The Heritage Corner, Springhill Record
Dec 5, 2007
Dec. 5, 2007 – Jubilee Celebration
From the Moncton Times- Friday June 24, 1887
The Jubilee Celebration at Springhill
Springhill Mines, June 22 – The Jubilee demonstrations went off in royal style. The town was gay with bunting, and three arches, erected by the Oddfellows, Sons of Temperance, and the Orangemen, respectively, spanned the route of the procession. The grand procession, headed by the local band in uniform, started at ten o’clock . A fairy car was drawn by two gray horses, richly caped and led by two grooms. Twenty little girls, dressed in white, were seated on elevated seats, one each side of the car, a raised throne being occupied by a queen of the fairies, who guided the horses by slender blue ribbons. A large portrait of Queen Victoria was hung on the front of the car. The car was a contribution from Finch lodge of good templers. Five hundred school children, wearing caps of different colors, presented a beautiful appearance. The Knights of Pythias, the only lodge in Nova Scotia , appeared in handsome new uniforms, and were a conspicuous feature. A drum corps headed the Orangemen, who turned out in large numbers. These were followed by the Amherst Cornet band, which headed the Masons, Oddfellows, and the various temperance organizations. The procession was nearly a mile in length and took forty-five minutes to pass a given point, 500 school children participated. After parading the principle streets the crowd repaired to an enclosed field, where foot races and other sports took place during the afternoon. Last night a huge bonfire was blazing on the top of a hill overlooking the town, a display of fireworks was going on, and two bands of music were playing.
From the Motor Vehicle Act of 1919 here are a few of the rules which appeared in an article by Elaine Mont in the Citizen in 1988.
1. Your number plate belongs to the government and must be returned when asked for by the Provincial Secretary. Failure to return said plates gets you a penalty of $25.
2. Don’t operate your motor vehicle on any public highway at a rate of speed greater than is reasonable and proper. Fifteen miles per hour through a busy throughfare may be far in excess of what is reasonable and proper and therefore is a violation of the act with a penalty up to $50.
3. Don’t drive at a speed of more than 15 miles per hour within the limits of any city or incorporated town; when approaching a bridge or steep assent; when approaching crossroads; unless you have an unobstructed view of the road for at least fifty yards in the direction you are going.
4. Don’t exceed six miles per hour when crossing a bridge. The penalty for 3 and 4 could be up to $100.
5. Don’t drive on any other public highway at a speed greater than 25 miles per hour, unless you are prepared to prove that such a speed reasonable and proper. Penalty for violation was up to $50.
The land purchased for the site of the Springhill Institution was originally given in grants to five citizens: 1. Daniel McNutt, who got his grant in 1828; 2. Richard Brundage grant taken out on Dec. 31, 1885 ; 3. Lemuel McNutt grant taken out on Dec. 20, 1859; 4. Part of the Thomas Reid grant of May 22, 1846; 5. Part of the Hames Welch grant of Aug. 16, 1823.
From the Springhill Record of May 30, 1930 :
Miss Freda Hayward was appointed as substitute teacher for her sister Annie who was given a years leave of absence to attend Normal College . Miss McIsaac resigned and Theresa Hatherly was appointed to this vacancy. Harvey Powell was appointed janitor of Junction Road School .
Also in this Record there was an accident report: Frank Alick’s car had a blowout “when the brakes jammed on the car was thrown into the ditch and turned over three times. There were eight people in the car but only one child was slightly scratched”.
