150 years ago
July 6, 1876
CAUTION. PERSONS attending funerals in the New Cemetery are hereby notified to keep the walks and not to drive across the grounds. Much injury has been done by such careless conduct to the grounds and posts, and all who hereafter attend are requested to observe this rule.
125 years ago
July 4, 1901
FARMERS’ PICNIC: D. McCormick, Q,C., after some complimentary comments about the picnic and those who controlled it, remarked on the habit too many farmers had of decrying their calling, than which there was none more respectable. He could assure them there were men high in commerce and in professions who looked back with aching hearts to the days they had spent in boyhood on the farm. He differed entirely from what had been said about the militia being no longer of use. While all peaceable means ought to be exhausted before war was thought of, yet, should a day in the near future arise, when the United States looked with a jealous and covetous eye on Canada, were we to lie down at their feet and let them walk over us?
100 years ago
July 8, 1926
FARMER’S PICNIC IN EXISTENCE FOR 39 YEARS – Larger Attendance Than Usual Present on Dominion Day. Dominion Day being one of the finest days this year, saw an exceptionally large attendance gather in Greig’s Grove, Cairnside to celebrate the Farmers’ Picnic which has been held annually for 39 years. At the noon hour the hundreds of people present gathered around and enjoyed the content of their lunch baskets.
75 years ago
July 4, 1951
Trial Traffic Light at Post Office – Council Wants Your Reaction and Views – Word was just received this morning that Municipal Signals Ltd., a company dealing in Traffic Signals, is to install a traffic lighte at the intersections of Prince and Bouchette Streets today. The light will be on trial for at least a week and the council is anxious to have the public reaction when it has been installed and in operation. If this is satisfactory, it is possible that a further trial will be made at the McCoy Corner, both these points are bad and traffic hazards. Meanwhile, the council will be glad to hear the views of the public on the light to be installed at the Post Office.
50 years ago
July 7, 1976
FACE IT – our farmers are having a rough time of it. Most of them, anyway. The federal government has screwed them out of their income for milk; the provincial government has them bound up and now the weatherman gets his jollies by flushing everything he can on them every day. Small wonder that many “small” farmers are desperate. The big operators will survive … the still have quotas for their milk and don’t owe anyone a cent. It’s the little guys who are feeling the crunch … the ones with payments to make, maybe on machinery, equipment, seed, livestock … sure, like the rest of us probably on a new TV, car, truck, maybe even a swimming pool. Regardless of who owes what or why, payments must be made when they become due or somebody gets hurt. SOME SCOFF when we say that when farmers hurt, we all hurt. But right here in our Valley farming is still just about our most important industry and more of us are going to believe that if the farmers’ lot doesn’t improve PDQ.