EDITORIAL NOTES

[Welland Telegraph, 31 May 1910]

             At the Ontario Club banquet in Toronto last week the Hon. Wm. Puglsey referred to the need of better wharfage and mentioned that proper mechanical appliances should be provided with the necessary depth of water to enable vessels of deep draught carrying large cargoes to discharge them rapidly and cheaply. “That means,” Mr. Puglsey went on, “the deepening and enlarging of the Welland Canal. It is a great work, which must be undertaken in the not distant future. Let me say, however, that this country is big and wealthy enough to undertake these two great works just as soon as we have the National Transcontinental Railway completed. In 1913, at the very outside, it will be completed from the Atlantic to the Pacific, and the country will be in a position then to undertake these two important works-the enlarging of the Welland Canal and the building of the Montreal-Ottawa-Georgian Bay Canal.”

MANY NEGLECTED

[Welland Telegraph, 8 February 1910]

             W.A. Gunton, Government Inspector of the Society of Neglected Children of the Province, was here on Saturday, and with Chief Jones rounded up the neglected children in Welland, the names of which are published elsewhere.

 “You have your full share of neglected children here,” he said to the Telegraph. Asked what he attributed this to be he explained that the condition always prevailed in growing towns. Mr. Gunton went on to say that the children taken from here go to the shelter in Toronto, where they are adopted by people of means. He will address the St. Catharines Council Tuesday night relative to establishing a Shelter there.

HALLEY’s COMET

[Welland Telegraph, 3 June 1910]

 The present Halley’s Comet is being marveled at, but Deputy Registry Elliot of the Registry Office remembers distinctly a comet which ran within view of the earth about thirty years ago, which was much larger and plainer, and Mr. Elliot says more beautiful than Halley’s sky-wonder.

TO PROHIBIT FIRECRACKERS

[Welland Telegraph, 31 May 1910]

             The alderman who declares he will introduce a bylaw to prohibit the sale and use of fireworks in this town will find himself supported by a largely preponderating public opinion. Tuesday night one of the most valuable buildings in the down town section was set on fire by fireworks, and in that a splendid industry was threatened with destruction. A little girl in Welland had her eyes injured with a firecracker on Tuesday morning. On a public holiday the fine spirit loaded with firecrackers makes in unsafe for persons or vehicles to travel on Main Street. Property, of course, is always in danger. In St. Catharines on Victoria Day fireworks frightened a horse so that a man and his wife were thrown through a plate glass window and both had to be removed to the hospital.

             There is surely something wrong about a pastime that carries with it exasperating annoyance and serious danger. The people of Welland are probably about ready to deny themselves the use of fire crackers.

[See related EVENT: TWO FIRES STARTED/A Number of Charges Against the Pastime of Shooting off Fireworks]

WELLANDERS NOT GOOD PAY

County Town a Mecca for Dead Beats

As Much Division Court Business in Welland as in Niagara Falls and the Rest of the County

[Welland Telegraph, 3 June 1910]

              The annual report of the Inspector of Division Court is just to hand; and the Telegraph is forced to conclude after reading it that Welland is the favorite roost for the man who can not pay and the dead beat who will not pay.

             There are six Division Courts in the county; Welland had 588 suits. The other five put together, and this includes Niagara Falls, mark you, had only 589. The claims made in the Welland court, moreover, totalled almost as much as the total claims of the other five. There were sixty-three judgment summonses in Welland and only fifty-eight in all the others put together. Twenty-five debtors in the six courts were ordered to be committed, and fifteen of those were from Welland.

             To quote the phrase of an ex-Wellander, “the bonds of pecuniary obligation lie lightly in Welland.”

             The following is taken from the report:

1. Welland-J.C. Nixon, bailiff; J.M. Livingstone, clerk.
2. Marshville-John Haymes, bailiff; Jos. Henderson, clerk.
3. Ridgeway-John R. Huffman, bailiff; Jos. Clark, clerk.
4. Niagara Falls-James Jones, bailiff; J.G. Cadham, clerk.
5. Thorold-R.C. Higgins, bailiff; D.J.C. Munro, clerk.
6. Port Colborne-Henry Leslie, bailiff; Jas. E. Neff, clerk.

Number of suits entered

1. 588
2. 35
3. 147
4. 343
5. 27
6. 37

Amount of claims

1. $19,302
2. 1,576
3. 5,606
4. 12,995
5. 857
6. 1,140

Judgment Summonses Issued

1. 63
2. 6
3. 16
4. 31
5. 3
6. 2

 Judgment debtors ordered to be committed

1. 15
2. 1
3. 2
4. 6
5. 1
6. 0

The number of debtors actually jailed, however, was only two, and both of these came from Welland.

Return of emoluments-

Clerks-

1. $1294
2. 89
3. 295
4. 873
5. 66
6. 76

Bailiffs-

1. $701
2. 125
3. 347
4. 653

THE FIRST WELLAND GIRL TO GRADUATE IN OSTEOPATHY

[Welland Telegraph, 14 June 1910]

            Many readers of this paper will be pleased to learn of the success of Miss S. Carolyn Blanchard, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Blanchard, Merritt Street, who is hereafter to be known as Doctor Blanchard, for she has recently graduated from the College of Osteopathy at Kirksville, Mo. Since graduating, Doctor Blanchard has been notified of having successfully passed the Missouri State Board examination and is now fully licensed to practice.

             Our readers will recall an interesting interview with Doctor Blanchard published in these columns shortly after the San Francisco earthquake in which she suffered some unusually exciting experiences. She was at that time attending a college of Osteopathy; but her course was interrupted by the disaster which devastated the city. Later she took up her studies at Kirksville where the founder of the science, Dr. A.T. Still, continues to preside over the institution. The diplomas are all signed by the aged founder of the cult and this year, the graduating class numbered 175.

             Dr. Blanchard, who is spending a brief holiday at her home here, at the request of the Telegraph, gave the following explanation of the science of Osteopathy.

             “The human body is a magnificent mechanism created by a master mechanic, each part lying in such relation to other parts that there is exact anatomical fitting. Any disturbance of these relations results in less perfect functioning.

             Violence, tightened ligaments, contracted muscles, caused by cold draughts, or toxins in the system are among the causes of such disturbance. The human machine is so contracted that it runs itself, requires no engineer-given pure air, food, exercise and a proper environment. It will even adjust itself up to a certain point. But when too long continued or too great abuse of its laws is persisted in, disease results.

             The Osteopathic physician after his three or four years of hard work in the class room, and in clinics, knows the workings of the human body, much in the same manner as an engineer is familiar with his locomotive. He has learned the natural method of restoring equilibrium. He looks carefully into causes which lead to the symptoms, regulating environment when necessary and skillfully adjusts disordered mechanisms.

             The Osteopathic physician with his mechanics understands how to rebuild and restore the broken down digestive mechanism, to tone up the nervous system, to rehabilitate the organs of assimilation, elimination and locomotion. All this is done without the use of drugs, for the true Osteopathic doctor gives no medicine.”

[See related article: WOMAN’S STORY OF DISASTER]

INTERESTING NOTES AND COMMENT ON AN EARLY WELLAND COUNTY PAPER

INTERESTING NOTES AND COMMENT ON AN EARLY WELLAND COUNTY PAPER

THE “ACORN” PUBLISHED AT FONTHILL

[Welland Telegraph, 3 May 1910]

              The Telegraph was shown an interesting paper by C.W. Price on Friday. The paper, which was published in Fonthill, was called the “Acorn”. It is believed to be the first paper published in the County of Welland. The first issue appeared from the office of publication in Fonthill in 1855 on August 10th.

             There is a rival in the field, however, for first place, and that was the Fonthill Herald. Some say that the Herald was the first paper published.

             At that time there were no papers in Welland, which was at that time called Merrittsville. Fonthill was much larger than Merrittsville, and as a consequence it was the centre of the county, and that is why the Acorn was founded there.

             Its lease of life was very short, however, as it was only published six months. Mr. Price has every paper issued bound in a book.

             The Acorn’s sub-heading was very suggestive but unfortunately it did not live to carry its policy out. The sub-heading referred to is, “The Acorn-Big Oaks from Little Acorns Grow.” In politics it was Independent. Politics were very seldom referred to in its editorials.

             The Acorn was owned by and published by Hosmer L. Stone and D. Hobson. After three months in partnership Mr.Hobson sold his interests to Mr. Stone.

             The size of the paper was about eight by twelve inches. It comprised of two sheets each of three columns –there being twelve columns in all. The terms as printed on the first page were two pence currency per number. It was a very neatly printed paper and would put the papers of nowadays to shame in that regard. It contained correspondence from Port Colborne, Port Robinson and Merrittsville.

             The paper was printed in the office of the Herald. This was in a concert hall near the present block owned by Mrs. Stone and was burned down twenty years ago. The block was three storeys high and the village of Fonthill at that time was much larger than it is now is.

             Several items are taken from the quaint old paper by The Telegraph. They will be found below and are very interesting.

             Narrow Escape-A little girl about four years old, daughter of Dilly Coleman of Port Robinson, while playing in front of a well fell in. A colored man, standing near, immediately descended into the well and saved the child from drowning.

             A marriage notice reads as follows: Married-On August 10^th, 1855 at the residence of the bride’s father in the township of Pelham, by the Rev. J.R. Lavelle, Mr. J. H. Berston, tobacconist to Miss Lucilla D. Haines.

             The paper was published on Friday.

             Riceville, which is now Upper Fonthill, is also mentioned in the Acorn’s columns. The first Pelham post office was situated at Riceville. John S. Price was postmaster.

             A paragraph regarding Townsend, the noted murderer, who killed several people in this province, and who after a trial lasting four months at Welland, was allowed to go free, also appears.

             The St. Catharines Post is also referred to in an editorial.

             The following interesting note is also taken from its columns.

             Lecture-Wm. Lyon McKenzie is expected to deliver a lecture in the concert hall, October 4^th, 1855, on the subject of dissolution of the provinces of Upper and Lower Canada.

             Despatches of Old Country news from steamers arriving in New York appear regularly in its columns and a scare heading is featured once in a while. As a whole it was a very interesting little sheet.

             A notice of the first Pelham cattle show appears. It was held at Riceville. Prohibition was advocated in its columns.

             Other interesting items gleamed from its columns by our reporter are:

             Serious Accident at Merrittsville- On Wednesday at Merrittsville a platform at the side of Mr. Bald’s new house, upon which several carpenters were working, fell to the ground, injuring the men.

             Drowned- Near Hellemsport, a sailor fell overboard and was drowned in the canal.

             Fire- On Monday evening a barn belonging to Peter Price near the Chippawa creek was burned to the ground.

             Married- At St. Catharines, on 30^th November, by the Rev. A.L. Atkinson, Lorenzo D. Raymond to Mary Jane Cochrane.

             The Acorn was not without its troubles with subscribers, however. The following is a very crude letter received from Merrittsville.

             The Acorn replied to the above letter with great eloquence of nearby a column in length. The editor, even in this time of trouble, displayed a great deal of humor.

             That the Mechanics Institute of Fonthill is a very old institution is evidenced by the following from the Acorn:

             Mechanics Institute- According to notice, the annual meeting of the Institute was held on Monday, 3^rd December. The attendance was exceedingly good. Officers were elected as follows:

John Frazer, Esq., M.D., M.P.P. –Pres.

Isaac P. Willson-1st Vice-Pres.

John Gore- 2^nd Vice-Pres.

D.D’Everardo-Secretary

John B. Oxley-Treasurer

Gibson Gray-Librarian

J.S. Price, D. Kinsman, J.H. Burston, Henry Jiles and A Dinsmore were elected Associate Directors.

             Pelham Municipal Council for 1856-Dr. Frazer, J. Scholfield, Lewis Willson, Parmer Buchner, Peter Beckett.

             In February the editor made the announcement that he would have to suspend publication for some time. Later he announced he would again publish the paper on a much larger scale. We are informed that he did this and that until 1863 he published a very successful paper. In 1863 he again suspended publication.

             Mr. Price also showed The Telegraph several issues of the Welland People’s Press of 1862 and 1863, published by A. Dinsmore.

LOCAL HISTORY RECALLED

When the Old Aqueduct Was New-Bursting of the Cannon

[Welland Tribune, 15 September 1910]

              There is a visitor in Welland who has more than ordinary interest in a certain locality here, and which recalls what was practically the laying of the foundation for Welland’s present day greatness.

             The person in question is Miss Duff of Toronto, who is a guest at J.C. Crow’s. She is the only surviving daughter of the late Alexander Duff, there being also one brother yet, living in California.

             It was about the year 1850 that the event occurred which fixed Miss Duff’s interest in Welland. The opening of Welland canal aqueduct was being celebrated, the Governor General, Lord Elgin, taking part in the ceremony. Miss Duff’s father was at that time a member of Dundas field battery, and that battery was brought here to fire a salute. When Mr. Duff was ramming a charge home, the cannon burst. He was blown some distance in the air and badly injured, including the loss of one eye. This accident will be remembered by some of the older residents, and Miss Duff has been shown the spot where it occurred. After the accident the injured man was taken to the Hagar house now standing on North Main street.

             Later Mr. Duff was conveyed to his home at Dundas, where he remained in bed for a year. His misfortune was recognized by the government, not by a pension, but by an appointment to the island revenue department in 1851. He occupied the position of gauger and locker in Toronto until 1886, when he was superannuated. His death occurred six years go.

TRAGEDY IN THE SMITH HOME

Skeleton Revealed in Police Court Case

Husband Hard Working and Industrious: Wife a Habitual Drunkard

[Welland Telegraph, 24 June 1910]

             A new phase of the case in which Thomas Smith struck Albert Hubner developed in police court on Wednesday.

             Smith’s wife drinks. On Smith’s own admission she has been a habitual drinker for fifteen years, and has kept his family poor through drink during all that time. The night of the assault when Smith returned from work, he found her drinking and carousing in his own home with Hubner.   

             The case came before the magistrate on Wednesday night. Harry Macoomb on behalf of his client pled guilty.

             Hubner, the man with the broken nose, didn’t appear to prosecute.

             Mrs. Smith was in the court and she got quite a surprise when J. Macoomb began to put in his case, as he revealed some facts regarding her manner of living that were astonishing. Read the rest of this entry »