125 YEARS AGO: AUG. 1 and 8, 1896
THE MAIL SERVICE: Some idiotic twaddle appearing in the letter purporting to be written by some one living on the Cariboo wagon road appeared in the Inland Sentinel last week. The total lack of sense of the person writing the article was perhaps shown most conspicuously by his statement that “few people living on the Cariboo wagon road think a semi-weekly mail necessary, especially if it involves extra expense to the government.” A largely signed petition for an increase of the mail service from once to twice per week was sent in last season from every post-office from Ashcroft to Barkerville and so far as we know was signed by every one who had a chance to see the same… [T]he department have made arrangements for the delivery of mail twice per week as far as Quesnelle, and the people hope if there are not too many idiots like the one writing the letter referred to, to have the service made the year round instead of, as the present contract is, from May 1st to November 1st.
PAVILLION: The summer of 1896 will be long remembered by the people out here in British Columbia, especially in the upper countries for its excessive heat and long exceptional drought. It would be hard to believe that even the old timers have ever seen a year in which the mountains, ranges, benches, and hills looked so black and bare and in which every manner of vegetation seemed be suffering for want of water. The very sage brush and worm wood which decorates all the mountains in this vicinity has turned to a brownish yellow colour and crumbles into dust when squeezed between the hands… What is wanted now is an all over rain to settle the dust on the roads from Ashcroft to Cariboo and Lillooet.
100 YEARS AGO: JULY 29 and AUG. 5, 1921
THE CENSUS FIGURES: The preliminary estimate of the census department places the population of the dominion at 9,235,000, very close to the 10 million mark which it was hoped would be reached. The gain made in the past decade is given as 2,029,000, of which the greater portion, or 1,260,000 is credited to the western provinces. The division of population as between east and west is 6,342,000 as against 2,893,000. While the growth of the west is almost two to one for that of the east, it will take a long time for the western boosters to get on even terms with the influences which have been shaping their destiny for years past.
COAST-INTERIOR HIGHWAY: It would almost seem that the members of the provincial government have juggled the coast-interior highway just where they want it — in litigation; and the litigation is the various routes which the various local interests are agitating. In this state of uncertainty the proposed highway may remain for years; for there is nothing a government enjoys more than an opportunity to delay when it does not want to do a thing. It is not the practice of the Victoria government to pay much attention to the petitions of the interior towns, and from those towns, in the past, all agitation in connection with the highway has originated. But now, however, the Vancouver Automobile Club has “discovered” a new route via the Harrison-Lillooet trail, so that, since we have Vancouver interested in the project, something may be done; because the pressure of that city on the parliament buildings in Victoria is usually so great that the custom has been to give way rather than brace against it. We of the interior are not vitally interested in the route chosen — we want a road.
75 YEARS AGO: AUG. 1, 1946
ARE ELECTRICAL CARS COMING? So far electrically-driven cars have only been used as small delivery vans because the weight of the accumulators has only permitted low speeds. It has now been made known that one of Britain’s leading motor manufacturers, working with an electrical engineering firm, has been carrying out secret experiments with an electric car and that these experiments have been crowned with success. The new car is capable of 50 miles per hour. Up to the present the weight of the batteries’ lead cellplates has been the main handicap in the development of electric cars. After years of research work it has now been found possible to use magnesium which is much lighter. The electrical car like the long forgotten steam car, no doubt, will be successful experiments for the records but for the time gas driven cars is too big a business to allow such to be put on the roads.
50 YEARS AGO: AUG. 5, 1971
ADULT ORAL POLIO CLINIC: An adult oral polio clinic for 1. adults who missed booster “drink” of oral polio in June and have previously had 3 oral polio “drinks!”; 2. adults who received their initial oral polio “drink” in June — 2nd due now; 3. adults who have not been immunized for oral polio; 4. adults who are uncertain of their immunization status. Are you protected against poliomyelitis? Clinic will be held August 10, 1971 from 1 to 8 p.m. in South Central Health Unit (St. Alban’s Hall), Ashcroft.
C.C. VILLAGE: Alderman Woodward drew the Council’s attention to the extremely dangerous habit of Cache Creek children using the Bonaparte River at the park area, that there were dangerous currents at this point. He indicated that the Village had erected signs at this point drawing public attention to the dangers of swimming there and that the Village could do no more than that. The Clerk was directed to place an advertisement in the Journal: The Village of Cache Creek considers the Bonaparte River at the Park unsafe for public swimming and that anyone swimming there does so at his or her own risk.
ASHCROFT VILLAGE: Bethlehem Copper Corporation submitted a plan for terracing and installing a retaining wall along Birch Crescent immediately in front of their apartment block. Ron Colclough requested Council’s permission to install a trailer court for 10 mobile homes on Cam Cement property adjacent to Copper Valley Trailer Court. The streets of North Ashcroft have been graded and oiled. A communication from Lady Minto Hospital Board acknowledging receipt of the Village request to use the old hospital for offices, etc., advising that they would be advertised for proposals and tenders in September.
editorial@accjournal.ca
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