When the terrible flooding of the Thames river in London, Ontario, occurred on July 10, 1883, many communities responded in various ways to raise money to assist those who suffered.
In Hamilton, the Thirteenth Battalion band held a fund-raising concert in the drill hall. It was an effort that despite a lower than expected turnout, was considered to be a “major success” raising significant funds to be forwarded to the Forest City. An extensive concert was played to a highly appreciative crowd, with a total of $60 raised.
A letter to the editor which appeared in the Spectator of July 25, under the headline, “A Reminder” was sent from a person who identified himself, or herself, only as “A Lover of the Game.”
It read, in part, as follows:
“It is to be regretted that the managers of our Junior Baseball club do not devise some better method of keeping the public posted in regard to intended matches than the plan at present adopted by them, which consists in the issue of a few posters displayed in the shop windows or strung on street cars a day or so before the match takes. If these gentlemen would only show a little enterprise and avail themselves of the advertising columns of the daily press, which is the only proper medium through which to attract public attention and secure patronage, they would find the money thus spent a good investment. The insertion of a small advertisement in each of our papers some days in advance of a match would not only remove a frequent cause of complaint on the part of patrons of the game, owing to the difficulty they experience in finding out when a match is on the tapis, but would result in a largely increased attendance of spectators. It seems astonishing the managers should be so blind to their own interests as to require ‘coaching’ in this respect. Wake up, gentlemen, and have some enterprise about you; quit your present ‘one horse’ style of doing business and try a little newspaper advertising for a change. It will pay.”
Another letter written by IMPROVEMENT was in response to the Spectator’s call for boulevards in some of the city’s residential areas :
“TO THE EDITOR – I read with interest your remarks yesterday morning regarding boulevards. There is no question that the streets can be made to look far better than they do at present by lessening the width of roadway and boulevarding the sidewalks. And if that is not sufficient reason to induce the council to take up this question, there is the very tangible one that by reducing the width of the roadway as suggested by you, the cost of keeping the road in repair will be proportionately reduced. Before, however, anything can be done in this direction, it is necessary that the cow nuisance be entirely and forever done away with. By this I mean that cows be excluded from the city altogether. As matters are at present, the suburbs are overrun with cows, doing considerable damage and interfering with improvements which would otherwise be made. Until the council is comprised of men who are above the fear of losing the support of a small section of voters by initiating and carrying through reforms actually, I fear no amount of talk will be of any avail.
Another improvement needed is the compelling of owners of vacant lots to fence them in. Is there no member of the council with sufficient “goaheadativeness” in him to take the matter in hand?” 1
1 “The Boulevard Question” Hamilton Spectator july 26, 1883
Extensive farmlands filled the townships outside the borders of the city of Hamilton. City citizens took a great interest in the progress of the crops, and, as shown in the following article, the Spectator was only too pleased to discuss the state of the crops in July 1883:
“The Spectator yesterday morning had a conversation with a number of farmers respecting the crops in the county of Wentworth. Mr. Brown, of East Flamboro, stated that the wheat crop in his section of the county would be very good, except that grown on low land, which was full of rust and would be of very little use. The frequent rain of late has converted the low land into swamp, and the stocks of the wheat are swelled and rusty. On high land, the rain had no bad effect, and the steady weather of the past ten or twelve days has changed the prospect into a very good one. Oats are an abundant crop, and as they are a paying crop, the farmers are rejoicing.
“The
harvest in all parts of Wentworth will be fully three weeks behind last year,
but the crops will be pretty near as good. In Glanford and Ancaster, there is
more or less rust in the low and swampy land, but the damage will not be heavy,
and the straw, although rusty, will bring a fair price.”2
2 “Rust in Wheat” Hamilton Spectator. July 26, 1883.
Another
crop of common interest to Hamiltonians in the summer of 1883 was the hunting
and crop:
“
‘The Fish and Game Protective Association of this city,’ said Mr. McKeand to a
Spectator reporter, this morning, has done good service for sportsmen in and
around Hamilton. At present, it has a membership of from 100 to 180, comprising
the best men of the community, and it is in position to employ a number of
gamekeepers to look after pot-hunters and others who offend against the law.
Consequently, honest sportsmen are protected from the poachers who sweep the
waters with small-meshed nets, and snare game in the fields and woods.
“
‘To encourage fishing, I offer a prize of $5 to whoever lands the largest bass
or pike. So far the heaviest caught has been one weighing 5 pounds, 4 ounces.
Yes, fishing in the bay is good at present, but it will improve as the season
advances. There is very little fly-fishing done here, but bait-fishing is one
of the principal amusements of the people. The baits in use now are crawfish,
natural or artificial, grasshoppers, minnows and worms. I think the grasshopper
bait the most attractive at this time of year. However, there are differences
of opinion on that point.
“
‘Trolling will not commence for some time yet, as the weeds are now very high.
The gaming season will open on August 1, when the close period for woodcock
will end. The snipe and mallard, gray duck, black duck, wood and summer duck
season will open on August 15. Sportsmen are getting ready for it now, and we
may expect to hear some lively popping ahead shortly.’ ”3
3 “Fishing in the Bay : The Season Said to Be a Good One –
Opening of the Gunning Season” Hamilton Spectator. July 26, 1883.
A
few items from The Diurnal Epitome : What Goeth On In and About the City column
for July 26, 1883 :
-
There
are about ten acres of Canadian thistles growing along Bay street north.
-
There
is a bundle of old umbrellas and parasols in the street railway waiting room on
Stuart street.
-
An
empty baby carriage was found on Catharine street Tuesday night by the police
and taken to No. 3 station.
-
A
small boy named Archie, aged 4 years, is missing from No. 32 Walnut street. He
was dressed in dark pants, dark blue waist and a white straw hat.
-
The
Wentworth Fish and Game association intend putting trout fru in creeks and
raising stock, if they get encouragement from the farmers to do so.
-
Mr.
and Mrs. Ward arrived Tuesday with a party of six boys and two girls from the
Earl of Shaftesbury Home, England. They have all been placed with farmers in
this neighborhood. The party was met at Toronto by Wm. Osbourne, local agent of
the home.
-
P.
C. Bainbridge arrested a middle-aged man named Francis McGuire on Cannon
street, between James and Macnab. McGuire was drunk, very drunk, so drunk that
he saw snakes and other things, and had a regular fit of D. T.’s He said he had
$40 but when taken to the station, no money could be found on him.
-
The
commons on Wellington north, between Macaulay and Wood streets is infested with
a lot of disorderly boys who make things particularly disgusting on Sundays by
fighting and playing cards and baseball. Four complaints have been entered
against the loafers by neighbors; but as soon as a policeman makes his
appearance, order is restored so that no arrests can be made.
-
At
the temperance tent yesterday afternoon, Miss Alice Beatty, a young miss of ten
summers, whose parents reside on John street north, recited a temperance poem
in such a manner as to elicit the hearty applause of all present. The poem,
which was a long one, was learned by the youthful miss the previous evening,
and was rendered without a break or the least hesitancy. Miss Beatty, if she
chooses to study, has a brilliant career before her as a reader and
elocutionist.
A
summer excursion on the bay was taken on July 25, 1883 by 400 citizens. About 8
o’clock, Mackay’s wharf was crowded with those who had bought tickets for the
event and who boarded on one of the large lake steamers, the Queen Victoria.
The big boat was decorated illuminated by many beautiful Chinese lanterns.
At
8:30 the Queen Victoria set off from the wharf soon followed by one of the
smaller bay steamers, the Clara Louise. On board, the small steamer was
Professor Hand, the city’s famous fireworks artists, his assistants and members
of the city’s press corps:
“Those
on board the Victoria had a fine view of the whole proceedings. The fiery
fountains set on the surface marked the course of the Clara Louise, although
the boat herself could not be seen.
“The
Independent band (on board the Queen
Victoria) played several selections in a very creditable manner. On
arriving at the Beach, the excursionists took the ball room of the Lake View
house, where Meakins’ band furnished music for dancing. A number of balloons
with fireworks with fireworks attached were sent up from the Beach and were
viewed with great admiration by those who were outside, as well as a large
number who were out on the bay and lake in rowboats and yachts.
“The
party returned about 10 o’clock all happy and pleased with the whole affair.”4
4 “Fireworks on the Bay : A Magnificent Display – Dance and
Band Concert at the Beach” Hamilton Spectator. July 26, 1883.
The
major issue of concern to the Spectator in the July 26 1883 copy of the
newspaper concerning public health matters, particularly diseases spread by
unsanitary conditions :
“Under
the fostering care of heat, fever grows up strong and healthy as a country babe.
It also draws heaps of nourishment from back yards and alleyways. In the
festering slums of the poor quarters, where poverty reigns supreme and where
and sickness, disease and fever, stalk abroad like gaunt advances of death, the
dread disease is born and inhales the noxious odors that give it strength life
and strength.”5
5 “Health of the City : What the Inspector Has to Say About
it” Hamilton Spectator July 26, 1883.
In
conversation with the Assistant City Health Inspector Ford, a Spectator reporter
disputed Mr. Ford’s assertion that the “health
of the city has never been so good as it is now” 5
The
conversation between the reporter and the assistant health inspector follows,
the reporter speaking first:
“
‘Do you have many complaints of places around the city?
“
‘No, we have very few this year, and they are getting less every day. When we
get a report, we attend to it promptly, and don’t let our work get ahead of us.
“
‘Is there much sickness in the city among the poorer classes?
“
‘ Well, I don’t think there is. Dr. Ryall looks after that. But he is away in
Muskoka just now.” 5
The
reporter discovered that there was a process to identify problem area to the
Health department but it didn’t not seem to be used very much:
“The
complaint book does not show that very many complaints have been made about
dirty backyards and alleyways. Certainly there are not as many as might be
expected in a city of this size. The majority of the complaints were about back
yards. A few of them bore reference to pigs and goats, and the uncleanliness
they caused. All these complaints had the official tick against them to show
that they had been attended to.”5
The
reporter then went on to state his vastly different opinion of the city’s health
than the opinion stated by the Assistant Health Inspector:
“
‘ But is what Mr. Ford says correct? Is this a phenomenally health of the city?
Some close observers seem to think not. This city has its slums as well as
other large places. Almost at the foot of Caroline street, there is a deep
gully. Here refuse of all kinds is thrown. The decaying forms of dead cats and
other animals decorate its sides. Rotten refuse of all sorts finds a resting
place there. Along the bottom a sluggish stream of refuse water winds its
dismal way. Stagnant pools border it. The place is disgusting to look at.
“The
foul smell that arises from this festering hole is something awful. Like the
deadly upas tree, its odors and vile vapors are poisonous. Yet any afternoon
forms of children can be seen on its banks inhaling the noxious gases which
breed pestilence and death.
“The
children do not look very healthy. The majority of them have pale, thin faces
and wretched attenuated forms. Red, festering sores are on their cheeks. Sore,
inflamed eyes with a sickening lackluster in such young children gaze up
stupidly from their unwashed, unhealthy faces at passersby. The wailing cry of
sick children is constantly heard. Does this look like a healthy city?”5
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