125 YEARS AGO: FEB. 20, 1897
Public Meeting: A public meeting is hereby called to assemble at the town hall in Ashcroft on Monday night the 22nd inst. at 8 o’clock sharp, for the purpose of taking some action relative to public buildings, viz.: a school house, hospital and jail, that are considered as needed and would we believe if properly presented be arranged for by the government. It is of interest and importance to all, and every resident in this vicinity, village and country should make a point of being present to lend encouragement by his presence and counsel.
Fancy Dress Ball: The fancy dress ball given at the Town Hall on Thursday night was a decided success. About twenty-five couples were present, nearly all being town people. Some were in costume and some simply in ordinary evening dress. Dancing was kept up until 2 a.m. and had the young people had their own way entirely, would have lasted until day light no doubt.
Roads In Cariboo: There should be liberal appropriations for roads and trails in Cariboo for the ensuing season’s use. Cariboo or Lillooet are not likely in the immediate future to have railroad communication with the outside world and a stage ride of 280 miles, the distance to Barkerville, is no trifling recreation. A good trail to sections where it is too expensive to make wagon roads as yet, and enough of an appropriation to make some much needed repairs to the old trail leading to Omineca, Quesnelle Forks and the Horsefly should have enough money for use to complete the existing roads and bridge many places now well nigh impassable at certain times in the year. To one who has ridden over the roads and trails in some parts of Cariboo and has afterwards visited the pleasant capital city of British Columbia, the thought will arise that perhaps ten or fifteen per cent of the cost of the new Parliament buildings might have been better expended in roads and trails in Cariboo, but the capital buildings are practically completed and are a credit to the young Province.
New Press: Our new press is set up and this issue of the paper run off on it. A new outfit of type is on hand and will be shortly in use. THE JOURNAL will be enlarged and improved in the early spring. The press is a Prouty, Number 2, with power attachments and has a capacity of about 800 per hour. Large posters can be turned out and much improvement in our job department brought about thereby.
New Press Continued: It took our foreman and a couple of assistants all the fore part of the week to set up the new press, and as we are not a practical printer we at last ventured to ask what the trouble was, and he explained, in fact made it very clear, by telling us that the cadeviator had become too psycophonorious and the dingbats were in a state of delateriousness and that if we would step back out of the light and give the sun a chance to shine through the windows it would conduce to the efforts at reconstruction of the segregated fragments of the phyto Lacca candorin canadencis. Two days after, by listening at the outside door, we heard a pleasant baritone warbling “Let not your angry passions rise,” and ventured in. The press was working like a charm and the foreman was all amiability. Such is life.
100 YEARS AGO: FEB. 17, 1922
Cariboo In Grip Of Bad Blizzard: Traffic Tied Up Until The Roads Can Be Cleared Of Drifts: The northern part of Cariboo has been held in a heavy snow storm ending in one of the worst blizzards that has visited this part of the country for years. The wind piled the snow up many feet high and the temperature fell to five or six below zero. All traffic will be held up for a week or so till the roads are broken open again. Teams now in Williams Lake ready to move to the new diggings on Cedar Creek, are going to store their freight till a later date.
Hockey: In a hockey game played on the local ice between Ashcroft and Kamloops on Wednesday afternoon, Ashcroft was victorious in a score of 4 to 0. Come again Kamloops.
Kamloops Wants Hospital Grant: A delegation from the hospital board [to Kamloops council] hastened to assure the fathers that they were not after an increased city grant. What the board wished was this: That the council pass a recommendation to the provincial government that a grant of $20,000 be made to the Royal Inland Hospital on the security of its half share of the liquor profits accruing to it in the future, to be repaid over a term of years.
Mail Order Buzzards: A large mail order concern of the middle west of the United States says “We would like to receive information regarding country papers of British Columbia that do the least advertising, and data regarding towns most likely to prove profitable for our mail order business, as we intend opening a wide campaign for new customers. We can sell cheaper than the country store and give better service. We are out for more business.” And there you have it: the mail order buzzard that seeks to compete with the local merchant and grab local money for commodities that can be purchased at home. Of course, the distant mail order house is bluffing when it offers “better values than the small town store,” but there is a moral in it, too. The very fact that these mail order people want information on towns that are not interested in advertising in the home paper, shows quite clearly, they have no hope of competing with local merchants that carry a regular message in the home paper. Two lessons are conveyed on this. One is to trade at home and keep the money from getting away, and the other is the necessity for advertising by the local merchant, if he wants to gain and retain home support.
75 YEARS AGO: FEB. 20, 1947
Telephone Extension At Clinton: The Government Telegraph and telephone service has just completed an extensive programme of work at Clinton and moved into a new office building with greatly increased accommodation. Several new telephone circuits have been installed and a much larger exchange terminal set up, with the latest appliances to facilitate the handling of traffic. This will greatly improve the day and night service and give the Clinton district an up-to-the-minute service.
Cache Creek: Material has arrived this week for the new home of Mr. and Mrs. G. McAbee. Two more buildings, and the naming of streets will seem in order.
50 YEARS AGO: FEB. 17, 1972
Three Dogs Killed By Cougar: Spences Bridge: Three dogs, two small ones and a Labrador, were recent victims of a cougar which was later shot close to the John Stepp home by Ken Able. Three cougars were also shot on the Draney Ranch. A tom, bagged by Fred Draney, measured eight feet six inches. According to the game department this is close to a record size.
Lytton News: Game Warden Jack Loy of Chilliwack shot and killed a large cougar near the Karl Model residence, Lillooet Road, on Friday. The cougar had killed the Model dog at their home the previous day. Cougar tracks in the Botany [sic] valley have also been found.
Guides Hold Starvathon For Funds: At 7:30 sharp on Friday night ten girls and their leader, Mary Ann Nagata, went on a twenty-four hour starve-a-thon to raise money for new camping equipment. The girls taking part were Sandra McAbee, Carol McAbee, Terrie Gerein, Denise Campbell, Pam Kiley, Rosemary Brezina, Debbie Friesen, Lynn Wilson, Amber Nehring, and Sheila McIvor. During the 24 hour period games were played and no sleep was consumed by the Guides. Promptly at 7:00 Saturday night the girls feasted on hot dogs, chips, and milk. After a successful Starve-a-thon the girls went home with stomach aches and to get some sleep.
editorial@accjournal.ca
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