The Heritage Corner, Springhill Record
February 26th, 2016
Mar. 16, 1944 – Springhill Record – Thirty-Five Mile Limits On Trucks
Permit control over the operation of private trucks beyond thirty-five miles from their registered address must be continued because of the still critical supply condition of gas, rubber and trucking equipment. W.C. Oxner, regional truck control officer of the WPTB has announced.
Control of trucking has been reviewed by the Board Industries Control as part of the Board’s general policy of periodically reconsidering all restrictive orders, the announcement said.
The gasoline supply situation has never been so critical, according to the Control Board. The supply of new tires for trucks will not be more sufficient to take care of the most essential trucking requirements and the introduction of synthetic rubber is imposing more operating problems on every trucking operator. The normal demand for the replacement of trucks far exceeds the supply of new vehicles which will be available for civilian purposes.
Generally speaking, permits to operate beyond the thirty-five mile limit are not issued where there are public transportation facilities available which are capable of handling the traffic and the private vehicle owner is unable to show that capacity loads will be carried both ways. Special arrangements are made for seasonal or emergency transportation.
Mar. 30, 1944 – Death Benefit Plan Operating
The United Mine Workers of Springhill and the Cumberland Railway and Coal Company have united in the establishment of a new form of insurance for the workers called “The Death Benefit Plan.” Under this plan any worker of the company or pensioner who cares to join, will be assured that his family will have at least a small nest egg when he dies, whether it happens on the plant premises or elsewhere.
Under the plan the members will be called upon to contribute 50c each when one of their number dies. This money will be deducted at the Company Office without charge and handed over to the Board of Directors whose Chairman will be the prevailing President of the United Mine Workers. Other members will comprise a member from the union, Mr. Jack Reedy; one from the Company (to be named); and one from the Railway, Maurice Hatherly. This group will select from its numbers a first and second vice-president and a secretary-treasurer.
An annual meeting will be held on or before the 28th day of February each year and any change in the constitution will be presented in writing to the Board of Directors before the annual meeting when they will be discussed. Members of the Board will receive no salary. Expenses such as bookkeeping will be paid for by the Local Union, for at the time of a member’s death a list showing who contributed the 50c payment must be provided.
The scheme went into effect on March 15 and hundreds of workers have already signed cards.
Apr. 13, 1944 – Narrow Escape
An interesting – almost exciting - story comes from a nearby rural community. It concerns a good citizen who went to church one Sunday morning, as was his custom, and at the proper time dropped his envelope into the collection basket as usual. Somewhat later in the service he discovered that he still had his collection envelope but his liquor permit was missing. The good citizen, it may be expected, had many distractions during the next half hour, but after Mass, he moved fast and got his book back before it fell into interested but unauthorized hands.
April 13, 1944 – Mother Receives Memorial Cross
Mrs. Charles Ashe has received the Canadian Memorial Cross in memory of her son Raymond Ashe of the R.C.A., reported missing July 5, 1943 enroute to Sicily, and later listed as “Presumed Dead” March 1944. Raymond John Ashe, aged 21, was the youngest son of Mr. and Mrs. Charles Ashe. He went overseas Sept. 29, 1942.
The card, accompanying the beautiful cross with its purple ribbon, is from the Minister of National Defense on behalf of the Government of Canada stating that it is given “in memory of one who died in service of his country.”
Prisoner of War
Mrs. David Dill has received word that her brother Pvt. William Reiley of Beverly, Mass., is a prisoner of war. He enlisted with the U.S. Paratroops in October 1942 and served Overseas on the African front and in Italy where, sometime before February 14th this year he was taken prisoner. No word has been received other than the official notification.
Pvt. Reiley, who graduated from Salem High School in 1939 is not 20 years. He was born in Springhill, a son of the late Mr. and Mrs. William Reiley and is a nephew of Gordon Reiley, Springhill veteran of the First Great War.
