125 YEARS AGO: SEPT. 30, 1899
Ashcroft Fair! Successful Exhibition Of The Inland Agricultural Association: The twelfth annual exhibition of the Inland Agricultural Association was opened on Wednesday afternoon with a short address by J.E. Knight, one of the management committee. The Kamloops brass band was in attendance, and after giving a couple of selections in the fair building, proceeded to the grounds and played during the intermissions of sports conducted by the Ashcroft Athletic Association. The judges and officers of the association were kept busy all day judging and awarding the prizes for the different exhibits. The entries of cattle and horses were greater than last year; the other entries were about the same as heretofore. The display of laces, crochet work, mats, crayon and hand-painted work, showed the artistic tastes of the people of this neighbourhood to be of a high order.
Record Stage Trip: The B.C. Express company have made a record trip of 40 hours actual travelling time from Barkerville to Ashcroft. They had contracted with a passenger on leaving Barkerville by regular stage on Sunday at midnight that he should arrive at Ashcroft in time to catch the westbound Imperial Limited on Wednesday at five a.m. In order to make good their agreement, a special stage met the regular at the 83-Mile House at five o’clock p.m. on Tuesday and rushed through to Ashcroft, stopping only to change horses. At three o’clock a.m. Ashcroft was reached two hours ahead of time. When the present conditions of the Cariboo Road are considered, and that most of the trip was made by the regular stages with the usual load of passengers and mail, the trip stands as a record, and speaks well for the management and employees of the company.
Successful Dance: The dance held in the Ashcroft town hall Thursday night, under the auspices of the Athletic Association, was a grand success. The music, cornet, violin, and piano, was the best ever heard at a dance here.
100 YEARS AGO: SEPT. 27, 1924
Clinton Races: While we go to print, the Clinton Races are just winding up what has proved to be a very successful race meet on the old stamping grounds. People from all parts of the surrounding district were present, many going from Ashcroft and Cache Creek. The weather, though perhaps a little chilly, was about all that could be expected at this time of the year. No rain fell, which made the event all the more possible of enjoyment.
Lillooet’s First Tomato Cannery: The first vegetable cannery is running full blast. Mr. Wm. Smith, a returned soldier, is operating a small canning plant at Mr. Wm. Adams’ farm. Mr. Adams is a large grower of tomatoes, and this is the nucleus of the big canneries that will soon be operating, once people know the excellent quality of our tomatoes, our long season without rain, and the ease to get competent help. At present the output is about 150 cans a day.
Clinton Clippings: The first snow of the season to fall on the mountain tops, in this vicinity, came on Tuesday night, but soon disappeared.
75 YEARS AGO: SEPT. 29, 1949
Ashcroft: Johnny Nordstrom and his men have been busy this week laying the concrete floor in the new Legion auditorium, which is now finished. Work will commence on the upper storey soon, it is expected.
Cariboo Road Improvements: The old Cariboo road “ain’t what it used to be” from about a mile past Maiden Creek up to the 100 Mile. The old twisty, up, down and around wagon road has been, it seems, picked up at either end and pulled straight! The road up to Clinton has been completely rebuilt, wide, straight, and with sweeping curves. Hills, of rock, gravel, and clay, valleys, lakes, and streams are no objects of obstruction, because the huge machines just whittle through and over them all. The road is as level as a billiard table where it is being remade, and sweeps in and out of Clinton, which is a picture of wonderment to old timers and citizens of the district. From Clinton north the road leads the motorist over the famous Clinton hill, little realizing that there exists such a grade. Passing under the P.G.E. and arriving on top, the once isolated and distant lands are brought closer to the front door by a matter of minutes. At one time over the old road, it took the average motorist about two hours from Clinton to the 100; now 45 minutes. One cannot imagine how this will open up this north country with such grand roads. The highway is hard-surfaced from about the 57-Mile to the 100. It is a wonderful piece of work.
50 YEARS AGO: SEPT. 25, 1974
Court House To Go In New Quarters Friday: W. Bill Hartley, Minister of Public Works and local MLA, will be in Ashcroft on Friday to officially open the temporary Court House quarters in the Safety Mart building. The ceremony will take place at 2 p.m. It will house the Family Court Section and offices of the Government Agent.
Cache Creek Game Check Station Open: The annual Fish and Wildlife Branch checking station at Cache Creek has commenced its 28th year of operation. The station will be open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, except from 11 p.m. Tuesday until 7 a.m. Wednesday each week. All hunters returning from hunts north of Cache Creek are reminded that they are required to report to the checking station during open hours. The information obtained at the station each year provides valuable statistics for the wildlife management division and assists them with their wildlife management programs and studies in the central and northern regions of the province.
Walhachin: Seemingly the quarry has added another shift. Presumably it was impossible to keep the air suitably polluted. The grey-brown dust hangs in shrouds on the foothills and the din has to be heard to be believed. Unfortunately, the quarry has been an unwelcome operation for seven months, but seems to be still the unwanted guest.
