A Number of Charges Against the Pastime of Shooting off Fireworks
[Welland Telegraph, 27 May 1910]
A large fireworks balloon set by Victoria Day celebraters on Tuesday evening set fire to Riverside Mills by alighting on the roof. The blaze was soon noticed and extinguished with the heavy mill hose. No damage of any account was done. Had the fire got much headway there may have been a different tale to tell, however.
Charles Stewart’s frame block on East Main Street was also set on fire by fireworks falling on the roof. It was also noticed and extinguished before any damage was done.
Several people were burned around the hands and face by over zealous celebraters but no one was seriously injured.
The dresses of two Welland women caught fire from fireworks as they were coming out of the Grand theatre, but the fire was soon extinguished.
The pop-corn vendor chased a young man who threw a giant cracker under his cart. He threatened to kill him and drew a knife to make good his threat, but he could not catch his tormentor.
An alderman told The Telegraph on Wednesday that he would introduce a bylaw to prohibit the sale or use of fireworks on the 24th.
[See related TALE: TO PROHIBIT FIRECRACKERS/An editorial by Louis Blake Duff]
National Advertising Campaign Will Have “Made in Welland” as a Slogan-John D. Meister Says This is the Ideal Manufacturing Town
[Welland Telegraph, 18 March 1910]
The Supreme Heating Company of Welland have plans prepared for the erection of a large extension to their plant. The new wing will be 132 feet long and 50 feet wide, and will be of concrete construction. The addition is urgently needed because of the rapidly growing business.
The Telegraph takes advantage of this announcement to congratulate the firm on the success of its product and to welcome to our business community, John D. Meister, who has recently come from Elvira, Ohio, to accept the vice-presidency of the Supreme Heating Company. Mr. Meister, though a Canadian, has spent his entire business career in the United States where with the Fox Furnace Company he mastered the stove business, and now comes back with ripe commercial experience to put his shoulder behind one of the most promising of Welland’s younger industries.
Mr. Meister was not in Welland very long until he became imbued with that enthusiasm which is making Welland famous. “This is the best located and most advantageous manufacturing centre in the Dominion,” he said to The Telegraph in an interview yesterday. “After investigations that I have made I find that iron and steel wares can be manufactured here at less cost.” In fact, almost saving one profit.”
The Supreme Heating Company is organizing a national advertising campaign that will extend from ocean to ocean, and our readers will be interested to learn that “Made in Welland” will be featured in every advertisement. “The Supreme Heating Company,” said Mr. Meister, “appreciates the liberal treatment it has received at the hands of the Council and its citizens, and proposes in its campaign, which is now being inaugurated to make use of the expression, “Made in Welland,” in all its advertising. In Welland is made the most up-to-date scientific practical and economical cooking apparatus now made anywhere in the world-the product of Canadian born brain. This company will do all its power through its officials, travelling representatives, and advertising, to make Welland a household word from Halifax to Vancouver. “Made in Welland” will be the Supreme Heating Company’s slogan.”
Ordered up the Highballs for the Crowd But Scheme Didn’t Work
[Welland Telegraph, 18 March 1910]
A liquor spotter, sent out by the Government, was in town on Monday and Tuesday. The hotel men soon found out who their distinguished guest was, however, and the spotter accordingly will carry away a good impression of the Welland hotels.
He was a man who knew the tricks of his profession, but his tricks were too old. He hung around the hotels on Monday and Tuesday and the fact is he rather enjoyed an occasional glass himself.
Tuesday night he suddenly realized just as the bar was being closed at eleven o’clock that he wanted a drink badly. “Give me a beer,” he asked the wine clerk. “No chance, we close at eleven,” he replied. Then the spotter went to his room rather discouraged. Once in his room he got a brilliant idea. The bell was rung and the bell-boy appeared.
“Send up a high-ball and order one for the boys down stairs,” he ordered.
In a moment the bell-boy reappeared. “Not tonight,” he said, and then again explained, “after hours.”
Wednesday morning saw the spotter take a silent leave. His efforts were in vain.
Port Colborne Offers a Prize of Ten Dollars for Suitable Motto
[Welland Telegraph, 18 March 1910]
Welland has a slogan-“Watch Welland Grow.”
Buffalo’s is-“Buffalo Means Business.”
In Rochester they say-“Do it for Rochester.”
“Busy Berlin,” is the motto in Berlin. (Kitchener, Ontario 1854-1912)
Now Port Colborne is in search for a slogan. The Board of Trade has decided to give a prize of ten dollars to the person who will suggest the best slogan. This contest is open to all the slogan writers in the world. Wellanders had better jump in. Address all communications to John H. Rolph, Port Colborne. The contest closes on March 31st.
Engineer Explains How it is to be Done When Canal is Enlarged
[Welland Telegraph, 18 March 1910]
Since the time this new Welland canal was first discussed it has been a matter of wonder with many people how the channel would be deepened at the aqueduct. This channel, by which the Welland River passes under the canal, is one of the most splendid pieces of masonry in Canada and the top of the mason work is barely more than fourteen feet from the top of the water. The problem is to deepen the channel to twenty-two feet.
Superintendent Weller says the undertaking is a comparatively simple one and will be carried on without stopping the passage of a single vessel.
The plan to be adopted will be as follows-A channel will be dredged across the canal below the present aqueduct and about the site of the old Beatty shops. This will be about twice the width of the canal about 65 feet deep. Huge masonry abutments will be built at either side with five channels twenty feet in diameter. Then there will be lowered into the trench steel pipe, five rows of it extending from the abutment on the one side to the abutment on the other. After this the pipes will be lined with cement and next the channel of the river will be diverted from the old aqueduct to the new one. This done the watercourses of the old aqueduct will be torn out after the ends are stopped and the necessary deepening will be made.
[People's Press, 26 April 1910]
Sero Pettit, son of Mr. Pettit of Randolph street, (just moved to town), a lad 12 or 14 years of age, narrowly escaped drowning in the river last evening a few minutes before seven o’clock.
He was on the aqueduct wall all alone with a fisherman’s net which had been left in the water, when suddenly he lost his balance and fell in.
The height of the wall is about 30 feet above the surface of the water. Fortunately the lad had managed to get hold of the net.
Lee Ott of the Chinese laundry happened to see the boy fall in and instantly gave the alarm on Main street.
Scores of persons were soon on the spot and the lad was rescued by from his perilous position by the aid of a row boat which happened to be on the river bank close by.
Youthful Fisherman is Rescued From Perilous Position by Herbert Boyle
[Welland Telegraph, 26 April 1910]
There is one boy in Welland, at least, who will not go fishing in a hurry again.
The thirteen-year-old son of G.A. Petit, Randolph Street, was trying to pull up a net on the aqueduct on Monday evening when he slipped and fell into the creek beneath a distance of fifteen feet.
He was alone at the time, but his cries as he struck the water were soon heard.
The lad managed to hang onto a rough stone until Herbert Boyle waded out to a boat in the creek, untied it and paddled out. When he reached him the little fellow sank back into the boat, thoroughly exhausted. A minute more and he would have gone to the bottom.
He was taken to his home in a bus.
Wife of the Chief of Police Severely Burned
[Welland Telegraph, 18 March 1910]
As the result of a gas explosion, Mrs. H. Jones, wife of Chief of Police Jones, is suffering from severe burns of her hands and face.
The explosion took place on Tuesday evening and happened in this manner. Mrs. Jones, after preparing to spend the evening out, opened the oven door of a stove and was immediately blown to the floor by the force of the explosion. Her face and hands were severely burned and her hair singed. The lucky part is that her clothing escaped catching fire.
It seems that the oven burner had been left going after the fire was turned out. When the door was opened the escaping gas ignited on the main burner with the above result.
[People's Press, 19 April 1910]
The Buffalo Enquirer has a funny yarn-at least it is meant to be funny-all about a man who called himself Wm. Deckwith of Welland, who went to Buffalo last Friday to celebrate his 60th birthday, took too much booze and got pinched at midnight. The bobby says Deckwith (if that is his name) was enquiring for the “Welland Hotel.” The report further says that Deckwith said he had lived the most of his sixty years in the “village” of Welland. It is possible the man may be a transient resident of Welland, but enquiry fails to find any trace of him, and the statement that he has lived here for the most of 60 years is undoubtedly fiction. No resident of Welland speaks of the place as a village, nor of the “Welland Hotel.” If a Canadian but winks or stubs his toe in Buffalo it is good for a half-column song and dance in one of the city papers.
Barns and Bake Shop Destroyed By Flames
Firemen Do Good Work-Nearby Houses Were In Great Danger
[Welland Telegraph, 10 May 1910]
M.E. Schooley’s bake shop and barn, and Robt. Doan’s barn were burned to the ground early Monday morning. The entire loss is about $3500 and is only partly covered by insurance.
The origin of the fire is a complete mystery. The fire started in Mr. Schooley’s bake shop and spread to the other buildings mentioned as well as a kitchen on the house occupied by H. Fischer. Had the wind been blowing at the time the nearby house could not have been saved from destruction. As it was the firemen had a hard fight.
Mr. Schooley was the first to notice the fire. The bright light from the flames shining in his window aroused him. At that time the shop was already wrapped in flames. He telephoned an alarm to the Town Hall. The firemen arrived in about ten minutes after the alarm was given. The barn had also caught fire, but the horses and rigs which were in it were gotten out before the fire reached them, but only on the nick of time.
By the time the firemen arrived Robert Doan’s barn was burning as well as Mr. Schooley’s shop and barn, and the kitchen of Mr. Fischer’s house had also caught fire. Mr. Schooley’s house was also threatened by the flames, as well as two houses in the rear of the barn and on the next street. The firemen however managed to check the flames, but none of the buildings except the house of Mr. Fischer were saved. They managed to keep the fire from Mr. Schooley’s house, but at one time it was in great danger. Willing hands carried the furniture out of Mr. Fischer’s house.
It was about 3.30 when the fire was first noticed. At midnight the bakers, who had been preparing the bread for Monday, left the building. They saw that there was nothing left which might have caused the fire and can offer no explanation whatever.
The loss will be a heavy one on both Mr. Doan and Mr. Schooley, as the insurance will not nearly cover the loss. Mr. Doan’s loss will be about $1500, as there were a large number of stoves in his barn at the time, as well as cutters, buggies, harnesses etc. Mr. Schooley’s loss will be about $2000.
Arrangements have been made with G.T. Wright whereby he will supply Mr. Schooley’s customers until further arrangements can be made.
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