125 YEARS AGO: SEPT. 4, 1897
Cooling Down: The cool wave has struck us at last, for which each man devoutly thanks his stars or divinities, as the inclination strikes him. Now we can sleep o’ nights and Lytton breathes again.
Lytton News: Mr. Seward brings in enormous quantities of gigantic watermelons, musk-melons, tomatoes, and all the cooling, succulent, and toothsome products of the season and district to satisfy our hungry and droughty appetites, as well as sending large quantities up and down the line to the less favoured sections of the country.
Lillooet News: The road from Lytton to Lillooet has reached a point thirteen miles from Lytton and it is expected to reach the half way house this fall.
Cariboo Road: The government is working at the road from the 150 Mile House to the [Quesnelle] Forks, but with the small appropriations granted each year some of us will be worn out bumping over stones and stumps before the road is finished. A good trunk road and telegraph communication with the outside world would be the greatest boon that could be given to this section of our mining industry.
100 YEARS AGO: SEPT. 2, 1922
Hurt When His Car Runs Amok; Kamloops Man Narrowly Escapes Death When Auto Heads For Canyon: Arthur Lewis of Kamloops sustained painful injuries on Monday morning at 7 o’clock near his brother’s place at Long Lake. Mr. and Mrs. Lewis had spent the weekend there, and were preparing to return to Kamloops when they had difficulty in starting their car. Mr. Lewis asked his wife to take the wheel and keep her foot on the brake while he worked a lever. The auto started and the brakes failed to act. The machine tore along a barbed wire fence for three panels, severely lacerating the man’s legs. Only great presence of mind on the part of Mr. Lewis prevented the car from crushing headlong down a steep canyon, when both occupants would probably have lost their lives. Neighbours came to their assistance and Mr. Lewis was conveyed to the Royal Inland Hospital at Kamloops. The medical attendants state that the patient is resting as easily as can be expected.
Eight-Year-Old Lad Shoots Bear Dead Near Penticton: An eight-year-old Indian boy shot a full grown grizzly bear near the home of his father, Eaneas Saule, nine miles from Penticton yesterday. The bear was approaching the house when the lad fired, hitting it in the lungs. It did not stop the beast, so he fired again, the second shot passing through the brain.
Cotton Grown In B.C. Will Be Exhibited At Provincial Exhibition: Cotton, hitherto considered a perquisite of Dixie land and the far south countries, can be successfully grown in British Columbia. To prove it, an exhibit will be made at the Provincial Exhibition this year. The cotton that will be shown was planted outdoors in the middle of May, has developed on schedule, and is due to burst about exhibition time. This exhibit in question, a special non-competitive one, will be put on by Mr. H.H. Thompson, Lake View Ranch, Peachland. It will include specimens of the tropical yam, in the third-year stage, sweet potatoes, peanuts, and pea-beans [navy beans], all grown in the Okanagan.
Canadian Dollar Reaches $1 Mark In United States: The joy of finding that by some strange fortune you have received some American money among your change, has entirely disappeared today, when for the first time in nearly five years the value of Canadian money is at par with the American dollar.
75 YEARS AGO: SEPT. 4, 1947
Ashcroft Honey Wins Gold Medal: Last week at the Pacific National Exhibition the Gold Medal Certificate for the highest number of points (100) in honey classes was awarded to the Old Mill Apiaries of Ashcroft, entered by Wm. C. Freedham of New Westminster. Mr. Freedham also received a number of other prizes. This is the first time since 1926 the Old Mill Apiaries have exhibited. That year it was awarded the Gold Medal at the Provincial Exhibition, New Westminster, and received other prizes there and also at Vancouver and Victoria. The demand for Ashcroft honey has always exceeded the supply and is becoming as well known as Ashcroft potatoes and tomatoes. Mr. Freedham has lately bought the Old Mill property and the Old Mill Apiaries from Syd Jackson, and will later on reside here. In the meantime Syd is looking after his interests here and will be assisting him for some time.
Pure Lime Being Mined At Clinton: A deposit of 99-per cent pure lime about three miles west of Clinton on the P.G.E. Railway will be put into production by Clinton Lime Holdings Company Limited as soon as machinery can be installed. The lime deposit has been known for years, but it is just recently that mining men have become interested. At present the P.G.E. has road machinery excavating at the mine for the laying of a siding for loading accommodation and it is expected two cars a day will be shipped when the mine gets on a full productive basis. The initial output will be used as fertilizer in the Fraser Valley.
Lytton Notes: Sneak thieves were busy around Lytton on Saturday night. Dr. Dunham’s car was stolen and later located at Vernon, and the new home of W. Miller was broken into and a blanket and a suitcase full of clothes belonging to Mr. Miller were also taken.
Hell’s Gate Fishway: Construction of a low level fishway at Hell’s Gate is being undertaken for the International Pacific Sockeye Salmon Commission. The project involves the sinking of coffer dams into the Fraser River to permit the new fishways being erected at the seven-foot level. This low-level fishway is believed to be the first engineering project of its kind and is designed to provide passage for sockeye salmon when the river levels drop 18 feet, making existing fishways unserviceable. It is contended, however, that if the low level fishway had been intalled at the time the main fish ladders were constructed, it would have jeopardized the entire project and delayed construction of the main ladders very seriously.
Keep Camping Grounds Clean: At intervals along the Cariboo road, usually beside creeks and in the shades of trees, there are public camping grounds where the tourist may put in for the night or stay for short rests and refreshments. In time, as the season advances, some of these grounds become an eyesore and a menace to health with litter left by travellers who have taken advantage of their hospitality and natural appeal. Soon they are more and more shunned by guests we have invited to visit our district. A clean camp will encourage tourists to remain, a filthy one will drive them away. The usual litter is waste paper scattered about, tin cans and bottles thrown among the trees or bushes, egg shells, scraps of meat, bread, broken carton boxes, and what have you. People camping and eating at such beauty spots along the road should dispose of their waste before leaving. This may be an opportune time to suggest that the provincial public works department might assume the responsibility, have the camps tidy at the beginning of the season, and put up signs asking the traveller to do his bit by destroying all his own litter before leaving. [In the late 1950s the province began the Garbage Gobbler program, installing the colourful garbage cans at rest stops and parks throughout B.C. Paper garbage bags adorned with the Junior Gobbler were distributed to motorists to hang in their car; produced by the Department of Recreation and Conservation and the Department of Highways, they asked people to “Keep B.C. Green and Clean” and to “Be a welcome guest leave your campsite clean!”]
50 YEARS AGO: AUG. 31, 1972
Landslide Victory For B.C. N.D.P: British Columbia now has an N.D.P. government. When the final results were counted up last night the N.D.P. had 38 elected, Social Credit 9, Liberal 5, and Conservative 2. It was noted that S.C. had 36 former cabinet members who were defeated. Twenty years ago the Social Credit won the majority of seats through alternate voting. In Yale Cariboo Electoral District, former M.L.A. Bill Hartley, N.D.P. was re-elected. In Cariboo Electoral District, former M.L.A. Alex Fraser, S.C., was re-elected. [There were 54 seats in the 1972 election; today B.C. has 87 seats.]
Holds Up Esso Station: Cache Creek Esso Service Station attendant Bob Stainthorp was held at gunpoint while a lone masked gunman took $200 early Wednesday morning in a robbery similar to armed robberies in Kamloops in the past two weeks. The man, wearing a nylon mask and carrying what is believed to be a sawed-off small calibre rifle, entered the station about 2:30 a.m. Police said the robbery had strong similarities with one at the Morran Grocery Monday night and another at the Little Supply Store a week earlier in Kamloops. There have been four armed robberies in Kamloops in recent weeks, with two men being charged in one of the robberies.
P.N.E. Awards: Chataway Ranch, Ashcroft, took first in [Beef] Class 250: Female born 1970 with Chat Beamish Brit Lass — 40B. This animal also won the Senior Champion in Class 252. Chataway won several 3rds, 4ths, 5ths, and 6ths. Congratulations to Mrs. I.E. Lehman of Upper Hat Creek for winning first prize in the Spinning Division, also to the Upper Hat Creek-Pavilion W.I. for first in Place Mats and third in Coloured Embroidery on two cotton articles.
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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