125 YEARS AGO: OCT. 23, 1897
New Club: The Recreation Club, which was organized a few months ago and have their rooms next to F.W. Foster’s store, should receive the hearty support of all the young men of town. Papers, magazines, etc., are supplied and members who have not a place of their own can make this their headquarters. This winter the club room should be in great demand during the cold evenings. Let everybody who is not a member join right away and all those who are members do all possible to make the club a success.
Ashcroft Changes: It is reported that a new sidewalk will be laid along Railway Avenue.
Scarlet Fever: Scarlet fever is raging at Kamloops and vicinity. Three deaths so far out of about thirty cases.
100 YEARS AGO: OCT. 21, 1922
The Ashcroft Races: Under ideal weather conditions the annual Ashcroft sports took place on Thursday and Friday on the new race course which was opened for the first time on the flat above the town. A large number of horses owned by both Indians and whites were at the meet, and many very close and exciting races took place. Ice cream, soft drinks, coffee and other refreshments were sold on the ground and realized handsomely in dollars and cents. A dance each night of the sports added a finishing touch to the races.
Another Theft: During Wednesday night, when the manager was at the movies, the store of J.J. Ting & Co. was entered by a thief and ten dollars was taken from the cash register. These petty crimes are so common in Ashcroft recently that the thief must enjoy the prompt announcements of his deeds in the local paper. If he would just reveal his identity his fame would be complete.
Car Accident At Clinton: An auto accident that might have been a great deal more serious took place about a mile from Clinton on Cut-off Valley Road on Thursday of last week. The car was owned and driven by Mrs. D. Stoddart, and the occupants were several small children and Mrs. Sam Boyd and Mrs. Cullen. The car upset in making a sharp turn and rolled over the bank throwing some of the occupants out and falling on top of others. Although none was seriously hurt they are all nursing more or less damage to some part of their persons. One front wheel and the steering wheel of the car were broken but the hood perhaps saved some of the occupants from more serious injury.
Hallowe’en Hi-Jinks: The Ashcroft School Board wishes to warn all boys or others against molesting the Ashcroft school building or its contents in any manner whatever during the coming Hallowe’en night. This applies to outbuildings or any part of the property, and anyone found on the premises playing destructive pranks will be prosecuted.
75 YEARS AGO: OCT. 23, 1947
Clinton Items: The building which for the past 22 years has been used as the court house in Clinton, has temporarily at least, gone back to the purpose for which it was originally built, more than half a century ago, namely a schoolhouse. Due to the overcrowding of the Clinton school, grades 5, 6, and 7 have now moved to the court house under the tuition of Mrs. Clark. A new teacher, Miss Kennedy, has taken charge of grades 3 and 4. Clinton now has four teachers and 110 pupils attending school.
Wood Tick Problem: Mr. Dave Jones of Jesmond was a visitor to Ashcroft Friday and he says the wood ticks were thick this year. He found deer and moose dying from them. He thinks the government should spray the country with DDT as he has used this on his horses which were covered with ticks, and the stuff killed the ticks. [In response to increasing environmental and safety concerns, most uses of DDT in Canada were phased out by the mid-1970s.]
Destruction On Hallowe’en: Hallowe’en is drawing near and parents should begin warning children, especially the elder ones, against wilful destruction of property, such as pulling and breaking pickets, and pulling fences down. A lot of fun can be had this night aside from using destructive methods. Just because we have spite against someone, there is no reason why we should wreck his property, this only causes trouble. Boys and girls should respect their pride a little more and try and outlive such old fashioned ways, and try not to do unto others that which they would not like others to do unto them.
50 YEARS AGO: OCT. 19, 1972
Village Of Cache Creek: In response to a petition by the residents of the Sage & Sands Trailer Park, the council has forwarded the list of names to Victoria in support of the footbridge for pedestrian and school children traffic across the Bonaparte River at the south end of the village. Council had previously been well aware of the problem and had arranged with P.J. O’Toole to investigate and have plans forwarded by the Bridge Department to Victoria for early action.
Arena Walk-a-Thon: If you have noticed some residents limping around town the past few days they are probably some of those brave people who took part in the Walk-a-Thon last Sunday morning. It was a beautiful day, and spot cars were set up along the 12 mile route which went up the Ashcroft hill to the Boston Flat corner, west along the cut to the Manor corner and down the hill to town and back to the arena. There was a good response from the public with 94 walkers participating. If all the pledges are collected and turned in there will be approximately $3,900.
Election Meeting: “Young married couples cannot afford the high cost of starting a home,” said NDP candidate John Farr at an all candidate meeting in Ashcroft last Thursday. In response to a question from the audience Mr. Farr stated that a house which cost $16,000 in 1959 rose to $27,000 in 1969. He laid the blame for this rise in cost on land speculation and high interest rates. “A lot that cost $3,600 in 1959 cost $10,000 in 1969,” said Mr. Farr. The New Democratic Party candidate continued that interest rates on the $16,000 home in 1959 would add $12,000 to the cost of that home while the interest rates on the $27,000 house in 1969 would add $28,000 to the cost of that house. “The cost of labour for that house between 1959 and 1969 has only increased from $2,500 to $3,800,” according to Mr. Farr. Housing was only one of the issues raised at the meeting at the Ashcroft Community Hall, where a large number of interested voters gathered. Mr. Farr also lashed out at the government’s handling of inflation, corporate incentives and unemployment.
Do you want to read more from the Journal archives? An expanded version of this story is available on the Journal website at https://www.ashcroftcachecreekjournal.com/.
editorial@accjournal.ca
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