Weather Report

1920

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From The Story of Dartmouth, by John P. Martin:

In 1920 we had the coldest winter for years. There were 21 days of good sleighing, and 11 days of sub-zero weather in January with the mercury down to 17 below near the month-end. In February the harbor froze over for the first time since 1898. The ferries kept a lane open, and the tug “Ragus” bucked her way daily from the Sugar Refinery to the Imperial Oil wharf at Halifax. On a Sunday afternoon, a number of us skated from Mill Cove to McNab’s Island, without experiencing any difficulty except in hopping over the ice-pans in the channel of the “Ragus” off Woodside.

Robert Lynch, who had been eight years in the Town Council, opposed Dr. Simpson in the Mayoralty election and got 525 votes to the Doctor’s 617. A motor-driven ladder truck was purchased and the first Town Engineer appointed in the person of H. E. R. Barnes. The Dartmouth Housing Commission was organized with J. J. O’Toole as Chairman. Other members were James A. Redmond, Albion B. Smith, George Mitchell and Ralph W. Elliot.

The Dartmouth Amateur Athletic Association was organized in March with a membership of nearly 400, and secured a 21-year lease of the Chebucto Grounds. Leo Graham was the first President. About that time an 8-page newspaper called “The Independent” was started by Arthur Johnston, son of A. C. Johnston. The Halifax Institute of Engineers now reported that an overhead bridge across the harbor was impracticable, and suggested a low-level drawbridge to accommodate rail and other traffic. The cost was $2,000,000. “The Independent” thought this decision a fortunate one, stating that if people had to wait for a $10,000,000 overhead bridge, “they would be still waiting when the new millennium dawned”. The Ferry Commission in February passed a resolution recording, “its hearty appreciation of the efforts of the Halifax-Dartmouth Bridge Committee, with the hope that their efforts would be crowned with success”.

Ex-Councillor John Ritchie died that spring, as also did James W. Tufts a member of the Dartmouth Park Commission continuously since 1891. Another prominent citizen to pass away was ex-Mayor Edward F. Williams. He had served as Chief Magistrate for a total of eight years, having previously sat six terms as a Councillor.

We got our first piece of permanent road on this side of the harbor in 1920 when Cavicchi and Pagano paved the stretch from the town limits to Horton’s Brook at Imperoyal. It was one of the first sections of permanent-surfacing completed by the Highway Department in the whole Province, and was commenced a few months before the local election. Considerable credit for this undertaking should go to Hon. Robert Finn, a former Dartmouthian, who was always alert to the interests of his constituents in eastern Halifax County

The work of rehabilitating explosion-damaged houses was just about finished up that summer. The stone Downey house on Coleman Street, built by Joseph Moore in early Canal days, was so badly shaken that it had to be demolished. More new residences went up in the north-end, also in Austenville, in Hawthorne-Sinclair Street sections, on Elliot Street, on upper Portland Street, in the Charles Harvey subdivision at Prince Arthur’s Park and on Rodney Road.

Falconer’s field was subdivided by Engineer J. Lorne Allan, and streets there were named for ex-Mayor Williams and Dr. M. S. Dickson. Sewerage and water pipes were extended to new houses on Elmwood Avenue, which had just been cut through the former Torrens field. At Manor Hill, where Andrew Shiels once wrote poetry the Eastmount subdivision of S. A. Heisler was selling lots as low a $100. Streets were named for military leaders in World War I.

The yearly report of the Housing Commission showed that 21 dwellings in Dartmouth were erected with their loans, on as many vacant lots. The Canadian Bank of Commerce opened a branch at the northeast corner of Portland and King Streets. Laurie Bell was now operating a small garage on the location of the present Police Station. The new Grace Methodist Church was completed and dedicated on Sunday, November 14th. South of the Church on King Street, Dartmouth’s second fire-engine house was torn down. This was an ordinary-sized shed in which were stored the watering cart and the antique fire-engine, pumped by hand. A valuable tourist attraction was lost when this relic was later sold for junk.

The school enrolment that year was 1,628. Grover C. Beazley joined the teaching staff to assist Principal Stapleton and Miss Findlay at Park High School where a class in Grade 10 was established in 1920. The Manual Training branch was abolished, and the work room converted into a shooting gallery for the cadet corps.

Ferry receipts fell and expenditures increased during 1920, for the second year in succession the Commission suffered a deficit. That year they went behind nearly $18,000.

The first electric street lights of Dartmouth were strung diagonally so that the light was suspended in the middle of intersections. In a wind-storm, the saucer-shaped disc rocked, swayed and almost turned turtle.

Central School served the Town for half a century until rendered uninhabitable by the 1917 Explosion, although the roof still remained tight. After that, the BBCA converted two upstairs rooms into a gymnasium for basketball and used it up to the time that the old landmark was demolished about the year 1922.

Henry Y. Mott, grandson of his namesake, who had left here in the 1870s for St. John’s, Nfld., occasionally contributed reminiscent letters to the Dartmouth newspaper. About this time another one appeared giving a list of members of the “Cabbage Club” which flourished in his youth, and included names like Charles and Harry Harvey, Edwin George and W. H. Sterns, Dr. Fred Van Buskirk, Charles Young, John Brown, Albert Wisdom, Fred Hardenbrook, W. C. Mott, W. H. Stevens, Alpin Bowes, Fred Bowes and others.

One of their popular events was the sleigh drive out to Griffin’s Inn on Preston Road, whither they were conveyed in teams supplied by W. H. Isnor, W. H. Greene or John Myers. “I saw Henry Isnor two or three years ago”, wrote Mr. Mott, “and found the patriarchial John Myers, white whiskered and bearing the marks of time, but in spirit as vivacious as a colt and possessing the old time fondness for his horses”.

The writer then commented on the changes in and about Dartmouth, noting that there was little left of many familiar scenes of his boyhood except the memory. “What Dartmouth boy of 50 years ago”, concluded Mr. Mott, “does not remember Mrs. Roberts’ taffy shop near the bridge (NW corner Victoria Road and Portland) and with what joy the treasured cent was expended. Then there was Mrs. Morrissey whose spruce beer, cakes and other juvenile attractions were sold in a little shop opposite the present palatial store of L. Sterns and Son. Could the old blacksmith forge of my friend John D. Murphy speak, what tales of deviltry and mischief would be revealed, of tricks played upon the citizens of Preston on market days, and indeed upon many other unfortunates who came under the spell of those who had not quenched the fiery vengeance of youth”.

1905

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grahams corner 1905

From The Story of Dartmouth, by John P. Martin:

The year 1905 ushered in the winter of the big snow when drifts around the streets and on the sidewalks accumulated to a height of over ten feet. Traffic was either at a standstill or was so tied-up that milkmen from rural Dartmouth had to use two horses tandem to haul light sleigh-loads. On a dozen different nights that winter, the thermometer went below zero, reaching a minimum of 22 below on February 6th.

In those years there was a specific part of Dartmouth from which the law required that snow be shovelled from sidewalks. This was called the “snow district.” Roughly it comprised the old town-plot streets, with the addition of the whole of Ochterloney and that part of Pine Street northward to Dahlia. Occasionally residents were summoned for violation. By mid-February of 1905, it was physically impossible to comply with the law because storm after storm followed in such a succession that the best householders could do was to break a rabbit-path to the street.

The Board of Trade urged that the regulation requiring sidewalk snow-shovelling be abolished, and that the Town perform the work with a plough and its own horses. The Board also agitated for an extra telephone cable to Halifax, and for the installation of the metallic system. At the time there was one telephone subscriber in Dartmouth to every 33 of its inhabitants.

Beresford Avenue (Hawthorne Street) was extended westerly to Crichton Avenue in 1905. Henry Street and Hester Street were taken over by the Town. Mayor Frederick Scarfe resigned office in mid-term owing to ill-health. His beautiful new residence “Edge-mere”, which engaged much of his attention, was then being constructed by F. C. Bauld. (The latter lost money on the contract.) On Dundas Street, Christ Church Parish Hall was built by Frederick Walker. A generous donation towards its erection, came from Mr. Scarfe, and tax exemption came from Town Council.

That summer the Ferry held a series of band concerts at the Park and at the Lake. In fine weather the venture proved profitable, for a goodly crowd would cross from Halifax. The Banook Club again handled the Natal Day celebration which took place on Thursday August 17th. The North Star crew of three Sawler brothers and William Chapman won the senior 4-oared shell race. They also captured first place in the same event at the Sydney regatta, Lorne Club regatta, and North West Arm Club regatta, but in the final contest of the season they lost the Maritime Championship to St. Mary’s crew of Halifax.

At the Ferry, the first turnstile was installed in the low waiting-room on the south side of the main dock in Dartmouth, and the first monthly passes (small cardboard tickets) had to be shown every trip. For the next month, the air was blue with protests. Hitherto commuters simply barged through the gates as they swung open.

This is the intersection of the two highways at Graham’s Corner as it looked about 1905. Creelman’s present residence at right was built in the 1880s by Contractor John Myrer for John R. Graham, Dartmouth butcher. His expansive fields, barns, sheepfold, piggery and slaughter-house stood at the left of this picture. A wide area of this vicinity was long used as a camping ground of the Mi’kmaq. The small house seen at the forks was constructed from two old shacks formerly occupied by Mi’kmaq families on the location of the large residence in the photo.

dundas queen

This picture was taken by Thomas G. Stevens at the intersection of Quarrell (Queen) and Dundas Streets on Wednesday afternoon, March 8th, 1905. The heavy snowfall that winter had piled drifts over 10 feet high, and a period of continued cold had frozen-up several catchpits. With the approach of milder weather Superintendent Bishop (standing near horse-drawn sleigh) is commencing to thaw out catchpits by injecting steam through a hose leading from the portable boiler, as shown above.

1898

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natalday 1898

From The Story of Dartmouth, by John P. Martin:

January of 1898 was very cold and snowy, resulting in the worst harbor freeze-up since 1875. Mill Cove and a wide area off the cradles of the Shipyard provided a hockey and skating surface for about ten days. Often boys would venture out to the middle of the harbor where a channel was kept open by running intermittent trips of the ferry throughout the day and night. By the first of February all three boats had their paddle-wheels so badly damaged that they abandoned the ice-battle. For the next three days, a tugboat performed a slow and uncertain pedestrian service, but vehicular traffic was at a complete standstill. Many Halifax families ^ent without milk.

Newspaper comment on the hockey situation that winter was that the Chebucto seniors were not doing so well, while on the other hand the Chebucto juniors were gaining a considerable reputation. Organized some eight years previously, they had by this time won their 110th game without a single defeat. Their line-up consisted of Robert Cameron, goal; Fred Granger, point; Austin Kane, cover-point; Ernest Lahey, left wing; Jack Allen, right wing; George Young, rover; Harry “Nig” Young, centre. (Harry was the Captain.)

Older residents will recall the five verses written in praise of these boys in the “Atlantic Weekly” which commenced:

Oh “Niff” you are a dandy, And Lahey’s just the same;
Granger, he’s a good one, And plays a roarin’ game.
Cameron as a goal man, He simply can’t be beat;
A cyclone couldn’t stop him, Or knock him off his feet.

At the Arbor Day exercises of May 1898, a tree was planted at Greenvale School to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the Town’s incorporation, In that year also, the Province declared that henceforth Dominion Day was to be a school holiday.

The belated ferry “Chebucto” successfully crossed the Atlantic in June and arrived on the 27th. Ferry officials wanted no repetition of the “Annex” disaster, and moored the boat at Richmond Refinery.

On Natal Day of 1898 was held the first Trades’ Procession, and its success surpassed all expectations. All sorts of decorated floats were in the long moving line, the most antique being the two-wheeled delivery truck of E. M. Walker, driven by elderly James Tynes. The bicycle parade, the aquatic sports and the illuminations were carried out under ideal weather conditions. In that year the Town grant was $150, and the Ferry $300.

At least four Dartmouth boys participated in the Spanish-American war of 1898. They were George Colter of Tulip Street, Ferdinand Gray, Harry Tobin and Vincent Tobin, sons of Arthur Tobin owner of “Brookhouse”.

A mystery of the sea, in the shape of a sailing vessel found bottom-up off Liscomb, was towed in to our side of the harbor that summer. The derelict proved to be the “James M. Seaman” laden with deal from Florida for Boston. After the ship was righted, she was housed-over and beached to be used as a granary for Matheson’s gristmill. The ribs of this sturdy three-master may still be seen on the shore at the foot of Canal Street.

The fatal collision between the French liner “La Bourgoyne” and the iron sailing ship “Cromartyshire” off Sable Island in July brought a $30,000 job to Dartmouth. The latter vessel was tied up for some months at Evans’ wharf where about 350 workmen got employment removing and renewing her damaged bow plates.

Construction work in 1898 included the erection of the Handley House which later became the “Thorndyke” and afterwards the “Belmont” Hotel. The contractor was A. G. Gates. The same man built a dwelling for Town Clerk Elliot on land bought from the Mott estate at the northwest corner of Pleasant Street and St. George’s Lane, then described as “Cross Lane”.

F. C. Bauld built the large house at 61 Queen Street for elderly Judge Johnston, and also rebuilt the premises next north of the Royal Bank for C. E. Peveril, the butcher. At 27 Prince Street a two-storey residence was erected for William Patterson, shipwright. At 34 Thistle Street, Lewis Colter built the first house in the Simmonds subdivision, and Lester Corkum built another at 23 Rose Street. D. M. Thompson advertised 37 lots of another subdivision in the vicinity of the street bearing his name.

These are the three teams of E. M. Walker taken outside his store after the first Natal Day procession of Thursday, August 4th, 1898. The Londonderry cart of James Tynes was the typical Delivery wagon of earlier days, and was most convenient for the handling of barrels of molasses, sugar and flour as demonstrated. H.R. Walker with straw hat) stands alongside. Frank Farquharson has the gray horse with modern delivery wagon, and Douglas DeYoung is driving the double team. The mare on the left was Walker’s carriage horse. The animals were stabled in the barn behind the residence shown in background. (Frank Farquharson still remembers the names of all these horses.)

This is the Chebucto junior hockey team. Back row, left to right: Robert Cameron, Fred Granger, Wm. Patterson,, manager, Sheridan Burchell (spare), George Young. Front row: Harry Murphy (spare), Harry “Nig” Young, Ernest Lahey. The mascot is Charlie Patterson, son of William. The two regular players missing in the picture are Austin Kane and Jack Allen.

1891

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From The Story of Dartmouth, by John P. Martin:

Dartmouth collected over $1,000 for the Springhill Mine Disaster fund in 1891. The Dominion decennial census gave our population as 6,252. The Statistical Year Book gave it as 4,576. Newspaper comment was that the first mentioned figure must have included the whole polling district, and the 4,576 was for Dartmouth municipality only. (Compare the 1881 and 1901 census.)

Dartmouth professional speed skaters of that era included Charles Moore, “Si” Faulkner, “Bob” Patterson and George Misener, Some fast amateur skaters were Ted Graham, Bud Swaffer, Jack Warner, Arch Mosher, William Foston, Frank and George Young, Charles and Sandy Patterson.

One evening at the Halifax Empire Rink in January 1891, Alexander (Sandy) Patterson captured the mile junior, the senior and the three-mile skating championship of the Maritime Provinces.

At Montreal in February the Patterson brothers participated in the Canadian amateur skating championships, and made a creditable showing. Charles finished second in the one-mile and five-mile contests. In the latter race “Sandy” was fourth.

That winter A. M. Beck had the 250-ton Falconer house hauled out to the street and then easterly along Ochterloney until it was moved back to its present position known as the Greenvale Apartments. The Beck family occupied the place for many years.

Wooden Greenvale School opened in May when pupils vacated Elliot School at 58 Dundas Street, the Town Hall classroom and two rooms in Central School. The new building accommodated some 250 children of primary grades including those of Miss Hamilton’s Kindergarten. In October Harris S. Congdon resigned as Supervisor, and was succeeded by Inglis Craig, then Principal at Parrsboro. Mr. Craig later became a School Inspector.

John E. Leadley, who had kept the Post Office in the shop of his residence on the southwest corner of Portland and King Streets since the fire at Poplar Hill, moved in 1891 to the house and shop still standing at the southwest corner of Water and Ochterloney Streets. As there was then no such thing as letter-delivery, the change was welcomed by northend people. About this time the Dominion Government purchased from the Ferry Commission the property adjoining Simmonds Hardware store as a site for Dartmouth’s long-promised brick Post Office building. The old houses to the southward of the site were to be removed so as to widen Steamboat Hill.

Contractor John T. Walker built the modern store at 22 Ochterloney Street for his brother E. M. Walker, the grocer. The old shop was demolished, as also was a high antiquated dwelling adjoining on the west. Across the street on the present location of the Belmont banquet hall, W. B. Elliot’s grocery business was purchased from his son Frank M. Elliot by J. M. Weeks formerly employed with E. M. Walker.

The railway bridge across the Narrows, which had been in operation over five years, was partly carried away by a hurricane in September. Freight for Dartmouth was now held up at Halifax and had to be hauled here by teams via the ferry.

The contentious question of a modern water and sewerage system for Dartmouth, which had been bobbing up intermittently since the first Water Company was incorporated in 1845, finally got settled in the late summer of 1891 when a definite beginning was made on this long-contemplated project.

The contract for trenching and pipe-laying was awarded to Donald Sutherland of Shubenacadie. He soon had a gang of Italian laborers at work laying long lengths of Londonderry iron pipe which were 20 inches in diameter and extended from Lake Lamont to York’s Hill. From that point towards Dartmouth, a 16-inch pipe was used. The route followed down through the present Lakecrest Drive, and at Hooganinny Cove near the foot of Sinclair Street, the trench continued along the slope of Silver’s Hill to meet the main highway at the Micmac Club.

Good progress was made all that autumn, and even during part of January which happened to be an exceptionally mild month. At the same time, construction of sewer outlets was commenced on the harbor shore at North Street and at the southern extremities of Water Street and of Wentworth Street into the Canal stream.

Jas. Simmonds & Co., Carriage Stock & Hardware

1885

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From The Story of Dartmouth, by John P. Martin:

In the winter of 1885, Dartmouth’s new rink attracted enthusiastic crowds to witness our first indoor hockey matches, and to participate in skating carnivals. The management put on three separate carnivals because the cold weather provided ice almost to the end of March.

The steel drawbridge was swung into place, and in March the first locomotive crossed to Dartmouth and steamed down as far as Black Rock. In October the first trainload of sugar went out from Woodside Refinery consigned to Vancouver by an all – Canadian route.

The Riel Rebellion broke out and caused some little excitement, especially when 30 Dartmouth men left for the Northwest in April. The available list of these volunteers included Captain B. A. Weston, Sergeant Wm. Fluke, Piper John “Jock” Patterson; Privates George Chapman, William Chapman, Samuel Chapman, John Meaden, Frank Clark, Starr Hill, Henry Romans, Benjamin Isnor, Edward Griffin, William Leadley, John Conrod, John Hunt, Charles Waterfield, Stewart Gentles, Edward Busby, David Johnston Jr., W. H. Walker, William C. Bishop and James Shrum. Others enlisted for service but were later discharged when hostilities ceased in June.

Dartmouth’s two large schools were now overcrowded. Little children from as far south as Woodside area were obliged to travel the long distance to Park School because Central School taught only higher grades. In the spring of 1885, a primary class for boys was started in the Town Hall, under Miss Bessie Hume.

Meanwhile a lot of land on the Burton estate was purchased for $600, and two-roomed wooden Hawthorne School constructed by John T. Walker. It was called “Ward One School”, and opened in November. Judge James deeded a strip of his field for a street to lead thither from Cole Harbor Road. He named it for his wife who was Harriet Hawthorn. But somebody tagged the letter “e” to the end of the word, and gave us the present misspelling.

More accommodation was obtained by abolishing the high school department at Central, and sending the students to the County Academy at Halifax. The Town also opened another class under Miss Mary Fletcher in the old Dustan house at ‘‘Woodside”, pending the erection of a combined church and school, adjoining “Woodside” on the east, which was being financed by the Sugar Refinery. In later years this building was moved near the plant.

1882

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From The Story of Dartmouth, by John P. Martin:

In the winter of 1882 the dreaded smallpox made its appearance in the home of ex-Councillor Maurice Downey. One of his sons and a maid named Catherine O’Neil unexpectedly contracted the disease. Both died.

Despite the fact that the Federal Government was now extending railway tracks from North Street to Cornwallis Street, and buying up Halifax waterfront property for a grain elevator and piers at Deep Water, Dartmouth people persisted in their efforts to obtain railway connection. At an expense of $101.24 they sent Warden John Y. Payzant and Councillor Benjamin Russell to Ottawa for another attempt. Upon their return these delegates reported that there was no prospect whatever of any government assistance in the matter.

Backward weather that April recalled to old residents the hard winter of 1816-1817 when Bedford Basin froze so solidly that the ice was passable for heavy sleighs until the 15th of that month. Traffic over the Eastern Passage continued until the 25th, they said.

Other items in newspapers of 1882 record the destruction by fire in April of Mumford’s Machine Shop, north of the “Barracks”. About the same time a monster whale made its appearance near Dartmouth ferry wharf. Some 20 feet of the mammal showed above water.

Early in 1882 a number of local artisans, mostly shipwrights, left here for Honolulu to work at building a marine railway. They were engaged for a year by Horace Crandall, who formerly lived in Dartmouth at 37 King Street. The men were Edward Whebby (diver), James Durant, Allan McDonald, Dougald Walsh, Matthew Brennan, Joseph Williams, Alfred Kuhn, Harry Pheener, George Black, John Debaie. Wages were $50 a month and $1 a day for board.

James G. Foster resigned as Town Magistrate and was succeeded by Benjamin Russell. Salary $400. There was a noticeable improvement evident in the order and peace of the town, which condition was attributed to the fact that there were only nine tavern licenses issued in 1882 compared with a high of 19 in the year 1879. The number of court cases tried in 1882 was 99, compared with 234 cases in 1878.

John P. Mott petitioned the Council to grade the sidewalk fronting his “Hazelhurst,, property on Eastern Passage Road where he intended to lay a plank sidewalk.

Contractor John T. Walker built a four-room addition to Central School that year at a cost of $1,200. He also constructed the Peter Douglass’ house on Windmill Road, and Christ Church rectory in the shelter of the cliff on Wentworth Street.

A granite street-crossing was laid from Jennett’s crockery-ware store on Portland Street to the Post Office corner directly opposite. School teacher C. E. McKenzie resigned his position, and was succeeded by Harris S. Congdon of Port Williams. The school enrolment was now 745. Dartmouth Agricultural Society held their second annual Exhibition at the Reform Club Hall in September. John E. Leadley advertised for sale the stock and plant of Dartmouth Foundry in Mill Cove, known as Leadley and Cobb’s.

1878

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From The Story of Dartmouth, by John P. Martin:

The first public demonstration of a telephone in Dartmouth, and also the first local broadcast over wires took place on March 21st, 1878, when a vocal and instrumental concert at the Town Hall was heard and acknowledged through telephone apparatus set up in the Dominion Telegraph Company’s office at 187 Hollis Street in Halifax. The Dartmouth hookup was made by connecting a telephone instrument to the local telegraph wire, an extension of which had been run in to the auditorium of the Town Hall.

This Dartmouth exhibition of the newly-invented telephone, previously advertised as a feature of the concert, was highly successful. Communication was held with the City, and the notes of musical instruments were clearly heard by a group assembled in the Halifax office. They in turn rendered a short program which was listened to by the Town Hall audience. A few names of our own people who took part in the concert and whose voices may have been among those that went out over the wire that evening are preserved in the newspapers. According to the program there were readings by Miss Sarah Findlay, Dutch recitations by Thomas Harrison and a medley of songs by Messrs. Shute and Ruggles. The 63rd Regiment Band furnished music.

The proceeds of the concert were in aid of the Dartmouth Temperance Reform Club, which had just been organized with Dr. W. H. Weeks, John Lawlor and John E. Leadley as the principal officers. They had a membership of nearly 600, and were campaigning for funds to erect a commodious hall for meetings and entertainments.

Dartmouth had two spectacular night-fires that year. The more glaring one occurred at the gristmill in April. The second was at Oland’s Brewery in early August. Both were disastrous. At the unoccupied four-storey gristmill, wind-fanned sheets of flame shot upward to redden the sky so alarmingly that people in west-end Halifax imagined their own downtown business section was ablaze. Elderly Dartmouth men of our time who were youths in 1878, often related how they were impressed into giving the fire-fighters a spell at the hand-pump engines on that fearful night when flying embers threatened rooftops and stifling smoke choked the lungs. The efforts of workers were largely centred on saving the storehouse.

The gristmill fire was among the last jobs of the old style rope-drawn engines, for in July the Town took delivery of a brand new horse-drawn fire engine from the Silsby Manufacturing Company of Seneca Falls, N. Y. In honor of the consort of the Governor-General of Canada, the engine was named ‘the “Lady Dufferin.” She was long considered one of the most efficient machines in Eastern Canada.

There were 39 pupils in the High School department that term. At the closing examinations on July 10th, the following were prize winners in order of merit: Annie Hunt, Edward Fairbanks, Louis McKenna, Libbie Creelman, Sarah Creighton (now Mrs. Walter Creighton of 114 Ochterloney St.), Lizzie Adams, Ida Bowes, Georgie Grant, Emma Findlay, Alice Downey.

Another move was made in 1878 towards the installation of a water-system when the Town purchased Lamont’s Lake and its gristmill for $3,719.11. Policeman John “Elbows” McLellan was given a $30 increase in salary. A new steel bell weighing 870 pounds was set up in a tower erected on the fire-engine house. Fire gutted the residence and shop of J. E. Leadley who kept a general store, Post Office and telegraph office at Poplar Hill corner. The property was owned by J. R. Ormon, grocer, who was then doing business at Sterns’ Corner near the ferry. Councillor John P. Mott took J. Walter Allison into his establishment and the firm became known as J. P. Mott and Company. The foundry of Mumford and Sons (near the present Police Station) had the most powerful welding-hammer in the Province and was turning out about 1,000 tons of finished iron-work every year. The 90-ton schooner “Blanche” was launched at Ebenezer Moseley’s shipyard. Dartmouth Ropeworks won a bronze medal at the Paris Exposition. A weekly newspaper called the “Dartmouth Tribune” commenced publication in July.

The summer was generally hot. The steamer “Goliath” ran trips from Halifax to Cow Bay where passengers were landed on the beach in small boats. At Lawlor’s Island in September over 1,000 children and adults attended St. Peter’s Sunday School picnic. At Dartmouth there was still the odd bear lurking as will be learned from a newspaper item of October 1878: Bruin is terrorizing certain Dartmouthians just now. The other night he made an unsuccessful raid on a soap manufactory for tallow. Traps have been set, and armed men with dogs await him at night.

There was a Dominion election in 1878 when the Conservatives came back to power on the platform of the National Policy. This policy was adopted by Sir John A. Macdonald’s party largely as a result of the persistent agitation of George G. Dustan of Woodside, who had been long pleading for a protective tariff on sugar imports so that Sugar Refineries could be established and operated with some degree of security. Dartmouth and Halifax County forgot their old enmity towards the Confederationists and elected two Conservatives.

1876

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From The Story of Dartmouth, by John P. Martin:

In the leap year of 1876 the Cabbage Club paraded through town on their annual sleigh drive to Griffin’s Inn at Preston. This time they were accompanied by lady friends. The recently organized Red Caps Snowshoe Club of Halifax held a snowshoe race from First Lake to Porto Bello. Eli Veniot, carpenter at the ferry, was fatally injured while cutting ice out of the paddle box of one of the boats. Bowes’ icehouse at the foot of Nowlan Street was badly gutted by fire. The horse races drew a crowd to Second Lake in mid-February.

A lengthy Act for supplying Dartmouth with water passed the Legislature that winter. The Act noted that the ratepayers had previously ratified the borrowing of $33,000 for such purpose. By this legislation the Town was now authorized to construct a water system, provided it received the approval of ratepayers at the town meeting. (The equivalent of a plebiscite.)

The Union Protection Company was organized that year. John Y. Payzant resigned as Stipendiary Magistrate, and was succeeded by Robert Motton of Halifax. The Town Council’s recommendations that a suitable Town Hall be provided; that a steam fire engine be secured and a school be built in Ward III, were approved by the citizens at the annual Town meeting in April. The proposal to construct a water system, however, was defeated by a majority of 13 votes. The number of ratepayers in attendance would be about 100. Estimated expenditures for the year were $14,500, which amount included $5,000 for schools. The salary of Miss Sarah Findlay, assistant to Principal Alexander McKay, was raised to $200. There were 12 teachers on the staff, and 11 buildings used. Central was the “big school”. A few classes were held in private homes.

Luther Sterns, who kept the Post Office as a side line in his brick business establishment on Water Street, resigned as Postmaster on April 1st. He was succeeded by John E. Leadley, and the Office removed to the latter’s shop and residence at the southeast corner of King and Portland Streets.

Dartmouth firms which sent their products to the Centennial Exhibition at Philadelphia in 1876 included Starr Manufacturing Co., Ropeworks, Symonds’ Foundry, Adam McKay and Ebenezer Moseley, marine paint.

That summer the heat was almost intolerable. In August the mercury rose to 93, the highest in 14 years. Boat-loads of bathers rowed from Halifax to Sandy Cove and Mill Cove. A dozen Dartmouth names of boys appeared in the newspapers as having swum across the harbor at that time. Among the list were Lewis Payzant, 14 years; Charles E. Creighton, Charles H. Harvey, Byron A. Weston and John Woodaman.

In the same newspaper we found the first record of an organized baseball game in Dartmouth, although there must have been games in earlier years because the Common field was available for playing, and by 1876 baseball clubs in Halifax were regularly competing against one another, and even against outside teams. The Halifax-Dartmouth series that summer was between the Bluenose Club of Halifax and the Victoria Club of Dartmouth. On the local nine were Colin McNab, George Sterns, Fred Leadley, Charles Robson, L. Payzant, J. Bowes, W. Bowes, L. Mylius, T. Creighton.

About the time that the famous Fishermen’s four-oared shell crew of Halifax left to compete for the world’s championship at Philadelphia, there was a big regatta held on Second Lake at Dartmouth. The Williams crew won $30 as first prize in the whaler race by defeating the Young-Parker crew and the Heffler crew. In the wherry race with two pairs of paddles, Williams and McKay won $20 as first prize. Other contestants were Moseley and Henderson, Mosher and Wilson. The Williams crew also won the four-oared scull race. In the canoe race Peter Cope won the $14 first prize. Of four competitors in the tub race, Henderson finished first, with Moseley second. First prize $3.

In September the Warden and Councilors of Dartmouth participated in a monster torch-light procession which welcomed home the Fishermen’s crew at North Street railway depot. In the harbor the big cable steamer “Faraday” boomed out a salute of cannon and sent up intermittent shafts of skyrockets into the drizzly darkness.

Wooden Park School on the Common, known as the “Common School” was built in 1876 at a cost of $4,676. Henry Elliot was the architect, and his brother Thomas G. Elliot, the contractor. This building was intended to accommodate all lower grades of the whole school section, so that many young pupils hitherto enrolled at Central School, now had to travel longer distances. They came from homes as far away as the present North Woodside and upper Portland Street areas, and also from Tufts’ Cove neighborhood.

The two-masted twin-screw lighter “Robbie Burns” modelled by Eben Moseley, was built for Contractor Duncan Waddell that year. At the Methodist Church, alterations were made which extended the edifice 20 feet nearer the street. A handsome new front and tower largely improved its appearance. “Willow Cottage” on Preston Road (Prince Albert Road) formerly owned by Thomas Short, was purchased by Councilor Maurice Downey for $2,200. Rev. Alexander Falconer was then selling off his household effects on Cole Harbor Road (289 Portland Street) preparatory to his departure for Trinidad in December. He was to be succeeded at St. James’ Church by Rev. P. M Morrison.

The first telegraph poles and wires made their appearance in Dartmouth during the latter part of 1876. They were erected by the Dominion Telegraph Co., who were constructing a line from Halifax to Canso. In January 1877, a telegraph office was set up in Leadley’s Post Office which gave our town the first electrical communication with Halifax and with the outside world. No longer would it be necessary for merchants and others to send their employees over on the ferry with urgent messages, as had been the practice hitherto. The rate for a 10-word telegram to Halifax was 15 cents, which was about the price of ferriage. The first telegraph operator here was a Miss Phinney from Richibucto, N. B. Later on, Miss Frances Leadley learned the telegraphic art.

1875

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From The Story of Dartmouth, by John P. Martin:

The winter of 1875 was the coldest in half a century. The season was vividly remembered by old residents of the present century as the year that the harbor was frozen for the longest period within memory. According to their oral accounts, nearly everybody in Dartmouth and multitudes in Halifax took advantage of the solid surface to cross and re-cross the ice-bridge, either on foot or on runners. Even children in arms were transported, perhaps for the sake of saying in after years that they had gone through the experience.

The sub-zero weather came early in February. On Monday the 8th when the ferry was forced to stop after making only one trip, the tugboat “A.C. Whitney” plowed a channel to Commercial wharf, and carried passengers back and forth at 50 cents a head. By Wednesday the entire harbor was sealed to shipping, with the ferries frozen-in solidly.

A Halifax newspaper’s account of this unusual situation said that “there is no mistake about it. The harbor presents an unbroken sheet of ice with snowdrifts piled fantastically over the whole harbor giving the surroundings a frigid appearance. Dogs are capering wildly over the salty surface. Through the swirls of snowflakes Dartmouth can be seen looming up in the distance nestling in an enormous mass of snow.”

After a day or two, Halifax shipping merchants engaged tugs to cut a channel from their south-end wharves to the outer harbor, but the larger area of ice farther northward grew firmer and thicker, especially after a bitter cold snap over the week-end.

On Monday a newspaper report stated that, “a spectacle of very rare occurrence was witnessed yesterday when thousands of people crossed to and from Dartmouth, some of them skating. During the whole afternoon the harbor was crowded from one side to the other with what seemed a stationary mass of people, and the columns of pedestrians coming and going seemed to be almost endless.”

On Wednesday the 16th, the thermometer dropped to 12 degrees below zero. Hackmen were now conveying Dartmouth passengers from a convenient spot on the shore behind Greene’s stables, a little north of the present Queen Street. At Halifax they made land just south of the Dockyard boundary where a temporary stage had been constructed. On one of these trips from Dartmouth, a bay mare of W. H. Greene’s driven by George Murray, suddenly became frightened and threw all occupants out of the sleigh as it dashed away on a wild gallop down to George’s Island. The horse-sense of the animal must have warned her of open water ahead, for at that point she circled round and galloped homeward again. On another day “Ned” Bowes, driving a heavy sleigh of Lawlor’s Grocery with three men on top of several bags of middlings, went through a weakened spot on the way to Dartmouth. Willing hands tugged the team up again to the solid surface.

On Monday, February 22nd, the massive field of ice was jarred by the arrival of the English mail steamer “Hibernian”. All the skaters hastened towards George’s Island at the familiar sound of the ship’s fire-rocket which used to announce the approach of a mail boat in those days. The big liner butted the pack again and again until she crunched a channel up to Cunard’s dock. Hundreds of men and boys followed her progress, at times skating almost up to the steamer’s bow. On the same day, one of Chittick’s teams laden with lake ice, driven by a well-known colored man named “Shed” Flint, broke through when half-way to Halifax. After a two-hour struggle, horse and sleigh were extricated.

By the 27th, mild weather and northwest winds had driven much of the ice sheet from the lower harbor, enabling tugs to resume ferry transportation but they were obliged to land Dartmouth passengers on the ice-bridge running off from the shore, because the docks were all sealed to a depth of ten or twelve inches. Experienced ice-cutters like William and John Glendenning, along with Captain Coleman, Mate Alexander Marks, George Shiels and others labored unceasingly at the hazardous task of sawing out the frozen ferryboats. The uncertain footing occasionally precipitated these workmen into the freezing brine.

Finally on Sunday, February 28th, one of the boats was cut clear and steamed across to Halifax. It was the first trip of a ferry for 16 days. Then she was not able to get back, owing to the action of a southwest wind jamming the whole eastern side with a field that extended 100 yards from our shore. On Monday, March 1st, the boat made intermittent trips to Symonds’ wharf.

During the succeeding days the weather became mild enough to honeycomb and loosen the slobbed ice-pans so that they drifted or were blown out of the lower part of the harbor. “All this portion was now free,” said a newspaper report of this most welcome liberation, “and it looked strangely refreshing to ferry patrons who were glad indeed to see the blue waters and the familiar waves rolling again” (Navigation had been interrupted for nearly a month.)

In May 1875 W. S. Symonds retired as Warden and was succeeded by George J. Troop. Councillor William T. Murray died in office that spring, and the vacant seat was filled by the election of George Adams. John McDonald was appointed Police Constable No. 2, in place of George Grono. Irregularities were discovered in the accounts of the Town Clerk, and he was released from his duties. Alfred Elliot, son of Henry Elliot and grandson of Charlotte Collins then took over the position. (He remained in office for exactly half a century, and died in harness Feb. 1925.)

Civil Engineer Henry A. Gray, after exploring Lakes Lamont, Topsail, Loon, Clifford, Oathill and Albro at the request of the Town Council, reported that the two first-named were most favorable for furnishing a water supply. He estimated the cost of a water system at about $82,000. The approximate cost from Oathill Lake would be around $36,000. Approval of a resolution to borrow $25,000 for the work was sanctioned at the annual town meeting that spring.

Meantime the Council made provision for further supplies of water for fire fighting. That summer Contractor John McBain excavated the swampy oval on Park Ave. The resulting reservoir measured 250 by 50 feet and was deep enough for a capacity of 175,000 gallons. (This is the green spot on Park Ave. at King.)

For some time past the operations of the Starr Manufacturing Company were not as favorable as formerly. Thomas A. Ritchie, a heavy shareholder from Halifax, had now replaced John Starr in the Presidency. The annual report for May 1875 showed a deficit of about $7,000. The minute book of the meeting noted that some 30,000 pairs of Acme skates had been sold that year, but the margin of profit was smaller than heretofore. However, the Directors entertained hopes “of retrieving the position of the Company”. Recently they had received an encouraging order from the Government railway to supply 200 coal cars, besides a quantity of railroad spikes.

The employees of Dartmouth Ropeworks held a regatta on a Saturday afternoon in August, carrying out a series of boat races over a course from Stairs’ wharf to Scarfe’s Mill, foot of Mott St.

The Dartmouth Rowing Club was another aquatic organization formed that year. They built a combined two-storey club-house on the shore where they stored boats below and entertained upstairs. Under the auspices of this club, four lapstreak crews of Dartmouth held an exciting race in September over a four-mile course from Black Rock around George’s Island and return. The names of the lapstreaks and those of the oarsmen were:

“G. J. TROOP”—John McKay, Henry Baker, Judson Baker, John Young.

“CROWN PRINCE”—Nat. Keddy, John Lennerton, D. Keddy, Wm. Patterson.

“J. WILLIAMS”—Edward Williams, Wm. Williams, Jas. Williams Chas Tufts

“PRINCESS”—T. Crowell, Wm. Hooper, Robert Hooper, Robert Henderson.

The last named crew were all boys under 18 years. The “G. J. Troop” won the first prize of $70, and the Williams crew took second money of $40. McKay later became internationally famous as an oarsman. The Baker cousins, originally from Tancook Island, were then living at Mount Edward. John Young was a son of Francis, the shipbuilder.

The Home for Inebriates was formally opened at the “Grove” in August in the presence of Lieutenant-Governor Archibald, Premier P. C. Hill, Hon. Dr. Parker and others. It was to be supported by a Government grant, by subscription and by income from patients.

A large block of Canal property in Dartmouth was up for Sheriff’s sale that year. It was purchased for $10,000 by the Nova Scotia Building Society who had been the plaintiffs in a recent lawsuit.

There were extremes of heat and cold during 1875. In August the thermometer hovered around the 90s for a day or two. The cold came to freeze the lakes earlier than usual. On December 3rd, Miss Louise Sterns, 19 year old daughter of Luther Sterns, and a young man named Doull, went through the ice off Carter’s Corner. They were rescued by, Joseph Findlay and Michael McDonald. Both were suitably rewarded. (A coined-silver Waltham watch presented on this occasion by Mr. Sterns to Mr. Findlay is still preserved by the latter’s son Ronald Findlay of 96 Hawthorne Street.)

1872

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From The Story of Dartmouth, by John P. Martin:

In January 1872 Dartmouth purchased a second-hand Hand Fire Engine in St. John, N. B., which went into service here after considerable repair work was done at Adam McKay’s boiler shop. R. B. Morris of the Virginia Tobacco Company instituted a series of winter lectures at his factory on Church Street for the cultural improvement of employees and their families. Results of trotting races at the Dartmouth Lakes together with names of officials appeared in the “Halifax Citizen” in February. The list includes names of well known horsemen of that time including Thomas Farrell, John R. Glendenning, Garrett Kingston, James Settle, J. E. Leadley, Andrew Corbin, Richard Barry, Thomas Hyde. (These races were not likely the first to be held here, because older residents used to relate tales of trotting contests long before that date.)

The weather grew pretty cold that winter. In March the harbor was so covered with ice that the ferries smashed their way across with difficulty. Mill Cove and Dartmouth side were frozen solidly. Soldiers from Fort Clarence walked back and forth freely over the surface, and skating parties were out in force.

Hornsby’s Brickyard at Eastern Passage advertised that they were prepared to furnish 2,000,000 bricks that season. At Lawlor’s Island, recently purchased from the Lawlor family, a Government quarantine hospital was being constructed. At Dartmouth Frederick Scarfe, late of the brickyards, set up the Chebucto Planing Mill. The Starr Company sent another large shipment of Acme skates by the English steamer. They now had about 150 employees, and had just declared a dividend of 15%, with a bonus of $1,000 to Manager John Forbes.

That spring over 400 residents crowded the Mechanics’ Institute to consider the question of incorporating Dartmouth Town. James W. Johnston, junior, submitted a charter modelled after the City of Halifax. The matter was deferred until July when a vote of ratepayers was taken, with the result that 141 voted in favor of incorporation, and 98 against. The Committee then prepared a Bill for the next session of the Legislature.

There was a Dominion election in 1872. This time the anti-Confederates offered no opposition to Hon. Joseph Howe in Hants County. There seems to be only one record of a political meeting here, and that one was held at Hoyne’s Hotel. The Conservatives won in Halifax County, but Dartmouth went Liberal; in other words they were still strongly “Anti”.

In August a representative meeting of Dartmouthians was held in the Mechanics’ Institute to present a farewell address to Judge James W. Johnston, ex-Premier of the Province, who was taking final leave of Mount Amelia to dwell in the south of France. The address was moved by Andrew Shiels and seconded by Rev. Dr. James Ross, Principal of Dalhousie College.

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