Dipping into the past…

April 16, 2014 · 0 Comments

150 YEARS AGO

Thursday, April 7, 1864

• rom The Sun, Orangeville, compliments of Dufferin County Museum and Archives:

CONSERVATIVE MEETING – On Wednesday evening last a meeting of the Conservative electors of Orangeville was held at the Orange Hall, West Broadway, for the purpose of organizing a “Conservative Branch Association and electing delegates to meet at Fergus on Friday next. Though only a few hours’ notice of the meeting was given, the attendance was large and respectable, there being upwards of 60 electors present, among whom we noticed nearly all the merchants and leading business men of the village and Messrs. J.H. Golden, J. May and J. Gillespie of Amaranth. … those present organized themselves as a Branch Association and on motions made and seconded, elected Messrs F.C. Stewart, T. Jackson, W.G. Culloden, R. Galbraith, Geo. Bell and T. Dawson delegates to represent Orangeville at the Convention. A Treasurer and Secretary were elected and a committee formed to work in the interest of the Conservative candidate at the next election.

ORANGEVILLE COUNCIL – The Council met at Van Wyck’s hotel on Monday evening last, but no very important business was transacted. Bylaw No. 9 for preventing animals running at large at certain seasons of the year and regulating the duties of pound-keeper was read a second time and referred to a special committee. A Bylaw dividing the village into road divisions and appointing overseers for such division was introduced and read a first and second time.

LAND AGENT – By reference to our advertising columns it will be seen that Mr. J. H. Champion has opened a land and general agency office in this village, and is prepared to attend to all orders entrusted to his charge. His numerous connections with other agents throughout the Province enables him to effect quick sales and easy purchases and farmers who desire to dispose of or purchase land, will therefore find it more convenient and less expensive to employ him than give the matter their own personal attention.

THE FENIAN FAIR IN CHICAGO – On Monday, the Fenians, a society of Irishmen organized in the United States for the purpose of wresting Ireland from the English Crown, held a great Fair in Chicago. For months past preparations have been in progress to make this one of the largest ever held in the United States. The Executive Committee of the Fenian Brotherhood have been very busy making the necessary arrangements and large number of tickets, it is said, have been disposed of in every city in the United States. The Lieutenant Governor of Illinois made a magriloquent speech of which the following were the concluding words: “May the result show that the Irishmen of America, not forgetting their native land, would assist their brothers of Erin’s Isle in their efforts to obtain that freedom and independence of thought, speech and action, which is allowed in this garden spot of the world. And may that country which has enslaved and oppressed Ireland – that Government which in its profession is always an angel of light and in its political action a devil of darkness – may England tremble at the shouts of the free Irishmen of America.”

125 YEARS AGO

Thursday, April 11, 1889

• ays the Shelburne Free Press: “The voting on the Scott Act last Thursday resulted in its defeat by substantial majorities in every county and city in which it was voted upon, and for the first time in the history of the Act it has been repealed in a Maritime constituency. The Scott Act by Thursday’s vote is condemned by a large section of Ontario and the friends of temperance will, without doubt, accept the verdict of the people and seek in some other direction more efficient means of enforcing their views.”

• rown Attorney Macmillan has consulted the Attorney General in reference of a charge about to be laid against the Latter Day Saints in the matter of the death of Mrs. J. J. Hall, of Orangeville. Mrs. Hall was a daughter of Mr. Thomas Mews, of Whitfield, and her remains were interred at Whitfield.

• meeting was held in Shelburne town hall Tuesday evening to arrange a programme of sports for the 24th of May. The programme arranged so far is as follows: Open Trot, purse $100, open to trotters and pacers; three-minute trot, purse $80, open to trotters and pacers; Open running race, mile heats, purse $60; Green running race, half-mile heats, purse $30; colt race (foals of 1886), purse $15; bicycle race and foot racing for which good prizes will be given. A lacrosse match will be played during the forenoon between the Shelburne team and some other first class club. The managers are making arrangements to secure other attractions which will be announced later.

100 YEARS AGO

Thursday, April 9, 1914

• he proposal made by the Militia Department to move the 36th Regiment to West Toronto, is not being received with favour in Dufferin County. The action, no doubt, was backed up by the officers of the regiment, as the majority of them reside in Toronto. This regiment was formed about 1886 with headquarters in Brampton and has always made a good showing at the annual camp at Niagara. If the orders go into effect Shelburne will lose the honour of having the 36th Regiment Band. There is strong opposition to the proposed change and the authorities will no doubt receive protests from Shelburne, Orangeville, Brampton, Grand Valley, Alliston and Mono Road in this matter.

On Tuesday evening, Shelburne Council passed a motion requesting John Best, MP, to call on the Minister of Militia, “and try and induce him to have the 36th Peel Regiment remain in the Counties of Dufferin and Peel, where it has been stationed since 1886. The citizens of Shelburne are very proud of their Company and Band and would not like to see it removed.”

• e are sorry to learn that John Legate has suffered the loss of another cow, this being the fourth in the last three months. The stock owners of the vicinity need have no further fear for their cattle, however, and the report generally circulated that the death of Mr. Legate’s cattle was due to tuberculosis of a very contagious nature, is unfounded. This was shown by a post mortem held last Thursday, when no signs of any tubercular trouble could be found. The post mortem confirmed the diagnosis made by Dr. C. L. Morgan at the outset of the disease. The death of each animal was due to a rheumatic condition of which the cause is hard to determine.

75 YEARS AGO

Thursday, April 13, 1939

• big Nash sedan, driven by Ed Passmore of Mono, was struck and badly smashed by a southbound passenger train on Thursday evening, March 30. Mr. Passmore was returning home from Orangeville when his car stalled on the railway crossing on the Passmore farm, just north of Highway 9 and a short distance west of the “skew” crossing on Broadway.

• t its meeting on April 1st, with all members present and Reeve Dynes presiding, Melancthon Council discussed communications from the Bell Telephone Co. in connection with repairs to their lines in the township, and some correspondence in connection with the Connor Drain. In the latter case the Clerk was instructed to get in touch with Osprey Council, inviting them to a meeting on April 15 with a view to an amicable settlement.

50 YEARS AGO

Wednesday, April 8, 1964

• ast Saturday night, in the Banquet Hall of Shelburne’s Masonic Temple, the Past Masters, Masters and Wardens Association of Gray Masonic District, held a Ladies’ Night, highlighted by a turkey dinner and an impressive programme in which the guest speaker was Provincial Treasurer James Allen, Deputy Grand Master.

10 YEARS AGO

Friday, April 9, 2004

• hen Secondary School students return to their classes on Monday, April 26, they might find picket lines at Centre Dufferin District High School and Orangeville District Secondary School. After months of negotiations, Local 256 of the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) and the Upper Grand District School Board are miles apart in talks concerning custodians for the two schools. The issues, said CUPE negotiator Jill Smyth are a 100-day capping of sick day pay and a board offer of a pay raise below that paid to other classifications of employees.

• or the second time in the past year, a Dufferin doctor will be closing his family practice. Dr. David Reesor, one of Orangeville’s most respected physicians, informed patients last week that he would be closing his practice at the Orangeville Family Medical Clinic on June 30.

• t’s Alberta or bust for the Fourth Orangeville Scout Group. The troop is planning an excursion to the First Scout Brotherhood Jamboree in Crowsnest Past, Alberta, near the border of British Columbia, from June 17 to 23, 2005.