From the ChronicleMay, 1911 A study of cigarette smokers amongst workers on the railway construction for the Port Alberni extension has concluded that about 40 minutes per day during each ten-hour shift is taken up in the task of a worker rolling his own smokes. An editorial in the Chronicle points out that “If every labourer on this piece of railway construction had been a cigarette roller, it would have cost about $40,000 more to build the line.”A classified ad was place in the May 15 issue of the Chronicle by a Miss Bertram indicating that she was prepared to take pupils for instruction in “instrumental and vocal music, instruction in multiple languages, drawing, painting and water colours.”George Wilson, secretary for the Vancouver Island Development League reported that the last 2000 acres of land in the Ladysmith District – most of it in 5 or 10 acre tracts had been acquired by new settlers in the previous 12 months. Nearly all of the new landowners were immigrants responding to advertisements circulated in their native lands.The Ladysmith Chief of Police warned citizens that he was carefully observing the general appearance of shoes of young men and women in the community. The young people of Ladysmith were asked to “kindly keep off the newly laid sidewalks in town.”May, 1936The Provincial Police Boat P7, under the command of Corporal Don Tweedhope accompanied by the Fisheries Patrol Boat captained by Alex McKinnon searched Gabriola Pass and the adjacent islands for the wreckage of a 32 foot herringbone which had capsized March 20 during a heavy gale. There was no sign of the two fishermen lost in the storm.“The editor of a nearby country paper, who shall go unnamed, moved to Ladysmith in May of 1936 and promptly deposited $50,000 in a local bank. When asked for the secret of his financial well being, he replied, “I attribute my success to close application of duty, rigorous rules of economy, everlasting duty to my job and the death of an uncle who left me more than $49,000.”The 1936 Hudson Terraplane was on sale for $906 at Ira Lowe’s dealership. It featured an all steel body, rear luggage compartment and the new “Electric Hand” transmission. “Just a flick of the finger and the gears shift!”May, 1961A 5 acre property with 153 feet of frontage and a 3 bedroom home was on sale in Saltair. Full price: $12,000.The provincial and Federal governments jointly announced the approval for a 10 bed expansion to the Ladysmith Hospital at a cost of $85,000.Cheryl Peck, Sandra Stephens, Marlene Godkin, Angelika Maeser and Barbara Hatton were announce as candidates for the July 1st Queen title. [The eventual winner was Cheryl Peck.]Compiled by Ed Nicholson , Ladysmith Historical Society
