July 3 – 9: Compiled by Dave Humphrey from the archived newspapers held at the Cranbrook History Centre and Archives

1915

Pretty home wedding … Cranbrook people will read with interest the following account of the marriage at Edmonton, Alta., of Miss Lillian Finniss and Mr. Dan Evans. Both are well known in the city, being old residents of the city. Miss Finniss was the leading soprano singer in the First Baptist church at Edmonton. Several members of her family still reside in this city.

The account of the happy event is from the Edmonton Bulletin of July 2nd: A very pretty wedding took place at the home of Mr. and Mrs. W. E. Nobles; 106th street, on Wednesday, June 30th, when Miss Lillian Finnis was united in marriage to Mr. Dan Evans.

Promptly at 7.30, to the strains of the wedding march, played by Mr. J. S. Peck, the bride, becomingly gowned in a pearl grey silk poplin costume and picture hat and carrying a sheaf of bridal roses and lilies of the valley, entered the drawing-room on the arm of Mr. Nobles.

Rev. F. W. Patterson officiated.

The bride was attended by Miss Portia Nobles, who was daintily gowned in a white frock, and Master Elmer Flowers made a pretty ring-bearer.

After the ceremony a buffet supper was served, the color scheme in the dining-room being carried out in pink and white. Mrs. Tennyson poured tea, Mrs. York cut the ices and Mrs. George and Miss McLeod assisted.

Many useful and handsome gifts betokened the popularity of the bride.

Mr. and Mrs. Evans left amid showers of confetti and good wishes for their home in The Highlands.

St. John Ambulance Association notes … Owing to the number of members who are out of town during the holidays, the regular meetings will be discontinued until the third Tuesday in August, the 17th. The sewing committee will be at their room over McCreery Bros, store as usual on Tuesdays and Saturdays. A shipment of wool was received the first of the week and can be obtained from Miss M. McLeod.

Skilled workmen for the UK … City Clerk T. M. Roberts has been authorized by the British Mission of Enquiry into Armament Labor Supply to receive applications from skilled workmen who desire to secure employment in this branch of service in the old country. Mr. Roberts has already on hand a large number of applications.

A communication was received this week from Mr. Barnes, who is in Canada conducting the examinations, to the effect that he would be in Cranbrook in three or four weeks’ time to examine the applicants.

The notice asking for men reads as follows: NOTICE Skilled workmen required for employment in the United Kingdom for a period of at least six months Machinists, including Fitters, Turners, Millers, Millwrights, etc. Riveters, Drillers, Shipwrights, including ship carpenters, Boilermakers and Boilermakers’ Helpers, Sheet Iron Workers, Coppersmiths, Blacksmiths, & Moulders. For terms and particulars apply personally (or in writing) at once to the City Clerk, Cranbrook, B. C. NOTE.—No applications will be entertained from persons already employed in any of the above mentioned occupations, or who are over fifty years of age.

Garden competition … The following report of the judges of the junior gardens competition, together with notes by the judges, was in some unexplainable manner omitted from our last issue. In the rush before press time this report was inadvertently omitted, much to our regret.

Considering the tender age of the competitors some gardens were wonderfully kept. The characteristic note was the absence of weeds, only two children failing to score marks along this line.

Many lost marks through lack of thinning and spacing, although on the whole the rows were straight.

Only five competitors remembered to clean the paths adjacent to the plot, the majority failing even to make a path or border of any description.

The judges found difficulty in awarding owing to some gardens being solely planted in potatoes, another flowers, while most had a variety of vegetables.

On the whole the results were very good and reflect the greatest credit on teachers and parents and it is to be hoped the children will be encouraged to maintain the high standard throughout the summer.

Mack Kirkland, aged 9, heads the list with 82 marks. His garden contained the greatest variety and was easily the winner, and well worth a visit to inspect.

Russell Leask, aged 10, runs closely second. Some of his seeds were more recently sown and consideration of soil was noted in this case.

Norval Caslake, aged 9, had the strongest growth and would have scored higher, but failed in variety.

Maud Scott, aged 11, and Lizzie Chapman are to be highly commended.

The judges of this competition, Mesdames J. Burton, D. Campbell and E. H. Leaman, are desirous of thanking Mr. J. D. McBride, who drove them to the several gardens in his car.

Wildest war dreams tame beside reality … Ralph Whebell, of the Royal Hotel, has received a letter from D. McLennan, formerly in the employ of the same hotel. The writer describes the big Ypres battle, in which he played a prominent part.

The letter: Dear Old Ralph, It is such a long time since I heard from you — at least I should say since you heard from me — that you will imagine I have gone west, as they say, or otherwise dead, but I am still kicking as per usual.

Well, Ralph, I’ve come through quite a little since I wrote you last, more than I ever want to see again; how I am here today seems a miracle to me, and worst of all, it’s going to be some job getting rid of those Germans. Believe me, Ralph, they are well organized, and as plentiful as bees. Their artillery is O. K., but their infantry can’t compare with ours.

I’ve been at it now over four months; it seems like four years. I mean out in France.

Well, Ralph, about the Cranbrook boys. There are few of us left now. Those that joined the Highlanders, Fred Brown and I are about the only ones left that you know. Frank Lewis was killed; Bill Templeman is a wounded prisoner in Germany; Knight, the brakeman, I think is a prisoner also; George Kay, brakeman, C. P. R., is in England wounded I believe; also R. Hartnell; some of the other boys are also killed and wounded.

Poor old Fred Edge was shot by a German sniper early one morning over two weeks ago at Festubert; so I am the only Cranbrook boy left in this company now.

We get all the fighting we want and then some.

I guess you have seen all about the Canucks stand in the papers. That Ypres scrap was some affair, believe me Ralph, in my wildest dreams of war, I did not think it could be so bad. People at home cannot realize what it is like, words cannot describe it. I walked through the town of Ypres a few days after the battle began, and the sight was awful. Women and children were lying dead all over town. Little babies also shot to pieces by the big guns of the Germans. Mangled horses were lying around, while hardly a house but that was smashed. The streets were torn up with their big Jack Johnson’s, that’s what we call the biggest shells the Germans have. They made a tremendous noise falling in town; in fact the town is a mass of wreckage.

The battle started so sudden that people had no time to get out of town before the Germans started shelling it.

We were in the trenches when the Germans started their attack. In fact our battalion held the extreme left of the British line next to the French. The French troops fell back next to us when the Germans poured gas into their trenches. You can’t blame them. The gas is simply awful. That left our left flank open to attack, so the Germans got a lot of our boys from behind. They shelled our trenches unmercifully for two days, but we would not budge an inch.

How would you like to be hugging the parapet of your trench for about three days, expecting a coal box to land on you any minute? No food and no water all that time! Believe me we had no time to think of food. The Germans shelled all the roads around Ypres to keep transports and reinforcements coming to us. That is the reason we could not get food up. No wheeled vehicle could come near us, but the infantry came up as quick as possible to help us.

The Germans tried to surround our battalion on the Friday night, but the machine guns turned loose on them, and they fell back.

They shelled us from three sides, a kind of horseshoe we were in, with the Germans on the outside, so we had only one way to get out.

The German aeroplanes were doing good work, and giving their artillery the range. However, Ralph, the Kaiser’s dream of Calais is as far off as ever, after him trying twenty-two days to break through the British steel at Ypres, he had to admit defeat. It’s only fifty miles to Calais from Ypres, but those fifty miles are pretty long and rather hard for old Billy to get through.

Well, old boy, how is everything at the Royal? Well I hope.

I met Oliver Bristow, He is in the 16th battalion, the same brigade as I am in. He came with the reinforcements from England.

Hope you will write me soon and give me all the news. Remember me to all I know. I remain, yours very sincerely, D. McLennan.

Hurdo McAuley reported wounded … Mother Receives Word From Ottawa Today Conveying News—Wounded in Thigh: The following telegram was received today by Mrs. C. McAuley of this city: Ottawa, Ont., July 8. 1915. Mrs. C. McAuley, Cranbrook, B. C.: Sincerely regret to inform you 34634 Private Murdo M. McAuley, 13th battalion officially reported wounded; gunshot wound in thigh. Further particulars when received will be sent you. Adjutant General.

Biggest day in Cranbrook’s history … Arrangements are being perfected by a large number of committees for the Sports Day, which is to be held in Cranbrook on Wednesday afternoon, July 21, 1915, in aid of the Cranbrook Branch of the Canadian Patriotic Fund.

The full program has been outlined and will be published in full next week.

A meeting was held at the city hall on last Monday evening with Mayor Bowness in the chair, T. M. Roberts being chosen secretary. After some discussion of the objects of the proposed entertainment and a statement by the officers of the Patriotic Fund as to the need for raising more money for their purpose on account of the increasing demands upon their purse it was decided to go ahead with the project.

A general committee consisting of Messrs. Bowness, Roberts, Tisdale, Stevenson, Fink, Rutledge and Supple was named. The committee has arranged for enough money to pay all expenses in connection with the affair so that every dollar realized will go directly to the Patriotic Fund.

It is proposed to leave the post office corner on Baker Street at 1 o’clock sharp, and everybody will be taken to the grounds free by the Cranbrook Automobile Association.

The children’s sports will probably be the first thing on the program, starting promptly at 1.30 with the horse racing at 2 p.m. Suitable prizes have been arranged for every event. The prizes will not be large, but as this is one of the greatest patriotic burdens of the present war, it is hoped that every event will be warmly contested for the sake of the cause and not for the money that may be given as prizes.

Every citizen is urged to attend and assist in the good work. No one will be asked to donate a cent. The general admission has been fixed at fifty cents, with children at ten cents, and under eight years of age free.

The tug-of-war will be between members of the 107th regiment and employees of the C. P. R. ten men on a side.

From present indications this will be the event of the day. Refreshments will also be on hand in abundance and variety.

For the sake of the dependents of the soldiers who have gone to the front let all Cranbrook citizens and those also in the district, join together in making this an event worthy of the record already made.

This is the first appeal in this cause since the entertainment nearly a year ago on the grounds of V. Hyde Baker, when. $1,000.00 was realized.

Lee Sims locates in Montana … The many friends of Lee Simms in. the city will be glad to learn of his successful entry into the business world at Bozeman, Mont. They will also be pleased to learn that the genial Lee will handle strictly water wagon goods, as will be seen from the following clipping from a Bozeman paper:

The firm of Dunphy and Simms expect to commence operations at their new soft drink bottling works in the Nichols and Robinson building on Tuesday of next week. P. F. Dunphy and J. L. Simms, members of the firm are men of considerable experience in this particular line, they having been engaged in like business in the eastern states, Washington and in British Columbia. All kinds of soft drinks will be bottled and the firm will make a specialty of dry ginger ale. The machinery is all new and is composed of an automatic bottle washer, an electric carbonator, a syphon filler, a crowning machine and a water filler. The new firm prides itself on the sanitary condition of its plant and invites the public to visit it at any time.

Bruce Brown wins Iron Cross … On his return from the coast Bruce Brown found a letter awaiting his arrival from James Milne. James evidently figures Bruce has been a bit of a hero, although he has not been within a thousand miles of the smell of smoke. James Milne always writes a highly interesting letter and nearly always asks of the Cranbrook girls. It sure looks as if “There’s a Girl in the Heart of Cranbrook” somewhere.

His letter: St. Martin’s Plain, Shorncliffe, 30-5-15 Dear Old Pal: I don’t appear to have any letters from you later than April 2nd, and I rather think I answered this one some time ago. However, to make sure, I will answer it again. I was in London last week and got you the Iron Cross for bravery because I think a man who can go three months without a Silver Spray wins greater honor than one who can poison a regiment with gas, or shoot an Australian Red Cross orderly in the back after he has doctored his wounds. It is about time for someone to put the lid on, but it is quite evident we don’t know the game, but we have one advantage, the longer the Bulldog fights the harder he fights, so let us hope that the spirit of the Bulldog Breed still lives in this generation, and that there will be no surrender until we reach Berlin, or till there is nothing left to surrender.

How are chances to get a few shells from Cranbrook? It’s a shame to have men out at the front at the mercy of the foe with nothing to reply with, but I think that will be rectified soon now.

Is business picking up any? Hope you don’t let the town die a natural death while we are away. I hear everybody has quite boosting and are now waiting for the end to come.

Quite a number of my pals of the old 12th who went to the front have tried to stop bullets, with the result that they are back here in hospital and quite a few under the sod in France. One fellow reported here this morning from hospital who had been shot in the posterior. I think the sniper must have been behind the lines be cause a Canadian shouldn’t get shot in the rear.

We also have some cases of nerves. Of course they should have had some Johnnie Walker or Brooks’ No. 3 Special, which would have prevented that.

R. D. Harris, one time of the Canadian Bank of Commerce staff, is back from hospital. He got his belly full. Well, I don’t blame him. You see he got shot in the abdomen, but is nearly O. K. again.

While in London I spent most of the time with my nephew, who has returned from hospital. His description of the front is that hell is a very mild name for it. He got shot through the left forearm. It is quite weak yet, but will be all right in time.

Well, I intended to write a long letter, but the supper call has sounded and that is one call I always answer. So be good, be virtuous and you will be happy. Give my love to the girls.

Yours truly James Milne.

New poet laureate in Cranbrook … John Armour has revised and rewritten his promised poem and it has been passed by Censor No. 0036 and is herewith given to the public. He promised the Herald recently to write a poem while on a fishing trip and he has more than made good with a production which is certainly an added gem to the literature of the twentieth century.

The poem was composed in the shade of the trees on Irishman creek after an unsuccessful day’s angling but there is no pessimism contained therein. While there is nothing of the beauties of nature which surrounded him on that occasion he can be forgiven that under the circumstances and the poem accepted as the reveries of a true sport, when things are going to pot. The philosophy of this poem is irresistible and its rhythm perfect.

John is handed the palm as the true poet laureate of Cranbrook.

The poem: “A Creek Without a Fish”

Like bread without the “spreadin”,

Like a pudding without sauce,

Like a mattress without bedding;

Like a cart without a hoss.

Like a door without a latchstring,

Like a table without a dish,

Like a dry and barren river bed

is a creek without a fish.

Like a house without a dooryard,

Like a yard without a flower,

Like a watch that many carry

That will never tell the hour.

A thing that sort o’ makes you feel

A hunger and a wish

Oh, the saddest sight near Cranbrook,

Is a lake without a fish.

Like a ship without its Armour,

Like a cue without a tip,

Like a port without a harbor

Like a chicken with the pip.

Like poker without money,

Like a hug without a kiss

Like a girl without her “honey”

Is a creek without a fish.

The face of man was made for smiles

The creeks were made for fish

We journeyed down to Irishman creek

To gratify a longing wish.

We trailed the waters of the creek

W here Dan and I did wish

Something would take hold our line

In a creek without a fish.

John Armour.

Cranbrook, B. C., July 7th, 1915.

Flower show … The regular monthly meeting of the Women’s Institute took place on Tuesday afternoon at the Maple Hall with a fair attendance, considering illness of several members, while many others are on holidays.

After the singing of the Maple Leaf, accompanied by Mrs. J. Burton, the minutes and business arising out of the correspondence were disposed of and reports of the various committees read and accepted.

It was decided to hold a Flower Show on August 17th, with also an exhibition of women’s work—fancy work, cookery, fruit preserving, etc., etc., prizes to be given. More particulars will be given later, pending the meeting of the directors. On the motion of Mrs. Burton it was agreed that a charge of ten cents admission be made and the proceeds donated to the Daughters of the Empire for Red Cross Work.

Delegates were nominated for the convention at Nelson to take place in the early fall, Mesdames G. Couldwell and J. Burton being selected.

The lamented death of Mrs. Robt Clarke was feelingly referred to by the president (Mrs. W. B. McFarlane) and as a tribute to her memory two verses of “Nearer My God to Thee” were sung. Mrs. Clark was an old member and an ardent worker for the Institute and her loss is deplored. The library is now in good shape, some nineteen new books of standard and modern authors having been purchased, making a total of 72 books.

Miss Olive White gave a demonstration on Cakes and Cookies. The specimens she had were of an excellent order and her recipes were eagerly sought for. The ladies of the Institute were highly gratified with the kindness of Miss White, substituting for her mother, Mrs. H. White, who is visiting at Vancouver and Victoria.

Miss White holds the proud distinction of being the youngest demonstrator at the Institute and her efforts proved her a mistress of the culinary art.

A paper on on “Music in Our Army” was read by Mrs. J. Burton and listened to with evident intent.

The musical portion of the afternoon was contributed to, by Mesdames Kennedy and Edmondson, with a pianoforte duet and Mesdames Ed. Paterson and (Dr). J. H. King, with a vocal duet. Both these numbers were highly appreciated.

At the conclusion of the programme a hearty vote of thanks was moved by Mrs. E. H Leaman and seconded by Mrs. Tisdale, to Miss Olive White and the ladies who supplied the music for their kindness in coming to entertain. The meeting closed with the singing o t the National Anthem.

Overseas club … The Overseas Club will hold their monthly social and whist drive on Tuesday next in Maple hall. At this meeting a very important matter will be brought before the meeting. Every member who has the welfare of the club at heart is earnestly requested to attend.

The committee in charge of the social part of the evening is promising a good time, so that it will be to every member’s benefit to be “on deck” next Tuesday, as the ship sails about 8.30 for the port of Pleasureland.

On Friday evening, July 16th, the Overseas club will give a dance in Maple hall, commencing at 9.30 sharp. The admission fee will be only 50c. for gents, and 25c. for ladies. Considering the run everyone will get for their money, this affair is the cheapest and best that will take place in the city of Cranbrook this year. A four-piece orchestra will furnish the music. The proceeds from this dance are expected to complete the amount that was needed to pay for the Empire Day celebration, when the club entertained the Cranbrook children to a big day’s sports, when considerable money was dropped.

The cookery sale given in the Y.M.C.A. proved to be a financial success, some $30.10 being realized. The ladies in charge of this sale are deserving of the hearty thanks of the club for their faithful work in connection with this undertaking. Look out for a special announcement of a great open meeting of the Overseas Club, in the course of a few weeks.