July 23 – 29: Compiled by Dave Humphrey from the archived newspapers held at the Cranbrook History Centre and Archives

1916

Another supreme sacrifice … Another Cranbrook soldier in the person of J. Ogden has made the supreme sacrifice, being reported in Monday’s casualty list as killed in action.

Women’s institute … The regular monthly meeting of the Women’s Institute will be held in the Maple Hall on Tuesday next, August 1st, at 3 p.m. sharp.

Owing to the unavoidable absence of Mrs. E. L, Brake the demonstration of “Gelatine and its Uses” will be given by Mrs. J. W. Burton.

A small prize will be given for the “Best Joke Yet.” Every lady invited.

The second annual Flower Show and Exhibition of Women’s Work will be held in the Parish Hall on Thursday, August 24th. Prize list will be published next week.

Placer gold … A reminiscence of the old gold days on Wild Horse is brought up by the purchase of a quantity of placer gold this week by the local branch of the Bank of Commerce. Yesterday two Chinese men brought in some splendid samples of gold which they had washed from Wild Horse, amounting to no less than $550. This with some other gold purchased through a customer of the Bank, but which was washed by Chinese men, brings the total for the week up to $2,000.

Letter to the editor … Mr. Editor — If I may be allowed a little space in your paper I should like to express myself in regard to the little boy who was this week sentenced to 4 years in the reform school by a Cranbrook judge who does not possess a son of his own.

Surely the good people of Cranbrook are not going to sit idle and see a man sit on the bench of justice and impose a sentence on a child with the same severe measures that he would use with a man of mature years.

This little boy was raised in this community and his crime was no greater than that which any boy might commit at some time during childhood and then because this boy happened to be caught the police and others must fasten all the crimes that have been committed by boys in Cranbrook upon this child whether they had sufficient proof or not.

And now that the law must be satisfied we see him taken from his mother for four years and placed in a Government Institution where the person in charge is not there because he loves children and has the ability to train them, but because he has political pull.

When this boy comes out at the end of four years what is he? No longer his mother’s little boy who goes from here today from as good a home as there is in Cranbrook, but a hardened individual with a stain on his name and a grudge against society. What will be the result?

I say to you fathers of Cranbrook who were all of you some years ago a mischievous boy and possibly did things as bad or worse, are you going to sit back with your own boy safe in the home nest and see this boy sent to four years in prison and a good mother robbed of her son by a man so perfect himself that he must condemn a child on his first offence by giving him such a severe sentence. If nothing can be done to help this child surely we can save other boys who might come under the rod of such justice.

I hear someone say “But this will be an example for other boys”. Surely no sane father or mother wants any boy to suffer for their boy any more than that your boy should suffer for others.

[Signed] The mother of a boy

Recruitment … Col. Jas. Walker of Calgary was in the city yesterday to Organize recruiting for the 238th Forestry Battalion. Col. Walker has been appointed by Col. Smythe, officer commanding of the 238th, to rank as Captain, and will recruit in the provinces of Alberta and Eastern-British Columbia, all men available up to 200.

The Forestry Battalion will go overseas as a unit and will engage in the timbering business in England, Scotland and France, cutting the trees in the parks and elsewhere. They are shipping twelve portable sawmills to be used in sawing the timber.

Col. Walker has had a vast experience in the lumber business, he having owned the first portable and first stationery saw mill and planning mill in Alberta, which he operated for fifteen years. He is thoroughly conversant with all parts of the business, from the building of a mill to operating any part of the machinery. In military training he has also had long experience He was Superintendent of the North West Mounted Police for six years, and is qualified at military schools to command infantry, cavalry and artillery. He organized the first Cavalry Regiment west of Winnipeg in 1905, and commanded this regiment for five years. He is also an Hon.-Col. of the 23rd Alberta Rangers, Vice President of the Dominion Rifle Association, Vice President of the Canadian Boy Scouts and Colonel of the Dominion School Cadet Committee of Ottawa.

L. M. Ellis of Calgary accompanied Col. Walker throughout this district Mr. Ellis was formerly a superintendent of the C.P.R. Men must be able to pass the same physical tests as for other regiments. Men being enlisted here at present receive transportation to Ottawa at once.

It is expected that this regiment will be recruited to full strength within a month and will go to the front as soon as recruited.

Goes to Revelstoke … Mr. Ivor Bassett who was recently granted leave of absence by the School Board to enlist for overseas service, has been turned down as medically unfit and though he has made several attempts to be taken on has been unsuccessful and very regretfully has had to give up the idea. He has accepted the position of principal at Revelstoke and will soon remove from Cranbrook with Mrs. Bassett

Mr. Bassett was very active in agricultural interests in the city, being secretary of the Farmer’s Institute, and a voluminous contributor to the local paper. Among his articles which have appeared in the Herald were the really excellent “Short Talks to Farmers, by Bulls-Eye”, and several articles on Farm Book-keeping.

He was also Secretary of the Board of Trade for the last six months, a member of the Methodist Choir, and of the Cranbrook Symphony Orchestra.

Miss Woodland appointed … The school board has filled the vacant position of vice principal at the Central School caused by the resignation of Mr. Bassett by appointing Miss Woodland, who has occupied the position of principal of the South Ward School. Mrs. Lees has been given the principalship of the South Ward School. This leaves one vacancy on the Central School Staff in addition to the position of manual training instructor, rendered vacant by Mr. Webb’s resignation. The board will advertise for a new manual training teacher. Miss Cartwright has been offered and it is understood has accepted the position on the Central School staff.

By-law fails to carry … Although a majority of the ratepayers voting expressed themselves in favor of the by-law to raise $6,000 for the purpose of purchasing St. Mary’s School for High School purposes, the by-law did not receive the necessary three-fifths majority and is therefore defeated.

The total vote cast was 177, of which 92 votes were in favor, 84 against, and 1 spoilt ballot. The School Board was unanimous in the matter of submitting the by-law but made no organised effort to carry it or bring out the vote, and this coupled with the present financial stringency and inability of many people to pay the present taxes undoubtedly caused its defeat.

As a matter of fact the increase in taxes to each person would have been very small, only a fraction of a mill on the rate, but an increase of any nature is not desired nowadays.

A Government grant of $15,000 had been secured through the efforts of the School Board, Mr. Caven, the member, and Father McGuire.

The building itself is a modern two-storey one, with high ceilings, hardwood floors, light scientifically distributed, best blackboards, cement basement, beautiful auditorium, and a hot and cold water system. The situation is a good one and the presence of a well-equipped and complete High School would undoubtedly be an inducement for people with families to remain in the city or send their children here for schooling.

It is doubtful if the recent vote will settle the matter completely, and the question may come up again at a later date for reconsideration.

Overseas club … The Overseas Club held their monthly Whist Drive and Dance on Tuesday evening last, a good number being present. Among other business transacted, it was decided to discontinue the meetings for two months, owing to the hot weather and a large number of the members being out of town. The next meeting will be on the evening of October 10th.

The winners of the whist drive were: Ladies, Mrs. Ellwood and Gents, Mr. J. Lower. Dancing commenced at 10 p.m., there being a large number of visitors and an enjoyable evening was spent. Refreshments were served by Mrs. D. Campbell.

Souvenir from Holland … The following letter which explains itself, was received by the Herald a few days ago with a souvenir ring enclosed made of aluminum, with the inscription “Guerre 14-15”. The letter reads:

Dear Sir—As a Belgian soldier prisoner of war, I am taking the liberty to send you a little bequest. Having much time to spend here in the camp I would like very much to make a collection of postage stamps for my children and I should be really happy if you would be so kind as to publish the fact that I, a Belgian soldier, prisoner of war, will send a keepsake in exchange for some nice postage stamps for collection, sent registered to: Stanislas Plompen, 72 de Ligne, Camp II, Zeist, Holland. The New York herald has published this letter: I got some nice stamps from U.S.A. I hope you also will like to help me to pass some hours pleasantly. I beg your pardon for the trouble and with many thanks, I am, dear sir, S. Plompen.

Belgium relief … Another $2.00 has been received from Mrs. T. G. Gill for the Belgian Relief Fund, making the total collected $254.85. Further donations will be gratefully received and acknowledged through the Herald if left at the Herald office or with Mrs. King. The need is not by any means at an end, and though there are many calls on each individual purse there is no worthier object.

Presented with ring … Thomas Evans, formerly electrician at the Sullivan mine, Kimberley, has left for Montreal on his way to England, where he will engage in the coast patrol service of the navy. He enlisted in this branch of the service when the admiralty recruiting officials were in this district a couple of weeks ago.

About a dozen fellow Masons from Cranbrook attended a farewell banquet given in Mr. Evan’s honor shortly before his departure. A signet ring, suitably engraved, was presented on behalf of the members of the Kimberley branch of the order to Mr. Evans by W. H. Wilson, who acted as chairman.

Mr. Evans has lived in this district for over 12 years and during that time has been continuously in the employ of the Consolidated company at their Moyie and Kimberley plants. About three years ago he was married to Miss Lottie Ferris, who has taken up her residence with her parents at Kimberley until Mr. Evans’ return.

Wardner news … The Wardner Giants played a fast game of baseball at Waldo on Sunday last with the Waldo team, winning out by the remarkably close score of 2-1. Teams played air-tight ball, the game being a pitcher’s battle throughout with the Wardner ball-tosser having probably a shade the best of it. Only one man from each team saw third base after the third inning. Wardner received their one run on a steal and a single.

The batteries were: Wardner—Thompson and Thompson, Waldo —Tod and Johnson.

Waldo news … The Ross-Saskatoon Lumber Company have had several large crews of men at work for the past two weeks cleaning up their yards of the debris caused by the recent flood, and getting their sawmill and planer in shape to resume operations. They expect to be again cutting in their sawmill inside of another week, and contemplate running quarter time extra in order to cope with the large volume of business which is pouring in from the prairie.

Leaving Waldo … A very interesting gathering of the members of the Presbyterian Church and friends met in a social capacity in Baker’s Hall, Waldo, on Monday evening to bid farewell to the Rev. C. L. Cowan and wife, on the occasion of leaving for Rainey River, Ont., where Mr. Cowan has accepted the pastorship of the Presbyterian church there. Mr. A. M. Beattie occupied the chair in his usual good style. There was a long program and songs and speeches which were much appreciated by those present. During the course of the evening Mr. F. Adolph presented Mr. and Mrs. Cowan with a purse of gold as a mark of the esteem in which they were held by the residents in the district, and to which Mr. Cowan suitably replied. The Rev. Mr. Cowan has occupied the Presbyterian pastorate at Waldo for the past four years, and during that time made a host of friends in the district, who, while they regret very much his departure from the community, join in wishing him success in his new field of labor. Mr. and Mrs. Cowan left on the G. N. passenger on Tuesday for their new home in Ontario.