The Heritage Corner, Springhill Record

April 20th, 2016

Sept. 14, 1944 – Springhill Record - Veteran Player Badly Injured

“Nugget” Richmond to be confined to his bed for some time.

    Sportsmen throughout Cumberland County and the Maritime Provinces will regret to learn that Alex (Nugget) Richmond was injured recently in No. 4 mine.  He is a patient in All Saints Hospital and may possibly be confined to bed for many weeks while he recovers from his injuries.  One of the best known athletes in the Maritime Provinces, Mr. Richmond was at one time a member of the Springhill police force as was his father before him.  But he gained most of his renown in baseball.  He was a catcher for many years for the Springhill Fence Busters and also managed and caught for the Maccan Baseball Club.

    A veteran of the Great War he took part in a memorable series of baseball games between Canadian and American forces.  Richmond caught for the Canadian team with Tee Doyle of Halifax as the mound man.  Incidentally the Canadians won this game.

    For the last several years Mr. Richmond has been one of the enthusiastic fans in support of the Fence Busters, but his recent injuries prevented him from seeing the Springhill-Pictou series.  

    Mr. Richmond also did a great deal of umpiring and was invariably Amherst’s selection as an umpire when the team from the Shiretown visited Springhill.  There was never any question as to his fairness and integrity.

    Many of the older baseball fans in Amherst will remember the red-headed Nugget Richmond as he played with Springhill against the old Amherst Ramblers in the period just before the First Great War.   - Daily News

Mar 30, 1944 – Oxford Journal – Springhill Mine Idle Following Accident

    No. 4 mine at Springhill is idle following an accident which occurred Sunday night.  A fall of stone in the fanway of the mine at about 9 p.m. severed the electric cable and plunged Springhill, Oxford and other communities, served by the Edison Electric Company, into darkness for 45 minutes.

    Sparks from the broken cable were believed to have started a fire in the timbers of the fanway and the mines at Springhill were both idle on Monday.  On Tuesday, No. 2 mine was operating but No. 4. Mine is not expected to resume operations for several days.  It will be two or three days before the fall of stone in the fanway is cleared.  After the clearing up is finished a large amount of gas that has accumulated will have to be eliminated from the mine before the men can return to work.  

    At first it was believed that fire had started in the coal but Draegermen who inspected the fall could find no evidence of any fire in the coal itself.

July 20, 1944 – Oxford Journal – Mine Accident Injuries Fatal To Young Man

Springhill July 18 – Death occurred at All Saints Hospital last evening of William Forrest, 18, son of Mr. and Mrs. Robert Forrest.  His death was the result of an injury he received in the mine a week ago where he was engaged in drawing packs.  The pack kicked back and he was struck by falling stone.  Besides his parents he is survived by four sisters: Mrs. Layton Amon, Audrey and Blanch, residing here and Mrs. W. Richards, Bass River.  The funeral will be conducted by Rev. J.D. Davison, Baptist Church, Thursday afternoon and will be attended by U.M.W. members.

Elected to Springhill Council

Springhill Aug. 1 – Colin Schurman and Kenneth Ross were elected Councillors in today’s by-elections.  

    Mr. Schurman defeated William Bell in Ward 2 by 13 votes, polling 276 to his opponents 263.

    Kenneth Ross defeated Gordon Riley and Roach McKay in Ward 3, winning 222 votes and Riley 148.  One ballot was spoiled in Ward 2 and 8 in Ward 3.

Aug. 24, 1944 – Three Springhill Men Listed As Casualties

Three Springhill casualties were reported over the weekend.  Jack Sweeney is reported to have died from wounds.  He is survived by a wife and two children.  Herbert Dorrington is reported missing.  Ross Gilroy, wounded, is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Levi Gilroy, Leamington.

Nov. 29, 1945 – Mrs. Rex Eaton Transferred to West Coast

    Arrangements have been made to transfer Mrs. Rex Eaton’s Headquarters to Vancouver, from where she will carry on the work she has been doing for the Labour Department during the past three and one half years.

    A native of Springhill, Nova Scotia, and a graduate of Acadia University, Mrs. Eaton has made her home for the most part in Vancouver where her family presently resides.