125 YEARS AGO: APRIL 1, 1899
Ashcroft Or Ashcroft Station: “Editor, B.C. Mining Journal; Sir: The Dominion authorities have no manner of right to appropriate the name of ‘Ashcroft’ [originally given by brothers Clement and Henry Cornwall to their property, now known as Ashcroft Manor] for their post office at Ashcroft Station [the original name given to what is now the village of Ashcroft]. This place where I have resided for many years is ‘Ashcroft’ and has been known and recognized as such by the Dominion and Local Governments and by their compilers of maps and by the public generally. When the C.P.R. was constructed the Dominion Government, after consultation with me, gave to the station nearest this place the name of Ashcroft Station, and so it should remain. I do not think I shall trouble myself to prevent the abbreviation of name being made, or suggest that a different name be given to the station, because it is now known to many people as Ashcroft, and it might cause inconvenience to do so. You, sir, will derive benefit because in future you will be able to publish, with truth, that your paper is from ‘Ashcroft’. Pardon my asking you to find space for this in your paper and believe me, yours faithfully, C.F. Cornwall.“
Entertainment: Miss Pauline Johnson gave a pleasant entertainment at the Town Hall last Monday evening to a fair audience, and we believe gave general satisfaction. Miss Johnson is not in any sense an elocutionist, but will carry on a one person entertainment remarkably well. Her original poem devoted to the “Riders of the Plains,” i.e. the Mounted Police, does not strike very many responsive chords in the breasts of those who know them well. The entrance money amounted to $41.50, and the Athletic club received a portion of the receipts.
Local News: Our readers will excuse our short list of local news this week. The Journal office is undergoing repairs and is so torn up that work cannot be done to advantage. An army of carpenters and masons around a printing office, as has been the case with us for the past week, does not add at all to the convenience of the business of getting out a paper on time.
100 YEARS AGO: MARCH 29, 1924
Dominion May Help Build B.C. Highway; Federal Aid Almost Certain If Fraser Route Is Chosen: Plans are progressing on the proposed construction of the transprovincial highway from Hope to the Interior. A meeting this week will ascertain what liabilities there are, if any, on the part of the Dominion Government. A strong point has been made by the province that through the construction of the Canadian Pacific Railway, the old Cariboo road between Yale and Lytton was rendered useless. It is practically certain that the Dominion will pay part of the cost of construction. A conference is pending with C.P.R. officials over prospective traffic conditions while the new highway is under construction.
Epidemic: It is reported that the smallpox epidemic at Big Bar is nearly stamped out, there being only one fatality.
Roads: The Department of Public Works has just brought in a new truck, to be used for gravelling. This is a move in the right direction. More gravel trucks and fewer road graders will meet with public approval.
Health Hint To Motorists: A lightning bug is about the only one that can get along with just a tail light.
75 YEARS AGO: MARCH 31, 1949
Highway Improvements: The Cariboo Highway from Ashcroft to the coast is in good condition with the exception of a few holes caused by frost. A mile or so this side of the tunnels, government crews with heavy equipment are blasting and widening, and at the tunnel near Yale the same work is going on. This widening and straightening cuts down the mileage considerably, and makes travelling time shorter and safer.
Bonaparte River: Joe Bell and his local road repair crew are engaged putting in retaining walls and fills on the Bonaparte near Cache Creek where the banks were washed out during last fall’s floods. They are trucking rock and filling from Elephant Mountain near the end of the bluffs — don’t cart all the mountain away, boys.
First Round Robin Tournament Held: The first big sports event of its kind ever held in the South Cariboo district took place at the Ashcroft Community Hall on Sunday, March 27, when players representing the clubs of Lac La Hache, Forest Grove, Lone Butte, Clinton, Lillooet, and Ashcroft participated in a Round Robin Badminton Tournament, which lasted until 4 o’clock Monday morning. Eight cups, donated by the Ashcroft Journal, Harvey Bailey Company, W.M. Huston, and Mark Dumond of Ashcroft, and Parkies Grocery, Robertson Bros., Central Motors, and Clinton Hardware of Clinton, were presented to the winners of the various events at the conclusion of the tournament, which moved along smoothly in spite of the large number of entries and the 207 games played. A special feature of the tournament was the wire recording transmission of the opening proceedings and the ceremony of presentation of cups, which was broadcast over radio station CFJC Kamloops at 1 p.m. Wednesday.
Clinton Locals: The dance Friday night measured up to the reputation of the Legion’s always popular dances. A grand big crowd attended, swelled by several carloads from Ashcroft. With Bill Evans as the genial Emcee and Mr. Al Hinkes in charge of the coffee department, everything went along very smoothly. There were several novelty dances, elimination waltz, spotlight waltz, ladies choices, etc. It was music by the Clinton Music Makers and dancing went on until 4 a.m. The Legion funds netted about $65.
50 YEARS AGO: MARCH 28, 1974
Community Centre Project Becomes Reality: With the conversion of the former Lady Minto Hospital into a Community Centre complex, the Ashcroft and Cache Creek District Community Resources Society made a worthy project become a reality. Occupancy in the building will be well underway by April 15th with the district Probation Officer establishing offices on the main floor, and a Day Care Centre which will accommodate facilities for up to 25 children in the ground floor premises of the building. Other occupants will be the Hospital Auxiliary Thrift Shop in the basement, and it is hoped that eventually the public library, or another suitable tenant, will be moving into the ground floor premises.
Letter To The Editor: “Dear Sir: A two mile road is built [now Evans Road], high, wide, and handsome, with large expensive machinery at a cost of thousands of dollars, for ONE company [Dupont Chemical]. After months of building up, smoothing, and patting down, the ever-present surveyors have it all marked for paving, then come the diggers to dig it up and put in numerous culverts. Once again it is all dug up, smoothed down, the culvert entrances paved, and exits cleaned all the way to the river, then along come the diggers and cranes and dig up the carefully laid culverts again, and still the surveyors measure, pull out markers, and put in fresh ones. And for all this the taxpayer, who pays part of this astronomical cost, is completely shut off from the old fishing spots on the Thompson, only an entry to “the island” being left, and the whole area of the “island” and slough being mutilated beyond recognition. Signed, A Reader.”