Week of December 16-22: Items compiled by Dave Humphrey from the archived newspapers held at the Cranbrook History Centre and Archives
Fined … Under bylaw No. 13 a teamster was fined $5 last week for driving his wagon across the sidewalk between the C. C. S. and Beattie and Atchison’s.
Voter list … The municipal court of revision of the voters’ list took place on Friday last. No objections being raised to any names on the list, there was nothing doing save of a purely formal nature.
Quitting tobacco products … Campbell & Manning, the grocers, propose giving up the tobacco and cigar branch of their business and from now on until such time as their stock in these lines is disposed of, prices will be cut, so that bargains will be plentiful.
Adjourned adjournment … The adjourned meeting of the Cranbrook Hockey league did not take place Monday evening, but was adjourned until the 27th inst., when final steps will be taken re schedules of games, etc. Three teams have already been organized, two representing the C.P.R., one from the shops and the other from the office, and the third representative of the city banks.
Ladies take note … During this week Mrs. Lloyd is attending at the Fink Mercantile company’s grocery department, for the purpose of instructing the ladies of Cranbrook in the art of preparing Cowan’s cocoa and cake icings. Ladies are invited to drop in at any hour during the day and confer with Mrs. Lloyd. These chilly afternoons visitors will appreciate a cup of hot cocoa as prepared by Mrs. Lloyd.
Arrested … Joseph Wayson, a miner, who arrived in Nelson from Cranbrook last Thursday, where he had been working in some nearby mine, has been committed for trial on a charge of attempted murder. It appears that Wayson had some imaginary grievance against Frank P. Phillipps, the well-known Socialist and W. F. M. secretary at Nelson, and meeting him on the street, Wayson drew a gun on him and pulled the trigger twice. Fortunately the cartridges miss-fired and no harm was done. Phillipps tackling Wayson and throwing him on to the sidewalk, held him until the police arrived. The supposition is that Wayson is crazy.
Getting ready… Cranbrook’s storekeepers are always up-to-date and at Christmas time they invariably make preparation on a lavish scale to meet the prospective demands of a community that requires the best of everything.
A visit to Cranbrook’s mercantile emporiums will satisfy the most exacting that adequate preparations have been made for this year’s holiday trade. Such a visit was made the early part of this week by a representative of the Herald and on every hand he found active preparations under way for what promises to be a banner Christmas trade. In some cases goods were not all opened out and special Christmas decorations were not completed, but sufficient insight into preparations under way was gained to justify the statement that Cranbrook’s stores will be in better shape than ever before to handle the rapidly growing local and district Christmas trade.
Police court doings … Joseph MacFarlane, ex-bartender, was up in the police court charged by the chief with being an habitual frequenter of a disorderly house in the restricted district. M. A. Macdonald appeared for the defence.
It appeared that MacFarlane was before the court last October on a charge of assaulting Violet Hailey, the woman who keeps this house, and having pleaded guilty to that charge was warned if he was again found there he would be charged as an habitual frequenter.
Mr. Macdonald made the point in defence that no conviction could be made on the information as it stated merely that the accused was a frequenter and failed to add the subsequent words of the section, namely, “and failed to give a satisfactory account of himself”.
These words were inserted in the section to safeguard those who might have legitimate business in those places, such as a doctor attending a patient, an agent collecting rents or anyone who might go there for a proper and lawful object.
He quoted a case in point. The magistrate took the view that as MacFarlane had been warned in the strongest manner to keep away from those places that he knew what he might expect if found there again. He was so found, notwithstanding the warning, and should pay a fine of $30 and costs. An appeal will be lodged.
Walter McKenzie, an itinerant brakeman, was also charged with being an habitual frequenter of a house in the restricted district. He was captured at the same time that MacFarlane was found in the Hailey house. M. A. Macdonald appeared for the accused.
He was fined $10, being his first offence. An appeal will also be lodged in this case on the same grounds as in that of MacFarlane.
John Cornfield, an old offender, accomplished a prolonged jag on the proceeds of “charity” — odd quarters got for meals, etc. He got two months with hard labor with the white wings brigade on the streets.
Christmas decorations … Special mention must be made of the manner in which several of the leading stores have decorated their Windows for the Christmas season.
Notably, as usual, when it is a question of window decoration, are the windows of the Fink Mercantile company.
One is devoted to a splendid display of Christmas delicacies, tastefully and most attractively arranged.
The other large window is given up to a display of men’s furnishings, that would do a big New York store credit.
Next in point of excellence are the windows of Beattie and Atchison, in one of which is a display that will delight every youngster in town. A beautifully decorated Christmas Tree, covered with every imaginable toy and gaily festooned with seasonable decorations. The other window is given over to a display of samples of the beautiful brass work, which Messrs. Beattie and Atchison are making a specialty of this season. A large swan is a feature of this window.
In point of excellence and originality of design, J. D. McBride’s window comes next. Here we have Father Christmas in his aeroplane, just arrived from the North Pole, bearing all manner of presents for Cranbrook’s good citizens.
The Canada Drug and Book Company make an attractive showing of dolls in one window and of smoker’s conveniences, in the shape of ash trays, cigar holders, etc., in the other.
S. Mighton’s window presents a most attractive appearance to all lovers of the weed. Such a display of pipes, cigar and cigarette holders and cases, in addition to choice cigars, would be hard to beat anywhere.
Burns Bros, have their windows prettily filled with seasonable gifts.
Campbell and Manning, too, have filled one of their windows with choice Christmas goods and the other with a fine selection of Bristol art ware.
Hill and Co. have their windows tastefully decorated with seasonable goods.
Miss McLeod, the milliner, has a window full of creations that will attract the interested attention of the ladies.
Raworth Bros, the jewelers, have a fine display of jewelry in their windows, as has also W. H. Wilson.
Chaps, cold sores rough red skin … and Zam-Buk will give you speedy relief. It works while you sleep. Apply it to the sore places just before retiring and by morning it will have done its healing work. Cold cracks are highly dangerous as well as painful. The air is full of germs, and cold cracks simply invite them to invade the system. Once having gained a lodgment they may then produce inflammation, gatherings, or even blood poisoning. Besides there is all the pain! Zam-Buk is highly antiseptic. Kills the disease germs, stops the pain, and heals. Fifty cents per box. All Stores and Druggists, or post free from Zam-Buk Co., Toronto, Ont.
Scurrilous and malodorous … Our attention has been directed to the last issue of the Cranbrook Searchlight, a local publication of the extremist variety, whose utterances, ordinarily, it would be the part of wisdom to ignore.
But on this occasion, in view of the notification contained therein, that it is to be widely circulated, we feel that some notice must be taken of what can only be described as a scurrilous attack upon our city fathers, calculated to create an entirely false impression of conditions prevalent in Cranbrook in the minds of non-resident readers, into whose hands this sheet might fall.
We assume that the writer of the editorial notes in the Searchlight, to which exception is taken, is actuated by the best of motives in giving publicity to such malodorous utterances. But we would point out that to remedy the alleged evils he complains of, or to punish alleged offenders against the law, there was no need to resort to the publication of articles that cannot but injure the fair name of Cranbrook in the minds of the general public.
If the writer be in possession of the knowledge he claims to have of wrong doing in this city, and if he be actuated by the high motives we credit him with, his plain duty was to take upon himself the responsibility of preferring charges in the proper quarters.
To any readers of the Searchlight, not conversant with conditions in Cranbrook, we would say, “Pay no more attention to its lubricity than you would to the similar vaporings of the Eye Opener and other journals of that class”.
Cranbrook is a clean, orderly city. It has its black spots, like every other community we have ever known or heard of, but, on the whole, it is a city in which no man need be ashamed to live, nor go in fear for the welfare of his family, if he exercise ordinary paternal supervision.
Wardner school … Miss N. S. Morrison, who tendered her resignation a few days ago, as teacher of the Wardner school, has accepted a position on the teaching staff of the Rossland public school and will begin her duties there early in January.
CPR payday … It was payday yesterday for local C. P. R. employees and a goodly number of substantial cheques were distributed.
New lights … The Electric Light company is putting a large number of Tungsten lights in front of various business places in the city and the improved street lighting is the result.
Baker travels … V. Hyde Baker left on Tuesday for Portland, Ore., where he will meet Mrs. Baker and the children on their way home from California. Mr. and Mrs. Baker expect to be back in Cranbrook the early part of next week.
Fine stallion … P. Woods and Co. have imported one of the finest heavy draught, thoroughbred stallions, ever brought into East Kootenay. A yearling, he stands 15 1/2 hands high and weighs 1260 pounds. He is a Percheron and has been imported for breeding purposes. Messrs. P. Woods & Co. believe firmly that nothing is too good for Cranbrook.
Feeling better … J. F. M. Pinkham, manager of the local branch of the Imperial Bank, has sufficiently recovered from his recent indisposition to permit of his removal from the St. Eugene hospital to his home. Mr. Pinkham will likely be about again in a few days, when he will leave for a short trip to Calgary to recuperate.
Fine swan … The big swan in Beattie & Atchison’s window has attracted much attention this week. It was kindly loaned them by Mr. E. H. Small. The big bird was captured on the lower Columbia Lake, ninety miles north of here.
Ouch … E. Miller, C. P. R. locomotive engineer, of this city, met with a very painful accident last night. He was coming in on his engine from the east when by some mishap the lubricator glass burst and a flying fragment of glass struck him just below the left eye. Immediately upon arrival in town Mr. Miller received medical attention. He is doing well and will not be disabled from work for long.
Santa’s coming … Santa Claus is coming to Cranbrook on the noon train from the east on Monday. Meet him. He has presents for you and will be on Baker Street every afternoon till Christmas Eve.
Ice at Moyie … Ice has formed on the lower part of Moyie Lake, and most of the bays are frozen over. For several days there was good skating in the large bay north of town. Last year the lake froze over on the night of December 29th.
