150 years ago
April 27, 1876
FOUND AT LAST. CANADIAN MADE CABINET ORGANS. Second to None in the World. Manufactured at the SMITH ORGAN COMPANY, BROME, QUEBEC. The want has long been felt of a strictly FIRST-CLASS CABINET ORGAN OF HOME MANUFACTURE, combining the clearness of tone and beauty of finish of the most celebrated makers, and sold at moderate prices. To meet this want the Smith Organ Company, with a joint stock capital of $50,000, was organized in April last, and is now in full working order, turning out instruments which they DEFY COMPETITION either from home or foreign manufacture.
125 years ago
April 25, 1901
ST STANISLAS: I see your Valleyfield correspondent has been commenting on the habit of swearing and blasphemy which is getting an iron grip on the population of that town. It cannot be disputed that the silly and indefensible habit of profanity is almost universal. Not all swear good round oaths, some use diminutives, with the mistaken idea that they are getting all the force of swearing without incurring the blame.
VALLEYFIELD: Numerous complaints have been made of late to the police by people who have their sleeping apartments on ground flats, of the importunities of a “peeping Jack.” He was caught red-handed Tuesday evening of last week in the act of peering through Mr Longtin’s windows. Recorder Papineau, after a severe admonition, gave him the alternative of a “peep” into his financial resources to the extent of $10 and costs or a few days’ sojourn in Beauharnois jail.
100 years ago
April 29, 1926
American Farmers Use Electric Power For Silo Filling And Such Work. L.S. Bowker of The Huntingdon Electric Company, is receiving many calls from farmers during the past few weeks, inquiring about possible electric equipment, and how soon branch lines can be extended to their areas around Huntingdon. … The farmers who are “hooking up” for silo filling, and the like, on the other side of the border, are enthusiastic, and the word has come to their Canadian neighbors. Remember that a bulb in a barn does not burn up the hay, and the barn, as an overturned lantern is likely to do. … As for the farm women, the labor saved them is enormous. A vacuum cleaner collects all the germs in the bag. A sewing machine motor saves the knees. And there are heating pads which can’t leak, giving a continuous warm heat.
75 years ago
April 25, 1951
Ring out a slowly dying cause,
And ancient forms of party strife;
Ring in the nobler modes of life,
With Sweeter manners,
purer laws.
Tennyson
50 years ago
April 28, 1976
TEN DAYS AGO – people were raking grass and cutting grass. Right now they’re eyeing their snow shovels with a distrustful look. Small wonder.