April 30 – May 6: Compiled by Dave Humphrey from the archived newspapers held at the Cranbrook History Centre and Archives
1916
Elko news … The Daylight Saving bill boosted by the Calgary papers will do more good the first week than all the Royal Commissions we read about. One hour in the morning is worth two at night and would make you feel that we were sailing down the river of joy. Give flowers to those you love while they live, post-mortem fragrance dies on the empty air, says Jim Thistlebeak.
Additional laborers … Three laborers have been added to the city work gang during the last week and City Engineer Cummings is keeping them all busy. They are: E. Coughlin, who was given fifteen days for trespass on the C. P. R .; J. Brein, 15 days for being drunk and disorderly, and J. Sullivan, 30 days for begging. The latter is an old offender, there being three previous convictions against him, two of recent date.
Case remanded … The case of the Inland Revenue Inspector against the Beattie-Murphy Drug Co. for failing to attach a war stamp to a cake of soap has been further remanded till Tuesday next.
New lamp room … Baldwin Bros, are building a new lamp room to the Auditorium and on its completion expect to open a picture show.
First autos to Creston … The first auto party to go to Creston this year was on Wednesday. They were in charge of Mr. Egan of Cranbrook, en route to Wynndel to visit friends. They report some trouble getting past Goatfell on account of a considerable amount of snow still on the highway.
Autos to Wasa … The annual meeting of the Cranbrook District Automobile Association will be held in Wasa on Wednesday, May 10th next, when the autoists will be the guests of Mr. N. Hanson at the Wasa Hotel. The Cranbrook Orchestra has been engaged for the occasion, and after the business has been concluded there will be a dance.
Dog licenses … During the month of April dog licenses were collected amounting to $114.75 for 57 dogs and three bitches. Several have paid this month so far but there are many others who still have to come through. Either the number of dogs in the city will be materially reduced or the city will receive a neat sum from dog taxes this year.
Dog license summons … Summons have been issued to-day on a number of citizens for non-payment of dog licenses, and a number of others will follow in a day or so unless prompt payment is made.
An energetic effort has been made by Chief Hersey to avoid this; he even going to the length of a house to house canvas, but in all cases where payment is not made action will be taken. Several days grace has been given between the issuance of the summons and the date for appearance and even at this late date if the license is taken out the Chief will appear on Monday at court and withdraw the charge. A fine of $50 and costs is provided for those who fail to attend to the matter. “A word to the wise” etc.
CPR garden … The C.P.R. garden at the local depot is an attractive looking spot these days. There is a beautiful showing of tulips, daffodils and narcissus in full bloom, with a particularly fine large bed of narcissus in the centre bursting into full bloom in all their purity and beauty. It is a refreshing sight either to the weary traveller or to the stay-at-home citizen.
Canal Flats fire … The hotel at Canal Flats, formerly owned by E. H. Small, was totally destroyed by fire early Saturday morning. The building was a large frame structure and made a spectacular blaze. Only a small portion of the furniture in the lower story was rescued, and the loss will be a heavy one, as all the better furniture was situated in the upper storey. Local capital was largely interested in the hotel. There was a small insurance only.
Log drive … Jimmy England is making preparations to handle the Canadian Pacific drive on Bull River just as soon as the water rises sufficiently. The very backward weather during the past four weeks has delayed the driving operations to such an extent that a larger crew will be necessary to get the big quantity of logs down while the high water lasts. Men are being hired at the present time and going to Canadian Pacific camp six, which is Mr. England’s headquarters at present.
Fire! … About midnight Friday last the fire brigade had another run to the residence of L. Mahe, on Cranbrook Street near the school. Fire started by some means in the kitchen and the blaze had quite a start when the alarm was turned in. However it was quickly extinguished on the arrival of the brigade, though not before several hundred dollars of damage was done. The loss is covered by insurance. Most of the household furniture had previously been removed from the house for shipment to Kingsgate, to which place the family are moving, and the origin of the fire is a mystery.
40 Seconds to clear the school … Cranbrook parents who have children attending the Cranbrook Central School need have no fear of danger to their children in case of fire. On Tuesday in a test fire drill the entire school was emptied in a trifle less than forty seconds from the first sound of the fire bell, the four hundred children passing rapidly out in perfect order without a single hitch or the slightest confusion.
At the first sound of the alarm those appointed for that purpose jump and run at full speed to their appointed positions, some to the coils of hose, others to the foot of the stairs, and others every corner, to assist any child who may trip or fall coming down stairs or turning corners.
The precision and steadiness of the children was remarkable and the rapidity with which the school was completely emptied was a revelation to the several visitors present.
The Cranbrook Central School is a modern school building in every particular, with particularly fine wide hallways, built of red brick, and has a fine exterior appearance as well. There are ten school rooms, one of which is now used for high school purposes, and the average attendance is about four hundred pupils. In connection there is a separate manual training building, well equipped with tools and supplies.
The manual training, domestic science, drawing, garden work, etc., which now figure in the regular school curriculum have much to do in keeping up the child’s interest and enthusiasm in school work, and is a big improvement on the old plan of keeping the child steadily at the desk during the entire school period.
A visit was paid to each room where the children were at work, a glance taken at their exercise books, specimens of drawing and art work, etc. In one room a mathematical contest on the order of the old spelling match was in progress, in another room the class were busy at their writing exercises, and so on. Mr. Shields, the principal, had his class take up a lesson in Canadian history for the benefit of the visitors, and the class also demonstrated some really astonishing mental arithmetic, which to tell the truth would have perplexed any one of the visiting gentlemen had they been asked for a prompt answer, but the pupils seemed ready as soon as the last word was out of Mr. Shield’s mouth.
Mr. Shields is right at home in his chosen avocation, and his enthusiasm and energy is having a favorable effect on the pupils. Instead of marching into school helter-skelter any old way, the pupils are now all assembled outside and at a given signal march in to the music of the piano and drum, the girls through the side door, the boys through the rear door. Each room has its captains, and as the lines reach the class doors the captain falls out and gives the word “single file” and the pupils march into the room and to their seats in perfect order.
A visit to the school is full of interest, and many parents who know nothing of the present-day school methods would be well repaid for a visit to the local school.
Win a watch … The St. John Ambulance Association is meeting with good results in the sale of tickets for an Elgin watch. All tickets are numbered with a different time (hour and minute), and when the tickets are sold the watch will be started and then placed in a sealed case. Whoever has the ticket numbered nearest to the time the watch stops will receive the watch, which is a first-class Elgin. The tickets are selling at 25 cents each, and in addition to helping a worthy cause, purchasers also stand a chance of obtaining a valuable watch at little cost.
Sleeping quarters upgrade … The firemen’s sleeping quarters in the Fire Hall have been given a new coat of paint and generally cleaned up, while new mattresses and blankets have been provided for the beds. It is getting to be a difficult proposition to get men to sleep in the fire hall, but those who do sleep there will now have good accommodation at any rate.
Tennis club … The tennis courts are now in splendid shape and ready for play as soon as the tapes are laid. There has been a delay in obtaining tapes, however, and as soon as these are obtained the committee will arrange for commencement of play.
Golf club … The season’s play will be opened at the Golf Club on Saturday next. A number of improvements have been made this year at the golf links which will be appreciated by the members, including the erection of an open fire place in the club house.
New type faces … The Herald has just added to its equipment a series of the newest type for printing visiting cards, wedding invitations, and other society printing. It has the appearance of genuine copper-plate engraving. Call in and look at the samples before getting your next printing.
Welsh choir … There was a large and well pleased audience at the concert given in Knox Presbyterian church last Thursday by the Welsh Choir. The volume of tone this choir produces is astounding, and their handling of Handel’s “Hallelujah Chorus” was a pleasing surprise to many of the audience. The choir is composed of well-trained voices, all capable of solo work, and the program alternated between the full choir, and solo, duet and quartet numbers.
Y.M.C.A. Improvements … Extensive improvements are being made to the Ry. Y. M. C. A. grounds. The ground in front of the building has been plowed up out to the street line and the stones carted away, the lane on Baker Street side of the building is also being plowed up and will be seeded down, the fence will be extended along Baker Street and in front of the building, and the trees and flower garden extended in the same direction. Forty additional trees have been received and will be planted around the grounds, and when all the alterations are completed the grounds will have a much smarter and better appearance.
Knox women … The Women’s Missionary Society of Knox Presbyterian Church held a social evening at the home of Mrs. A. J. Balment on Monday evening in honor of Mrs. A. Grant who is leaving today for Hillcrest. The evening’s program consisted of music and a contest, in the latter Mrs. W. E. Worden captured the prize. On behalf of the Society, Mrs. J. F. Smith presented Mrs. Grant with a beautiful bouquet of flowers and also expressed the regrets of the society in losing one of its faithful members.
