125 YEARS AGO: FEB. 3, 1900
The Firemen’s Ball: Arrangements are being made for a Firemen’s ball to be held in the town hall on Wednesday, Feb. 14 The committee in charge are Messrs. Roberts, Burr, Deans, Morgan, and Marcus Bailey, all members of the Fire Company, and their names are sufficient guarantee that the arrangements will be complete. It is intended to have refreshments served in the hall, for which no extra charge will be made as they are included in the cost of the tickets, $2 each. Of course ladies are free. The committee earnestly request the assistance and financial support of all, as the money is greatly needed to pay for the fire hall. Merchants, hotel-keepers, and other business firms having most generously subscribed to pay for the hose, it remains for the Fire Company to pay for the hall.
Chinese New Year: China New Year’s was celebrated with great pomp by the Ashcroft contingent of Celestial sons this week.
Telegraph Line: Within a few days, work will begin on the Ashcroft-Quesnelle-Atlin-Klondike telegraph line. A party is expected shortly in Ashcroft.
Hat Creek: The Hat Creek House is one of the best and busiest places on the Cariboo Road. Many will learn with regret that the McTavish Bros. are to go out the first week of next month. Their place will be taken by Mr. and Mrs. Nelson, now of the Cargile House [Ashcroft]. There is not question but that the good reputation of the house will be maintained by the latter-named parties, and the Hat Creek House will continue to be known as a favourite stopping place.
Forgotten? Ashcroft people sometimes wonder if Hewit Bostock, M.P., ever recalls the fact that this is his district. Kamloops has an appropriation for a new government building. Ashcroft handles many times the amount of mail but no building is even talked of. We trust at the coming session Mr. Bostock will remember this section and secure a fair proportion of appropriations to be used in doing something that will advance Ashcroft, Lillooet, and Cariboo’s interests. There will be an election next summer, and some embarrassing questions will be asked of our present member if these things are not looked after better than they have been so far during Mr. Bostock’s term.
Good Eats: There is no better stopping place on the Ashcroft-Lillooet road than that of Mr. Clark’s, 17 miles this side of Lillooet. To a hungry man it is a haven of refuge that is appreciated.
100 YEARS AGO: JAN. 31, 1925
The Pie Social: The pie social given by the ladies of the hospital auxiliary on Wednesday afternoon in the community hall was a very successful affair, thanks to the admirable efforts of those who took part. Many pies were sold, all having been baked and donated by the members of the Auxiliary. It is said that they ran out of stock before half of the customers were supplied. Tea was also served, and drawing for the large pie raffle took place. This was won by Mrs. Beech. The net amount realized was $44, which is clear profit. Come again, ladies.
Lytton News: Thos. McKibbon, who has been section foreman for the C.P.R. at Lytton for the past 26 years, has been transferred to Kamloops, moving on Saturday last. Mrs. and the Misses McKibbon left on Monday to join Mr. McKibbon. Our hearty wishes go with them, but we are sorry to see our old time residents leave.
In Search Of Trapper; Cariboo Man Thought Lost In Snow Near 100-Mile House: George Bowers, an old-time trapper, has been missing in the Timothy Mountain district for the last six weeks. Mr. Hughes, B.C. police, with two assistants, has just returned from an arduous 10-day search for him in the centre of an almost-deserted trapping district. There are no houses within 20 miles, and the nearest post office is 25 miles away. The district is mountainous, and the snow is from sight to 12 feet deep. The police found Bowers had left the first cabin of the long trap-line before the first heavy fall of snow, but could find no trace of his arrival at the second cabin. Bowers’ partner states the trapper left with only three days’ supplies. It is feared Bowers perished during a snowstorm. It is probable that further search will be impossible until the snow thaws in spring.
Beer Not Before April: The cabinet has still to pass on the beer regulations which have been formulated by the liquor commissioner. It is hardly likely that it will take effect before April 7. With 30 days required for advertising of applications for licences, it is expected that the first licence could not be issued before the middle of March at least. Licence fees are supposed to run from $100 to $150 a year, and it is unlikely that anything but beer will be served in licensed premises. No women are to be employed in places where beer is sold, and purchasers must drink seated at tables. The strength of the beer will be 4.5 per cent alcohol.
Station Improvements: Some improvements have been made to the interior of the C.P.R. station [Ashcroft], which seem more convenient to the employees and gives better service to the public.
Weather: Two more inches of snow fell in Ashcroft and vicinity on Monday. This makes a total of about 30 inches during the winter.
75 YEARS AGO: FEB. 2, 1950
Ashcroft: The Scottish version: “When Candlemas Day [Feb. 2] is clear and fair, the hauf [half] o’ winter’s to come and mare [more].” And is is certainly clear on this day, Feb. 2 of this year. The unprecedented cold spell persistently continues, ranging from 20 to 25 degrees below zero each morning for weeks in Ashcroft. Many water service pipes are frozen, and it keeps the Water Company busy thawing out, and no sooner are they thawed than they freeze up again in some instances.
Walhachin: The extreme cold weather is still with us, with no sign of a break. As a result, the woodpiles are diminishing, and with no wood delivery in sight, the situation looks pretty grim.
Clinton: Well, January 1950 has passed, unloved and unsung, and what a month! Record low temperatures, blizzards, blocked roads, dwindling haystacks, frozen cattle, vanishing woodpiles, frozen plumbing, 24-hour-a-day stoking, closed schools, and cancelled hockey matches! Oh well, it will make quite a story to tell the grandchildren: “I remember way back in 1950, when . . .!”
Wondering: We are beginning to wonder what is going to happen when all the snow starts to melt.
Fire: A fire broke out on Sunday evening in the wash house of the Gateway Hotel [Ashcroft Hotel], and threatened the whole town with a repeat of the disastrous fire of 1916, but thanks to a live fire brigade and helping hands, despite the extreme cold, and a good supply of water in the hydrants, the fire was soon under control.
Grim Search: On Saturday the divers who have been searching for the bodies of the two P.G.E. men who met their death in Seton Lake recently found the engine. It was lying in 180 feet of water, 160 feet off shore. There was no sign of the bodies, and subsequent search for them has proved useless.
Have A Look At Your Life In The Year 2000! People live far longer than ever before. Cancer is controlled, the common cold licked, and other dread diseases like polio are on the run. People wear a wristwatch radio and carry pocket-sized television sets. As a matter of course, they see the latest feature movies daily in their homes through television. These forecasts and more for the coming 50 years are made by nine United States leaders in fields ranging from science to entertainment. They predict revolutionary changes more sweeping than in any similar period in history. . . The day is coming “when by radio man will speak man-to-man and television will place them face-to-face in New York, London, or Shanghai.” Mail will be whizzed around the world by radio, making present delivery systems seem as slow as the pony express. Miniature radio and television sets [will be] powered by a “mere speck of radioactive material.” Samuel Goldwyn predicts a union of movies with television, so that 100,000,000 Americans will be looking at films every day.
50 YEARS AGO: JAN. 29, 1975
Ashcroft-Cache Creek Public Transportation? A bit over two years ago, an organization sponsored a meeting which attempted to evaluate the priorities of need for the community. Many organizations and individuals attended and expressed their views, and as a result several priorities were set. Looking back at those priorities, it is interesting to see that a fair number of them have been achieved, and some appear to be beyond the reach of the community at present, and need for others may have changed. One of the needs expressed was an inexpensive system of transportation for people between Cache Creek and Ashcroft. This has not been attained. Is the need still there? What are the ways in which it could be met? Who are the people, young, old, or in-between, that might need such a service?
Citizens Of The Year Receive Awards: Jim Despot, president of Kinsmen Club of South Cariboo, was chairman of the dinner meeting of the Citizen of the Year Banquet held last Saturday night at the Wander Inn, Cache Creek. Jim introduced the evening’s proceedings after a lovely dinner by Don Wong and staff. [Ashcroft] Mayor Mike Yewchin as guest speaker brought greetings, and congratulated the Kinsmen for another worthy project so well-administered in the twin communities. Esther Bastow spoke on behalf of Reta Fooks, Ashcroft’s 1974 Citizen, giving a resume of the family’s history as pioneers of the area. Dave Debert, acting mayor of Cache Creek, extended greetings and spoke of Bill Chernenkoff’s efforts in the district, both with the young people and his participation on adult boards.
Dog Attacks Child: A delegation of mothers and other residents of North Ashcroft met with the Ashcroft village council on Tuesday night to protest the roaming of dogs in the village of Ashcroft. Mrs. C. Winslow’s youngest son was attacked by three dogs on Monday afternoon when returning from a chum’s home three blocks away. Mrs. Winslow phoned the RCMP, but was told to contact the village. RCMP personnel were also present. It is hoped something concrete will result from this complaint, as this is getting to be a serious matter . . . everywhere, it seems.