominion.
We will remember on one occasion her criticism of William Kirby’s “Annals of Niagara,” and with what apparent delight she pointed out his errors of fact and judgment. Her own “History of Niagara,” likewise contains not a few mistakes, several of which were pointed out to her. But these she would not admit. While never claiming infallibility, she invariably insisted that she was right. This led to many tilts with her townsman, William Kirby, who also had a will and a way of his own. A friend recalls a certain summer afternoon in Niagara-on-the-Lake when he came upon the two old friends, seated on a bench in the park, engrossed in discussing something or other. Mr. Kirby, as usual, was dignified, sparing of words and conclusive. Miss Carnochan was characteristically quick-spoken, rather voluble and emphatic. When she had finished, the aged Dean of Canadian Letters turned to her, and with a pat on the little stooped shoulders, said with an air of benevolent finality, “Now Janet! Now Janet!”
[Related TALE: TRIBUTE TO MISS JANET CARNOCHAN]
[Related TALE: THE PASSING ON OF A FINE AGED GENTLEWOMAN]
TRIBUTE TO MISS JANET CARNOCHAN
To the editor Welland Tribune & Telegraph
[The Welland Tribune and Telegraph, 8 April 1926]
Whilst her death is fresh in the minds of the people, too much tribune cannot be paid to the memory of Miss Janet Carnochan.
Thirty years ago, about 1896, she began a wonderful work-the gathering together and preservation of historical relics and data pertaining to the history of the town of Niagara-on-the-Lake and the surrounding country that she jealously guarded. Ever since then, without receiving any financial remuneration, she labored indefatigably in the interests of the Niagara Historical Society, her interest never lessening. The motto “semper fidelis” applied to her, for she was as earnest and faithful at the last as at the first.
I, with a friend who wished to meet Miss Carnochan, visited the museum of the Niagara Historical Society last autumn; and although on account of her great age not as active as formerly, she took as much interest as ever in showing us around and explaining things.
Her masterful mind, her great firmness and kindliness of character, and desire to be helpful and make everything clear endured her to everyone who had occasion to meet her. Although Scottish by descent, her parents being born in the land of Burns, she loved the traditions of the town she resided in so long and near which she was born, and as it were lived in the atmosphere of the early pioneers. No one knew more about them than she did, and her knowledge was as exact as it was possible for it to be. I, being a descendent of one of the early pioneers, Michael Gonder, an United Empire Loyalist, who came to Newark, now Niagara-on-the-Lake in 1789, and therefore taking an interest in that historic position of old Upper Canada, made a visit twenty-five years ago to the town, and its historical collection, which was at that time stored in a room of the town hall. It was then I first met Miss Carnochan. I valued her friendship very highly. Her friendship was not of the passing kind. She will be missed. There may be someone to take her place, it is true, but the fact will ever remain with many-that there was only one Miss Carnochan.
The vast collection of relics and the substantial museum building for preserving them in, she was the means of having erected on land donated by her and, by funds she personally secured, will be a lasting monument to her memory, but will give the people of the future but a slight idea of the wonderful character they commemorate. –M.G. Sherk, 1201 Broadview Ave. Toronto. April 6th, 1926
[Related TALE: JANET CARNOCHAN]
[Related TALE: THE PASSING ON OF A FINE AGED GENTLEWOMAN]
[Welland Tribune, 20 December 1895]
Michael Blake, our former townsman, under date of Dublin, Dec.6, writes that he leaves the Royal hospital at Kilmainham on Jan. 1, going from there to live in his native place, Tory Hill, Croom, Limerick. Mr. Blake says he got tired of the hospital and wants to live among relatives and friends again. He spent a part of the past summer in Liverpool with his son Valentine, who, Mr. Blake says, has grown to be a big, well-behaved, sober, steady man, earning 6s, 8d a day then on shore. Mr. Blake closes his letter by saying he has very good health and wishing all Welland friends a merry Christmas and a happy New Year. The same to you, Michael, and so say we all of us.
[Welland Tribune, 20 January 1903]
The Tribune:
Enquiring about the kindergarten agitation, appears to show it is not to organize one, as there has been one here for some time, but to foist the expense on the taxpayer to relieve the parents from paying for their children’s education. Now it would be well enough if the town could afford it, but the fact is that Welland is about taxed to death, a straight tax of 27 mills and going higher and higher each year, add to this street watering and water rates, which might be called an indirect tax, brings the tax up in some cases to about fifty mills, and some are now wishing to make this higher.
It is claimed some money could be saved by starting the Model school. Why not do so and give the taxpayers a breathing spell, but don’t save some money and then spend three or four times as much; that will not reduce the taxes. With our excellent public schools free even to furnishing paper, ink, etc., without charge, would it not seem the parents are well treated and might afford to take care of their children until of school age.
If the town furnishes room heated, use of piano, etc., the parents should pay the balance. It is stated the kindergarten would relieve the public school. How so? Would they take children from the public school and put them in the kindergarten? Would that not be moving backward?
An advertisement is now appearing stating that the balance of last year’s taxes are to be collected by law. Is this not the wrong time to increase the taxes? Welland town has many advantages but high taxes but high taxes are keeping it back; you cannot induce a laboring man to purchase property on account of high taxes.
A nice residence has just been sold on East Main street; the taxes on it will be about $100 per year. Our taxes are 50 higher than Toronto and cities are supposed to be taxed higher than towns.
Is it any wonder you cannot get moneyed men to invest in property. Our school taxes are very high and must be for many years until we get our new school house paid for.
If the trustees act accordingly to the wishes of the majority they will let those who want a kindergarten pay for it.
Be pleased to hear from others.
Welland Taxpayer
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