A LONG TIME AGO – 4 November 1887

BY JOHN RAY, PELHAM

             In passing up Pearl street I saw a person of Friendly appearance on the opposite side, and I crossed over to meet him. I said, “Excuse me; I am a stranger in New York , having come into the city only yesterday, and seeing your appearance was that of a Friend, I wished to speak to you and ask your advice where I should likely to find lodgings for a week or two where I should not be annoyed with bed bugs.” He looked at me with a critical eye, wondering, I suppose, what new kind of a sharper he had met with. He asked where I came from. I said, England last year, had worked for a Friend on Young street, last summer, in Canada. I knew if he was a Friend, either Hicksite or Orthodox, he would know something about Friends up Young street, as that had been a seat of war between two bodies of Friends that year-1828. He said, “Did thee know Nicholas Brown?” “Yes.” “And Margaret Brown, his wife?” These two Friends were leading characters on the Hicksite side of the division, to which, as I afterwards found, he belonged. He appeared to be satisfied and said, “Walk along with me while I think.” After a little he said, “Stand here.” He crossed the street, rung a bell and entered. In a few minutes he beckoned me over, and led me into a little parlor where was sitting an elderly lady Friend and her daughter. The Friend said, “My Friend informs me thee wishes to obtain lodgings, and where thee won’t be annoyed with bed bugs; we can accommodate thee. For transient boarders we charge four dollars a week; for permanent boarders, three.” “I don’t object providing there is no bed bugs.” She said, “I guarantee there is not, and as thee had no sleep last night, perhaps thee would like to lay down and thee shall be called for dinner,” which was done.

             At dinner were some 15 or 20 boarders-men above my class-merchants, doctors, lawyers and writers, but all appeared to have a fair share of Yankee inquisitiveness to know as much about the new comer and in as little time as possible. I answered their questions in simple, honest truth, which went to show I was only a farmer boy, had worked in Canada for eight dollars a month &c., and was on my return trip to England. And let me say I seldom met with more social and kindly treatment than from most of these gentlemen, which was shown in various ways. When the day came that I should go on board the ship Florida for Liverpool, one gentleman said, “No!” I said the captain told me to be on board that afternoon or lose my passage. He said he knew all about that; the ship would anchor off Sandy Hook that evening; they would be all confusion; that a steamer would leave White Hall dock about 7 tomorrow morning, to take the cabin passengers and I should go then, and he would go and see me off, and if I did not go he would make good all damages, which he did, and I went with the cabin passengers. In this ship we steerage passengers had to find our own board. I had laid in a stock as I thought sufficient for five weeks for myself. Meeting a young man on the ship at New York who was a passenger by here to Liverpool, I proposed as we should have to berth two in a berth we had better join our stock of provisions together, which he approved of. When the voyage commenced he was sick to begin with, and I had to do the cooking. He lay in the berth, except when he saw me come down with the grub he was ready to do his share of the eating, after which he retired to his berth to moan and pray, for every time the ship struck a wave or made a lurch he (Moore) cried, “Oh Lord!” We had head winds and after three weeks sailing were not half way across the ocean, and my provisions nearly done, of which we had been using all this time. I asked him to fetch his out. He said he had none, as he did not have any money to buy with, so we had to go on short allowance the rest of the voyage,- the only time in my life I knew what it was to be hungry and have nothing to eat. There is no doubt but if had made our case known to the captain we should have been helped, but pride prevented my doing so. It was the practice at that time on that ship to allow the sailors a certain quantity of grog each day, and one old sailor (Jimmie) got drunk every day so as to be unfit for duty. They took his grog off. He still got drunk. They then took away his own private stock of liquor and made him stay down below; when one night about nine o’clock a passenger said there was a man overboard, which was not believed as all the sailors and passengers were there. The passenger insisted that he saw a man go over the ship’s side, that he heard a splash, that he then looked but could see nothing. The ship was sailing slowly. The captain ordered six men into the jolly boat to go back in the ship’s wake, which was done. In about an hour the boat returned. The ship’s speed had been slackened. “Did you see anything?” “Yes, sir.” “What was it? Old Jimmie. Have you got him?” “Yes, sir.” “What did he say?” “He said we need not have been at so much trouble, he should have come up with us tomorrow.” Jimmie had delirium tremens.

             Another curiosity we had on board in the shape of a little Irishman, whom we called Jimmie Ducks. Jimmie had hid himself away in some part of the ship when leaving New York, and three days after leaving New York showed himself upon deck. As there was no way for sending him back, he was installed in office to administer to the wants of the ducks, chickens, turkeys and a cow we had to give milk. The steward having cause to suspect Jimmie’s treachery in regard to the cow, watched him, and one morning caught him in the act of milking the cow into his mouth, and gave him such a toeplating as I never saw anyone get before or since. I asked Jimmie how he got to New York. His mother had given him £4 to pay the rent with, but instead of doing so he bought a ticket for America. “What will your mother say when she sees you?” “Indade, an she’ll be too pleased to see me to say anything about it.” Jimmie being the most likely object on board for the cabin passengers to bestow their charity upon, by giving away what they did not wish to take on shore, they gave him many old clothes and an old horse pistol, which he tied up in a big bundle. It so attracted the attention of the Liverpool police that they arrested him and placed him in the lockup until he proved how he came by them.

             We arrived in Liverpool after a passage of thirty-six days.

JOHN RAY

Welland Tribune

4 November 1887

A LONG TIME AGO – 28 October 1887

BY JOHN RAY, PELHAM

                It was at Newmarket I received my first letter from friends in England three months ago after writing them my address. Postiers did not pass as quickly then as now, and the postage on a letter then was twenty-five cents. It cost five times the money and took four times the time to send a letter to England it does now, My time being up here, and, although I had several offers of eleven dollars a month, I decided to visit the United States. My good old Mrs. Martha Linville put me up a small knapsack of grub, and I started for Little York (Toronto) and thence by steamboat to Niagara. But when in York I saw in a window an advertisement of peppermint for sale, and thinking it might be good in case of seasickness on the lake, I bought a three-half-pint bottle full, and feeling some sick on the lake I tasted it for the first time. It was only whiskey flavored with peppermint. I had not as yet drunk any whiskey and I found it more likely to produce sickness than to cure it. From Fort Niagara to Youngs town crossed the Niagara River on a ferry boat worked by two horses upon deck. Four Indian women crossed at same time. They were greatly amused at one of the horses kicking, which the driver made him do for amusement. Landed at Youngstown, for the first time in my life I was in a foreign country. In walking to Lewiston, six miles, I saw many fine apples and peaches hanging over the road, but, being in a foreign land, I felt timid, and durst not do more than look at them, a delicacy I soon found out was but little observed in that country at the time. While sitting on the balcony of the hotel at Lewiston I heard for the first time the roar of Niagara Falls. I asked what that noise was. The parties asked were were so accustomed to it that it was difficult for them to bear it. At three in the morning I was called up to take the stage east. The stage was a large covered carriage, three seats in the middle, one having a broad leather strap for back hold; had four horses. The roads were very rough; the springs so springy as to cause myself and an old gentleman and his daughter to sometimes come together on the leather strap. Arrived at Lockport; there took my first breakfast in Yankee town, and my first lesson in quick eating. I had only got well prepared to begin when they began to leave the table. Out of over twenty, myself and an old toothless gentleman were the last, I left the stage at Johnson’s Creek, 12 miles east of Lockport. Next day I hired to a widow lady and her son, for eleven dollars a month for two months, to help do up the fall work on a farm, and here I had a good time. David, the son, 18 years old, and I got along splendidly. The old lady went on a visit to New York and left David and I to keep house, which we did in an improved style. She had left a three gallon jug full of excellent metheglin, and upon her return it had become empty. She inquired of David, “What has become of my metheglin?”  “Thy metheglin, mother, why, what did thee want with metheglin?” “I wanted it to treat my friends.” “Why, mother, thy friends have got it.” My two months being up, I was about to engage with a lumber man to drive team, when the old lady showed her motherly kindness by giving me her advice. She said, “The winters here are colder then thee has any idea of; thy former habits and thin clothing do not fit thee for that kind of life. Thee had better stop with us through the winter and go to school with David.” I said, “Would you think of boarding me all winter for nothing?” She said they would be glad to have me stop and help David do the chores. The offer was too good to be refused, so I put in about four months schooling in the town of Hartland, and in the spring of 1829 engaged to work on the same farm for twelve dollars a month. But in the summer, being much troubled with toothache, and two doctors having failed to extract the tooth and only broke it off, I resolved to go to New York and try a dentist, and then visit come of the southern states. By the Erie Canal and Hudson River in one week, arrived in New York. I got supper at a restaurant and lodgings close by. I had been in bed but a few minutes when I found more company than was agreeable, so I got into another bed in the same room. The company had either followed me or were already there. I then lay on the floor with no better success. At three in the morning I found my way into the street without disturbing anyone. I had paid for my lodgings the night before. Market gardeners were bringing in vegetables at that time, indeed all night, and leaving them in the market house at Peck’s Slip. As I was likely to have to remain in New York some time, I was anxious to be out of the bug settlement, and sought a new part of the city, where the bugs might not have taken possession, but got tired, so got breakfast and returned.

Welland Tribune

28 October 1887

A LONG TIME AGO – 7 October 1887

By JOHN RAY, PELHAM

PELHAM, Sept., 1887

Friend Editor Tribune:

             I have been a subscriber to your paper since its first publication at Fonthill. How often it has changed its name I do not remember. I have once in a while sent in a short article for publication, and now, in my eighty-second year, undertake to do so again, by giving some reminiscences of travel from England to Canada and the U.S. in the year 1828, or fifty-nine years ago, which will show the change things have taken since that time, as to accommodation and time occupied in travel, and other improvements.

             In 1827, when twenty-one years of age, and when my bat covered my family, and being dependent upon my own exertions for a living and anything more I might possess in this world, I decided to try my fortune in Canada, and in the spring of 1828 I left the city of York for the seaport town of Hull, where several ships were advertised to sail for Quebec, in the lumber trade. I took a passage in the bark Ellergill, 400 tons burden, paid £4, had to board ourselves; might cook at the ship’s galley, a little shanty about 5×6 feet. Our company consisted of twenty-one passengers, women and children, three Leicester sheep, and one yellow dog, which was a nuisance. He was kept chained upon our cargo of sand, which we had for ballast, and kept up a dreadful howling nights. The sand we pitched into the St. Lawrence river when we got there. We had on board an old gentleman about 65 years of age. He had married an old lady about the same age just before embarking. They were spending their honeymoon during the voyage. The old man had married her for what she had, which was chiefly her household furniture which was sold and the proceeds required to pay passage. I boarded with them and had a great sympathy for the old woman, believing she had been grossly imposed upon. Their berth and mine were separated by the hanging up of a sheet. The old lady had begun to realize the imposition that had been imposed upon her, and one night undertook to hold a bed of justice with him. She said, “You don’t love me,” when the old villain (as he afterwards proved) made a sort of a move and said,” My dear, I love you as dear as my own life.” It was hard work for me to refrain from telling him he lied, although he was very religious and used to pray with us and exhort us, when we got to Canada where liquor was cheap, to be careful not to give away to drinking. Arriving at Quebec on the Saturday night we could not pass the customs house until Monday; the ship laid at anchor in the river, but Capt. Corbet, a kind-hearted fellow, let a boat take most of us men ashore to go to church. We attended the Methodist church in the morning and saloons the rest of the day, and the old man, Fawcett, set us the example of getting very drunk, and we had quite a time in the evening in getting him into the boat to take back to the ship. He lost his plug hat into the river and it went down with the tide. And here I will leave Mr. Fawcett and his bride, but may take them up again as their history afterwards is of a romantic and interesting character, particularly that of Mrs. Fawcett. On Monday we passed the customs house and a steamer came alongside of us and took off passengers and baggage, also passengers and baggage of two other ships, one Scotch and one Irish, and brought us up to Montreal. But having got a little ahead of my story I must go back. We left Hull on 12^th April, had reasonably fine weather. When on the banks of Newfoundland we were becalmed, and the captain gave us leave to fish, and having some large hooks and line, baited with a piece of fat pork and sunk with an old ax head. Caught some 15 or 20 large codfish which was divided amongst the ship’s company, and on the 10^th of May, about 9 p.m., when sailing about four miles an hour, we ran into a large field of ice-ice as far as the eye could reach-which made the old ship tremble. We were in our berths and my old friend Fawcett, who had crossed the Atlantic twice before, called out, “We are upon rocks,” and I believed him that time and jumped up to see what chance there was for escape, when a young man (a passenger) was coming down the hatchway. I asked what it is, and he said ice. He afterwards told me he was coming down to get his money out of his chest. I was quickly upon deck and helped to pull the ropes and back the sails, and in four hours we were again clear of the ice, and in six more days arrived at Quebec on the 17^th of May, after a passage of five weeks.

             I will now go back to the boat for Montreal. I said we had English, Irish and Scotch on board-such a scene I had not seen before or since; it will not bear description and suffice to say drunkenness and immorality prevailed that night. Arrived at Montreal, I, George Chapman, a Lincolnshire farmer, and his little boy, eleven years old, pursued our journey together. From Montreal to Prescott we took what they called a Durham boat, which was shoved along with poles near the shore, except at the rapids, we were towed by oxen-I think where the Lachine canal now is. We used to leave the boat in the forenoon and walk, getting our board on shore, and take the boat at night- slow mode of travel. From Prescott to Brockville, 12 miles, we undertook to walk, leaving our baggage at Prescott. We should have kept on what is called the river road-in some places it was difficult to tell which was the main road-and we got into the woods, which dark was far from silent; tree toads, frogs and screaming things we did not know what they were, until three in the morning, when we saw lights and made for them. They were log beaps burning. We then found a log house and asked to stay until daylight; answer “No.” We asked for a drink of water. “There’s a well, draw for yourselves.” “No bucket,” the man gave us a nod and shut the door. We arrived in Brockville about 9 on Sunday morning, On Monday I hired to Wm. Ayres, a storekeeper and hat manufacturer; and Chapman hired to a Dutch farmer, 4 miles from Brockville. My business was to take care of a horse and cow, and general workman. My first day ws employed in house cleaning, blacking stove, taking apart bedsteads and killing bed bugs, which were numerous and the first I had seen of that species of insect. There were three Irish servant girls, all as lively as crickets. When night came and I was sitting in the kitchen, one of the girls opened a big box or bunk and stirred up some straw. I thought she was making up a bed for a large Newfoundland dog there was, when she told me that was my berth; she had put on a rug or two. I began to feel indignant, and to think I had left home and civilization. She said: “You can go to bed, John, when you please.” As I had all my life been accustomed to take off my clothes going to bed, I did not feel like departing from that rule even under these circumstances; so I deliberately took off all my clothes, except shirt, and walked across the kitchen floor to my bunk, the three girls all there, one setting sponge, another ironing linen, and Kitty making a pan of gruel for a sick daughter. About ten o’clock the girls began to undress at the end of the kitchen, they jumped in like rabbits, and we all passed the night without molestation. I might give a further description of this place and it novelties, as much is yet clear to my recollection. On the evening of my second day I told Mr. Ayres I thought I should not suit him and had better leave. He thought differently, as Mrs. Ayres had given me an excellent character for proficiency in house cleaning. I left, and went to see my friend Chapman. He said he got along very well with the Dutchman and the work, but some parts of the board surpassed his skill. He would come to Brockville that night, which he and his boy did, and next day we took the steamboat for Little York (Now Toronto). The boat laid to at Kingston all night and next day landed us at Little York, which then had but few sidewalks and no paved or macadamized streets. There was a market place, a garrison for soldiers, and plenty of tavern accommodation. We went to John Montgomery’s tavern on Young street, and as our dress showed our nationality (knee breeches), we were easily recognized as Englishmen, and as many of the settlers at that time were from that country, we were often spoken to and met with considerable kindness. One man coming in with a load of lumber, offered to take us 12 miles up the street when his horses were fed, which he did.

             While waiting in the tavern at York, a tall, plain dressed Quaker came in. He was on his way home from Philadelphia, where he had been attending their yearly meeting-on horseback all the way from his home near Newmarket, 28 miles north of Toronto, to Philadelphia and return, which it had taken him six weeks to accomplish. I liked the appearance of the old gentleman, and although somewhat bashful made free to introduce myself to him, and having satisfied him that I was as represented, he very kindly invited me to make his house my home until I should meet with a situation. We were now 12 miles north of York, and next morning set out to attend a Methodist camp meeting which had been held in the woods for nearly two weeks. The roads were muddy. We had gone about two miles when I said: Chapman, this is out of our line of business; better go back. He thought we might hire to some of the meeting folk. My arguments won, and we returned. Chapman hired to an Englishman (a farmer) and I proceeded 16 miles further up the street to my Quaker friends near Newmarket. The tavern keeper where I stopped that night offered me twelve dollars a month. In the morning I called upon my Quaker friend; they entertained me kindly and although he had a nice young man working his farm on some kind of share, he said he would give me eight dollars a month for three months. I said: Gamble, the tavern keeper had offered me $12. He said his $8 was better. I wanted to know how $8 was better than $12. He said I would get the $8 but at the tavern I should likely have to spend half, and it was doubtful my getting the other half. I saw into it and accepted his offer, and for doing which I never regretted. I was treated with kindness, was comfortable, and remained there four months, and got my wages in full-a great improvement on the bug and bunk business in Brockville.

Welland Tribune

7 October 1887

OFFICIALS WHO WILL FIRST HOLD OFFICE IN THE CITY OF WELLAND

             The charter provides that the Mayor and council and the officers and servants of the town shall remain in office until their successors are elected or appointed. The following will therefore be the officers of the City of Welland:-

City Officials

City Council

Park Commission

Hydro Electric Commission

Waterworks Commission

Board of Health

Public School Board

 High School Board

 Welland Board of Trade

 Public Library Board

 Organization of Resources Committee

 Patriotic Fund Assn.

 Welland Tribune

28 June 1917

From a Town to a City in one Decade

—A Brief Sketch of Its Early History

[See related TALE: CAPTAIN ARTHUR BEAMER McCORMICK]

The city of Welland-July 1^st, 1917. Welland’s growth from the small town stage to the status of a city has been so remarkable that it has attracted the attention of all Canada and has received much notice, too, across the border.

This phenomenal growth has taken place in the past decade, or to be more correct, the past eleven or twelve years. The first of Welland’s new industries was the Plymouth Cordage Co., which came here twelve years ago. At that time the population was 1797. The spell which had held Welland dormant for so many years was broken. The slogan “a new Industry every Thirty Days” was made a reality.

While the Cordage Company was the first of the city’s new industries, and since then we have secured large cotton mills, knitting and clothing factories, etc., the industrial field in which Welland is supreme is the iron and steel trades, one of the most important being the splendid new plant of M. Beatty & Sons, the city’s pioneer industry founded in 1860 by Matthew Beatty under the name of the Welland iron works.

Col. McCormick’s genius and enterprise as Industrial Commissioner for a period of ten years contributed largely to the growth of Welland from a town to a city.

Our Industries

The leading industries of Welland today are:-

Industrial Statistics

The story of Welland’s expansion, its paved streets and street car system, fine public buildings, schools and churches, its numerous residential streets is told in the industrial statistics of the city. A comparative table showing the growth for the past eleven years is as follows:-

As this very plainly shows, the year 1916 was by a big margin the most prosperous in Welland’s history.

Of the total value of manufactured products for 1916 the proportion represented by munitions is about 25 per cent, the value being five and a half million.

Last year Welland’s manufactures spent in new buildings $361,808 and in new machinery, appliances and equipment $1,125,734.

Welland Fortified For Reconstruction Period

From the report of the industrial commissioner for 1916 we quote the following:-

“After the war-what? The Department of Trade and Commerce has been urging that the people take steps now to meet the situation of the day. While Welland has made a tremendous contribution toward allied success in the war by supplying munitions, it is some insurance for the future to know what we are turning out outside war products, manufactures unrelated to the war or but indirectly related to it in such volume as to mean a continuation of a large and substantial portion of our business after the war is over. It is obvious that the more provision that can be made for normal activities after the war, the better it will be for our community, and the country.  That we are well fortified for the inevitable dislocation that must follow peace is evident. Our industries are in strong positions financially. The people generally are in a better position than ever before.”

Supremacy of Industrial Facilities

Welland’s growth has not been the result of chance but because of the supremacy of its industrial facilities, the chief of which are rail and water transportation supplied by six steam railroads, two electric railroads and the Welland canal, competing power companies giving the cheapest electric power and lighting rates in Canada, ideal sites for factories, natural gas, water and drainage. Production costs in Welland are found to be much less than in any other industrial city in Ontario.

The construction of the Chippawa-Queenston power plant with an ultimate capacity of 900,000 h.p., ensuring unlimited power supply for the future, means that Welland is even now only at the beginning of an enormous development which will cause the progress of the past decade to be surpassed in the years to come.

Historical Sketch

The name of Welland, like many of the proper names in this district, comes from England. It is the name of a river that starts near the geographical centre of England and runs in a Northeasterly direction about seventy miles, emptying into the Wash, an arm or inlet of the North Sea.

Welland is the third name by which our city has been known. The land hereabouts was first settled about the year 1788. The building of the Welland Canal in 1829 necessitated an aqueduct to convey its water over the Welland River at this point. The first aqueduct was of wood, and on its construction the nucleus of a village sprung up and was known as “The Aqueduct.” In 1842, when the first enlargement of the canal was made the old aqueduct was replaced by a stone structure which still stands intact east of and alongside the aqueduct in use. The name of the place was then changed to Merrittsville in honor of the late William Hamilton Merritt who first proposed the Welland canal and whose perseverance and energy finally made the great work an established fact.

Welland’s first expansion beyond the usual cross-roads store and blacksmith shop was the lumber industry, started by settlers from Niagara county, New York. The principal of these was a Mr. Seeley who came here about the year 1850 and started a sawmill. His three sons-in-law, Messrs. Joiner, Mosenbark and Moses Betts, and the late O.H. Rounds located here soon after. The late Mr. Hooker came here in 1855 and started the brickyard.

The progress of Merrittsville was comparatively slow until the separation of the united counties of Lincoln and Welland, and the village, after a hard struggle with rival places, became the county seat, which assured a future. The county buildings were erected in 1856-1858.

A Village in 1858

By an act of parliament, assented to July 24, 1858, the village was incorporated and the name changed from Merrittsville to Welland. The lands comprised in the new municipality were taken partly from Crowland and partly from Thorold townships, the river being the boundary between the two townships. On the 17^th of August of the same year a commission was issued instructing L.D. Raymond to act as returning officer at the first municipal election for the village, which was held on Sept. 16 following. The election resulted in the return of the following gentlemen as the first council of the village:-Daniel McCaw, Moses Betts, Chester Demare, Wm. A. Bald and Nathan F. Fitch. At that time the reeve was not elected directly by the people but chosen by the councillors, and D. McCaw was accorded the honor of being Welland’s first reeve. He was the founder of the boot and shoe trade here, still carried on by his son, John McCaw, under the name of D. McCaw & Son.

Became a Town in 1878

Incorporation as a town was made in 1878, when A. Hendershot was elected the first mayor. He is now a resident of Dunnville. The balance of those elected was:-reeve, A. Williams; councillors, G.H. Burgar, S. Hampton, D. McConachie, A. Asher, J.V. Strawn, G. Cronmiller, W.D. Jeffrey, J. Tuckey, G. Stalker, W.L. Beatty, D.A. Johnson and Wm. Page.

Welland’s next step forward was when the Canada Southern Railway (now the M.C.R.R.) was being built and the next boom period was during the enlargement of the Welland canal, the principal local feature of which was the construction of the aqueduct at present in use. This is one of the finest and most extensive pieces of masonry work in America but it is to disappear with the building of the new Welland ship canal, work on which had been discontinued until the end of the war. Ten years elapsed between the first letting of the contract and the completion of the aqueduct about the year 1888. From that time until the beginning of the industrial era referred to at the head of this article the population declined.

THE WELLAND FIRE CO.

[Welland Tribune, 28 June 1917]

Notable Events in its Forty-One Years of Existence

             A short sketch of the history of the Welland Fire Co. will no doubt be of interest to the present Citizens of our coming City.

             The first agitation for an improved fire fighting machine to take the place of the “bucket brigade” appears from local documents to have been in 1872.

             The Tremont House, situated between the new and old canal owned by Henry Minnis and conducted as a hotel by H. Wilkinson was burned on December 17, 1872. This was a big fire for the village at that date as the “Tremont” was considered quite a select hostelry then. The local papers in their columns advocated better fire protection, and every fire thereafter brought up new discussions as how to fight the fire fiend-but soon the minds of the people would become dominate as the fire bug ceased to exist among them.

             The burning of the “Tremont” was my first experience as a firefighter, as I was pressed into the “bucket brigade.” It was a case of conscription in those days-you had to “fight the fire.”

             The question of better fire fighting appliances laid dormant till 1876, when the question was again brought up to the minds of the people of the village. A public meeting was held, and the Council was asked to submit a by-law to the ratepayers for the purchase of a fire steamer.

             In September 1876, a by-law was submitted to the ratepayers, and on the 16^th of Sept. was carried by a majority of 97 votes-and only 15 of the ratepayers voting against them.

             On the 19^th of Sept. the by-law was approved by the Council, on the motion of James Griffith and Wm. Hill.

             On November 9^th a heated discussion took place in the council chamber as to where the hall should be built for the engine and firemen. The two members on the west side of the canal (Messrs. Jeffrey and Hill) wanted it placed on Frazer street, and the two members on the east side (Messrs. Griffith and Lamont) wanted it placed on Cross Street (where it now stands) and they won out by the casting vote of the reeve (Mr. Hendershot).

             On December 8, Council passed resolution purchasing fire engine on motion of Griffith and Jeffrey, Mr. Lamont voting nay.

             On motion of Griffith and Jeffrey, the reeve was authorized to issue his cheque in favor of J.O. Ronald for the sum of $3,150 in full of purchase money for fire engine and hose carts.

             On motion of Griffith and Jeffrey, the fire engine was placed in charge of A.O. Beatty until a hall could be procured.

The fire engine arrived on December 8 and A.O. Beatty and Jno. VanWyck were appointed a committee to make a test, which they did to the satisfaction of all present, even to the few who were in opposition to the purchase.

NEW FIRE HALL

             The first fire hall was built in its present location.

             The tender for its construction was let to Freeman Hodgson on Nov. 9 at a meeting of the Council on motion of James Griffith and O. Jeffrey.

             The hall has since been practically destroyed by fire on two occasions.

FIRE COMPANY MEETING

             In pursuance of a notice issued by the reeve, a public meeting was held in the council room on Dec. 5, 1876 for the purpose of the formation of a fire and hose company.

             The meeting was organized at 8 o’clock by the reeve (A. Hendershot) taking the chair, and E.R. Hellems as secretary.

             Moved by S. Lamont, seconded by T.W. Hooker, that a list be now open and all wishing to join the fire company be allowed to do so at once.

             The motion carried, when 31 names were enrolled, embracing those of many of most respectable citizens of the town. The following were elected offices for the current term:-

             Capt.-T.R. Secord

             Ist Lieutenant- N.B. Colcock

             2^nd Lieutenant- J.V. Strawn

             Secretary- J.J. Sidey

             Treasurer- E.R. Hellems

             Branchmen- Geo. Cronmiller, O.H. Rounds, Jas. Gatfield, Jas. Blackwell.

             Hose Captain-Adam Young

             1^st Assistant- Thomas Blackburn

             2^nd Assistant- A. Clark

             On motion, E.R. Hellems was recommended to the council as Chief of the Fire Brigade.

Naming the Fire Company

             Our new volunteer fire company very creditably for themselves, have paid the best possible tribute in their power to the memory of the late Hon. W.H. Merritt, the father of the Welland Canal by adopting as their distinctive synonym that of “Merritt Fire Co. of Welland.”

Notable Events in the History of the Fire Company

             Welland never had the proud distinction of being the owner of a hand fire engine. One of the citizens, Mr. McConachie, had a hand engine which he used to loan the town on parade occasions.

             The fire chiefs-E.R. Hellems, Alex. Robertson, A.O. Beatty, W.E. Anger and Chas. Stapf.

             1877, Tuesday, April 12- “Our Steamer earns her laurels.” S.E. Hopkins’ store and residence gutted with fire. The alarm was given by Thos. Main the night watchman.

             Capt. T.R. Secord was in command of the new brigade, who did excellent work, this being their first turnout to a fire. The engine was in charge of John VanWyck as engineer.

             All opponents to the purchase of the fire steamer were well pleased with the work that was done.

             1877, Tuesday, Jan. 30, the fire company met in the new hall for the first time.

             Friday evening, February 9, the firemen held their first ball in their new hall.

             Wednesday, March 7, a new fire alarm bell was purchased to warn the natives that the “fire bug” was in the town.

             1881, March- Welland Fire Company was called to Port Colborne by telegraph to assist in fighting a big fire. The steamer and firemen went by special train. A member of the Welland Brigade was killed by the falling of a chimney. His name was Burton, a shoemaker.

             1884, Thursday, Sept. 19- The Frazer House (now the Arlington) barn and engine house adjoining were burned. The body of a human being was found in the ruins-it was supposed to be that of a tramp.

             The bell was also destroyed.

             A new hall was built on the old site, where it still remains.

             1884, on Saturday, Feb. 16, a farewell and presentation tendered Ex. Capt. James Bridges, who was leaving town to take up his residence in California. He was presented with a gold-headed cane by the firemen, bearing the following inscription: “Presented to James Bridges, by Merritt Fire Co. No 2, Welland, Ont. Feb 16, 1884.” D. Ross was toastmaster for the occasion and Jno. McCaw was secretary of the fire company.

             Mr. Bridges has since passed away and gone to his reward.

             1886- On the evening of Feb. 4, the members of Protection Hose Co., Thorold, paid a fraternal visit to Merritt Fire Co., and were heartily received and tendered a great reception by the home fire “laddies.” Capt. Geo. Turner was in command of the visiting comrades.

             D. Ross was toastmaster for the occasion. G.B. Swayze was secretary of the fire brigade.

             Ex.-Capt. W.E. Anger was presented with a gift for his many years as a faithful worker with the fire company; but for which we have no memorandum.

             Records show that Mr. Anger was Captain of the Fire Company in 1889.

Hook and Ladder

             July 29, 1879 an Independent Hook and Ladder Company was formed with the following officers:-

             Captain-T.F. Brown

             1^st Lieutenant-C.D. Burgar

             2^nd Lieutenant- R. Best

             3^rd Lieutenant- D. Kennedy

             Secretary- S.J. Sidey

             Treasurer- Jno. McEwing

             (Of the above officers Messrs. Brown, Burgar, Kennedy and Sidey have passed away).

             The hook and ladder truck was a second hand one purchased in Toronto with funds procured by private subscriptions from the citizens.

             The hook and ladder company remained in existence until April 1883 when it disbanded for want of financial support and the truck was sold to the town.

             1888, Wednesday, January 28-Queen’s Hotel burned, Wm. Earley proprietor.

             1889, Feb. 13-A farewell was tendered E.A. sauter, by his comrades in the form of a presentation of a silver tilting water pitcher with the following inscription:-Presented to E.A. Sauter by Merritt Fire Co., No. 2, Welland, Feb. 13, 1889.

            1889, Saturday morning, July 18-Earley’s big barn, at the back of the Frazer house, goeth up in smoke, and the town hall adjoining is badly damaged.

             Mr. Earley’s big hog, which weighs about 900 lbs, was in a pen under the barn, and had its back blistered before it could be got out, and when it got out rolled into the river and lay on the bank until next day when it was hoisted up to the top of the bank with a windlass.

            1889, October-Merritt Fire Co. organized a brass band with W.A. Phillip as leader.

            1892, February 6-McMurrays’s store burned. “During the progress of the fire, fireman Geo. Wells came near losing his life while at work on the roof of the butcher shop he slipped on the icy shingles and shot down the icy decline toward the burning pile lodging between the two buildings. Almost suffocated by smoke he called lustily for help whenever he could get breath, and finally Al. Douglass and Wm. Hawkins succeeded in throwing him a small lawn hose and pulling him out of his frightful position. It was a close call.”

             1898, June 22, Orient Hall was badly damaged by fire.

             1907, June 15-Methodist Church was damaged by fire.

             1907, Aug. 6, the Methodist Church was almost totally destroyed by fire. The steam roller having broken a gas main, in front of the church, and which took fire from the boiler in the steam road roller and from which it was supposed set fire to the church. The courts held the town responsible.

             1910-Welland firemen gave the largest and best demonstration in the history of the Provincial Firemen’s Association.

             The annual excursions of the fire company were a pleasant event for many years, and were only discontinued because a good boat could not be procured.

Welland Fire Company, No 1

             In 1901 the Welland Fire Company department was reorganized and the name changed from Merritt Fire Company, No. 2 to Welland Fire Co. No. 1 with J.C. McMillan, captain.

             Cutler’s planing mills, Lambert’s planing mills and rink and Stewart’s block of buildings in the last two years have been the worst fires.

             We are only mentioning the fires of large proportions, for there have been many small fires in the years since Welland boasted of a fire company, but in summing it up you will find that Welland volunteer fire company since its organization has done good service for the town.

38 Years a Fireman

             Geo. Wells joined the Independent Hook and Ladder Co. in 1879, continued a member of that organization until it disbanded, when he joined Merritt Fire Co. and in December 6, 1889, was elected Secretary, which office he held continuously until Dec. 1916 when he resigned, and was presented with a purse of gold by the firemen.

Captains of Fire Company

             Dating from January 1^st, 1889 the previous records of the Company having been destroyed by fire when the hall was burned in that year:-

             1889, W.E. Anger; 1890, Chas. Stapf; 1891, J.R. Dowd; 1892, Geo. Bowman; 1893, Thos. Hicks; 1894, W. Swartz; 1895, W. Swartz; 1896, O. Carey, (deceased); 1897, A.E. Garden; 1898, A.E. Garden; 1899, A.E. Garden; 1900, A.E. Garden; 1901, J.C. McMillan; 1902, A.E. Garden; 1903, Roy White; 1904, Percy Whalley; 1905, H.E. Dawdy;  1906, J.C. McMillan; 1907, W.D. Ross; 1908, R.M. Beatty; 1909, R.M. Beatty; 1910, R.M. Beatty, 1911, H.W. Moore; 1912, H.W. Moore; 1913, Ed Hooker; 1914, W. Cutler; 1915,  W.D. Stapf (January to July); J.W. Hagar; (July to December); 1916,  C.E. Hickey; 1917, C.E. Hickey.

Officers for 1917

             C.E. Hickey, Captain

             O. Williams, Lieutenant

             H.R. Waldon, Secretary

             C.C. Warner, Treasurer

Honor Roll

             The following members are fighting for the Empire:

             Wm. Earley (returned wounded)

             Ed. Hooker

             Geo. Bell

Water Works

             A system of waterworks was proposed by a large number of the ratepayers in 1887, and the council was asked to submit a by-law to the people for that purpose.

             The by-law was voted on by the ratepayers on Oct. 13, 1887, and was carried by a majority of 155, only 45 voting against.

             The system was to cost $32,000.

             The by-law was approved by the Council.

             On Aug. 30, 1888, an additional $16,000 by-law was passed to raise monies for the completion of the water works system.

             The system was completed in Nov. 1888, and tested on Friday, Nov. 16 and accepted from the contractors to the satisfaction of the ratepayers.

             Mr. D. Ross was Mayor of the town and chairman of the water works committee from the commencement to the completion of the whole system.

             Mr. J.F. Gross was appointed superintendent of the new system.

             Since then the system has been largely increased by a new pump house and pumps with auxiliary power-both water and electricity and many miles of water mains and sewers-equal to any city in Canada with its population.

 WELLAND HAS A MARINE HISTORY—IT IS TOLD HERE

              We are indebted to Mr. Jas. Bampton for some of these interesting marine notes of the earlier days of navigation on the Chippawa Creek and Welland Canal. Mr. Bampton’s father was a partner in the first tug that was piloted on the Chippawa Creek.

Tug “Defiance”

             There are no records obtainable as the exact date when the tug was built, but is was in the early fifties, (Mr. Bampton thinks about 1852). The late Capt. James Bampton built the hull in Welland, and his partner (Mr. Simpson) built the engine and boiler in Chippawa. The tug was of small dimensions and had an upright boiler. She was built for towing scows up and down the Chippawa Creek, the principal freight being cordwood, stave bolts and shingles, which were shipped to Tonawanda and Buffalo. The scows navigated those days as far as Port Davidson, some miles above Wellandport. Previous to that date the scows were poled by hand up and down the creek a distance of some thirty miles. The tug proved a great boon to the scowmen over the very slow process of poling the boats by man power.

             The tug was well named as she defied the turbulent waters of the Chippawa Creek on many a “boisterous” trip.

             The tug was in charge of Capt. James Bampton.

The Tug “Whip”

             The next tug Capt. Bampton brought out was the Tug “The Whip.” The following is her certificate of registration.

             “I, Samuel Risely, inspector of steam vessels, their hull boilers and machinery at the Port of Chippawa, and other ports, do hereby certify that I have inspected the steam vessel called and known as “The Tug Whip” and usually plying between Buffalo and Chippawa, and that I found the vessel to be one year old, that she was originally built in 1860 at Chippawa, and that she has been running one year.”

             The hull was built by Barney Crane of Chippawa who ran a saw mill at that place.

             Capt. Bampton was master in charge and Geo. Poor, engineer.

             “The Whip” blew up a year later at Candasville while tied up at McDonald’s saw mill (between Welland and Wellandport). Geo. Poor, the engineer, was injured and the fireman killed. The fireman was Chas..Gillam.

             The engine was recovered from the wreck and used in Brown’s saw mill.

The Tug “L.A. Verner”

             Capt. Bampton’s next venture was the tug “L.A. Verner.” She was bought in Buffalo (shortly after the wreck of the “Whip”) but was sunk outside of Buffalo at Horseshoe Reef. Her boiler and engine were fished out and brought to Canada.

Tug “L.N.G.”

             Was originally built in Buffalo in 1862 and was inspected at the Port of St. Catharines in June 25, 1865. The boiler and engine of the “Verner” were placed in the “L.N.G.” She then plyed between Port Robinson and Chippawa. Capt. Bampton was master. In 1868 Benj. Diffin of Welland bought a half interest in the tug. She was then registered at Montreal, 11^th Aug. 1864.

Tug “Minerva”

             Was built at Port Robinson and owned by M. Beatty, J. Bampton, B. Crane, Mr. Simpson and Wm. Ross. She was the first tug to ply on the canal in opposition to Chas. Carter’s tugs.

Tug “J.H. Doyle”

             The “Doyle” was the tug that towed the scows, loaded with Fenians, across the Niagara River at Fort Erie, on the memorable morning of June 1^st, 1866. In 1876 she was bought by Capt. Bampton and brought to the Welland Canal where she did service for some years. Her bones now rest somewhere near or at Port Robinson There are no records to show that she was named the “Doyle” at the time of the Fenian Raid. She may possibly have been known by another name at that time.

Tug “A.B. Cook”

             Capt. Bampton then built the tug “A. B. Cook” in 1885 (using the engine of the “Doyle”). The tug “Cook” went to lower canals.

             The engine of the “Minerva” is still in service, being in the tug “Brant” now owned by Wm. Phin of Hamilton.

NAMES OF SCOWS

             There was a large traffic on Chippawa Creek by scows and rafting of timber as far back as 1860.

             The following are the names of many of the scows:-Iron Duke, Jane, Native, Mackindor, Brown, Reeve, Murray, Express, John Beatty, Reindeer, Sweet Home, Woodruff, Mastadon, Collier, London, Welland, Two Brothers Enterprise, Seven Brothers, Eclipse, Culver, Warren, Skylark, Sawsberry, Hope, Phoenix, A.P. Wait, Albert, Cavers, Navada City, Stromness, Wellandport, Sarah Jane, Victoria, Temperance, Red Bird, Royal Oak, Minnie Rice, Ottimer, President, Seneca, Centennial, Biggars.

             Vessels built and owned here in the “70’s”- R. Morwood, Isaac May, Severn, Wahwanosh, Waucousta and Lady Dufferin. The Isaac May was a steam barge and the others sailing vessels.

 The first boats to pass through the canal on its completion were the Schooners “Annie” and “Jane” of Toronto, and the “R.H. Broughton” of Youngstown, N.Y. The canal was then only completed to Port Robinson where the boats locked through into the Chippawa Creek and proceeded to Buffalo by way of Niagara River. They passed through Port Robinson on Nov. 30, 1829.

INAUGERATION OF THE CITY OF WELLAND

JULY 1, 1917, A SEMI-CENTENNIAL OF CONFEDERATION-SPECIAL EDITION

THE VILLAGE DAYS

REMINISCENCES OF BOYHOOD DAYS

ROMANCE, COMEDY AND TRAGEDY OF WELLAND’S PAST RECALLED

By George Wells

             They tell me that I first saw the light of day in a building called “The Ark,” located near the historic spot called “White Pigeon” on the banks of Lyons Creek in the Township of Willoughby. I have found nothing in Scripture that has led me to believe that Noah’s Ark was ever stranded on Lyons Creek, although the Ark I was born in must have been very ancient.  Lyons Creek they told me was named after William Lyons McKenzie, the leader of the rebellion in 1837.

             The legend as to the “White Pigeon” as was told me, “A man by the name of Pigeon kept a hotel there and he had a daughter, who was always dressed in white, and it being a lumbering district in those days, the lumber Jacks dubbed it the “White Pigeon.”

             I received my first education in Willoughby, graduating at No. 6 school. At an early age I was apprenticed out to learn the “Printers Act,” and become a great journalist. Father must have been a reader of the New York Tribune, for it was his intention to make me as famous as Horace Greely, the Editor of that paper.

             In 1868 I was apprenticed out to the Welland Tribune (owned by the late J.J. Sidey), for four years at the munificent sum of 50 cents a week and “found.”

             My duties, besides learning the “Art,” were to rise at five in the morning, build the fires and sweep out and after breakfast “buck” the wood for the days supply.

             I always think father’s intentions were good when he sent me out in the cold world to be a journalist; Father, no doubt was all right as to the studies of the good producing qualities of bumps of clay for the growing of turnips and cabbage heads but he “fell off” on my bumps as a journalist when he put me in the category with “Horace,” who always advised the young men to go west and grow up with the country. I guess I should have went west.

             Everybody used wood as fuel those days as there was no coal and natural gas was not thought of to my knowledge. There were several men of the town who made a business of “buckin” wood for those who could afford to pay for it. Tom Lawson and Mr. Downage “Nosie” were the main guys in the profession, and there was quite a rivalry between them as to who could “buck” the most wood, so they used to have many contests.

             One instance I always remember Mr. Downage was possessed of a very large nose which caused him to go by the non-de-plume of “Nosie.” On one occasion during a rush of work in the office, and they couldn’t afford to spare my time for sawing wood, they sent me to get “Mr. Nosie.” I had never heard him called anything else but “Nosie” and supposed his name was “Nosie” (which I learned shortly after was wrong.) He lived in a shack on the banks of McCarthy pond, just opposite where the Methodist church now stands. Fortunately for me the shack had double doors-one swung from the top and other from the bottom and which no doubt saved my life. I rapped on the door, and in my innocence asked for “Mr. Nosie.” I never had time to finish the sentence. “Yes” he says, “I’m Mr. Nosie, and you’re Mr. Sidey’s brat of an Imp, you devil. I’ll lick you within an inch of your life.” Well before he could open the bottom door I had a good lead, and it was nip and tuck till I got to office and hid down cellar. We never became friends and he always called me “Sidey’s imp.”It was a sorry day for me as I had to cut most of the wood after that. It was a lucky thing for me that I had been used to herding wild steers at home or I guess “Nosie” would have caught me.

             Speaking of McCarthy’s pond that is where Merritt Park now looms up. Many’s a game of “Shinney” we kids had on the old pond.

             Charlie Page and Herb Pew, clerks for R. Morwood, always called me “Sidey’s devil,” and “I never had no use for them.”

             Saturday nights in winter after I was through with the “devils” work, I had to cut wood to last over Sabbath and then walk home nine miles for an appetite for breakfast on Sunday morning.

             The Arrest-Another sad story. The print shop was upstairs over where Douglass drug store now is. Mr. Cummins had a drug store where Mr. Brown’s Jewelery store now is, and a sleeping room upstairs. It was a cold stormy night on Sunday in winter and I was living with Mr. Sidey and fortunately never left the house that night. While Mr. Cummins was at church that night he had some $30 stolen from his room. Next morning two stalwart constables walked upstairs in the print shop and arrested me for the robbery. The Constables were Nelson Patterson and Wm. Campbell. They took me in charge between them and were marching me down to the coop when Mr. Sidey came to my rescue and told them I was home all evening with him. So they set me free, but it was a long time before I got over the scare.

             Spent many days in jail-but it was Billy Wilson got me in jail. Billy and I were great chums those days. They say Billy was born in jail. Billy’s mother was matron, and I used to like to go to jail for she always had lots of good things to eat. Those were happy days in jail then.

             We used to hold shows in the basement of the Court House. I remember when they played “Pinafore” and the girls took all the parts. There were Minnie Girven, Flo Ellsworth, Emma and Ella Strawn, Minnie and Etta Griffiths, and I can’t remember the other girls names. Minnie Girven made a great hit as “Dick Deadeye,” I think it was. It was a great success so the girls said.

             That reminds me I started to be an actor once. The play was “Betsy Baker,” there was one thing I remember about it. I didn’t make a hit in my part, but someone in the audience did-I think it was an overripe tomato. I quit the show business.

             We had moving pictures in those days. They called them panoramas. I remember they were a large painted canvas and were turned by hand. The first I ever saw was in the old City Hotel Hall. I thought it was the finest thing I ever saw.

             This happened before my time-it must have been in the 50’s. The village was divided in two sections. A number of people came from the States and settled across the Creek on the North side and started in business. There were Moses Betts, A. Cosby, Seeley, Rounds and others. They had planing mills and saw mills. It was on the 4^th of July that they started to celebrate. They had a small cannon which they had placed on the Aqueduct and were firing salutes, in honor of Uncle Sam. A crowd of Canadians was mustered on the East and West side of the canal and creek and went to put a stop to the celebration and in the melee the cannon was thrown in the Creek and the crowds dispersed without any serious bloodshed. I was told the cannon was never found after.

             The old swimming pool-a part which remains to this day, it was opposite Hooker’s brickyard. Every night, we lads would be there swimming and while in the water the big boys would come along and tie our clothes in knots, and when we would go to dress would tell us to “chaw beef,” and it was some “chawing” before we could get into our clothes.

             Snake Eaters- They said there were people who lived in the marsh that used to eat snakes. I never believed that until I saw a man acting queer on the street and on making enquiries I was told he had the “snakes,”- I guess the story was true.

             The Enormous 63 of Pelham-It was about the year 1867 that the Tories had a picnic here and they had a flag floating with the words: “The Enormous 63 of Pelham.” It seems the Tory candidate had polled 63 votes in the township of Pelham at this election.

Commercial Hotel

Thirty Years Ago “1887”-The Commerical Hotel, corner of South  Main and Division Streets. The view was taken from this corner looking north.

             The Commercial Hotel was the leading hotel in those days. It was conducted by Mr. Vanderlip. The hotel was built by Mr. Chambers, who was drowned on the “Golden Gate” as he was returning home from the gold mines in California.

             The old City Hotel Hall was where all our theatrical entertainments were held, J.H. Young, S.J. Sidey and M. Collins being in charge. Mr. Young, manager; Mr. Sidey, treasurer and Mr. Collins, scenic artist. The seats provided for the audience were planks borrowed from the saw mill placed on goods boxes borrowed from the merchants.

             Three familiar characters around town those days were: Paddy Connolly, Geo. Offspring and Jno. Ferguson. Paddy was noted for his wit and the other two for their strength. They called Offspring the iron man and it was said that he once took a bull by the horns and threw it.

             Ferguson had a fight with a bull at Cooks Mills. They say he “threw” the bull, but never fully recovered himself from the effects of the tussel, and was badly bent for years afterwards.

             They have all passed in their checks but the bull still flourishes.

             The first race course was located between what is now Division Street and Welland Street. Divison Street being the home stretch, and the finish about where Hellems avenue crosses Division. The first race I remember seeing must have been in 1869 between Bett’s St. Lawrence and a horse from St. Catharines. Bett’s horse won the race. St. Lawrence was said to be the fastest horse in Canada at that time.

             There was quite a little excitement when Harvey Beatty bought a velocipede and gave an exhibition of its merits. Its merits as a speed getter did not amount to much.

             The Dick Turpin of the town-His name was Lon McDuff but we called him “Duff” for short. He was the leader of the gang, with headquarters under Sherwood’s warehouse, located between the old and new canals. I never belonged to the gang because Duff said I was too pious, old rope and copper boilers were their main line. They sold them to the tinsmiths. The worst crime they committed was stealing the proceeds of a Sunday school collection at the Methodist Episcopal Church, which amounted to between 10 or 15 cents. In dividing up the spoils they quarrelled over a 5 cent piece and gave themselves away. Duff disappeared and was never heard from afterwards. The wise ones used to say that Duff was a clever boy, that he might become a preacher or get hung. I guess he got hung for we never heard of him afterwards.

             The rag business was quite an industry in those days. Clayton and Hopkins, Salem Girven and David Pilbeam, tinsmiths, were all in the business. Each had several rigs on the road. Exchanging tinware for rags. They would start out in the morning with a load of tinware and return with a load of rags in its place.

             That reminds me that when I was working for 50 cents per week, I held the corner on the rag market for some time, but finally went out of the business when I was raised to $1.00 per week.

             When I went at journalistic business money wasn’t very plentiful. The boss had to take in pay for the paper from farmers, potatoes, wood, cabbage, turnips, apples, or anything in the vegetable line. I’ve seen the time you didn’t know whether it was a vegetable store or a print shop. The boss generally sold most of it for cash as we couldn’t eat it up, and then I got my pay. He had several subscribers who paid cash, and they were also his correspondents. A lot of readers kicked on the news sent in by these correspondents but the boss couldn’t turn them down as he needed the money to run the business.

             More Trouble-It was on the day of the picnic and were all going to the picnic. That is the whole staff, the boss, the foreman and the prentice (the imp). There were some bills to press (that was all we had at the time) and in my excitement to get away to the picnic I unfortunately let the inked roller butt into the foreman’s starched shirt. There was the “devil” to pay then, and it was some days before I sat down with comfort. However, it was fortunate in a way for the foreman luckily had a change of shirt and I didn’t.

             Another time I was sent to the Telegraph on some foolish errand when I was taken and my head put in an ink barrel and then plunged in a tank of water and then sent back, shedding tears and vowing that I would quit the business and go back to the farm. They tried to fix me up by washing my head and face and hands with lye, which they used to wash the ink off the rollers. It was all fixed up with me and I stayed on.

             I wish I had known Oliver Twist at that time, then I would have had someone to sympathize with me. After I read Oliver Twist I always thought of Lon McDuff as the “Artful Dodger.”

             The first I remember of hearing about Natural gas must have been in the early sixties. They were drilling for oil on the Lemon Dell farm in the township of Crowland (near my uncle’s farm) it being at the time of the big oil excitement in Pennsylvania. Nobody thought of natural gas in the bowel of the earth at that time. The well had been drilled down several hundred feet when the driller was working away one night with a lighted lantern when a vein of gas was struck which rushed to top and became ignited from the lighted lantern and burned up the derrick and machinery and the well was abandoned, many of the population thinking that they had found the eternal region. Gas has flowed from the well for many years.

             The bookstore-there was a bookstore in connection with the Tribune office and it was my duty after supper to look after the store. The bulk of the sales was 10 cent dime novels, in which we done quite a trade. We also handled the Police Gazette. I used to keep the cash in a tin box and it was my duty to safeguard that box, every night and carry it home. I would probably have from 25c to a $1.00 in the box, but I never stopped on the road till I landed the proceeds in the house. There were no lights on the streets in those days.

             1889-Earley’s Big Hog-Wm. Earley proprietor of the Frazer House was supposed to have the biggest pig in Canada. It’s weight was 1200 pounds, height 5 feet and length 10 feet. He sold it to New York people for the museum. It swallowed a sponge and died.

             Earley’s Dog “Turk”-We remember “Turk”, the good old dog, a friend to all the kids and all the older ones. “Turk” was a big Newfoundland with beautiful curly hair. It was a common thing to see “Turk” with three or four youngsters on his back carrying them around. “Turk” was entitled to a humane medal for saving the life of a child from being drowned in the canal, and he recovered from the canal many a hat blown from the heads of pedestrians as they struck the breezy corner at the canal bridge. “Turk” was poisoned by some inhuman being.

            Another stunt was the taking down of the shutters in the morning at 6 o’clock and putting them up at night, anywhere between 10 and 12 o’clock at night. They were made in sections so it depended on the size of the window as to how big your job was. I had two windows of 4 slabs each of 18 inches wide and 10 feet long. We piled them up at the foot of the window as they made a nice seat for the loungers who used to hang around and tell stories, but mostly spit tobacco juice all over the stoop for me to clean up.

             The Bear Scare-This was my first real excitement on arriving in the burgh. It was on a Sunday, Sept. 13, 1868, a rumor got around the natives that a bear had been seen down in the marsh of the Creek just below the Aqueduct. A crowd was soon got together to hunt the bear. It was a motley crowd with all kinds of weapons –shot guns, hoes, forks, picks, and other implements to hunt the bear. The crowd was in charge of Wm. McGuire, J.P. Evans, Herb Pew and Geo. Lampman. We lads ran down the opposite side of the creek to keep away from the bear. We all climbed up trees to keep away from the bear. We didn’t know at that time that bears went up trees. After an hour’s chase through the marsh and mud and water the bear was treed and the excitement was awful. The chiefs with their guns primed for action crawled through the grass and mud till they got within range of the furocious beast when the leader gave command to fire. The volley did the work, the animal dropped to the ground-dead-but only to be an innocent “coon.” The following day the leaders were all marched before Squire Burgar, the village Magistrate, and soaked a dollar a piece for killing the “coon” on Sunday. He said if it had been a bear, it would have been different, but a “coon” had as much right to be out as they had.

             A real bear story-This happened before I started out to be a “Horace Greely,” it was about 1860, they said. A bear was seen in the woods at what is now Welland Junction. It was the kind of game our hunters wanted. Thaddeus Hooker, Frank Ott, Bob McClelland, James Anderson and Beam Noble were the leaders in the hunts those days. After a few hours skirmish “Mr. Bruin” was discovered, whether they all had a hand in the assassination of poor “Bruin” I never learned. But he was not instantly killed as Mr. McClelland will tell you. He was the hunter sent to interview ‘Bruin” and as a parting farewell the dying “Bruin” bit off a finger or two, perhaps a thumb. Mr. McClelland still lives at the Junction and will tell you about the bear-the last they say, that was ever seen in this section.

             I remember hearing the wiseheads say that Alex McKenzie worked on the Aqueduct as a stone Mason and quit the job to be boss of the Government. I don’t know if that is right or not but I do know that Alex Brown worked on the Aqueduct, and that’s why they call him “logs” now.

             I have seen McCarthy’s pond grow from the home of watery reptiles to a beautiful park; have seen the village grow from a selvage of outskirts to a mass of streets, and from a village to a city.

Soldiers Aid Commission

             Chairman-John Goodwin

             Members-J.F. Gross and J.D. Payne

AGED VISITOR RECALLS OLD DAYS

Has Nearly Attained the Century Mark

By Oliver Underwood

There has been in the city a venerable gentlewoman, once long a resident here, but who of late years has made her home with her grandson in Toronto, Eugene Beatty, also a former Welland resident. As a visitor to this city she has been the guest of her great-granddaughters, the Misses Morwood, of North Main Street, at whose home many of our older people have had the honor and pleasure of again meeting with Mrs. William Milton, who will in October next reach the great age of ninety-six years and whose remarkable personality is an exemplification of the observation made centuries ago by Cicero that old age is the consummation of life, just as of a play; as well as that of the more modern Robert Collyer who spoke of such age as the repose of life; the rest that precedes the rest that remains.

Highly illustrative of these two thoughts is this aged woman, whose facilities, with the exception of her hearing, are as keen as those of a girl of today, and whose gracious presence brings to mind another thought of advanced years that some old age is like the dying sun, which, even to the last, brightens the world with its glory.

That may well be written of her, for it is truly an inspiration to meet with such an one and to observe that she nears the blank, and to the most of us dread, door through which all mankind must in the course of nature inevitably pass, with no feeling of that blankness nor that dread, but rather as if she were about to step from one light and pleasant room into another far more illumined and made beautiful by the presence there of One to whom all humanity must instinctively look.

Mrs. Milton consented to receive a newspaperman, whose object in interviewing her was to dig up something of the life of old hereabouts; but said scribe will have to admit that he fell down on the assignment, in so far as that particular part is concerned, for, unlike the majority of the aged, she cared less about dwelling on the things of the past and more on the things that are yet to come.

So there was not much “old-timer stuff” gleaned from the call, although a little insight on days past was acquired as well as many interesting sidelights on the aged woman’s personal life, which would have no place in a news story.

Mary Eliza Harris was born in Nova Scotia in 1829, and left that Province in company with her parents, Elisha and Rachel Harris, at the age of five years for New York City, whither they travelled by packet boat and where they spent the winter. The following spring they travelled up the Hudson River to Albany, and from there journeyed to Buffalo via the Erie Canal, which passed through what was then mainly an unbroken wilderness.

The family remained in Buffalo between two and three years and when the child was eight years of age came to Canada and settled at Riceville, which was a settlement located at what is now the upper part of the village of Fonthill, along the Canboro Road, west of the Methodist Church.

There was then situated the residence of Dr. Fraser, the first Warden of Welland County many years later, and four or five other houses, all built of logs, as well as a school house and what Mrs. Milton recalls as the Price and Watson stores and-an essential component of every settlement of those early days an inn, Rice’s Tavern.

As her memory goes, there was no Fonthill at that time, although there were several log houses along the Canboro Road down the hill and at its foot; and she does not recall when the present village received its name, but she does say that the name was derived, not from Fonthill Abbey in England, as is popularly supposed, but from a drinking fountain erected near the foot of the hill in the vicinity of the present hotel and fed by a spring since filled in.

Mrs. Milton knew Dexter D’Everardo, often spoken of as the father of Fonthill and of whom more anon, and she dwelt at some length upon John Gore, grandfather of Dr. H.L. Emmett, of Fonthill, who, she said acted as best man at the wedding of her father and mother in Nova Scotia and was also among the guests present at the celebration of the golden anniversary of their marriage, held in Fonthill.

After the Harris family became Canadian settlers their daughter spent her school years in Buffalo, where she received her education, making her home with an aunt; and she told of crossing the Niagara in Indian canoes in the course of her vacation visits to Fonthill, and of the long drive through the bush from Waterloo, now Fort Erie, passing on the way the little settlement of Merrittsville, which is the Welland of today.

Mrs. Milton saw the building of the original Baptist Church in Fonthill and the present Methodist Church, which was originally erected as a Universalist place of worship and purchased by the other denomination when the founders became too few in numbers to support it.

She states that the land for the Baptist edifice was given by the father of Benjamin Camby, together with a cash contribution of $200, evidently a princely sum in those days, since the recollection of the donation has survived, all these years.

At the age of seventeen occurred her marriage to William Milton, a native of the United States, who conducted a business at Fonthill, Their married life was a brief one, death calling him after ten years, during which three daughters were born them; the late Mrs. William Beatty of this city; Mrs. Cornelia Harris, who is now a resident of Denver, Colorado, and has attained the age of seventy-four; and Mrs. Margaret Lyon, also of Denver, and the mother of the distinguished physician and surgeon, the late Dr. Roy Lyon.

Mrs. Milton has one grandchild, previously referred to, and there are five great-grandchildren besides the two in this city.

Confession has already been made that your scribe was a dud in the digging up of much old history, but the mind of the venerable woman was on other things and one was perforce content, not only because of that, but because Mrs. Milton’s outlook upon the ending of life here was a thing for even an newsman, who comes in touch with mankind at all angles, to marvel at.

In her case, it is truly

“O grave, where if thy Victory?

O Death, where in thy Sting?”

The Welland Tribune and Telegraph

14 July 1925

Dakota

For the Welland Tribune

              DELL RAPIDS, Dakota, March 17- Today begins to look like spring. The snow was about 18 inches deep on the level, but is nearly all gone at last. The ground is frozen very deep. It has been a long, cold winter; and the times have been hard, but things are beginning to liven up again now. The immigration into the southwest part of this territory and Nebraska and California is immense. People here will soon begin to sow their grain. They do not wait for the frost to go out of the ground. If they did it would be very late in spring before they would get on the land, for the frost is deep and the ground dries as fast as it goes out. As a general thing there are no rains here in winter. The old people say that they had more snow this winter than generally. I wish the Welland folks could see some of the sleighs that people have here, especially the Norwegians. It would make them smile. I saw a man in town one day with his horse hitched to a hay rack for a sleigh. He had the front ends rounded off a little and rode along as happily as if airing himself in a Portland sleigh.

             We have had no high water yet, but it is feared that our town will get a ducking when the water from the North comes down the Big Sioux.

Ex Wellander

 Welland Tribune

28 March 1884

Letter From Mr. Bridges

              The following extract from a private letter to the editor of the TRIBUNE under date of Los Angeles, Cal., March 23^rd, will be of interest to the many friends of Mr. Bridges and family here.

             We all arrived in California safe and sound. Mrs. Bridges had a very bad cold after we arrived, but she is better now and we are all very comfortable in our new home. I have purchased a very nice place in East Los Angeles for $2,500. Willie and I have just got through our potato planting. We have a fine lot of trees on the place. Our orange trees have fruit on them and blossoms as well, and our flower garden is fine. Those lilies and geraniums that we had so much trouble with at home bloom here out of doors all winter. We have a large tree of paradise that has flowers the year round. The city is lighted with electric light. There is one mast near us 150 feet high; it lights our garden like moonlight, so that we could see to make garden at night. On Friday last I went to De Turks, hired a pair of ponies and a covered carriage for the day (for which I paid $5) and drove Mrs. B., Rosa and Willie to Pasadena, a beautiful place. It has improved very much since I was there, two years ago. Land sells there from $800 to $1200 per acre. We then drove to Sierra Madre Villa, which they tell me is one of the finest places in the world for invalids. Then we drove to Old San Gabriel, a very old Spanish village, where they have an old mission church, 112 years old. From there we returned home, a little tired and very well satisfied with our day’s trip. I have not been to see my friend’s yet, Oscar Griffith, R. Larter or Mr. Beckett, on account of the rains washing away the track, and I don’t like to ford the rivers between here and Santa Anna.

Welland Tribune

4 April 1884