Week of December 9 – 15: Items compiled by Dave Humphrey from the archived newspapers held at the Cranbrook History Centre and Archives
1909
The christmas shop … Auditorium, Dec. 14Th. Under the auspices of the Ladies Guild, Christ church, Cranbrook, afternoon, 3.30; evening, 8. Afternoon tea, sale of fancy work, cookery and other useful and ornamental articles. Evening performance includes a varied musical and vaudeville programme. Fifty performers will take part. Admission — Afternoon, free. Evening, 25c., children, 15c.
Hockey … Last evening the Cranbrook hotel committee rooms were crowded with enthusiastic adherents of one or other of the two great Canadian winter sports, hockey and curling, and the arrangements then completed indicate that there will be no lack of good sport in this city so long as the ice lasts. The hockey players met first, with G. Sutherland in the chair and J. Miller as secretary. The chairman, in his opening remarks, explained that the object of the meeting was to organize a hockey league and to discuss the question of affiliating with outside leagues or confining attention, this season, to local efforts. A general discussion ensued, participated in by several of Cranbrook’s keenest puck chasers, the final decision reached being in favor of a city league, of three or four teams, with no affiliation with outside leagues this season.
Curling … When the hockey players adjourned the rooms were quickly filled with an equally enthusiastic bunch of curlers and they, too, held a most successful and businesslike meeting. R. E. Beattie, vice-president, in the unfortunate absence of Mr. J. F. M. Pinkham. through sickness, occupied the chair, D. J . McSweyn acting as secretary. After the reading of minutes of previous meetings, the election of officers for the ensuing year was proceeded with. After the treasurer’s report had been read and disposed of, a general discussion ensued as to the future course of the Cranbrook club. Finally on motion of Judge P. E. Wilson, seconded by R. E. Beattie, it was unanimously decided that the Cranbrook club should join the B. C. Curling association and discontinue its connection with the Alberta organization. On motion Sandy McCowan, the newly elected president, is an enthusiastic curler and he intends to put forward his best efforts to make this season a record one for the Cranbrook Curling club, in which meritorious effort he will have the hearty co-operation of every member of the executive. Cranbrook lovers of ice sports may look forward with assurance to some fine exhibitions of skill with the puck and the besom during the next few weeks.
Surgical skill … It may not be generally known and yet it should be known that recently a remarkably clever and successful surgical operation was performed in the St. Eugene hospital. This was nothing less than a Caesarean delivery, an operation quite rare in medical experience. The remarkable feature of the case is the preservation of both child and mother. The common procedure in these cases is the destruction of the child. Such an exhibition of surgical skill in this locality reflects great credit on doctors King, Green and Coffin, who themselves are too modest to mention it.
Recent deaths … The remains of the late Theodore Gottrung, which have been held at W. R. Beatty’s morgue since the date of his death, November 9th, waiting word as to their disposal from friends or relatives, were on Saturday last interred in Cranbrook cemetery. The remains of the late William Rogers, who died on December 2nd, still await interment at Beatty’s morgue, pending word from relatives in England.
Christmas shopping … Do your Christmas shopping early; do it early, mother dear; do it ere the crowds are rushing and the bargains disappear. Just at present clerks are gracious, and will gladly wait on you; in two weeks you’ll find stores crowded so you hardly can get through. I would rise ere dawn is breaking, and I’d snatch a hasty bite, then I’d seek the shops and stay there till they’d all closed for the night, and I wouldn’t say, “No, thank you; I’m just looking for a friend,” but I’d “blow myself” as long as there was something left to spend. Do not wait two weeks or longer; do your shopping right away; you’ll be saved a lot of worry if you’ll start right in today. There are bargains simply waiting for your cash to pick them up, all the way from gloves and slippers to a dainty poodle pup. So, arise while it is early, while ’tis early, mother dear; snatch a bite and then start store-ward ere the bargains disappear. Do your shopping with a fervor that is something quite intense, until papa’s roll is melted, till it looks like thirty cents!
Voter list … The court of revision of the city voters’ list will be held tomorrow at the council chamber.
Bank move … The Royal Bank will shortly be removed from its present quarters to the premises recently vacated by the Cranbrook Drug & Book company. The transfer will be made just as soon as the new fixtures arrive from Nelson.
Carnival … The second annual Maple Sugar carnival is being arranged for. One hundred pounds of Quebec sugar is now en route.
Goodbyes … On Friday evening last the Cranbrook hotel was the scone, of a very enjoyable gathering, the occasion being a complimentary supper to Messrs. G. T. Rogers and F. E. Simpson, prior to their departure from this city. The spacious dining room was well filled with a gathering thoroughly representative of every interest in the city and district. Mr. R. E. Beattie filled the onerous duty of chairman admirably. Good music, songs and speeches, and some exceptionally clever step dancing made up a most enjoyable program, which, coupled with good things to eat, drink and smoke, helped everyone present to pass several hours very pleasantly. The Cranbrook hotel has been the scene of many festive gatherings, but, probably, never a more thoroughly united assemblage has foregathered within its hospitable walls than was present last Friday night. One and all were present with the sole idea of doing honor to two departing citizens, whose record as citizens entitled them to every mark of respect. Both Mr. Rogers and Mr. Simpson have every reason to feel gratified at the splendid testimony to their popularity evidenced by the size and nature of Friday evening’s gathering. It is unfortunate that circumstances occasionally necessitate such leave takings, but it must be an ever memorable source of satisfaction for those departing to be the recipients of such whole-hearted expressions of good will as were tendered the guests of the evening on this occasion. After some preliminary musical selections by the orchestra, Chairman Beattie proposed the toast to the King which was accorded full honors. Mr. M. A. Macdonald was called upon to reply and whilst this was an unusual procedure, he responded in a manner worthy of the subject. Joe Ryan followed with a song rendered in his own inimitable manner, necessitating an encore.
Knox girls give good concert … The concert held in the Presbyterian Church on Thursday evening last, was a splendid affair and reflected great credit on the young ladies and on those who so carefully trained them as well. This is not the first time these young ladies have been before the Cranbrook public. They had already established a reputation which was well sustained in Thursday’s programme. The immaturities of girlhood, evident in their previous concerts, had largely given place to more mature deliberations and judgment, with the exception of a few giggles and evidences of nervousness. The chorus singing was a great improvement. The features of the evening were a pretty solo, “The Four-Leaf Clover,” by Miss Elsie Bent, whose voice was sweet and rich, and gives good promise, the vocal duet by Misses Bent and Robertson, and an instrumental duet by Misses Hodnett and Kennedy were both good, the latter being recalled. The dialogue “Dumb Bells” was splendid. The budding stars were Misses Gladys Gaskill. Lilian McGowan, Elsie Bent, Will Brownlee and Charles McCowan. Tableaux representing “The Joke”, “Her First Love Letter,” “Snowballing” and the “Parting of Ruth and Naomi,” shown in colored lights were very effective. In the latter Mrs. Patterson sang “Be Still My Soul When Dearest Friends Depart.” The climax of the evening was a beautiful Amazon drill by twelve members of the club, dressed uniformly in white, with flowing hair and bearing javelins and shields. The audience chamber was completely darkened and only the stage illumed with a strong light of varied colors. The intricate drill was well carried out and in the colored lights was very beautiful.
Moyie news … The work of flooding the rink of the Moyie hockey club was begun Friday night, and there should be good ice for skating in less than a week. F. S. Merrill announces that he will conduct a skating rink this winter in the bay at the north end of Victoria street. His intention is after the ice forms to fence a place about 100 feet by 300 feet and keep it cleared.
Great Moyie invention … Albert Barnhardt has invented an ingenious little device in the way of a match scratcher. It is little plate to be attached to the sweatband of the hat, and after the match is lit the hat serves as a wind shield. Mr. Barnhardt has applied for a patent. It can be seen at the store of Roberts and Messinger.
Moyie bank … W. R. Grubbe, local manager of the Imperial Bank, has been advised that the new bank building was shipped from Vancouver on the 20th of November and should be in Moyie almost any day now. The building was built by the Standard House Building and Contracting company, of Vancouver. The building will come knocked down, and when it arrives the matter of putting it together will only be a few days. The building will be 30 x 50 feet, and two stories in height. The upper portion will be fitted up with rooms for the staff. It is expected the new building will be ready to occupy by Christmas.
City elections … Early next month Cranbrook citizens, in common with those of other cities throughout the province, will be called upon to elect a new city council. So far, apparently, very little consideration has been given this subject, but it is one that merits the earnest attention of every ratepayer. Mayor Fink, in the course of a conversation with a Herald representative, intimated quite plainly that he had no intention of seeking re-election. Consequently a candidate for the mayoralty has to be selected. Whether or not all or any of the present aldermen intend to stand for re-election the Herald has not been advised, but it is manifestly time that some steps were taken to canvass the city for eligible and capable candidates.
City band … Cranbrook has good reason to be proud of its city band. The concert they gave in the Auditorium last on Tuesday evening marred by the every respect, save, perhaps, in the matter of the heating arrangements of the hall, something for which the bandsmen, doubtless, were not to blame. The management of the Auditorium cannot learn too quickly that if they want good attendances at entertainments during the winter months, they cannot too speedily take steps to have the hall proper heated. Much of the pleasure of a really excellent musical program was on Tuesday evening married by the intense cold. The program provided for the occasion was sufficiently varied to satisfy the most exacting and to give ample scope to the talents of the bandsmen and their capable leader, Mr. F. E. Corrison. Perhaps their most finished performance was in the selection of the latest musical hits from New York, including “Moon Bird,” “I Want Somebody to Play With”, “Dear Old Dear,” “Daisies Won’t Tell,” “I Wish I Had a Girl,” “My Pony Boy”, etc. There were other selections that possibly pleased the greater part of the audience more, but in the above mentioned selection Conductor Corrison appeared to have his men more thoroughly at his command and the execution throughout was admirable.
