Suburban Train Jumps the Track on Saturday Afternoon
[The Welland Tribune and Telegraph, 7 June 1921]
(Special To The Tribune Telegraph)
Bridgeburg, June 5-When the Buffalo-Port Colborne Grand Trunk suburban train leaving here on Saturday afternoon at 1.10 standard time, jumped the track just this side of Sherkston about 2 p.m. Saturday, standard time. Fireman Frank Allan of Bridgeburg, aged 29 years, was killed instantly. He was crushed under the engine as it ploughed over the track-bed on its side. Engineer Fred Clark of Bridgeburg was badly scalded and is now in Buffalo hospital. An investigation will be conducted into the accident immediately. A derailment occurred near this station earlier in the week. None of the passengers were injured. Allan is a married man, with several children. It is believed that a rail spread, caused by the heavy traffic on this section of the Buffalo and Goderich division. Traffic was tied up for a considerable time, owing to the pile-up. Engineer Clark’s condition while serious is not regarded as dangerous. Brakeman Milway suffered a wretched shoulder.
A thorough investigation into the wreck will be held at Ridgeway Wednesday evening. Coroner Stackhouse of Ridgeway will conduct the investigation.
This is the third wreck to have occurred within a radius of a few miles of Port Colborne on the Grand Trunk Railway during the past few days. In one of the other wrecks twelve freight cars were derailed. The line here is again open for traffic wrecking crews have cleared the tracks early this morning.
The frequency with which wrecks have occurred caused rumors to be circulated today that the spreading of the rails, which is believed to have been responsible for the wreck, was brought about by the heavy traffic on light rails.
[The Welland Tribune and Telegraph, 16 June 1921]
The Dawdy cemetery has been extended by about two acres toward the east. The old fence to the east has been removed and a new one put up on the new line. The cemetery is receiving good attention and looks greatly improved as compared with a few years ago.
Town Planner Advises Against Step and Council Adopts Recommendation
[The Welland Tribune and Telegraph, 23 June 1921]
The question long in debate as whether or not Avenue Place should be made a residential street was formally disposed of at the meeting of the council on Tuesday evening, when a resolution was passed adopting a report made by Thomas Adams, Town Planning Adviser, recommending that matters stand as they are. Mr. Adam’s report, which had previously been adopted by the Town Planning Commission, was as follows:
The two streets regarding which the council want a report are Avenue Place and Randolph Street. I enclose a tracing showing these two streets and their relation to the business centre and the city. The sites colored yellow are the existing business premises on these streets.
The general situations of the two streets are quite different. Avenue Place directly connects with the business part of Main Street, whereas Randolph Street is cut off from through connection by the Public School.
Avenue Place is shown on the maps to be 40 feet wide, but past of it is only 36 feet wide on the opposite sides. This may mean that some steps project on to the street area, or that the street is actually only 36 feet in width. This is an important matter that should be settled as the narrow width will affect the height and character with any proposal to restrict the use of buildings on this street. It should be borne in mind that business development has begun and will continue on Division Street. Some business has entered this street between Main Street South and Burgar Street. This distance between Division Street and Avenue Place varies from 100 to a little over 0 feet. This will mean that in time business premises on Division Street will have rear access from Avenue Place and it will be difficult to prevent this.
At present there are six good dwellings on the south side of Avenue Place, and two on the north side. There is one business structure on the south side and two on the north side. The pavement is only 18 feet wide and there is little room for greater width. From the point of view of width it should be residential, but from the point of view of location, I fear it cannot long be retained for residential purposes because the value of the land occupied by the eight dwellings will increase for business purposes and it will pay the owners to sell out and acquire homes elsewhere. For the present however I can fully appreciate the desire to have their surroundings protected. I fear however there is no practical way in which this can be done except that of expropriating the land and buildings already acquired or used for business.
I enclose a memorandum setting out the powers of the council to pass by-laws for the purpose of prohibiting the erection of business structures in residence streets. You will see from this that the by-laws cannot be made retro-active. That means that if Brennan’s wholesale warehouse and H. Theyer’s premises cannot be affected by a by-law, you could only stop these buildings being used for business, if you expropriate them. It follows that if you cannot stop these two buildings being used for business you could not in equity prevent adjacent vacant lots being similarly used especially if these lots were acquired for business purposes before the houses were erected. The Welland Tribune and Telegraph office does not front on Avenue Place and therefore does not affect the question. Had all the rest of the place been residential it could have been declared retitled notwithstanding the T & T building which fronts of Main Street.
My conclusions therefore with regard to Avenue Place is that the existence of Brennan’s and Theyer’s premises prevent it being declared as a residential street, except by purchase of these buildings and the adjacent lots. This means that it is not practicable for the council to restrict both sides of the streets. It would be possible, however, to make a residential area of the six houses on the south side of the street by merging them with Young Street. I would not advise that this be done as it would not be in the interest of the owners of the dwellings, who would have the use of their own buildings restricted, without having any protection in regard to the restriction of use on the opposite side. On the whole, having regard to the law on the subject, the expense of expropriation of the north side and the general interests of the city, as well as the ultimate interest of the owners of the dwellings. I do not think Avenue Place can be restricted for residence. This is not an expression of opinion, but a statement based on the facts as they are. At the same time I recommend that no buildings be permitted to be erected on Avenue Place of a greater height than 30 feet or nearer to the street than 5 feet. This will help to prevent the street being seriously injured.
Randolph Street
The position in Randolph Street is different. This street is remote enough from the business centre to be restricted for residence. At present there are no business buildings facing on the street. The junk yard and building attached to it at the eastern end face on Burgar Street. If Randolph Street is made a residence street it will probably be necessary to require the owner of the lot now used as a junk yard to close up the business entrance to his lot from Randolph Street and use the Burgar Street frontage. This will be an advantage to all parties. A by-law should be drawn up by the city solicitor to restrict Randolph Street to residence leaving the question of the corner lots on Burgar Street to be settled by arrangement in due course.
Finally I recommend that the Town Planning Commission advise the council to place a restriction on Randolph Street, but that they accept the conditions in Avenue Place as preventing any restriction being imposed,, except as to height and set back of new buildings.
[The Welland Tribune and Telegraph, 30 June 1921]
If you want to speak to your friend in Marshville today or hereafter it will cost you ten cents. This is a result of a new order of the Bell Telephone Company. Marshville, Wellandport and Smithville offices have been taken off Welland free circuit leaving only Ridgeville.
Will Be Adjoining Hospital-S.L. Lambert to Supply Equipment
[The Welland Tribune and Telegraph, 30 June 1921]
The Board of Trustees of Welland County Hospital a short time ago approved of a plan to erect a tennis court for the enjoyment of the nurses of the hospital.
The court is now almost completed except for the construction of the necessary backstops. It is adjoining the hospital property on the Chippawa Creek bank, and is on the east side of the hospital. At present it is a single court.
It is expected that the place of recreation will be completed in the course of about ten days.
S.L. Lambert has stated that he will supply the necessary playing equipment for the court, such as nets, posts, racquets, balls, etc. He states, further, that the equipment will be of the best obtainable.
[The Welland Tribune and Telegraph, 28 June 1921]
The establishment in Welland of a clinic and diagnostic centre is an enterprise upon which Dr. W.K. Colbeck has embarked.
He has let a contract to J.H. Gardner to erect an adequate building and work began yesterday. It will be located on Division Street between the Bell Telephone building and the Doctor’s residence with a frontage of 34 feet and a depth of 100 feet two stories high. The plans drawn by N.A. Kearns architect specify Milton tapestry brick and Queenston cut stone.
The first floor will be tar concrete under Portland cement concrete and finish in linotle, a floor both sound proof and stamp proof. The first floor trim will be mahogany, and the second floor in chestnut.
The lower floor is arranged in waiting rooms, and departments for Mecano and hydro therapy, X-ray and laboratory, the same as those now only found in a few of the larger hospitals.
Doctor Colbeck’s aim is to establish a clinic and diagnostic centre complete to the last word.
With him will be associated a couple of physicians, as well as X-ray technicians and nurses specially trained in message, baths, etc.
[The Welland Tribune and Telegraph, 30 June 1921]
An inquest was held by Dr. E. Nixon Davis, Coroner, at the Crowland Police Station on Monday night last on the body of Annie Czoblij, the four year old daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Czoblij of 8th Avenue, who was struck by the express passenger train 34 on the crossing on the east side of the Michigan Central railway on Sunday afternoon June 19th. Several witnesses were called. The coroner’s jury after a short deliberation returned a verdict of “Death by Accident.”
The first witness to be called was Duncan Dewar, engineer on the M.C.R. He slowed down for the bridge. He first saw the girl when she was about 124 feet from the engine. It was impossible to stop the engine. The child was on the side of the track about three rail lengths west of the bridge. He did not see the child after engine struck her as he had to attend to the engine.
Chief Jones of Crowland was then called. He said at about one o’clock on the 19th he was called to the phone and told of the accident. He went over to the place and there found the child lying on the south side of the track and west of the draw-bridge about 15 feet from the road crossing the track west of the bridge. The body was lying clear of the track. He saw the child had been struck on the right side of the forehead.
The next witness to be called was Hiram Western, Section foreman. He said that he was off duty at the time of the accident, but happened to be going across the bridge. The child was on the feeder bridge when he saw her first. She was running in the centre of the track straight toward the engine. She then got on the outside of the track till the train hit her. He saw her struck. She was thrown he would say 12 or 15 feet east of the crossing and must have been instantly killed. He only saw a little boy with her. He was ahead of her. She was on the road crossing when struck.
Fred Taylor, bridge-tender, deposed that he was on duty when the accident happened. He saw the girl who was just west of the bridge on the east bound track. He only saw a little boy with her. When he first saw the girl he had not heard the train coming. He heard the whistle for the crossing and then he heard a second whistle which was to attract the child. When the second whistle went the girl was going west on the east bound track. It appeared to him that the child was trying to make the cross-road. She ran straight into the engine. The train was slowing down as fast as it possibly could. He ran to the spot, but found the child was dead when he got there. Replying to Mr. Cowper as to whether there was any way of protecting the crossing, he said there was not. He further said that anyone taking the short cut by walking along the tracks over the canal bridge did so at their own risk. No one was really allowed on the track.
Dr. Allison of Welland was then called and said that he first saw the child in Pattison’s Undertaking Rooms. He examined the body and found that the skull was fractured and the neck broken. Death would be instantaneous. Being struck by the engine would account for the skull being fractured and the neck being broken.
The last witness to be called was Josif Czoblij, the father of the deceased. As his knowledge of English is very limited, his evidence had to be taken through an interrupter. In reply to the Crown Attorney, he said he lives about 60 feet from the track. The girl who was killed was his daughter. She was 4 years and 2 months old. He was not at home when the accident actually occurred.
The evidence of the witnesses being finished the Crown Attorney made his remarks to the jurors. He said that so far as he could see, the only verdict which it was possible to return was “killed by accident.” No one was to blame for the lamentable affair. However, it was a matter for the jurors to decide themselves.
The jurors then conferred and returned the verdict as above. The jury consisted of the following:- San G. Gurney, Foreman; Horace Ward, Joseph Hughey, Wm. La Fortune, Horace Gray, Geo. Hill, W.G. Minaker and Herbert Bayne. The interests of the Michigan Central Railway were watched by Mr. Rinch.
Was Attempting to Cross Michigan Central Bridge
[The Welland Tribune and Telegraph, 21 June 1921]
Annie Shablij, aged 8 years, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Shablij, 8th Avenue, was struck by a fast passenger train on the crossing on the east side of the Michigan Central Bridge on Sunday afternoon at 1.30 and was instantly killed.
She, in company with a playmate, started up the bank to the tracks to cross the bridge over the canal. Her little chum, when the accident happened, apparently panic-stricken, hastened away at the approach of the train and the accident was not discovered until word was phoned back by the enginer of the train.
Mr. Western, the road master said he saw the train hit the girl, who, as if fascinated, ran straight towards it.
It has been a long been the habit for many of the residents of the south, instead of walking south to the public bridge, to take a short cut across the railway bridge. This is one of the fatalities resulting. One official of the bridge says it is only a miracle that there isn’t an accident there every day.
An inquest has been ordered by Coroner Davis.
[The Welland Tribune and Telegraph, 21 June 1921]
Say what you will, the heart desire is to live in the country. Not on a farm, perhaps, but in the midst of fruits and vegetables of your own growing. And to grow of each enough to market and maintain the overhead expenses of the home. Our beautiful Village of Fonthill is the ideal location for just such enterprise. The old folks and young folks can glory in the freedom of pure air and pure spring water, and the kiddies have so much romping room that at night time they come home healthfully tired and get sleep which builds up bodies for a long livetime.
Fonthill, today, and for many years, has been the natural suburb home of the Welland business man. And not only Welland, but Thorold and other intermediate points. But today, better than at any other time, because the auto roads are practically perfect. The drive from Welland by auto is about 20 minutes, and from Thorold some 10 minutes more. And then you are in the most beautiful country in Canada. Don’t accept our statement for it. Ask anybody.
We have homes and fruit farms and lots on our list which we would be very glad to talk with you about; some new, others not so new (the homes), and the lots to build homes upon which within one year will be worth at least twenty-five per cent, more than you can buy them for today. We have one splendid fruit farm of 8 acres, with home and barns, etc., for $8,750, and the man who buys wouldn’t take $10,000 for it within 24 hours. We have a 6 acre fruit farm and home and barn, etc., for $6,000, and the buyer wouldn’t part with it after being moved and settled. We have some twelve lots in the Village at prices now so low that it won’t take ten minutes for us to make the deal. Our phone is “Ridgeville 13 ring 3.” Call me up at once, or drive out any morning, afternoon or evening.
It Will Replace One of The Historic Buildings of Welland
[The Welland Tribune and Telegraph, 28 June 1921]
The contract was signed yesterday for the erection of a modern two storey building for J.J. Patterson & Sons on East Main Street. The new building will measure 27 by 86 feet. It will be on the same style as Stewart’s Block which it will adjoin. The present building will be torn down, starting this week, but business will be carried on at the same time as the rear section will be razed first and when it is completed the stock will be moved back and the front finished. The entrance to the store will be on the side touching Stewart’s Block and the show window will measure about twenty feet. The downstairs will contain a show room in front and in the rear there will be the office, casket room, morgue and workshop. Upstairs will all be open floor space for display of furniture in a most accessible manner. The work will be done by A.G. Petit.
To the old timers at least this present building is a very familiar spot. From Geo. Cronmiller, East Main Street we are able to give a brief history of the building. The original frame was erected by Mr. Cronmiller in 1874, which was 37 years ago. He brought the timber from his farm after buying the property from D.D. Hoover for the sum of $700.-It could not be bought for $7000 today. Chas, Stewart bought the piece he owns now for $500. The property was originally a farm belonging to Mr. Hellems.
Since being built many trades and occupations have been carried on there until Patterson’s took it over. Chesley’s Hotel flourished for a while, later a blacksmith’s shop was carried on, and still later P. McMurray had a tinsmith’s shop there.
On the same street there are now only a few buildings which were there when it was erected,, McCaw’s Shoe Store is one of the few. The year after Mr. Cronmiller built this he erected the fire hall. The passing of this structure removes another of Welland’s historic land marks which are fast disappearing.
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