Unknown Youth Jumps from a Hack into the Niagara Rapids
[Welland Tribune, 23 April 1897]
Niagara Falls, Ont., April 17- A stranger 21 years of age, opened the season of suicides by jumping off the upper Suspension bridge at 12. 15 today. No one seems to know who he was of where he came from. A hackman named Dave Nickerson drove him to the Canadian side to see the sights. When about the centre of the bridge the man jumped out of the hack and with the words, “Here goes, good-bye,” he leaped over the bridge railing into the abyss below. The Hackman jumped off his hack and saw the man strike the field of floe ice that was being carried down with the current. The only evidence left by him was a brown Derby hat with the maker’s name inside, “Hall,” Boston. Nickerson says this man was well dressed and was tall, slight and fair of complexion.
LATER-The man who jumped from the Suspension bridge last Saturday has been identified as Ernest F. Markham of Boston, a member of the Boston Journal staff, Photographs of Markham received here today were at once identified. No reason is known for the fatal jump on Markham’s part.
[Welland Tribune, 23 April 1897]
Two well-known and prominent railway men –J.G. Laven, Canadian passenger agent of the Michigan Central, and A. Drysdale, representing the Chicago & Alton-were in town on Monday. Of course they dropped into the M.C.R. town ticket office (F. Swayze & Son) and congratulated him on his remodeled and up-to-date business premises. Mr. Laven said arrangements for the new time table on the T.H. & B. branch had not yet been completed, but when the new card was issued he was sure the public would be pleased with the service offered. Fast trains will flit between Toronto and Buffalo in shorter time than ever known before, and the accommodation will be such as the Michigan central provides for its patrons-unsurpassed. Some of the trains will run via the Falls while others will take the more direct line from Welland to Buffalo via the International bridge. No doubt every train will stop at Welland, thus giving the county town connections that will equal those of any town in the country. The new time-card will be published in the TRIBUNE as soon as issued.
[Welland Tribune, 23 April 1897]
Important changes have recently been made in the arrangement of the Ross Co. store premises, which gives the enterprising management an opportunity to show the firm’s large stock to advantage. The upper floor has been refitted for the reception of ready-made clothing, mantles, carpets, curtains, oil-cloths, curtain-poles etc., and patrons can select and inspect those goods with ease. The removal of some of these departments to the upper flat gives better room below for the display of dry goods, hats and caps and general furnishings, and makes a striking improvement in the appearance of the entire store. The Ross Co., have purchased heavily this spring, and every line will be found well filled with new goods-at prices that should prevent any shrewd buyer from sending money out of town for such goods. We congratulate the Ross firm on the up-to-date re-arrangement of their popular store, and the public will certainly appreciate the better facilities offered for carefully inspecting before selecting their purchases.
SWAYZE & SON
[Welland Tribune, 23 April 1897]
The improvements to the business office of Swayze & Son have now been fully completed, and the premises are convenient, bright and in every way up-to-date and city-like. The walls and woodwork have been neatly tinted, the floors covered with matting, the counters rearranged and the whole interior finished in modern style. The large insurance business, as well as the M.C.R. ticket agency, will be well looked after under the careful and experienced personal supervision of G.B. Swayze, with Miss Hooker as assistant. The important addition of the Canadian Life agency to Messrs. Swayze’s business makes their office a busy one in matters relative to insurance of life and property, and the new improvements will facilitate business very much.
From the Welland Canal to the Cataract Power Co.
[Welland Tribune, 30 April 1897]
The Cataract Power company of Hamilton have obtained the privilege of taking water from the Welland canal to the Welland canal to the amount of 100 cubic feet per second. The water will be taken from the feed race at the lock at Allanburgh. The race will be raised so that the water will be taken from the high level.
The company have applied to Thorold township council for right to cross the township roads. As soon as this is obtained the work will be gone on with.
The company will have a reservoir of their own at or near DeCew falls, for which purpose they will purchase the Campbell farm, which will be converted into a lake, varying in depth from 0 to 15 feet. The pond will back up to the bank of the Swayze quarry.
The company claim that their operations will be the means of giving St. Catharines waterworks pure water instead of the wash of flats as at present.
During the construction of the works a large amount of money will be spent in theh neighborhood of Allanburgh and Decew falls.
[Welland Tribune, 16 April 1897]
One must get a close view of the new mud scow just built for Contractors Dunbar & Sullivan in order to appreciate its immense size. It is the largest mud scow in Canada, and when it glides into the water will represent an outlay of a cool ten thousand dollars. Its size is 125 feet over all, 28 feet beam, and 11 feet sides. It is constructed of solid oak from the mills of McCleary & McLean of Thorold, and the iron work was supplied by Beatty & Sons, manufacturers of contractors’ plant, Welland. There are six pockets on the scow, each one of which has a capacity of 100 yards-600 yards in all. Everything is built on the line of rigid strength-heavy timbers, heavy iron and steel work, etc. each pocket is lined with steel plate; has two steel doors, weighing 4,200 lbs each, and when the load is ready for dumping the chain is let loose, the doors ply downward and the contents of the scow are landed in the bottom of the lake. The boat was begun about Feb. 1st, and under Mr. Hardison’s energetic, pushing supervision the work has been completed right on time, and will be sent to the owners at Lachine Canal as soon as a tug can be secured after the opening of navigation on Tuesday next. Mud scows, like convicts, are not named, but numbered-this one registering No. 18 of the Dunbar & Sullivan fleet. The boys have quietly named the boat “Fitzsimmons.” The launching was first set for 4 o’clock yesterday afternoon, but manager Hardison said it was doubtful if the boat would slip into the water before 10 a.m. today-Good Friday. The scow gets in to the canal end first-there is no distinction between bow and stern; it will do equally well from either end. There will be a large crowd to witness the plunge this morning, if the launching is delayed until then.
Contracts Let
[Welland Tribune, 9 April 1897]
Buffalo, April 5- The Fort Erie Jockey club has let the contracts for its track. The contract for the grand stand has been awarded to James Stewart & Co. of Buffalo and St. Louis, at a price close to $50,000, but the steel work will be done by the Hamilton Bridge company. The stables, fences and smaller outbuildings will be built by the Coleman Lumber company of Hamilton and Burlington, and the grading and construction of the track will be done by Craig & Craig of Buffalo. The erection of the stables, fences and grading are to be completed by May 15, and the grand stand within 60 days. The grand stand will be 311 feet long by 115 wide; it is to face north at an angle with the track, an innovation which the new Pacific Jockey club in San Francisco has found works very successfully. There will be eighteen terraces of seats. These terraces are to be unusually wide, and will be supplied with folding chairs also of extra width; in the front of the stand there will be 24 boxes, each containing eight chairs. The press stand will be built out from the grand stand close to the judge’s box. Immediately in front of the stand will be a granolithic promenade; this will be covered by the roof of the grand stand, which extends 35 feet beyond the front seats. There are to be four flights of stairs in the front, but the principal entrance to the stand will be from the balcony promenade in the rear. On the east end will be the buffet and restaurant. The buffet will be 45 by 50 feet and the restaurant 36 by 50 feet. Ladies’ and gentlemen’s cafes will be found there. Joining this part of the stand will be the house of the superintendent of the track. It will contain eight rooms. Underneath the stand will be the betting ring. This is to be 210 feet long by 68 feet wide. This will have an arched roof, thus doing away with columns. On the south side of the betting ring and ten feet above it, will a gallery or balcony promenade ten feet wide.
LATER- Work is progressing despite the bill before parliament to limit the number of days for racing per annum. An effort will be made to have the bill modified so as to permit of 30 or 40 racing days during the year, which would meet the views of the promoters of this track. The course has been staked out, and grading will be begun in a few days. The numerous contractors who are doing the wok are building houses for the men to sleep in while the work is going on, and the grounds look as if they had hurriedly been occupied by squatters.
[Welland Tribune, 26 March 1897]
PROGRESS-The fourth ward is booming right along as a residential quarter, and the prospects for the coming season are promising. In January Contactor Cutler completed a very handsome residence on Merritt street, which is now occupied by Mr. Murray of the Imperial bank; adjoining this place, Mr. Cuter has in course of erection another fine residence, which will be ready for occupancy early in the season. On Aqueduct street, George Rogers’ residence had been enlarged and remodelled, and virtually made into a new as well as very comfortable and commodious residence. To the west of this A.F. Forster has added material improvements during the past few months. The old cottages on North Main Street, north of Wm. Beatty’s large residence, have been torn down and removed-to the great improvement of that section. And now Contractor Rounds has the order to erect a fine house for Frank Valencourt, on Aqueduct street, directly opposite County Treasurer Hobson’s beautiful home. It’s hardly news to add that a new “sky-light” has been erected on Fitch street, and that contractor Dunbar and manager Hardison positively refused to build the mammoth new scow in any other spot but the Garden Ward. Long may she move.
[Welland Tribune, 26 March 1897]
Geo. A. Bowman has purchased the two lots adjoining his property on the west, from Mrs. Robt. Campbell. Mr. Bowman also intends remodeling his residence, adding a cellar under the main part, bay window on the east side, and a large plate glass window on the south.
[Welland Tribune, 26 March 1897]
As will be seen in the council report on another page, O. H. Rounds asked the council to let him have the corner lot now leased by the town, and build the hose house nearer Main street. The matter was referred to a committee, which met Wednesday morning, and after fully considering the matter decided to make no change. Plans of the hose house were discussed, and the committee favored making it a little larger than was at first intended, to provide a place to keep the road machine.
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