On this day in history…

May 23, 2013 · 0 Comments

Thursday, May 28, 1863

€ From the Orangeville Sun: THE QUEEN’S BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION – The anniversary of Her Majesty’s Birthday was celebrated with great éclat in Orangeville on Monday last. The weather, though somewhat sultry, was very favourable and everything combined to render the day as agreeable as possible. At a very early hour gay groups of every age and sex flocked in from the country to participate in the amusements of the day; and at nine o’clock there could have been no less than 1500 persons assembled on the grounds. At ten o’clock the Orangeville Infantry Company under Capt. Buckham “fell in” opposite the armoury on Broadway, and headed by the Orangeville Brass Band marched to the grounds in rear of Mr. Graham’s hotel, where the Company performed several field and company movements with great precision. About noon, the Company retired, considerably dissatisfied with the Government for not having furnished them with proper clothing or even with ammunition for a feu de joie in honor of their beloved Queen. The hurdle, stand and other jumps for men and boys, as well as the foot races, were well and ably contested. But the most amusing events of the day were the sack and wheelbarrow races. In the evening there was an imposing torchlight procession and a display of fireworks, creditable to the enterprise of our town and worthy of the occasion. The amusements of the day were brought to a close at half past nine o’clock by the ascension of two illuminated air balloons whose figures as they receded from the gaze of the observers, became objects of great interest. The best order prevailed during the day and all appeared to take a lively interest in contributing to the general rejoicing. We hope always to have similar results to report of each succeeding anniversary of the Birthday of our beloved Sovereign.

THE WAR IN THE STATES – The interest of the war at the present time centres around Vicksburg. This heroic fortress is closely besieged on all sides by the Federals and though the reports which have recently reached us of its capture turn out to be untrue, there is every reason to believe that it cannot hold out much longer. The loss of Vicksburg, independent of the loss of men and material, must prove a heavy blows to the South, as it would give the Federals the command of the Mississippi.

WHITTINGTON HOUSE – Travelers and others will find excellent accommodations for both “man and beast” at the Whittington House, kept by Robt. Bowsfield. A careful hostler always in attendance.

BELL’S HOTEL, corner of East Broadway and Mill St., Orangeville. The best accommodation and Liquors, and careful attendance on Travellers and Guests. The Stage arrives and departs from this Hotel daily. Licensed Auctioneer for the Townships of Caledon, Garafraxa, Amaranth and Mono. Charges moderate.

125 YEARS AGO

Thursday, May 24, 1888

€ Corbetton: Business in the village is remarkably dull. We presume this is owing a good deal to the farmers, who are busily engaged at present in getting their seeding completed. We expect after a short time to see everything start off lively – when they begin to bring in their butter, eggs and other farm produce. Mr. J. C. Shook’s new sawmill is doing good work. He is busily engaged in cutting and shipping spile timber to Toronto. Mr. Foster’s mill is running steadily. He has shipped several carloads of lumber this season.

A small boy came into the village the other evening. Being a stranger he was soon taken notice of. Upon inquiry it was learned that his father and mother, who lived in Manitoba, are both dead, and that previous to their death he lived there. Since that time, however, he has had to push his way through the world the best he could. He attracted a good deal of sympathy from the good people here, and was taken to a hotel and properly cared for. The next morning he started on his way to Owen Sound.

€ A party of 11 English immigrant boys from the Guthrie Home arrived in Shelburne Tuesday in charge of an officer of that institution, and a number of them were distributed among the farmers in this neighbourhood, the balance being conducted north.

Those who have ordered boys from Dr. Barnardo’s Home, and have not received them, will have to send the price of their fare from Peterborough to Shelburne to the manager before they will be sent.

€ Two young men, Robert McKinney and Thomas Cooksie, the former the son of the postmaster at Horning’s Mills and the latter a clerk recently in the employ of the same gentleman, have got themselves into serious trouble through opening and reading letters passing through the post office at Horning’s Mills. Just to what extent each is guilty has not yet been made plain. Mr. Spry, the post office inspector, caused an investigation to be held before Justice of the Peace James Huxtable last week, when upon the evidence elicited both young men were committed to Orangeville gaol. Afterwards they appeared before Judge McCarthy and were admitted to bail. They will come up for trial at the next assizes.

€ For a long time past there has been trouble and great deal of litigation between Charles Willoughby and William North, two farmers of the Second Line of Proton. Matters came to a climax last Saturday. Accounts go to show that on that day Willoughby was engaged in putting up a fence when North and his wife came along, and that without provocation North assaulted Willoughby with an axe, striking him on the forehead just above the eye, with the back of the weapon, and again on the back, breaking a rib and inflicting serious bruises. Willoughby went to Shelburne to interview a doctor and magistrate. Dr. Norton did what he could for the man, but Proton being in the County of Grey, the local magistrates recommended he go to Dundalk for justice.

€ The Rosemont Circuit Quarterly Board which met May 7 in Rosemont Methodist Church, passed a unanimous resolution: “That we hereby pledge ourselves to use all lawful means, both by vote and influence, to bring about Prohibition. The defeat of the Scott Act in the recent campaign has opened, we believe, a wider field for Temperance by bringing the minds of the people to Prohibition. Therefore, we, the official members of the Methodist Church, desire to put on record our earnest wish for Prohibition, and to this end, we will ever pray.”

100 YEARS AGO

Thursday, May 22, 1913

€ When Elwood Foster, aged 12, and Nelson Corby, aged 10, of Honeywood, scuffled together in the Post Office, the younger boy was kicked, an operation resulting, and Chancellor Boyd and a jury gave the injured boy and his father, labourer Thomas Corby, $200 in damages. Henry Foster, father of Elwood, is appealing to the Appellate Division, to have the judgment aside on the ground that the jury’s findings were not warranted by the evidence. Mr. Foster denies that his son was vicious and dangerous, or that he had a propensity to do harm to the other child. He also asserts that the injury was not due to his negligence in not taking proper care of his boy. It is said that the scuffle began when one had snatched the other’s cap. The Corbys had asked for $1,000.

€ Mr. H. H. Hogg, designer for the Hydro-Electric Commission, was at Eugenia for a few days last week gathering data for the purpose of preparing plans for developing the power, and stated that the Commission purposed going ahead with the development regardless of the attitude taken by Owen Sound. Collingwood will probably be the town to receive most benefit from this development, as the intention is to connect up the Eugenia power at Collingwood with the Severn Line, instead of bringing a second wire over that line. Owen Sound has received its final word from the Commission, and if it does not see fit to accept there is no help for it, but its action will not prevent the scheme from going ahead and other smaller places deriving great benefit from it.

€ Dr. J. S. McCullough, Ontario’s Chief Officer of Health, is to take a two-month trip to Europe to investigate the question of sewage and garbage disposal. This is the second step undertaken by the Provincial Board of Health for the purpose of safeguarding the water supply of Ontario municipalities.

€ Fire at the substation of the Pine River Power Co. on Shelburne’s Main Street caused the ringing of the fire alarm last Thursday evening and the brigade had a run. The Company requests that in future in case of fire in the substation the power house be notified at once but no alarm rung. There is nothing to burn at the substation but the doors and windows, and when there is a fire in the machinery because of live wires, if the hose happened to be turned on to this blaze the current would travel along the water and the men handling the hose would in all likelihood be killed.

50 YEARS AGO

Wednesday, May 22, 1963

€ There will be nine teams in the North Dufferin Baseball League this season – Alliston, Clarksburg, Everett, Honeywood, Horning’s Mills, Lisle, Mansfield, Riverview and Shelburne. League President is Bob Collins, of Shelburne, and the secretary-treasurer is John Guilfoyl, of New Lowell.

€ The contract for building Dundalk’s new firehall has been let to Springgay Construction Co., for $8,287, complete with plumbing. The building will be one storey of cement block construction.

10 YEARS AGO

Friday, May 23, 2003

€ Attempting to control the activity at a proposed gravel pit within their boundaries will lead to an Ontario Municipal Board hearing, Melancthon councillors were told last Thursday. More than 30 people attended a public meeting in the township council chambers to discuss a proposed Official Plan and Zoning Bylaw amendments that would allow the West Half of Lot 13, Con. 3, OS, to become the site of a new gravel pit and processing facility. Strada Aggregates Inc. has applied to the township to have the land’s designation changed from rural to industrial so they can begin work removing 1.25 million tonnes of material annually.

€ Melancthon Township stands accused of going beyond its lawmaking power in legal proceedings commenced by Terratec Environmental Ltd. against the municipality. Less than a year after passing Biosolids Bylaw 17-2002, the Township has received word that they will have to defend their no-sludge-spreading-stance in court. In their application Terratec claims that the bylaw, which prohibits the spreading of sludge on land within the township is “ultra vires” or beyond the power of the municipality.

€ The Upper Grand District School Board may be forced to lay off as many as 60 elementary and 30 secondary school teachers for the 2003-04 year, says Bill Blackie, the Board’s Human Resources Superintendent. But he said that doesn’t necessarily mean those laid off will not have classrooms to go to in September, since there always are resignations, retirements and transfers out of the district. As well, the present staffing is based on expected resignations for the coming year.