MANY FIRES
[Welland Tribune, 22 October 1897]
Pelham seems to be having its share of fires just now:
A few weeks ago a small but not valuable tenant dwelling at Ridgeville, the property of George Townsend, was burned (uninsured), the tenant, Mr. Wellington, a poor man, losing considerable of his effects.
Then followed the W. J. Dougherty loss at Fonthill which has been already reported.
Thursday evening (Oct. 14) it seemed to be Fenwick’s turn for a misfortune, for that evening the sawmill there of Wm. J. Jennings, with its entire contents, went up in smoke. No insurance. Mr. Jennings places his loss at from $1500 to $2000. Besides the mill and machinery several thousand feet of lumber were burned.
Then, on Sunday afternoon last, the cry of fire was again heard in Ridgeville. This time the loss fell to Amos Roswell Dochstader, formerly the Robert Holditch homestead. The dwelling, which was one of the oldest landmarks of the locality, and which 30 or 40 years ago was widely known as Holdith’s Inn, and all the outbuildings –woodshed, two barns, stables and sheds, were totally consumed. When discovered the fire had had a defiant hold between the upper ceiling and the roof about one of the chimneys, and it is probable that the cause of fire may be traced to a defect in the chimney, which was very old, Mr. and Mrs. Holditch having themselves occupied the dwelling more than 50 years. About all the contents of the dwelling and outbuildings were saved except hay and feed. The loss will easily reach $1000, and it is said there is an insurance in the London Mutual of $800. The Tunnacliffe buildings immediately opposite were in great danger, and were on fire several times, but the vigilant work of the villagers saved them as well as Mrs. Ward’s dwelling and Brown’s blacksmith shop, which also were ignited.
Again on Monday night or early Tuesday morning of this week, Dr. Barker of Fenwick in making a midnight professional visit saw the barn of Benson Farr, Cream street, who lives 1 mile east of Fenwick, all ablaze. Quickly rousing Mr. Farr and his family from their slumbers, the doctor rushed to the burning building, but was unable to enter it, though he did succeed in liberating Mr. Farr’s cattle, which were in an enclosure adjoining the barn. Nothing whatever was saved from the barn and the loss covers, besides all Mr. Farr’s vehicles, implements, carpenter tools, produce & c., his horse and two nice porkers. There is an insurance in the Bertie & Willoughby Farmers Mutual, but it will only partially meet the loss. The cause of the fire is a mystery. At 7 o’clock Mr. Farr himself locked up the barn for the night; two or three hours after, some of his neighbors returning from church services at Fenwick saw the barn door open and a light within, but the fire did not break out till after midnight.
Opening of the Fort Erie Jockey Club
A GRAND SUCCESS
[Welland Tribune, 18 June 1897]
The inaugural meeting of the Fort Erie Jockey Club began on Wednesday, and the opening day proved a brilliant debut for this new and enterprising sporting association. Perhaps the attendance was slightly below the anticipation of the management, but the crowd will no doubt increase as the merits of the meeting are better known. Jubilee Day, Dominion Day and Independence Day will no doubt contribute enormous crowds.
The track, grand stand, refreshment and betting rooms, barns, etc., will be the finest on the continent when completed, but there is considerable finishing yet to be done.
Nothing is lacking, however, to give the races all the pleasure and excitement necessary to the success of such a meeting, and a delighted throng of five or six thousand people left the track at the close of the program.
The grand stand is a mammoth structure of solid iron frame, seated with modern chairs, and giving spectators a grand view of the whole course. The judge’s stand is a neat structure shaded by a giant “parachute,” but the band stand is not yet erected.
The barns are constructed on the same liberal scale as all other buildings on the grounds, and when the stables are all completed Gravesend, Saratoga, Windsor, and other club barns throughout the continent will be completely eclipsed. The track itself is a model and very fast, and by today the steeple-chase courses and polo grounds will be ready for the jumpers and polo ponies.
Wednesday’s bill included six runs, and all were well contested with a hot finish under the wire. In the third race Innes’ bay mare Stake ran like the wind and won the greatest victory of the day. The time was 1.42, only 1 ¼ seconds behind the fastest mile ever made in Canada. A prettier run has not been seen anywhere this season, and the winning jockey was loudly applauded. The first race of the day was won by Ellsmere, a Canadian horse, owned by D.A. Bole of Woodstock.
The attendance was estimated at five thousand and the refreshment booths and betting rings did big business. Seventeen bookmakers were doing business, and some idea of the money they handle may be gained from the fact that they pay $100 a day each for the privilege.
The 74th Regiment band of Buffalo gave a fine program of music between the runs.
The officials of the track were: John Hood, Buffalo, president; W.M. German, Welland, vice-president; E.W. Oviatt of Buffalo, secretary; W.S. Tremaine, C.E. Norris, J.R. Stirling, Buffalo, managing committee; Messrs. Tremaine, German and Pringle (Toronto), stewards; Joseph J. Burke of New York, judge; W.J. Fitzpatrick of Saratoga, starter; A.H. Mills of Brooklyn, clerk of course; Frank Nelson of Toronto, handicapper; Richard Burke of New York, timer.
The train arrangements were perfect, both G.T.R. and M.C.R., giving first-class accommodation. The G.T.R. had the advantage of running direct to the track, and carried the bulk of the train crowd. Messrs. Colcleugh, Coulhurst, and other G.T.R. officials, handled their people with great satisfaction to the track management and the public.
Scores of minor officials and employees swarmed in all parts of the grounds, and we are free to admit that Welland was well represented on the pay roll.
The police managements were perfect. Chief Young of the Ontario police and officers Griffin and Mains, working in harmony with detectives from Buffalo, Hamilton and Toronto, kept the grounds pretty clear of the thug element. Many suspicious characters were escorted to the gate and given ticket of leave, while others were run into a coop and on Thursday morning fined $20 or sent to jail for twenty days. Two paid fines and eleven were grouped and sent to Welland in charge of officers Metcalfe, Seger and Shisler. Chief Young and staff deserve great credit for their clever handling of the unwashed.
Officers Oviatt, German and the management generally were constant in their efforts to have the meeting right up to high water mark, and they so far succeeded admirably. The press are comfortably located in the first row of the grand stand, wires connecting with Buffalo giving faculties for instant transmission of the result of every race the moment the horses cross the wire.
All lovers of good running and good music, who wish to spend an afternoon amid bright and interesting surroundings, should not fail to book themselves for a day with the Fort Erie Jockey Club.
The enclosure on Wednesday contained many handsome turnouts, including four tally-hos well freighted with the beauty and fashion of Buffalo and Niagara Falls. Mayor Jewett and many other well- known and prominent men occupied conspicuous seats in the boxes, and as the meeting advances and proves itself of that high standard that deserves liberal public recognition, the attendance will be even larger.
One thing is certain, that the Fort Erie Jockey Club deserves all the success that can be laid at its doors. The club worked against great odds and fought an uphill fight. Eight weeks ago the grounds were a barren clay mud hole, and in spite of almost endless rainy weather ever since, track and buildings have arisen as if by magic, until the Fort Erie Jockey Club can boost of the finest racing grounds on the continent.
Every day will give a great list of events, and Canadians will no doubt turn out largely to the meeting, especially on Jubilee day, when extra efforts will be made to make the bill worthy of the day. Now that the races are an assured success all the railways and steamers and busses are hustling to excel each other in giving good traffic accommodation. Wellanders will find good service on both railways, with special trains leaving Fort Erie about 5.40 each evening.
The stabling of four hundred horses and the boarding of nearly one thousand men for a season each year will prove a fine thing for the farmers, who will ready sale for their hay, grain and produce at good cash prices.
[Welland Tribune, 8 October 1897]
$3500.00
On easy terms will buy the residence of the late Jas. McGlashan, in the
TOWN OF WELLAND
Situated on the Welland River. Most favorably connected with the business centres and railway depot. Large grounds, beautiful trees and ornamental shrubbery artistically kept. Modern commodious house in perfect repair; heated with furnace; lighted with electricity; hot and cold water throughout, with private sewerage.
For particulars apply to MISS McGLASHAN at residence, or
L. McGLASHAN, Humberstone.
The Wreck at Lewiston Will be Replaced by the Upper Suspension Bridge for Electric Cars-To Make a Complete Belt
[Welland Tribune, 4 June 1897]
Niagara Falls, May 27-Though it has been quite generally known for a long time that the days of the upper suspension bridge, which spans the gorge near Prospect Park and is used for carriages and foot passengers, were numbered, and that the bridge company had even gone so far as to build the massive foundations of masonry for a proposed new steel arch bridge to replace it, there was considerable surprise here today when it leaked out that the Niagara Falls Suspension Bridge company’s officers were holding a secret session at the Hotel Lafayette at the Canadian end of the bridge, and were opening bids for the construction of the proposed steel arch.
At the meeting were representatives of the various bridge building companies, and among them were those from the Buffalo Bridge & Iron Works and the Pennsylvania Steel Company, the latter concern being the builders of the arch bridge, now nearing completion that replaces the old railway suspension bridge at the north end.
Four weeks ago the company’s officers quietly called for bids for the construction of the new bridge, for which plans had been drawn some time ago, and the date fixed for opening the bids were at that time fixed on Thursday, May 27, at the Lafayette hotel. The officers met at 11 o’clock this morning and continued in session for several hours, going over details carefully and adjourning only for a brief period for luncheon.
When one of them was asked for the result of the meeting he answered that the contract would not be awarded today, and then gave the reason for keeping the matter quiet by saying: “It was known that the building of a new bridge on the plans prepared would involve a large expenditure of money and it was the fear that the bids would all be too high to warrant the company is going ahead with the project that made it desirable to keep the matter quiet for the present.”
From the remarks of the Bridge Company officials after the morning session, however, it is reasonably certain that the figures submitted will be very satisfactory and that it was practically certain the work would be proceeded with.
In regard to the proposed new bridge, much has already published, and from the plans it is certain that the structure will be a magnificent one. It will be built on different lines from the arch bridge for the Railway Suspension Bridge Company, in that the arch will be built on the parabolic principle, and the structure will undoubtedly be one of the greatest engineering feats of the year.
Under the provisions of the contract the new bridge must be completed by April 1, 1898, and this appears to be taken as an indication that the actual construction will begin early in the fall, though the first of it will not interfere with the traffic of the present bridge to any serious extent.
When the new bridge is completed many changes will take place in its vicinity on both sides, which will be necessary to meet the larger demand upon it.
The plans provide for a double track electric railroad, and ample room for a carriageway and also for foot passengers. The trolley track will, it is said, connect the trolley railroads on both sides of the river and an interchangeable service will be inaugurated that will mean much for tourists as well as for the community here.
The sole object of this enterprise is to connect the Gorge railroad and the Canadian Park and River railroad at Lewiston and again here at the new arch bridge, forming a belt a electric cars that will carry passengers along the top of the gorge on the Canadian side and along the bottom of the gorge on the American side.
It is understood that the new bridge will be built on a higher grade than the present structure and thus avoid the steep decent now necessary to reach the entrance from the river way in front of Prospect park.
[Welland Tribune, 23 April 1897]
About 12 o’clock on Thursday night last week, a dastardly attempt was made to burn the steamer Garden City, now lying at Port Dalhousie. Two men who were fishing in the harbor saw someone drive up in a buggy, and fearing it was the fisheries inspector, went to a place of hiding. The man went away in about twenty minutes and the fisherman returned to their nets. Shortly after they discovered a fire breaking out on the deck of the steamer Garden City. The fishermen at once notified the canalmen nearby, and the fire was extinguished before much damage was done. A pile of charred shavings and cotton waste saturated with coal oil was found on the deck, and a broken bottle which has contained coal oil.
[Welland Tribune, 2 April 1897]
Editor Welland Tribune:
Niagara Falls, Ont..,
24th March, 1897
DEAR SIR,- I would like to see the influence of the TRIBUNE enlisted in the cause of good roads and would suggest that I call the attention of all pathmasters in the county to the importance of scraping the roads at the earliest possible moment after they become dry enough. To anyone who takes an interest in the subject it must be apparent that much of the statute labor is worse than a farce, but a timely use of a scraper before the roads become hard in an absolute necessity on clay roads if they are to be smooth for the summer. The labor required for this kind of road work is insignificant and the results as compared with the usual plowing and scraping are so marked that the wonder is that it should be necessary to urge pathmasters to put it in practice. There is probably not one section of road in ten that ever has a scraping in the spring. I would suggest that you put a few lines on the subject along with the matter from your different country correspondents each week from now until the roads become too hard to scrape. In this way the matter would force itself upon those whose business it is to give us good roads but who as a rule do more harm than good.
Yours truly
E.W. Tench
Paper Read at the Meeting of the Canadian Institute-Career of the Noted Indian
[Welland Tribune, 9 April 1897]
At the regular meeting of the Canadian Institute held on Saturday night in Toronto, a paper was read by E. Cruishank of Fort Erie, on the life of Joseph Brant. After commencing upon the inadequacy of Mr. Stone’s “Life of Brant,” due to the want of materials which have become accessible since its publication, the paper, which was almost entirely based on documents in the Canadian archives, described Brant’s career in considerable detail, from his birth in 1742 to the middle of the year 1779.
After receiving a fair education at a school in Lebanon, Conn., Brant was engaged as an interpreter in the Indian department at the age of twenty. He distinguished himself by his religious zeal, and was employed by Rev. John Stuart to translate part of the New Testament, the Catechism and a number of sermons into Mohawk. At the commencement of the American Revolution he accompanied Colonel Guy Johnson to Quebec and thence to England, as a representative of his tribe. He was presented to the king, his portrait was painted by Romney, and sketch of his life appeared in the London Magazine, at the instance of James Boswell. On their way back to America the vessel was attacked by a privateer, and Brant was afforded an opportunity of displaying his courage and skill as a marksman. He was present with the British forces at the battle of Long Island as a volunteer, and attracted the attention of Lord Percy. After remaining at New York for two months, he undertook to penetrate through the enemy’s lines to the Indian villages, accompanied by a single companion. He then went from village to village, inciting the Indians to combine against the Americans. Brant took part in the siege of Fort Stanwix and battle of Oriskany, and subsequently joined General Burgoyne’s army on the Hudson. After the surrender of Burgoyne at Saratoga, he returned to Niagara, and organized a successful expedition against Schobarie. This was followed by similar enterprises directed against the German Flats, Cherry Valley and Minnesink, in all of which he took an active part and largely contributed to their success.
[Welland Tribune, 9 April 1897]
Thomas Hicks and Henry Boyd appeared before the board to complain of Principal Woodworth sending their boys home without sufficient cause, as they alleged. Mr. Boyd also complained that his boy did not get proper credit for work done.
Mr. Woodworth replied that the immediate cause of the boys being sent home was their scuffling in school, but a worse complaint he had against them was that they would not get up their work. He did not believe the Boyd boy did not get proper credit for work done, although an exceptional case of that kind was, of course, possible in any school. He did not think he should be expected to pound boys nearly as big as himself, and he had tried isolating them and other minor punishments without effect.
After some rather good-natured discussion for a subject of so ticklish a nature, the matter was dropped on the understanding that children should not be sent home except in extreme cases, the parents also agreeing, in this case, if notified, to “attend to” the discipline of the boys.
[Welland Tribune, 9 April 1897]
Thos. Gracey has moved on Mrs. A.B. Kinsman’s farm, in house lately occupied by Samuel Gould, now living in Welland. Fred Fisher and family have moved in the house which Mr. Gracey vacated.
[Welland Tribune, 26 March 1897]
Joseph Gould has sold his farm to James Davis, the place where Alex. Goring now lives on. Mr. Gould is to take the house and lot where Mr. Davis now lives, known as the Reavely property, as part payment.
R.J. King, who drives team for the Morris, Stone & Wellington nursery, will move to Fonthill, to live in the house formerly occupied by Jas. Hansel, rented from H.G. Self.
Subscribe..
