October 20 - 26: Compiled by Dave Humphrey from the archived newspapers held at the Cranbrook History Centre and Archives
1917
First drunk in Cranbrook since prohibition … On Saturday last Alex Grant was in the Police Court to answer a charge of being drunk and disorderly on the previous day.
Grant pleaded guilty but said he had bought a bottle of “tonic” from a drug store and had taken an overdose which had upset him.
The Chief who prosecuted said the case was an interesting one, in his opinion a patent medicine, or a so-called tonic, was no longer a medicine when not used according to the directions printed on the label of the bottle, if a person used, these medicines for drinking as a beverage they became a liquor as defined in the Prohibition Act, and in his opinion he would be justified in laying a charge under that Act.
In the same way a person might buy a bottle of Chlorodyne which was a perfectly good medicine if used according to directions, but was a deadly poison if taken as a beverage.
However, in this case the accused had not been arrested with the “tonic” on his person, a friend having taken charge of the stuff.
Therefore the Chief laid the complaint under the Vagrancy Act which includes persons drunk and disorderly, but pointed out the danger of the abuse of medicines containing a large proportion of alcohol and asked His Worship to make the penalty sufficiently heavy to act as a deterrent to others who might attempt the settle methods of dodging the Prohibition Act.
Grant was fined $25.00 or two months with hard labor, Magistrate Arnold pointing out to the accused that he had sailed dangerously close to the wind, and should he come before his Court again on a similar charge there would be no option of a fine extended to him.
Ninety-seven have passed … Up until Friday, October 19th, 182 men have been before the local military medical board for examination. It has been arranged that the local military medical board will visit the larger camps throughout the district for the convenience of those who find it impossible to come to Fernie for examination.—Fernie Free Press.
Death claims John Dallas … Seldom, if ever, have we been called upon to chronicle so sad a death as that which occurred on Thursday night last when John Wilfrid Dallas, eldest son of Mr. and Mrs. P. Dallas, passed to his eternal rest in his 21st year.
As late as the previous Saturday he was in his usual good health, he was taken ill on Sunday morning and death followed with such terrible suddenness that few knew of his illness til the news went forth on Friday morning that he was dead.
To say that the whole community was shocked is but a mild form to express the sorrow that was felt by one and all at so untimely an end to one with practically his whole life before him.
The deceased was born in Winnipeg on August 26th, 1897, but had spent the greater part of his life in this city where he attended public and high School til about two years ago when he entered the services of the local post office.
About nine months ago he joined the staff of the local branch of the Royal Bank of Canada which position he held till this summer when he was forced to apply for leave of absence on account of eye trouble and seek employment in outdoor work.
For the past few weeks he had been in the employ of the Cranbrook Trading Company, and was at work until late Saturday night. On Sunday morning he was taken ill and despite all efforts and the best of attention of those attending him, dreaded pneumonia developed with such severity that he shortly afterwards became delirious and practically remained unconscious until he died.
“Wilfrid,” as he was best known, was an enthusiastic sportsman in the true sense of the word and was a valued member of the city hockey, baseball, basketball and bowling teams. Not only was he popular among the young people but was also thoughtful and attentive to the older folk.
To his mother and father he was a true son and an example that many might follow. He leaves to mourn his loss, besides his father and mother, two brothers, Melville and Donald, and one sister, Kathleen, all at home.
The funeral was held from his parents’ residence on Garden Avenue on Sunday afternoon and was one of the largest ever seen in this city, almost the entire community turning out to pay their last respects to the departed.
Police court notes … Wednesday next, October 31st, is Hallowe’en, in connection with which a few words of warning to the thoughtless lads and others who, not contented to stop at a joke, must always go beyond all bounds and do actual damage to property, not stopping to consider that their so-called prank may cause considerable inconvenience and expense to other people.
I wish it to be clearly understood that any person damaging property such as tearing down or defacing signs, breaking windows or doors, or the walls of houses, or buildings, or destroying fences, is liable upon conviction to a fine of $50.00 or to six months imprisonment, or to both fine and imprisonment with hard labor.
The public are requested to cooperate with the police and to at once notify me of any instance of willful damage to property that may come to their notice, so that proceedings may be taken against the offenders. B. C. Hersey, Chief of Police.
Curfew bell … On Thursday next the 1st November, the City Curfew Bell will ring at 8 p.m. and will continue to ring at that hour through the winter months. No child under the age of sixteen years must be on the streets or in a public place after 8 o’clock in the evenings unless accompanied by an adult person.
News of the boys on the front … France, September 16th. 1917. My dear mother (Mrs. Dupont) - You will be pleased to hear that I have a new job now; I’m a battalion runner, which is practically the same as a despatch rider; we have a better time than the rest, better quarters and do not have to stay in the front line trenches all the time.
I saw old Colonel Vicars a day or so ago, he was tickled to death to see me; asked all about you, and told me about the last days of poor old Barney; he is very pleased with Desmond winning the D.S.O.
A few days later I saw Captain DuPensier, formerly Bishop of Westminster; he was pleased, when after we had talked awhile he found out that I was one of Mr. Flewellyn’s congregation and that he himself had confirmed me. He looks quite old but healthy and is happy to be over here doing his bit.
A lot of our boys have turned religious, reading the bible to find the place where it says that the war will end at a certain time; most of them have it figured out that it will end the middle of next month and I certainly hope it will, I haven’t seen Cam yet; I sent him that Herald. Just, got your parcel with the sapodilla, many thanks; strafe them for a while.
Ashton Powers
Auditorium news … Mr. W. B. Blackford and Mr. E. Hardaker, the new lessees of the Auditorium Theatre, are sparing neither pains nor expense to give the amusement public of Cranbrook, pictures guaranteed to be of the very highest order.
They have signed contracts for some of the best features and super-features on the Sunlight Photoplay Market of the day and intend to keep up the same standard as long as the citizens of Cranbrook, by their patronage, demand it.
Owing to the uncertain date of the arrival of their new machine they are not in a position to announce the exact date of the opening of the Auditorium for moving pictures, but it will probably be about the 1st of November.
They are endeavoring to arrange for their openingbill a most timely and powerful photoplay entitled “The Public be Damned” exposing the Food Speculator and the causes, in five tremendous parts released by the Public Rights Film Corporation and featuring Mary and Charles Richman, two of the most noted moving picture artists of the day.
Amongst other feature films that they have arranged for are “On Record” a five reel Lasky picture featuring Mae Murray; “The Law of Compensation” a five reel Selzmick featuring that charming young actress, Norma Talmage, “Nanette of the Woods” a five reel Famous Player featuring that famous star, Pauline Frederick; “The Garden of Allah” an eight reel special, featuring Helen Ware; and “Joan the Woman” another eight reel special, featuring Geraldine Farrar the Famous Grand Opera Singer who has also fallen a victim of the sunlight drama.
Some apples … Last Tuesday, Mr. Joe Jackson brought into this office four samples of apples the like of which it has seldom been our privilege to set eyes on. They were grown by Mr. Fred Little, “Mayor” of Creston and were called Passes Good Nonesuch, the four of them just tipping the scales at six pounds. Mr. Jackson informs us that since Prohibition has come into effect Mr. Little is going in exclusively for growing apples, and if this is a sample of the result after so short a period, what should we look for by next year?
Death of Miss Annette Brault … The very numerous friends of Mr. Joseph Brault of the Canadian Hotel will sympathize with him in the loss of his daughter, Miss Annette Brault.
Her early death - she was only twenty years of age - was occasioned by heart disease which from its manifestations rendered all hope of ultimate recovery impossible.
The brothers of the deceased young lady were recalled from Gonzaga College, Spokane, for the funeral, which, after Requiem Mass in the Catholic Church on Monday morning, was very largely attended to the Cemetery.
The Rev. Father Murphy, P. P., recited the burial service at the grave side. There were many elegant and beautiful wreaths laid on the snow-white casket.
Arrives from the coast … Private Frank Setter arrived in Cranbrook on the 16th, from Vancouver and was met at the station by a committee of the Returned Soldiers’ Commission and several friends.
Private Setter enlisted with the 54th Battalion which left Cranbrook in June 1915, arriving in Plymouth the following December; this Battalion went out to France in August 1916 and went into active service at St. Eloi.
Private Setter was in the trenches about a month when he received a shrapnel wound causing a compound fracture of the leg; he was placed in hospital at Boulogne where he was operated upon and removed from there to Winchester, England, where he underwent five more operations. He speaks in glowing terms of the treatment received in the English hospital.
He returned to the Vancouver Hospital today to undergo another operation.
Private Setter, before enlisting, worked with the East Kootenay Lumber Company at Loco, as a blacksmith. He is one of ten brothers, eight of whom are on active service and two in munition works. He hopes to return to Cranbrook after treatment at the Coast.
Strange adventure on the St. Marys River … Last week while J. F. Hutchcroft was on an inspection trip along the upper reaches of the West Fork of the St. Marys River, he halted for a night at the Old Office Cabin, which was renovated and provisioned some months ago by Al. Hall.
Here Mr. Hutchcroft found an extraordinary narrative written around the margin of a page of the American Magazine which happened to be in the cabin.
This document is reproduced below as far as it was possible to do so, and a word or two introduced to make the story plainer.
It appears that some people in Nelson told Haga, who is greatly interested in making photographs of mountain scenery, that a wonderful new country lay to the east of the head of Crawford Creek, and that once he made the ascent to the Sawyer Pass, he would have easy going into the valley of the St. Marys.
To an extent the story was true enough, but those responsible for telling him of good trails and good going, took a chance which very nearly resulted in the death of this plucky young fellow.
Judging by the name, August Haga, he is a Norwegian, and must certainly have come of a stout-hearted and sturdy stock. The Old Office Cabin has been a refuge for many a weary traveller, but in this case it seems to have been - with the provisions stored in it and a pair of Al. H all’s shoes - the direct means of saving Haga’s life.
After leaving the cabin he followed the trail down the West Fork and fell in with some of the men who were repairing the road. After what must have been a most painful journey he was found by Goldie Hodgson bathing his feet, which were almost cut to pieces, on the bank of Matthew Creek.
Goldie and he made it all right into Marysville from which point, as Haga was well provided with money, he made his way back to Nelson.
We can add nothing to the most eloquent brevity of the story, written round the margin of the magazine page, which runs as follows: To owner of Cabin: First I want to thank you for the hospitality of your cabin for I am satisfied it saved my life; secondly for the boots.
I have been four days coming from Kootenay Bay. June 18th, 1917, I lost my way near the summit of Sawyer’s Pass on account of heavy snow. Finally gained the Pass. Getting dark had to spend the night there in a blinding snow storm. Next morning at day-break I started down this side of the creek, that is the north side, but had difficulty in finding the trail.
That day I got down to the St. Marys River at 2 o’clock. Foot log being gone I started down the river to hunt for crossing. I started to build one where a tree nearly reached from this side over to the other side. After an hour in the cold water with nothing but an over shirt on, my effort was a failure.
Starting down the river next morning I was stopped two miles further down by a huge brown bear and two cubs who defied me to pass. Returning I reached and crossed the Sawyer Pass Creek. Being late and raining I camped on the bank with hard tack and condensed milk for supper my grub being all out (a portion is here illegible). I tried to ford it (the river … with the result that I had to swim it.
My shoes played out on me being light ones I was compelled to take yours. I will pay you for them.
August Haga, Nelson, B. C.
Fort Steele news … The dance held by the Fort Steele Red Cross was attended by many people from Cranbrook and Fernie. The floor was not too crowded as it was at the July 4th dance. The music was rendered by the Cranbrook Orchestra. A beautiful crocheted and embroidered luncheon set was given by the ladies of the Patriotic Society to be raffled at the dance. The net proceeds of the dance is estimated at $40.00.
Marysville news … Shortly after noon on Saturday Fire Warden Rabichaud called out all the available men in town to fight a fire on Mr. Lund’s Ranch which originated from near the river and with the high wind which prevailed at the time the fire travelled very fast; the crew was rushed to the fire in automobiles, and fought the flames like demons, notwithstanding their efforts, a 12 ton stack of hay belonging to Mr. Bennett was destroyed, the crew however, was successful in saving the farm buildings belonging to Mr. Lund also Mr. Glanville’s dwelling house; we sympathize with Mr. Bennett in his loss.
Invermere news … A Girls’ Club has been organized under the direction of Mrs. H. E. Parham, the purpose of the organization is to continue on broader lines the studies of those girls who for various reasons have left school. Miss Margaret Walker is President; Miss Katie Stewart, Vice-President; and Miss Maye Howell Secretary-Treasurer. Mesdames Parham, George, Allan, Bennett, Turner, Harcourt, and Basil G. Hamilton have kindly promised to give assistance in regular form in the way of teaching and lecturing on the useful arts and accomplishments of life.
