Archive

Dipping into the past…

December 23, 2014   ·   0 Comments

150 YEARS AGO
Thursday, December 22, 1864
• rom The Sun, Orangeville, compliments of Dufferin County Museum and Archives:
RAIDERS DISCHARGED – On the 13th inst., Justice Coursol ordered the men accused of taking part in the raid on St. Alban’s, Vermont, and whose extradition under the Ashburton Treaty the United States authorities had applied, to be released from custody on the ground of the insufficiency of the warrant on which they had been arrested. According to the judge’s interpretation of the law, the warrant for the Confederates’ arrest should have been signed by the Governor-General, and not by an ordinary magistrate. Upon this decision being made, the Montreal Chief of Police handed over to them the $90,000 which they had taken during the raid from St. Alban’s banks, after which they had returned to Canada East. This affair created great excitement in Montreal, and the conduct of both Justice Coursol and Chief of Police Lamothe was severely criticized, an investigation having since led to the police chief’s resignation. The Government, on hearing of the hasty and unexpected discharge of the prisoners, offered a $300 reward for the apprehension of each of them. It is not, however, probable that they will be caught, ample time having been given for them to make their escape. In the United States, the news of the release of the raiders created great excitement and much ill-will against the Canadian Government. Major General Dix, on hearing of it, issued an order directing the United States soldiery to follow raiders for the future into Canada, and should their arrest be opposed, shoot them, before awaiting the decision of the Canadian courts.
THE VILLAGE ELECTIONS – Interest in the elections wains as the date for holding them approaches. The reason for this is obvious. The different candidates have already got through their “canvass,” and it has become a settled conviction with the electors that our next Council will be composed of Messrs. Armstrong, Jackson, Jull, Thompson and Stewart. The latter gentleman may, however, be replaced by Mr. S. Wallace, if Dr. Hewat persists in his candidature; otherwise, no change can be made in the list we have given. Under these circumstances, many will regret that Dr. Hewat should continue the contest, and thrust himself on the electors unsolicited. During the past year he has shown his incompetency for the office.
SCHOOL TRUSTEES – The election of three trustees for the Village School, to fill the vacancies created by the retirement of Messrs. Rutledge, Jackson and Youmans, will take place in Bell’s Hall, on Wednesday the 11th proximo.

125 YEARS AGO
Thursday, December 26, 1889
• Keldon: There is the appearance of another busy time in the timber business here this winter. Mr. John Phillips, of Grand Valley, has been around leaving orders for a large number of railway ties. Other buyers are expected from Fergus about the new year who, we expect, will also leave large orders to file. Mr. Neil McLean, with a gang of men, has arrived here from Fergus, intending to start timbering as soon as the weather is suitable. A number of others are also making preparations for a winter’s bushing.
• A team of horses belonging to Mr. Torrance, of Amaranth, became frightened at the morning express train Tuesday while they were standing tied at Laidlaw’s grainery in Shelburne. After breaking loose they ran along Elizabeth Street, then south past the Methodist Church, turning at the town hall in the direction of home. For onlookers it appeared for a time as though the runaways and the train would meet at the Victoria Street crossing, but the train won the race by a few seconds. After crossing the track and going a short distance one of the horses slipped and fell, bringing them to a stop. But little damage was done, and that was caused to the harness.
• The Ontario Pump Company have completed the Shelburne Waterworks, but not exactly to the satisfaction of the corporation. The Reeve and Council inspected the work on Saturday, and are well satisfied with the work, except for the curbing in the well. The Council made a proposition to Foreman Cassidy that if the company would consent to brick the curbing inside, the Council would bear half the expense.The curbing is not as good as it should be, and the Council is perfectly right in not accepting the works until everything is made satisfactory.

100 YEARS AGO
Thursday, December 24, 1914
• Through C. R. McKeown, acting under instructions from W. D. Henry of Markdale, Robert Ormsby of Perm has issued a writ against the Township of Mulmur. Ormsby is seeking damages from the municipality for injury to his farm by the diverting of a stream. The claimant alleges that the diversion caused water and sand to overflow his property.
• George Murray was recently found guilty of theft in the Toronto police court and was sentenced to 90 days in the Central Prison. The stolen goods comprise a suitcase containing valuables, the property of R. W. Brett of Shelburne, and were found in possession of the accused. Mr. Brett had the stolen property returned to him on Friday last.
• The new superintendent in charge of Manitoba’s Agricultural College extension work is S. T. Newton, who for the past few years has been assistant superintendent of the manual training department in Winnipeg schools and for two years head of the technical department of Kelvin High School there. He is a native of Dufferin County, where he spent his early days on the farm. After attending Orangeville High School he taught public school for a time and then took advanced work at high school and in Toronto University.
• Further reductions in Hydro-Electric Power Commission rates throughout Ontario will save the customers of the municipalities it serves an estimated $200,000 per annum.

75 YEARS AGO
Wednesday, December 28, 1939
• Mulmur, East Luther and Grand Valley are the only Dufferin municipalities scheduled to have elections this year. Mulmur and East Luther will have three-way battles for the townships’ reeveship, while in Grand Valley the two candidates for reeve will be Robert Lang and George Cunningham.
• On Wednesday evening of last week, Dufferin Warden Robinson Dynes and Mrs. Dynes, of Redickville, entertained the Council and officials of Melancthon Township, accompanied by their wives, at their home. During the evening a presentation was made to Township Clerk Harry Coutts and Mrs. Coutts, who are leaving the township for their new home in Orangeville.

50 YEARS AGO
Wednesday, December 23, 1964
• Grand Valley: A rink composed of Wallace Clark, ship, Joe Greenwood, Ray Stuckey and W. J. Baker attended an invitational curling bonspiel in Shelburne Saturday of last week for the Vic Phillips Trophy, which is intended to become an annual event. The local rink won two of its three games, enough to give them third prize and earn coffee carafes for their endeavours.
• Emerson Corbett won a byelection in Shelburne needed to fill a vacant council seat. He received 226 votes to 165 garnered by Glenn Ewing and 120 for Eric Gray.

10 YEARS AGO
Friday, December 24, 2004
• Dufferin County’s new southern arterial road is expected to solve a number of transportation problems for the Orangeville area but will create a new one for county taxpayers, who will face having to pay for it along with another 35 miles of downloaded provincial highways.
• New provincial Greenbelt regulations will not affect two proposed Amaranth subdivisions on about 200 acres of farmlands because they were already “in the works” prior to the legislation’s Dec. 16 deadline, says township planner Jack Crittenden.

         

Facebooktwittermail


Readers Comments (0)


Sorry, comments are closed on this post.

Page Reader Press Enter to Read Page Content Out Loud Press Enter to Pause or Restart Reading Page Content Out Loud Press Enter to Stop Reading Page Content Out Loud Screen Reader Support