Dipping into the past…

May 28, 2015 · 0 Comments

125 YEARS AGO
Thursday, May 29, 1890
• onservative delegates from all parts of the County met in convention at the Town Hall, Shelburne, Tuesday afternoon last, to select a candidate for the Ontario Legislature. Twenty nominations were made, but all retired except Dr. John Barr, F. C. Stewart, W. L. Walsh and James Snell. The first vote stood: Barr, 71; Stewart, 40; Walsh, 7; Snell, 6. Second vote: Barr, 60; Stewart, 46; Walsh, 9. Third vote: Barr, 77; Stewart, 51.
Says the Shelburne Free Press: “It is a foregone conclusion that Dr. Barr will be the member for Dufferin, but at the same time Conservatives must not rely too much on their strength, as it is quite probable that the Reformers seeing three men in the field, may bring out a man hoping to catch the Conservatives napping.”
• In Dufferin we have no dearth of candidates for the Legislature. Already there are three in the field, Dr. Gaviller, New Party candidate, Robert McGhee, Farmers’ candidate and Dr. Barr, nominee of the Conservative convention. Today (Thursday), prior to nomination, the Reformers will hold a meeting at Orangeville to consider the advisability of bringing out a candidate to contest the County. Says the Shelburne Economist: “We understand that if a Reformer comes out, Mr. McGhee will retire from the field.”
• The morning of the 24th was fine and clear, but the afternoon was not so favourable for outdoor amusement, there being a little rain and the weather turning cold. The big crowd that came to take part in Shelburne’s celebration, however, remained in good spirits to the end. Main Street presented a gay appearance with its flags, bunting, mottos, etc., and its bustling crowd of pleasure seekers who had come by private conveyance, by train and on foot. The morning train from the north, bearing the Dundalk baseball team and people from the north, was met by the Citizens’ Band and the visitors were escorted downtown. The band returned to the station and met several hundred people from Crombies, Laurel, Orangeville and points south who arrived by train about noon, the train having been delayed an hour on account of the holiday rush.
• At its meeting on Monday last, Melancthon Council granted the petition of Edward Ferris and 36 others seeking permission to erect a weigh scale at Horning’s Mills on the public highway for the convenience of the village and farming community, providing the parties interested and constructing the same, enter into a bond with Council to indemnify them in case of any damage.
• Mrs. M. E. DeGeer, a celebrated lawyer and preacher of Kansas, was to have lectured, under the auspices of the Women’s Christian Temperance Union on prohibition, in the Shelburne Town Hall on Monday evening, but didn’t turn up. The lecture was announced from the Presbyterian and Methodist pulpits on Sunday in good faith, arrangements having been made with Mrs. DeGeer to come. On Monday morning word was received that she was unwell and could not come. Then late in the afternoon another report went around to the effect that she might come by the evening train. Says the Shelburne Free Press: “By Wednesday’s Globe we see that Mrs. DeGeer gave a temperance lecture in the Parliament Street Baptist Church, Toronto, and turned it into a political speech appealing on behalf of the Third Party candidate in Toronto. This explains her “sickness” — guess she took sick when she heard the people up here were solid for Dr. Barr, the people’s candidate.”

100 YEARS AGO
Thursday, May 27, 1915
• his year, Victoria Day passed off very quietly in Shelburne. All business places were closed, and closed tightly, for the day, while the numerous citizens and visitors betook themselves to the various places where celebrations and other pastimes were being held. Members of the Anglican Young Peoples’ Association and Young Peoples’ Guild held an outing to Mono Rocks and Canning’s Falls, while the great majority attended the lacrosse match at Dundalk between Shelburne and Dundalk. Shelburne will yet be able to boast of its reputation as a lacrosse town, judging from the interest taken in the game locally, as well as the excellent playing of the team. The score was 3-3 at full time, and with extra time neither team could again bulge the nets.
• According to a report in the Toronto Star, only 26 members of the 4th Battalion of the Canadian Expeditionary Force escaped being killed, wounded or captured in the fighting at Langemarck, Belgium. It was while with his company in the 4th Battalion that Lieut. Harry B. McGuire, of Orangeville, was killed, and Arthur Vintiner and George Pattison, of Shelburne, both of whom were wounded, were in the Battalion, as were several others from the part of Ontario

75 YEARS AGO
Wednesday, May 23, 1940
• nder the auspices of Dufferin County Conservation and Reforestation Committee, cooperating with the Departments of Education and Agriculture, a series of tree planting demonstrations was held commencing May 8 and concluding May 16. These demonstrations were primarily for school children, but in each case quite a number of adults were present, including teachers and parents. The meetings were organized in School Fair zones and upwards of 1200 pupils attended the eight demonstrations and over 9000 trees were distributed, with each pupil being given a few trees to plant at home.
• Prime Minister Mackenzie King told the House of Commons Monday that Canada’s war effort alone will soon cost about $2 million a day. He presented a war program which includes immediate recruiting of a third division for service “in Canada or overseas”; advancement of the date of the despatch overseas of the Second Division and advancement of the date of dispatch of the First Division reinforcements; and acceleration of Canada’s contribution of airmen by supplementing the Commonwealth Air Training Plan.

50 YEARS AGO
Wednesday, May 26, 1965
• big community auction sale in aid of the Honeywood and Shelburne arena funds will be held in front of Shelburne Arena Saturday night with the auctioneers expected to be Charles Foster, of Creemore, and George Duncan, of Dundalk.
• A report from Ottawa says the CPR has told the Federal Government that it intends to get out of transcontinental passenger operations. A letter from CPR president R. A. Emerson advised Transport Minister Jack Pickersgill that the railway lost about $24 million on passenger services last year.

10 YEARS AGO
Thursday, May 26, 2005
• maranth Mayor Bob Currie is happy that his council has held its municipal tax hike to 5% without seriously depleting reserves but says he is not pleased with Dufferin County’s increase of 7.5%, which he blamed in part to funding for the Credit Valley Conservation authority. The original township budget held the local increase to 2.7%, based on using about $440,000 from reserves. The mayor said he was pleased at council’s decision which uses only about $180,000 from reserves but not happy that the township could have saved $100,000 if it had not been for litigation .
• Dufferin County Council has approved formation of a Dufferin-wide Economic Development Advisory Committee, and is considering moving ahead with County planning.
• Mono Council will discuss a consultant’s report on the plausibility of a town-owned fire hall. Mono CAO Keith McNenly said more information on the town’s fire services position should be available for council’s June 14 meeting, as Orangeville Fire Chief Andy McIntosh is looking into the desirability of changing the existing fee structure to a fee-per-call system.