Dave Humphrey
Items compiled from the archived newspapers held at the Cranbrook History Centre Archives
1908
Nomination for mayor ... To the Citizens of Cranbrook: Notwithstanding my refusal to many personal requests I have, within the past week, received a strong petition signed by almost all the business men and many other citizens requesting me to reconsider the matter and consent to my name being placed in nomination for the mayoralty. Under such circumstances I have been lead to believe that, perhaps during every man's life, a certain amount of time must be sacrificed in the public interest. I have, therefore, decided to allow my name to be placed in nomination.
Candidate for mayor ... J. D. McBride has been asked by a number of ratepayers to stand for mayor. Last week a committee representing about one hundred ratepayers of Cranbrook who had signed a petition asking J. D. McBride to stand as a candidate for mayor waited upon that gentleman. Mr. McBride stated that he had no desire to be a candidate for any office, but since there had been an expression of such a large proportion of the ratepayers of Cranbrook, he felt that it was his duty to accede to the request made. He further stated to the committee that it would be a personal sacrifice on his part to accept such a nomination, as the performance of the duties of the office of mayor would materially interfere with the management of his business, yet he deemed it his duty to accept the tender that had been made to him by so many ratepayers of the city.
EFFICIENT POLICE WORKING ... That Cranbrook is one of the most orderly towns in the west everybody admits and this is due, in no small way, to the city police force. Serious crime is practically unknown and petty offences on the police magistrates docket are few and far between. Harsh measures have very seldom to be resorted to, but tact and common sense take the place of the club and handcuffs. Chief Cory Dow is a natural born policeman and has had years of experience, not only as chief of police for this city but also on the provincial force. Officer D. McLean has been on the city force ever since incorporation and is a favorite with everybody. A courteous gentleman at all times and a first-class officer. G. Moore, who is in charge of the city lockup, although he has been on the force only a short time, has shown himself to be the right man in the right place. The people of Cranbrook are proud of their city and its orderliness and this same orderliness reflects great credit on the city police force.
Have a clean election ... Vote for whoever you want elected and work for whoever you want elected, but avoid personalities and bitterness. Let us have a clean election, one that when it is over we can say, no matter who wins or who loses, it was clean, free from malice and we are proud of it.
Eagles' smoker ... The new Edison theatre was filled with Eagles and their friends last Friday evening and a magnificent time was spent by all those who were lucky enough to be present. The Eagles are birds who know what real hospitality is, as was evidenced by the bountiful supply of both solid and liquid refreshments which graced the board. About 9 o'clock, J. Edgar Davis, the chairman, gave a short address of welcome and finished by proposing the toast of the King, which was drunk with musical honors. J. E. Davis makes an ideal chairman, as everybody knows who has heard his ready run of wit. The Eagles are to be congratulated upon the splendid entertainment they gave.
We are proud ... The Herald has been abused by many reformers and yet, the Herald was the only paper that had the courage to condemn and run out the pimps and tin horn gamblers. The Herald is proud of its record in this respect.
We are abused ... The editor of the Herald is being abused by a very small element on the theory that it is opposed to what is termed the church element. The editor of the Herald desires to say only one thing, and that is that if the books could be shown it would demonstrate the fact that he had given dollars during his nine years residence in Cranbrook, where his accusers have given cents for the building and maintenance of church institutions. We don't like to say anything on this subject but the persistence with which some people would like to present the Herald as an instrument working against church influences is unfair and unjust. The Herald believes in the church and has shown its belief by contributions of dollars and cents and the man who endeavors to make capital against the Herald on a matter of this kind is one who is entirely controlled by narrow prejudices and petty personalities.
Washington clock ticks in Cranbrook ... On New Year's eve the Herald was asked by the dispatcher's office at the C. P. H. whether it would like to hear a clock in Washington, D. C., tick off the second for five minutes before midnight. It was thought that someone was having a little fun with the Herald. A representative of the Herald was assured, however, that he would be able to hear the clock some thirty-five hundred miles away tick off the second. In the naval observatory at Washington, there is an apparatus called the master clock. This clock is the official hour glass keeper for the continent of North America. It is fitted with appliances that when regulated, the big pendulum swings exactly on the second heat, and when it swings to one side it opens a switch on telegraph instruments. When it swings to the other side, one second in time, another switch is opened, thus regulating the beat to a second. On the New Year eve the authorities at the observatory send this time all over the continent to every place where there is a telegraph office, and all the clocks are accordingly regulated by it. Last night when the big clock at Washington was at five minutes to 11 p. m., it started ticking off the seconds as the pendulum swung and every instrument in the Cranbrook office closed down. There was a great silence and as the great clock got past the five minute mark, the ticks started to come into Cranbrook tick, tick, tick, and so on. This message which was delivered in Cranbrook within a fraction of a second after the big pendulum swung In Washington, D. C., kept on and one could see the big clock steadily grinding on its course, as the ticks came in. Then one realized the perfection to which experts in telegraphy have brought the sound. In truth one heard the great clock in Washington some 3,500 miles away ticking off the seconds as the New Year passed in.
Potlatch ... A big band of Piegan Indians arrived in Elko New Year's Eve, had dinner with Old Chief Cannokeluckanana, and went south with the stage to Pineapple Flats, Indian Village, Tobacco Plains. They were a fine bunch and in charge of Big Plume K. C. B., who is also a mason and a bricklayer, Wolf Robe, Two Feathers, Old Man Asleep-on-the-Top, White Rabbit, Little Bear and others. They are visiting the Kootenays and will remain for the big Potlatch dance.
Elko news ... Napoleon Bone-in-his-Heart was arrested on Friday by a squad of cant hook twisters and tried before a lumber jack court, charged with refusing to get full when he had the chance. He was sentenced to a soda water bath with muslin trimmings, and he looked like a cherub all but the wings, when he came out with a hump on his back that would make a camel look like a clothes line, and his teeth rattled like bones at a coon show. He made a bee line for the C. P. R. trail and started west.
At Moyie ... Moyie Lake is now about half covered with a soft, slushy ice. The weather is so mild that there may not be solid ice for several days yet, aside from in the bays. The lake last year froze over on December 27th, and at this time the ice was several inches in thickness.
Windermere news ... Mr. Neilson in crossing the lake last Saturday on his way home from Wilmer had the misfortune to lose a valuable team and outfit. They broke through the ice and team and sleigh immediately went to the bottom. Much sympathy is felt for Mr. Neilson in his loss. Nothing daunted by Mr. Neilson's unfortunate experience, our worthy provincial constable still travels over the lake daily. He was the first to travel over it this year and everyone knows that he is not a quitter at the risk of getting a view of the bottom of the lake. Still his many friends feel somewhat nervous at times for his safety but even that will not deter him.
Ouch! ... The friends of Mr. Downie, photographer, will be very sorry to hear of his accident. While attempting to take a flashlight picture of a dancing party in the mill hall on Friday evening last, by some slight mistake he burned his hand very severely. All possible aid was at once given to relieve his suffering during the night, and Mr. Downie then came to Cranbrook on Saturday morning for medical aid.
This is the future ... The Cranbrook hotel is always up-to-date. The latest addition that has been made for the comfort and convenience of the guests is a sound proof telephone booth, with an automatic telephone. The booth is in the writing room and all one has to do is to place the necessary amount of coin in the slot and one can speak with Fernie, Moyie or any other place in the district and owing to the sound proof qualities of the booth no one can hear the conversation except the party for whom the message is intended.