Thomas Clark
[Date Unknown]
*Mary Luska’s is one of those special spots I remember with great fondness. Truly miss her store.
During this holiday season many homes in Welland are decorated both inside and out to celebrate the Christmas holidays.
Mary Luska, owner of Mary Luska Interiors, has made elaborate changes to her home at 165 Edgar Street in Welland.
Virtually all the rooms in this historic house have been decorated to give a warm feeling of the Christmas spirit.
All of the decorations have been designed by Mrs. Luska and placed throughout the house so that each room brings out a warm and open atmosphere and allows one to share the meaning of Christmas and appreciate their surroundings.
The Luska home has a unique history which dates back to 1796. The land on which the home is now situated was part of a large tract of land granted to Captain Thomas Welch on June 22, 1796 by King George III.
In July, 1870, James H. Price bought 30 acres of the original tract and farmed and lived on that land. Henry W. Macoomb, father of former Welland mayor, Gabriel J. Macoomb, at the time related that when he was a boy, he and some of this friends went on sleigh-ride parties to the Price Home, now the Luska home.
In 1913, Plan Number 50 of the north-west area of the town of Welland, entitled the Parkway Heights Plan was registered in the Welland County Registry Office. The lands shown on the plan which now include the home owned by Edward and Mary Luska which was the Price farm-house, also created Price Avenue, Lillias Street, Edgar Street and other thoroughfares named in honor of the members of the Price family.
In the fall of 1986 the former Price farm-house was remodelled by Edward and Mary Luska to a beautifully created residence.
In the holiday period the once historic home reflects its past to give the viewer a look into the past and present of many Christmas season.
Spitzer-Rorick Company Notified By Council to Take Up Hydro Debentures or Stand Loss on Re-sale-Welland Street to be Opened Over G.T.R.-Advertise for Tenders for Next Year’s Paving.
[Welland Telegraph, 7 November 1913]
SEEN AT A GLANCE
The Council:
- Discussed $20,000 viaduct, under the railway tracks on Muir St.
- Protested against trains blocking crossing on Muir Street and re-affirmed their request for overhead bridges.
- Gave notice of building debenture company liable for loss on sale.
- Called for tenders for next year’s paving.
- Referred subdivision plans to engineer for general layout.
- Decided to open Welland St. over the G.T.R.
- Heard mayor announce that he would give instructions to have curfew law enforced.
- Gave chief of police two weeks holidays.
For the town of Welland, the township of Crowland, the M.C.R. the local railway company to jointly share the cost of a subway under the railway tracks crossing Muir Street was a suggestion given consideration at the council meeting Monday evening.
The proposal was brought about by a communication from the Dominion Railway Board stating that an overhead bridge over the tracks a suggested by the council was not feasible for the reason the pedestrians would not use it because of the height of the ascent necessary.
The board stated that approval had been given the request of the electric railway to cross at grade, but the M.C.R. was raising strong objections and it was now proposed to have the street railway be a subway under the tracks. To protect pedestrians crossing the tracks at Muir street and at Plymouth Road the railway would be willing to pay the same proportion as at present for gates to be operated day and night at Muir Street and to have the gates at Plymouth Road continued in operation at night as well as in the daytime.
“Crowland would consent to this arrangement,” advised the solicitor.
After the last fatal accident at the Muir Street crossing a flagman was stationed there and the board has not yet given an order for his release.
TRAINS BLOCK CROSSING
Deputy Reeve Crow explained that the idea of the gates was to give workingmen going across to the factories a chance to get across the tracks when the crossing was blocked by trains.
Aud. Hughes said the public was a better judge as to the accessibly of these crossings and the public wanted the overhead bridges.
“If the railway blocks the crossing we should summon witnesses and prosecute,” opned Ald. Reilly.
The solicitor was instructed to review suggestions to have the bridges built and to advise the board that the town favored the gates and the arrangement of payment.
WOULD COST $20,000
C.J. Laughlin proposed the scheme for building a viaduct. The cost would be about $20,000 but it could be borne jointly. There would have to be sixteen-foot clearance and the railway could raise its tracks up a distance, commencing the grade a thousand feet back. This would eliminate further trouble.
“We are now considering the building of a private subway for our line half way between the canal and Muir Street,” he said.
HOLD DEBENTURE CO. LIABLE
The council decided to give the Spitzer-Rorick Company notice to either take up the $40,000 received…. Hydro Electric debentures used would again advertise them for sale and hold the company liable for the loss occasioned by the re-sale.
NEXT YEAR’S PAVING
Instructions were given the engineers to advertise for tenders for paving North Main Street, Division Street, Hellems Avenue, Cross Street and Burgar Street, between main and Division.
The kinds of pavement on which tenders are to be received are brick, rocmac, asphalt, bitulithic, concrete and reinforced concrete.
Ald. Hughes explained that sewers on these streets could be put down this fall and that the water commission were now putting down their connections.
A motion to have the sewer connection on these streets put in was carried.
“Is it the intention of the council to pave North Main?” asked Deputy Reeve Crow.
“Yes,” replied Ald. Hatt. “We are making temporary improvements on the street this fall out as far as Elm, which is as far as the pavement will extend. From there to the end, the street is being made permanent with stone.”
DOESN’T FAVOR CONCRETE
D.T. Black, city engineer, in his report on the kinds of pavement, said concrete was short-lived unless reinforced and then it would cost as much as any other pavement. Cracks would develop and the abrasive action wear away the surface. He thought it better to use some other kind of paving.
FROWN ON SUBDIVISION
A motion to approve of the plans of Welled Heights subdivision was replaced with a reference to the engineer after the council had fully discussed it. The streets are not in accordance with older streets already laid out and the council felt that permission to open such streets would lead to trouble, expense and confusion in the future.
Ald. Hughes was surprised that the street committee would recommend the acceptance of such a plan.
Ald. Reilly complained about the lots being small but his entire objection was to the irregularity of the streets. “They are not streets, but pockets,” he said.
“They are sixty-six feet wide,” said Ald. Hatt. “We have nothing to say about the size of the lots.”
Ald. Traver said such subdivisions had a tendency to scatter the town and run up the cost of local improvements.
The engineer will make arrangements to have the streets in the property conform to other and established streets and make such preparations that any other property nearby if opened in the future must be in harmony with the general plan. All streets must also be opened out.
NEW SEWERS
The sewer committee were instructed to advertise for tenders for sewers on Fraser, Edward, Hooker, Welland and Cady Streets and to put in sewer services on Division, Hellems Ave., North Main and Burgar Streets.
OPEN UP NEW STREET
Welland Street will be opened over the G.T.R. tracks, is spite of a letter from the G.T.R. stating that yards might be opened at that point and giving preference to Asher St., as a crossing over their tracks, the council decided that Welland Street would be the most advantageous place for the new crossing.
The street committee were instructed to take the necessary steps to have the street opened. Property from Burgar Street to the track must be expropriated.
To be Built in Sections and May Take Three Years to Build-Ultimate Cost About $45,000 or $50,000-First Sod Turned Today
[Welland Telegraph, 7 November 1913]
The cost of the new Roman Catholic Church to be built at the corner of Hellems Avenue and Griffith St. will be between forty-five and fifty thousand dollars. The church will be built in three sections and the contract for the basement, the first section, was let this morning to J.H. Gardner for $9955. The basement walls will be fourteen feet high.
The dimensions of the church are 140 feet long and 48 feet wide. It will be built entirely of stone and of Romanesque architecture. The second section will include the walls and roof and the third section the interior and decorations. Three years, it is expected will be required to complete the building. The basement will be in by February or March and the second section will be gone on with next spring.
The completed building will seat between six and seven hundred. This (Thursday) afternoon at four o’clock, the first sod will be turned by J.J. Patterson and Rev. Father Berardo will bless it. At the laying of the cornerstone there will be a ceremony and civic officials will be invited.
Workmen Excavate Coffins While Digging Trench
Interred Years Ago In Long Forgotten Cemetery On Mill Street-Bones Will Be Reburied.
[Welland Telegraph, 7 November 1913]
Buried about three feet beneath the surface two coffins containing human bones were found by workmen excavating a trench for a water service at the west end of Mill Street this morning.
The coffin has almost completely decayed and the bones within had the appearance of being in the earth for many years. A few buttons were found in one of the coffins and were bright and shiny. The skeletons were carefully removed and will be reburied in other boxes as near to their former resting place as possible. It is impossible to tell just how long ago burial was made but a tombstone on a lot not far distant bears the date 1861.
It is thought that the property was used as a cemetery many years ago by the Methodist Church. A number of fallen tombstones are standing in the vicinity.
[Welland Telegraph, 3 January 1913]
Portrait of Sir Isaac Brock
Portrait of Laura Secord
Portrait of General Butler
Reproduction of old painting showing Sir Isaac Brock on horseback.
These four pictures are shown on The Telegraph’s handsome 1913 calendars. If you want a calendar ask for it. If to be sent by mail enclose stamp. Children will not be given calendars unless on written order of parents.
Hugh A. Rose Will Erect Modern Brick Building to Replace Frame Structure
[Welland Telegraph, 18 April 1913]
Another old frame structure on East Main is to be replaced by a modern brick business block. Hugh A. Rose is having plans prepared for a two-storey brick block, which will be built on the site of his present office building.
The new block will have a frontage of thirty feet and will extend back from the street a distance of seventy feet. The first floor will be divided into two stores and several suites of several offices will compose the second floor, one of which will be occupied by Mr. Rose, himself.
Building operations will be started about the first of June and it is hoped to have the block completed by the end of August.
T.L. Nichols in the architect.
Board of Trade Favors the New Highway
[Welland Telegraph, 14 February 1913]
A meeting of the Board of Trade was held in the town hall on Wednesday evening. Following the reading of the general correspondence, a discussion on good roads and the removal of the town garbage completed the remainder of the evening.
Mr. Hatt, in reference to the good roads question, said that it was plain to see that macadam was not the thing for Welland roads. Personally he was interested in concrete as an improvement on macadam. “The Canada Cement Co.,” he said, “have a man who is lecturing on concrete for roads, showing the possibilities and advantages over other mediums. They will send a man to Welland on March 3rd , and it would be a good thing to call a special public meeting to discuss the matter.”
Mr. Hickey proposed that Mr. Brunner of the Canada Cement Co. should address the Board of Trade on the subject and give all information as to the cost of concrete for roadways.
Mr. Rainer proposed that it would be a good thing to form an agricultural committee as an addition to the other committees and to ask Mr. Austin to take charge of it. This was carried.
On the question of garbage removal, B.J. McCormick said that he did not wish to criticize the committee, who had that matter in hand, but he wished to make a protest against the present system of placing garbage pails and boxes in front of houses. It was a disgrace to the town. Visitors coming into the town remarked about it, and altogether the system was a bad one, and the garbage pails are eyesores.
Mr. Hickey agreed with this and suggested that another team of horses and two wagons to remove the garbage by the town, would not be out of place. Various methods of disposal of garbage were discussed, but no definite decision was arrived at.
Lane’s Jewelery Shop Begins Special Sale on Saturday 15th
[14 February 1913, Welland Telegraph]
The announcement made by Harry O. Lane, Welland’s well known jeweler, that he will hold a special sale of all jewelery, cut glass, silverware, etc., included in his stock, beginning Saturday, Feb. 15th, and continuing for several days, is of great interest to all Welland people. Mr. Lane will put on sale any article in his store at actual cost price which means a saving of about thirty per cent on the valuation. Mr. Lane opened business four years ago and placed for the selection of Welland people a stock of jewelry so up-to-date and reasonably priced and reliable as to be an entirely new departure in Welland shopping resources. The articles he will place on sale includes fashionable jewelry such as beautiful lavallieres in exquisite designs, pendants in gold and silver set with precious and semi-precious stones, earrings, bracelets, broaches, bar pins, men’s scarf pins and cuff buttons, fobs, chains, rings etc. The entire stock of watches will also be offered including men’s handsome gold and silver watches, ladies watches, novelty watches, bracelet watches, clocks of all kinds, makes and sizes, gold-headed canes, and gold, silver and pearl-handled umbrellas, the entire array of elegant cut glass and the stock of Rogers’ 1847 silver, which was known and prized in the days of our grandmothers, and for the past sixty-years has been the treasured possession of fortunate housewives. All goods come in both solid and plated ware, in exquisite designs and represents the highest intrinsic value and artistic loveliness. He was imbibed the energetic and enterprising methods of the modern merchant and declares that he will not carry over to a new season any article of last season’s stock. For this reason he inaugurates the sale and extends a cordial invitation to all his friends and patrons to attend and avail themselves of these unexcelled bargains.
Ford Cars to Be Sold Only at Regular Advertised Prices
[Welland Telegraph, 25 July 1913]
R. Moore & Son, the local Ford dealers, have received the following letter from the head office of the Ford Motor Co.:
“We have been deluged at this office with inquiries from Ford prospects regarding rumors to the effect that the Ford Co. are selling cars or propose to sell cars at special prices, these prices varying anywhere from $200 per car to three cars for $1000.
We firmly believe that the rumors which have been spread throughout the Dominion of Canada have been started by persons outside of Ford organization with malicious intent, and we take this opportunity of stating definitely and finally that we have not considered or are we going to consider the sale of Ford cars at anything other than full advertised list prices, neither is there any foundation in the rumor that the Ford Company is going to eliminate its organization of dealers and sell direct to the consumer.
The entire Ford organization is hereby authorized to deny any rumors pertaining to the sale of of Ford Cars at special prices or under special terms or conditions, and when there are any changes to be made in the Ford sales policy we hereby assure you that our sales organization will be the first to be notified.”
(Sgd.) Ford Motor Co.
J.H. Gardiner Has Been Awarded Contract for Priest’s Residence To Cost $12,000
[People's Press, 30 September 1913]
J.H Gardiner was last week awarded the contract to build a priest’s residence at the site of the new R.C. church, corner Hellems avenue and Griffith street. The residence will be of solid brick construction for which Hamilton pressed brick will be used, and will contain fourteen rooms. It will cost in the neighborhood of $12,000.
Tenders are now in for the new church, and the contract for this edifice will be let the latter part of this month. Its cost will be between $30,000 and $40,000.
The construction of both the church and priest’s house will be rushed, and it is expected they will be completed by next spring.
[See related POSTCARD: St.Mary's Roman Catholic Church]
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