NIAGARA FALLS TOWN
[Welland Tribune, 13 July 1900]
Sunshine or rain, wind, heat or cold, have no effect toward completion of the electric street railway. Half a dozen gangs are now working on different parts of the line. The poles are nearly all up down town, and the careful and efficient manner in which they have been put in is a credit to those who had the work in charge and to the Niagara, St. Catharines and Toronto Company. On part of Erie avenue the poles have had to be set in the pavement, which has been done very neatly and carefully. All surplus and waste material is carefully gathered up and removed and the workmen leave the streets in as good or better shape than they found them. The poles are now being planted along the line to the South. On Victoria avenue the space on the outside of the track has been neatly levelled and graded, and presents a better appearance than it ever did before. All street crossing have been put in good shape, and all decayed planks and timber have been replaced by new lumber.
Connection has been made between the power house at Stamford and the N.F.P. and R. Ry power house at the Falls, and the power from the latter is being used to run machinery in the former until its own engines can be got into running order. F.W. Carter has charge of the electrical department at this end of the line.
The first electric car over the line from St. Catharines to Niagara Falls was run on Wednesday morning. It brought a load of workmen for the Falls View line, and made very good time. A regular service will be put on very soon.
[Welland Tribune, 13 July 1900]
The corner stone for a large addition to the Prospect house at Niagara Falls, N.Y., was laid last Saturday. Some interesting mementoes were deposited under the stone for the delight of relic hunters a century hence. There were copies of all the daily newspapers of Niagara Falls, Buffalo, Rochester, Lockport, North Tonawanda, Toronto, Hamilton, besides a copy of In The Mist, the only daily tourist and travel paper in the world.
After the papers came the timetables of all the trunk –line railroads leading into the Falls, as well as of the trolley lines. Then followed a bound copy of the common council proceedings for the past year and the plumbing contract of the F.W. Oliver Company. The last and good luck offering to go into the stone was a Queen Victoria Jubilee sovereign gold piece.
[People’s Press, 1 May 1900]
The frame residence and grocery owned and occupied by Mrs. Charles Bullock at Cook’s Mills was totally destroyed by fire last Saturday afternoon. The fire is supposed to have caught from a spark from the chimney falling on the roof. The contents, both the residence and shop, including even clothing, etc., were all burned except a barrel of coal, oil, which was got out. There was a slight insurance -$250-on the building.
Fenwick News
[Welland Tribune, 7 September 1900]
On Saturday, Sept. 1st, Richard Dawdy of Fenwick reached the 78th anniversary of his birthday. Unannounced his relatives and friends to the number of one hundred gathered at his home to do him honor and wish him many happy returns of the day. In the happy company were residents of the counties of Welland and Lincoln and the cities of Hamilton, Toronto, Erie, Pa., and Chicago. Tables were spread and bountifully laden with the contents of many baskets. All sat down, and in joyous mood ate and drank together until the company was called to order by Rev. George E. Honey, Mr. Dowdy’s pastor, who, in a few appropriate words, presented the guest of this day with an old gentleman’s staff, the gift of his sons, Joseph and Harley; also a purse of money, the gift of his brothers and friends. This kindness so touched him that when he arose to thank the friends he was hardly able to speak. After dinner there was a general good time in conversation, songs, recitations and instrumental music. The first item of the programme, conversation, gained the active participation of the whole company. The other parts were rendered very acceptably by Wesley Dawdy, Harmon and Chauncey Dawdy’s families and Mr. Tritton.
When the time came to separate all said, “We have had an enjoyable day!”
[Welland Tribune, 4 September 1900]
The Hamilton Herald says:-
A Welland paper says that the Cataract Power company is attempting to buy out the company which proposes to develop electric power by conveying the water of the Welland River to heights near Jordan. The primary object of this company is to develop power for transmission to Toronto; but as Hamilton would be in the line of land transmission, and as power could be transmitted to Hamilton at less cost than to Toronto , the company, would of course,, be a formidable rival of the Cataract power company.
We do not know how much truth there is in the statement of the Welland paper; but if it is true, there is no doubt that the object of the Cataract people is to choke off competition –in short, to clinch its monopoly. They have no cause to embrace the Welland-Jordan enterprise in order to acquire another source of power. By tapping the Chippawa river at their present source of water supply they can get water enough to yield them 50,000 horse power in addition to what they now have.
If they can get control of this rival enterprise, they will be fortunate indeed, for they will have command of the electrical situation in Toronto, as well as in Hamilton-or at least until the Niagara Falls power becomes a factor in competition.
[Welland Tribune, 4 September 1900]
The Welland High School opens today with the following highly qualified teaching staff-
- H.M. McCuaig, principal, classics
- James McNiece, mathematics
- Miss Laven, moderns
- Miss Foster, commercial work.
In this school is taught every grade of high school work, including senior leaving (or first class) work.
The large number of successful candidates at the late examinations, from the Welland High School, places this institution ahead of all other high schools in the Niagara district, and the results of the past year’s work were equal, if not better, than at the Niagara Falls Collegiate Institute.
The progressive board of trustees are doing everything in their power to still further “advance” the standing of the school.
During the holiday season just closed, several hundred dollars were expended on the building. Metal ceilings have been placed on the three class-rooms and vestibule of the second storey; all of different and very neat designs and painted white. The walls throughout have been painted a gray shade, and the woodwork an olive green. A convenient vestibule has been partitioned off from the main hall, and in the partition are placed large double-swing spring-hinged doors finished in natural wood.
Besides these, minor repairs and changes have been made.
Every room in the building now presents an appearance of cleanliness that will be an incentive to the students to work with neatness and despatch.
The board is to be complimented on their economic arrangements which have enabled them to make these improvements without requiring an increased appropriation.
[Welland Tribune, 31 August 1900]
An interesting bicycle race took place on East Main street last Friday afternoon between High Constable Dowd and C.J. Page of the Electric Light Co. Mr. Dowd being a guardian of the law, it might be said just here that the rate of speed attained did not violate the statute against furious speeding. Page spurted and had a good lead at the half, but getting winded and finding Dowd fast overhauling him on the straight stretch, slid off his wheel and shoved the vehicle in the direct line of Dowd’s route. The chief saw the dodge when several rods fell off, but whilst he rides well in a straight line, he has not learned to turn yet-at least not in less than a five acre lot-and so the inevitable crash occurred, the contestants and their wheel s performing some ground and lofty tumbling. Friends interfered and prevented the chief from getting vengeance, and put an end to a pretty scrap. Undertaker Cronmiller saw the contestants start off, and having an eye to business put a couple of coffins in a rig and started to follow, but fortunately the affair ended without any fatalities, and, like John Gilpin, When next they ride a race, may we be there to see.
[Welland Tribune, 6 July 1900]
The petition for the amalgamation of Humberstone and Port Colborne was ready for circulation on Wednesday. From the map attached we learn that about 500 acres will be taken into Port Colborne. Just what proceedings will be necessary to incorporate that amount of land into Port Colborne has not been decided, but it can certainly be done by getting a special act granting permission from the legislature. The petition will be circulated immediately.
N.F.S. People Visit Fonthill Nurseries
[Welland Tribune, 6 July 1900]
On Feb. 29th June, the directors of the Niagara Falls South Horticultural Society held a very pleasant excursion and picnic to the Morris, Stone & Wellington nurseries of seven or eight hundred acres, well-stocked.
The morning looked very threatening, with darkening clouds to the west, when some of the fair sex wished us to return home, yet the majority put confidence in their weather prophet, who said before starting that the day would be fair and cool, yet we found out before long on our way that this same prophet had his water-proof, well rolled up from view, with him. With the exception of the strong wind, which blew the dust into our faces going up, there was nothing to mar the trip. Mr. Depew, Mrs. James Wilson, and Mrs. Dr. Lions, with their spanking pacers, led the way. Next came the large covered four-seated wagon, in which was seated Mrs. Abel Land, Mrs. Canon Bull, Mrs. George Piper, Mr. McGuire, and Mrs. Abel Land, with his field glass, composed of two vials, tied with red, white and blue ribbons, and a small Union Jack; the vials were filled with bilious pills, in case of any emergency, and Dr. Lions carried the other medicines, such a balm of Gilead, mint sauce, peppermint drops &c. The next rig carried Dr. Lions, our genial president; Mr. Robertson, secretary; Mr. Geo. Piper, florist of the village, and Mr. R. Cameron, four jolly good fellows, and their old fashioned steeds were hopping from one side of the road and under every cherry tree they met after they passed the Black Horse. The next rig came up and passed us by while our worthy president was in the top of a large cherry tree, looking for water. It was thought he was looking for Lake Ontario, This rig contained Mr. and Mrs. John Gallinger and Miss Spence.
Two hours of pleasant driving brought us to the beautiful and extensive Fonthill nurseries.
The proprietor, Mr. Morris, who welcomed us, made every provision for our pleasure and comfort-providing tables, seats and hot water, while the ladies set the tablecloths and flowers. We unstrapped our well packed hampers of things good for the inner man. It was not long before we set to work with our spades and it was astonishing how fast the vast heap of hard boiled eggs disappeared, the other good things on the tables I will only attempt to name as I did not know the half of them, nor how to eat them. I am not sure if we had all this in rotation or not-first we had young duck and green peas, frogs legs, cold tongue and beans, sandwiches of beef, salmon and ham, apple pie and Goudy cheese, roast chicken, strawberry short cake (and my, it was good) tarts and biscuits of every sort, coconut cakes, lemon pies and sponge cakes of every size and quality, bananas, lemons and cherries, tea and coffee. I have not mentioned the pickles and catsups.
There was nothing to mar the pleasure of the day, but the breaking of the teapot, which was serious to the ladies, and the stealing by some petty thief of the most important hamper. A rest and a smoke followed, when Miss Williams made her appearance on the croquet lawn, and the play was gone into by some of the party with a vim not often equaled. The rest of us disappeared through the nurseries among the trees and scrubs, of which there is a large assortment of fruit, ornamental trees and shrubs, herbaceous and greenhouse plants. Conspicuous among the ornamental stock we noticed the following:-Lilacs in sixty varieties, double and single bloom, chianathus virginicus, or white fringe, also rhus purpura, or purple fringe, tree boxwood, tree paeonies, and any quantity of the herbaceous paeonies, a beautiful and hardy variety of euonius radicans variegata. Here also is a grand assortment of junipers, such as the following: Juniperus elegantissima, juniperus virginica variegate, juniperus virginica plumosa aurea, juniperus smithi, juniperus sinensis pendula, juniperus virginicus schotti, juniperus, or saven, juniperus japonica aurea. We noticed also the following beautiful varieties of thuyas: Thuya occidentalis marreana aurea, thuya lobbi variegata aurea, thuya vervaeneana, thuya sempre aprea, thuya occidentalis spiralis. The above named trees are certainly choice for any lawn and an object of beauty for any person to look at on their own property. The gloxinias, in the green houses, are alone worth going the distance to see; they are simply superb.
Mr. Morris led us to the rose nursery, and I must say that I never saw so many roses before in one place-the number of acres were mentioned, but I have forgotten how many. When we reached the grounds, each person was presented with a twelve-quart basket and told to help themselves and keep up the baskets. It is needless to say that all had done so and had rose buds to their heart’ content. This ended the rose game, a red-letter day to the directors of this society, and we started on our homeward journey, to stop on the way only one, to water the animals and finish the strawberry shortcake ourselves.
To those who never were at Fonthill, I would say I am sure they would find there a source of profit and pleasure combined. Yours truly. A. Director
[People’s Press, 8 May 1900]
Frank C. Schleffel has filled a much felt want in town by opening up a well-stocked photographers’ supply house. The front room over A. Griffith’s harness shop has been fitted up for the purpose and it is now filled with a most complete stock of everything required by either professionals or amateurs. All standard grades of plates and papers, prepared solutions, chemicals, trays, graduates, etc., and a large variety of cameras and kodaks now in stock. Mr. Schleffel expects to open the business today in charge of Miss Priscilla Ramey, who will also be book-keeper for Messrs. Schleffel & Sons.
Subscribe..
