Dipping into the past…

January 21, 2015 · 0 Comments

150 YEARS AGO
Thursday, January 19, 1865
• rom The Sun, Orangeville, compliments of Dufferin County Museum and Archives:
ORANGEVILLE COUNCIL – The newly elected councillors for this village met at Bell’s Hall on Monday last, and having made and subscribed the usual declarations of qualification and office, proceeded to elect a reeve. Mr. W. H. Hall moved that Mr. F. C. Stewart be elected Reeve for the present year, but the motion having gone “a begging” for some time, fell for want of a seconder. Mr. W. E. Thompson then moved, seconded by Mr. W. Armstrong, that Mr. Thomas Jull be Reeve for the current year, and the motion, being put to the meeting, was declared carried. The Council adjourned till Friday evening next.
THE AMERICAN WAR – Late advices inform us of the fall of Fort Fisher, commanding the entrance to the harbor at Wilmington, N.C. It was simultaneously attacked by the combined land and naval force under General Sherman and Admiral Porter, and full after a stubborn but brief resistance. Wilmington will now probably fall an easy prey to the Northern army. This will prove another disaster to the South. There are rumors that the North and South are treating for peace, but it is not probable that either would accept such terms as the other has to offer. There are, however, unmistakable signs of an early termination of the war.
COMBAT WITH A WILD CAT – On Thursday night last, Mr. T. H. Reeve, of the township of Mono, was awakened by a peculiar noise in his poultry house, and, on proceeding to the spot, found a catamount of the largest dimensions killing his geese. Mr. Reeve was armed with a pistol and shot at it, but in consequence of the darkness missed his aim. The animal, however, did not attempt to escape, being eager for his prey, until again attacked by Mr. Reeve with a cudgel. The combat that ensued, though short, was furious in the extreme; but fortunately Mr. Reeve came out the victor unhurt. He had, however, lost seven geese and other poultry, and a neighbour, Mr. Hunter, lost 29 the previous night, all evidently the work of the nocturnal visitor so summarily dispatched by Mr. Reeve.
MONO AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY – At the annual meeting of the Society, held at Kelly’s Hotel in this village on Saturday, a resolution was moved by Mr. W. W. Rutledge and seconded by Mr. J. Johnson, to the effect that Caledon be struck off the limits of the Society. It excited much discussion, and an amendment moved by Mr. W. Parsons and seconded by Mr. McCarthy, that it not be struck off until Caledon had refused a proposition to allow this society to compete at its fair, was lost by the casting vote of Mr. Stewart, and the original motion was declared carried. Had the meeting been a full one, we feel assured that a resolution excluding Caledon from competing at the Show in this arbitrary manner, would not have been carried; and for ther success of the Society, we trust that the motion will be rescinded at the next meeting of the directors.
DR. PARKER ON CONFEDERATION – The member for North Wellington has addressed a letter to his constituents on the Confederation scheme which we publish in another column. Dr. Parker opposes Confederation, but deals more in vague and indefinite generalities than in sound and statesmanlike arguments. It is not such a document as we would have expected from a gentleman of Dr. Parker’s abilities, and its publication will certainly not add to his reputation as a statesman. If no stronger arguments than those he adduces can be brought against Confederation, we are convinced it will meet with but little opposition from the Legislature or the country; the mere expression of doubts is no proof on the inutility of a public measure.
GARAFRAXA COUNCIL – A special meeting of the Council was held on Dec. 21 for the purpose of settling the claims of the Municipality of Orangeville in regard to the Wild Land Tax and Clergy Reserve money. Mr. Leeson moved, seconded by Mr. Monger, That the sum of $100 be paid out of the funds of this Municipality to the Municipality of Orangeville, on account of the Clergy Reserve Fund and the Wild Land Tax monies, claimed by them as their portion within the limits of this Municipality, being a final settlement of all matters, accounts, divisions of property and differences between this Municipality and the Municipality of Orangeville arising out of the separation of said Village Corporation.

125 YEARS AGO
Thursday, January 23, 1890
• Shelburne Council is making arrangements to test the waterworks well by letting several feet of water out of the tank each day. The water will be taken from the hydrant opposite Mr. F. G. Dunbar’s residence.
• The application of J. J. Dubbin, the deposed Caledon East preacher, for re-admission to the Presbyterian ministry, came up for consideration at the meeting of Orangeville Presbytery last Tuesday. The Presbytery refused Dubbin’s modest request, and the deposed preacher now threatens to appeal to the Synod. As the Synod’s standard of virtue is doubtless as high as that fixed by the lower ecclesiastical court, Dubbin is not likely to secure his re-admission to the fold.
• On Friday evening last, under the auspices of the White Ribbon Ladies of Shelburne, Miss Minnie Phelps, of St. Catharines, gave an eloquent and masterly address to a fair audience in the Presbyterian Church on the topic of Temperance – Canada’s past, present and future stand on the liquor question. For over an hour and a half Miss Phelps explained the burning theme, going back into history to the first license law and showing that now the Liquor Party had assumed grave proportions and was getting beyond the control of law.
• All the newly elected members of Mulmur Township Council, save Mr. Henderson, who was elected 2nd Deputy Reeve by acclamation on Monday last, subscribed to the declaration of office and qualification. It seems that a mistake was made in electing Mr. Henderson, for there is not a sufficient of municipal voters in the township to warrant creation of such an office.

100 YEARS AGO
Thursday, January 21, 1915
• The annual meeting of the patrons of the Conover Cheese Factory will be held at the factory on Friday, January 29, at 2 p.m., for receiving the auditor’s report, the letting of drawing and for the transaction of other business. A full attendance requested.
• Shelburne’s fine new Post Office building was opened and in full swing Friday last, and the Town Hall is no longer the favourite spot of the seekers after mail. The interior of the new building is very complete. It is finished in oak and ash and is well lighted. There are about 100 more lock boxes than there were in the old office. There are separate wickets for General Delivery, box holders, parcels, money orders, and registered letters. There is a separate room for the five rural mail carriers to sort the mail for their routes. The working conveniences of the post office staff are very much greater than they were in the old office. In the part of the office reserved for the use of the public there are two desks for writing purposes, under one of which reposes a wastepaper basket, the gift of Mr. O. Rands. The public room and vestibules have tiled floors. The most regrettable feature of the building is that the room allotted for the use of the public was not made considerably larger.

75 YEARS AGO
Wednesday, January 18, 1940
• he 73rd annual meeting of Dufferin Central Agricultural Society (Shelburne Fair) was held in the Council Chamber of Shelburne Town Hall last Saturday afternoon with President E. Ray Cunningham in the chair. It was decided that the 1940 fair will be held on Tuesday and Wednesday, September 17 and 18.
• The January meeting of Dufferin County Council opened at the Court House, Orangeville, Tuesday afternoon with the first order of business being the unopposed election of Reeve Hugh Bryan, of Amaranth, as Warden. Mr. Bryan will be the eighth Warden from Amaranth.

50 YEARS AGO
Wednesday, January 20, 1965
• Directors of the Farmers’ Allied Meat Enterprises Co-operative Limited are expected to ask the Ontario Government to investigate the co-op, according to a report in Monday’s Globe and Mail. The co-op apparently lost $1.5 million in a single transaction last year.
• Sir Winston Churchill suffered a stroke last Friday and is reported to have been in a coma. Grave doubts were felt as to his chances of recovering, but a report Monday was that he had been resting well, but losing strength.

10 YEARS AGO
Friday, January 20, 2005
• idership on Orangeville’s GO Transit bus has increased to almost 200 passengers daily and a spokesman for the Ministry of Transportation said that could mean a GO train in the future.
• Orangeville Council decided Monday night to start negotiating with Amaranth Township for the annexation of 800 acres of industrial land.