The Hooker Survey
[People’s Press, 31 December 1907]
Mr. D.D. Hooker has had surveyed and opened for sale an eligible section for residential buildings in the Third Ward (Welland). Two new streets are laid out, parallel with and south of Maple avenue (formerly Jane street). The first street south of Maple avenue is called Hooker street, and the other Edward street. Fraser street and Queen street will be extended southward to connect with Hooker and Edward streets. Part of the land comprised in the plan was formerly the brickyard, which has been moved to a new location farther south and west. The tract will have sewage outlet through the Denistoun street sewer.
The location is a very central and desirable one, and will be more so when the trolley comes to town, and still more so should a new bridge be placed across the canal near the Beatty works, as will be required in the not distant future.
Already five lots on Hooker street and the Queen street extension have been sold. Mr. Cunningham of the county of Oxford is the purchaser. He intends building good houses upon them in the spring,-in fact, Mr. Hooker intends making it a condition of sale and purchase that only good, creditable buildings shall be built-no shacks allowed.
E.H. Clark’s Barn Burned
[People’s Press, 18 June 1907]
The large barn, drive-house and stables of E.H. Clark, (formerly the Jesse Skinner place) at Crowland Centre, were destroyed by fire on Saturday last.
Some of the contents were also burned, including a mower, two pigs and some poultry; also a pair of bob-sleighs and a rig belonging to a neighbor, Job McCauley, which has been stored in the barn.
The origin of the fire is unknown. It is reported there was some insurance.
Three G.T.R. Freight Cars Make the Plunge
[People’s Press, 18 June 1907]
Niagara Falls, June 15- an accident which many people have feared might happen some day, occurred this morning at Niagara Falls. A heavy freight train was coming across the Grand Trunk steel arch bridge into Canada, when, in some mysterious manner, three of the cars, when right in the centre of the bridge, jumped the track. They keeled over and fell into the pedestrian compartment of the bridge underneath, demolishing the railing, and then dropped into the river several feet below.
The rest of the train kept the track. A brakeman, who had been standing on top of a car towards the rear of the train, heard a bumping on ahead and surmising that a brake team had dropped down and there was bound to be a smash, he jumped from the car in time to save himself had the whole train gone down over the side of the bridge.
The bridge was badly damaged, but traffic was not blocked for any length of time. A brake beam dropping in all probability caused the accident.
TWO LIVES PROBABLY LOST
Niagara Falls, June 16- There is now reason to believe that two lives were lost when the three freight cars dashed off the railway arch bridge into the Whirlpool rapids yesterday morning. The supposed victims are two unknown men, probably tramps. When the train, of which the lost cars formed part, was pulling out of Suspension Bridge yards two men were seen to board it and get into one of the empty cars which went down into the gorge a few minutes later. No one saw them leave the cars. It is doubtful if they got away. After their derailment the cars ran close to the railing of the bridge, and to jump then would be certain destruction. If the two men stayed in the cars they went with them in that awful leap to the rapids, over two hundred feet below.
Remarkable Progress Being Made on Supreme Heating Co.’s Plant
[People’s Press, 18 June 1907]
The Supreme heating Company have made a wonderful record in the building of their plant, having practically erected a building 202 ft. x 50 ft. in a week.
Work was commenced yesterday on the construction of the carpenter shop, and the building will all be completed inside of two weeks more.
When tenders were called for this work the lowest bid was $14,000, and the time asked for completion was four months.
The company will have required only three weeks to build it themselves, and the cost will be about $9,000.
Mr. Hampton assures the Press that stoves will be turned out in Welland on August 15th.
Negotiations With Welland at a Stand-Still Because of Absence of the President
[Welland Telegraph, 13 August 1907]
Arrangements for the bringing of the electric railway to Welland are not progressing as satisfactory as many Wellanders would wish. Six weeks ago The Telegraph said something caustic about the bashfulness of the railway company in seeking a Welland entrance. A few days later E.F. Sexias, manager, and John Paul, traffic agent , actually came to Welland and opened negotiations.
These gentlemen explained to The Telegraph that the delay had been wholly on the part of the municipality and there was more truth than poetry in that too. However, since all parties were desirous of doing business at once, it was expected that the matter would be promptly closed up.
The energetic committee of the Board of Trade got busy, arranged the plans, consulted the property owners and had their scheme approved by the Town Council. It was at once forwarded to the railway company, who had promised a consultation immediately upon its receipt. That was over a month ago. Since then absolutely no tidings have been received from the company. The Telegraph called up the St. Catharines office this morning and was told that the Welland proposition had been sent to the head office and that the delay was probably due to the absence of the president on his vacation.
Rails have been laid on the Fonthill-Welland division as far as Quaker Road, and this portion of the work is being proceeded with. There is a tie-up, however, so far as the wiring is concerned. The manufacturers of wire are away behind with their orders and it is impossible to get a shipment. Wahl’s bus line had been given the contract for transportation of passengers to and from town to the car line.
[The Waterford Star, May 9, 1907]
Welland, May 4—Passenger traffic on the eastern section of the Michigan Central’s Canada division had to be detoured over the Wabash tracks between Buffalo and Canfield Junction, while freight traffic is stopped entirely, as the result of an accident which badly wrecked the company’s drawbridge across the Welland canal, at 3 o’clock this morning, and put that structure temporarily out of business.
A boat passing along the canal, ran into the bridge, owing, it is believed, to a misunderstanding of signals. The railway at once set a gang of men at work repairing the structure, and expect that the westbound track will be in use by tonight. It may take some days to repair the other track, which is in bad shape.
[The Waterford Star, Oct. 31, 1907]
Welland, Oct 23—An attempt to wreck a Michigan Central train about half a mile west of Welland was made Sunday night. About 9;30 Miss Sweeney, a school teacher residing about three miles west of Welland, while walking to town discovered a large quantity of iron piled on the tracks. She quickly removed several pieces, all of them that she could lift, and hurried to the tower-house at the Michigan Central bridge which crosses the canal at that point, and told the men in charge there what she had discovered.
The fast express, No.3, was just due and the semaphore lights were thrown against the train barely in time to bring it to a stop. The men then hurried on a handcar to the place and found two rail-spreaders and a fishplate placed on the inside of the rail in a manner that would almost assuredly have thrown the express train into the deep ditch. The obstructions were removed and the express proceeded on its way.
A force of detectives has been in Welland working on the matter and Edward Palmer, an English boy, aged about 15 years was placed in the county jail last night, and will have to answer to the charge of placing the obstructions on the track. The boy has made a clean breast of his part in the affair. He says, however, he did it with no thought that any damage would result.
[Welland Tribune, 30 August 1907]
A big husky fellow, weighing from 225 to 250 lbs, wandered into the council meeting on Monday night, evidently mistaking that august body for a sunrise court. He took a seat and waited patiently for some time, then informed the mayor that he would like to be “tried next”. Later when a rather animated debate was in progress, he pitched in also, and refused to be quiet. Thereupon Ald. Garner took to eject him, but finding it a difficult job, two other aldermen sprang to his assistance. After a lively tussle the culprit was safely landed in the lockup, from which place he entertained the council with various vocal selections during the remainder of the evening. The man was released in the morning, there being no charge laid against him.
[Welland Tribune, 30 August 1907]
Welland now has a large up-to-date photo studio. One of the finest studios on the Niagara peninsula will be the new one to be opened in a short time in the Lundy block, which has a large addition in the rear; the whole of the second storey has been fitted up for a fine photo gallery. This has been built under the supervision of H.C. Pratt, and will be a model studio in many ways, both for the operators and comfort of patrons.
Mr. Pratt, who has been conducting a studio at Crowland for over 4 years, has leased this new gallery and will move his business here and conduct a much larger portrait business. He has a large and growing portrait trade, made up not entirely of cabinets but enlarged portraits as well. A 20×24 enlarging camera for gas light and electric light, doing bromide, crayon and negative enlarging. Lately installed will form a part of his apparatus and it is his intention to employ a staff of workers after things get running. Mr. Pratt’s new studio will needless to say be equipped with everything new and up-to-date, apparatus the best on the market and the skylight equipped for day and night photography, being also fitted up to the large group photo size of 21×25- a size not found in many Canadian studios.
A Short Description of the Buildings and Their Equipment
[Welland Telegraph, 30 August 1907]
Probably the best building record made in Welland in the past two years, and that covers the record period, is that of the Robertson Machinery Company. Their large foundry building has been put up in just fourteen days and it is well constructed at that. The manufactured output in now being sent out and not a day was lost in moving the equipment from the Beatty foundry to the new buildings. Of course, it must not be supposed that in the new shop everything is shipshape at this early date, in fact it will be a month before everything is squared away.
The large building is 70×112, but is so well-lighted that even on the darkest days it is quite bright in all parts of the building. The machine ship is situated in the southern section separated from the moulding shop by a fireproof brick wall, and is equipped with two gas engines of 41 horse power, and the following machinery: 54 inch radial, two 16×20 inch shapers, 28 x8 inch planer, 30×15 foot lathe, 36×6 inch lathe, 18×6 inch lathe, 16×10 inch lathe, 14×10 inch lathe, 56 inch gap, 14×6 inch lathe, 3 drill presses and in the woodworking department a buzz planer, band, cross and rip saw.
Two offices, 16×9 and 16×11 are found in the southeast corner, and adjoining is the tool and stock room. The 36 inch cupalo, one manufactured by the company is in a separate brick building, 16×16 at the northeast corner adjacent to the coke house, 14×10.
The main building is fitted with one of Sheldon & Sheldon’s blowers. All the lower sashes are double-glassed, one of the sets of glass being prismatic. The new plant cost exclusive of equipment, $8000.
The Telegraph wishes the Robertson Machinery Company a long and prosperous career in the new works and hopes that very soon an addition will be found absolutely necessary.
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