From The Story of Dartmouth, by John P. Martin:
In 1907 a move was made to bring Woodside into the Town. (Woodside had always been linked with Dartmouth, as regards schools.) The Sugar Refinery, whose 20-year exemption from County taxes had expired, now wished to make an arrangement with Dartmouth to obtain a fixed assessment for a further 20-year period.
Thereupon the Town Council prepared a bill providing for the extension of Dartmouth boundaries to include Woodside. This measure met defeat in the Legislature largely because of the protests of County Councilors who called the scheme unethical.
About that time, long distance racing was all the rage. Seasoned athletes shook their heads when 17-year-old Gordon Wolfe left to participate in the Boston ‘Marathon of 1907 which had 102 starters. “Tom” Longboat won, and Gordon finished in 23rd position. Upon his return he was presented with a silver tankard and addresses from the Town Council and the leading athletic organizations.
The first Natal Day road race was won that year by Leander Lennerton of Windmill Road. Out of 81 starters in the Halifax Herald 10-mile race on Thanksgiving Day, Lennerton and Wolfe finished second and third respectively, and James Martin was seventh. Dartmouth supporters went wild. In the evening, cheering throngs paraded the town with bands and lighted torches.
Later in a 15-mile race at Montreal, Wolfe finished 9th to Longboat, and Lennerton was 13th out of 75 entries. At Dartmouth in the same month of November, was held a six-mile race for the Mayor’s Cup. The first four runners to finish were Hans Holmer of Halifax, Lennerton, Wolfe and Martin.
St. Peter’s Society concluded these activities by holding a six-mile race open to runners who had not won a prize. This brought to the starting line the enormous number of 91 youths and boys, some of whom were in their early ’teens. Wilbert Mosher won this event. A. C. Pettipas was second, and Harry Smith a good third.
This sort of sport went on every fall. What made it so popular in 1907, was no doubt due to the winning of the Marathon race at Athens in the previous year by “Billy” Sherring of Hamilton.
In aquatics the senior North Star shell crew participated in five regattas, and won three times. Their greatest victory was the winning of the Maritime Championship on August 31st. After the Natal Day races that summer, Walter Nelson of Tufts’ Cove replaced William Chapman in the boat. For the first time in history the Maritime rowing championships were held on our side of the harbor and under the auspices of the North Star Club.
During that year the pilot-boat “Reliance” and the schooner “Danny Goodwin” were launched from Mayor Williams’ shipyard. Freeman Brothers of Halifax erected for Arthur P. Scarfe the large residence now used as St. Peter’s Convent on the former Dustan property. The Peverill house was completed. J. G. Rainnie purchased “Maplehurst” estate and its extensive lands from the Marine and Fisheries Department at auction for $4,500.
E. W. Robinson succeeded G. J. Miller as Supervisor of Schools in September 1907, and revived the Grade IX class which had not been functioning during the term of 1906-1907.
This picture was taken at the intersection of Prince Albert Road and Ocihterloney Street on Saturday, September 14, 1907. The length of the shadow of the telephone pole indicates that the morning is not yet advanced, yet there is almost a complete absence of pedestrian or vehicular traffic because by this time of day the market wagons and ice-carts have passed along to the ferry. An occasional delivery team from a downtown store might go by, otherwise the quietude remained unbroken until noon hour when workmen came out of the Skate Factory for dinner.
The picket fence at the left enclosed the vacant field of B. H. Eaton. The fenced-off level area due north of the Starr Factory was the route of Bridge Street. Until recent years, local truckmen and teamsters backed down to the pool at the right to fill water-puncheons or wash their carriages in fine weather.