The Heritage Corner, Springhill Record

March 2nd, 2011

The Tribune of 1898

Here is more on the Tribune paper of 1898.

     The week’s “Personals” are eight in number, the most important of which reads: “R. McPherson and D. Anderson attended the sports in Victoria Rink in Moncton, during the week.”

     A few scattered “Locals” are included in the “General News”: “William Price was badly hurt in No. 3 mine by a fall of stone,” which makes us realize that this is a constant hazard and no new thing.

     On the Social side, the front page features a Grand Ball given by the young ladies to the Springhill Club – midnight supper and dancing continued until 2:30 a.m.  The chaperones were Mrs. Alloway and Mrs. W.E. Heffernan.  Those present were: Mesdames Alloway, Heffernan, Foster, E.H. Parsons, M. Jones, Calkin, J. Murray Jr., F. Heffernan, Misses Alloway, Abbott, Hayward, Fuller, L. Fuller, Black, Ancient, Hargreaves, Humphries, Murray, McKinnon, Oulton, Pugh, Summerville; and Messrs. A. Alloway, E.H. Cameron, M. McNeilly, R. Murray, Hugh Murray, W. Murray, John Murray Jr., A. Fraser, F. Heffernan, Dr. Sutherland, J.R. Forbes, H. Calkin, Angus Fraser, S. Hunter, D. Anderson, N.I. Barrow, H. McDougall, Truro, also two gentlemen from Truro and Amherst whose names have disappeared with a fold of the paper.

     Notice is given of a Skating Carnival in the Palace Rink, the lady’s prize to be a handsome gold bracelet and a suitable prize for the gentleman winner.

      In connection with the new Palace Rink built and run by Mr. Peter McDougall (the editor’s father) season tickets were sold at prices from $2.00 (children) to $7.00 (family of four) with single afternoon tickets: children 5 cents, ladies 10 cents.

     Although the amount of advertising is good, the people of the day would have been amazed at the magnitude of the advertising business of the present.  There was an easy casualness about the old way.  We note in this issue a perfectly good Christmas advert. still running in February.  As it conveniently filled a space and was nicely set up, it was evidently carried along without inconvenience to either editor or advertiser.  Then there is Harry Lambert’s hair-cutting ad: “Whiskers! – Ten a Bunch”, in the idiom of the day, and the Murray Ad (then John Murray & Co.) “Close Prices – A1 Goods.”  We find also those of Rogers & Soley, James Scott, Dr. Goodwin, Dentist. M. Benjamin (Springhill had a first class furrier), S. McDowell, Jude Gould (The Hub Restaurant), B.N. Mattinson, Frank Heffernan (“First Class fancy plush Parlour Suits $24”), J.R. Forbes (“Klondyke” Serge Special”), Huston & Terris (Harness & Shoes), A.E. Fraser, A.G. Purdy, T.A. Treen & Co. (Plumbing and Hardware).  These are familiar names and as advertisers represented a good volume of business.  At that time a number of products, long since familiar, were just coming on the market.  Take “Lemon Sour”, following its introduction, an old customer standing in a shop made a dash for the door calling loudly for Eddie Cooper who was passing.  The merchant did not catch the drift of the performance until the old man had brought the younger man into the shop and with an ingratiating flourish had demanded, “Mr. Cooper, ‘ave you tried this ‘ere Lemon Sour?  If you ‘aven’t I’d advise you to ‘ave a bottle at once.  Then ‘appen you don’t like it, ‘ere is Mr.---- (tapping his own chest) as Does like it!”

     Before closing, we choose a rather mysterious advert.  It is from a U.S. firm and is addressed to Business Men: “The quickest and cheapest way to collect bad bills is to use ‘Self-Collectors’.  Rarely fail – price $1.25 per hundred”.  Whatever they were, it would seem that the old-time merchants must have decided to worry along, for they had serious difficulties with strikes and bad debts.

     It is not strange that so small a thing as a little old paper should bring to mind so many things belonging to an old time.  We hope that our glance back has been worth the while.

The Springhill Record – May 19, 1932- Elmer Hyatt’s Store Gutted

     Fire of unknown origin gutted the store of Elmer Hyatt, Main Street about 7 p.m. Wednesday evening.  The loss is estimated in the vicinity of $3500. and is largely covered by insurance.

     Mr. Hyatt was at supper with his family when the smell of smoke reached them and dashing downstairs to the store he found the place a mass of flames.  Nothing could be removed from the store.  The quick response of the firemen and a good stream of water aided by a metal ceiling in the store, soon had the flames under control and prevented their spreading.  The intense heat broke both of the plate glass windows.  Looking over the scene this morning, the reporter saw where the fire had started on the west side about the centre of the shelves where the matches and tobacco were kept.  It spread upwards and spread both ways rapidly but made little contact with the ceiling on account of the metal with which it is covered.  The stock is estimated at a complete loss.  The large glass showcase where tobacco was kept was practically a complete loss also, while the other fixtures suffered from the flames and water.  The building itself is estimated to have sustained a loss of sum $800.