Item
Pilot
March 15, 1883
Capt. William Carson, so well and favorably known while master of the schooner Charity, has purchased the schooner Frank Gould, which he will run as a packet between this port, St. Stephen and St. John. [cf. Aldine]
Pilot March 31, 1883
[Town's 100th Anniversary]
It does not seem to be much in the thought of our citizens, that this is the hundredth year of the existence of St. Andrews as a town. We have not heard that any of them are intending to celebrate its centennial. We have seen how the people of Saint John, with solemn services and gay festivities, made the 18th of May, which was the centennial anniversary of the landing of the Loyalists there, a day distinguished among all the days of their history. In this Saint John did well, and we were glad to join in their celebration. We too cherish the memory of the Loyalists; their principle of love of country and sovereign is ours also; we have shared the fruits of their labours; many of us are their descendants. But while our friends of the metropolis spoke of the anniversary as being one of provincial interest, and were ready to acknowledge that the Loyalists, their noble deeds and fragrant memories belonged to us all, they yet made their celebration wholly a local one. It was of the founders of Saint John and Saint John itself they talked and sang. In them only they gloried. The volume of just praise, which was poured from Pulpit and Platform, was all for the men who came to Saint John. With it there mingled no tribute to the gallant company who landed at St. Andrews and founded our beautiful town. This was all right, and we make these remarks only that we may impress upon our readers the idea that if the Loyalist founders of St. Andrews are to be honored in this centennial year, it must be done here, on the soil they trod, on the level straight streets they planned and built, beside the waters they knew better how to use for commerce than we, and by ourselves, as indeed it ought to be.
At Saint John the Loyalists found a town already on the site of the present city; here they found no settlement and no white men, so that St. Andrews is a Loyalist town in even a fuller sense than Saint John. Thus, we see that in making a demonstration in honor of the Loyalists themselves, we should at the same time be celebrating the foundation of our town, as well as the advent of a second century, during the early years of which we hope to see St. Andrews regain the prosperity enjoyed by her fifty years ago.
We confess that we are not very well informed as to the founders or early history of the town. Most of our readers would probably have to make a like acknowledgement. But if the men were worthy of honor, if the history of their town is worth reviewing, and its future bright with any promise, then we ought not to let its centennial year go by, unmarked by some suitable observance.
We may not now enter upon the subject of the character such as observance should take. If our suggestion should find favor, the details could be readily arranged. The "landing" we believe took place in the month of March. The day has passed unobserved, and indeed that would have been a very unfavorable time for a demonstration which must largely be an outdoor one. A day during the year might yet be set apart, by a common consent to be kept as a holiday, and otherwise suitably observed as may be devised. In the Picnic Club there already exits an organization well fitted to plan and carry out the proposed celebration, and if they would take the matter into consideration at their approaching annual meeting, they would no doubt find many citizens willing to aid them. A still better way would perhaps be the forming of a Centennial Club, to include all who feel any interest in the subject and having for its object, the collecting of such information as may still be had concerning our early history, as well as the conduct of a Centennial celebration.
We shall be pleased to hear from any of our readers, who have any suggestions to make regarding gad Centennial Celebration in St. Andrews.
Bay Pilot
April 26, 1883
Obituary—Samuel Hallet Whitlock
Whose death took place at St. Stephen Saturday last, was for the greater part of his life a resident of St. Andrews, where he was held in high estimation, and where the tidings of his death was received with profound regret. He was a man of generous impulses, benevolent and charitable, no one in distress ever applied to him in vain, his hand and pocket were ever open to the appeals of charity, and his desire to minister to the wants of others was limited only by his means. His remains were interred in the cemetery at St. Stephen, Monday afternoon, to which they were followed by a large number of persons on foot and in vehicles. The casket in which the remains were enclosed was carried from the house to the hearse by his sons William H., Julius T., Colin C., and Watson, who also carried it from the hearse to the grave, into which they lowered it.
Mr. Whitlock came from Saint John to St. Andrews with his mother and other members of the family early in the present century; he was of Loyalist stock; his grandfather and General Coffin donated toe ground on which Trinity Church, St. John, was erected. He is a lineal descendant of the Halletts of Halletts Points, New York, some of whom came to Saint John with the loyalists and settled in King's County. Mr. Whitlock was admitted to the bar in July 1829, and practiced for some time in St. Andrews and St. George, was for several years Secretary of the St. Andrews and Quebec Railway Company; a justice of the Peace for Charlotte County; a member of the board of Firewards in St. Andrews and for several years its Secretary; and up to the hour of his death was Registrar of Probates for the County. He performed all his duties, public and private, with energy and faithfulness. Six years he was visited by a shock of paralysis, which deprived him of the use of his lower extremities and from that time up to the hour of his death has been an invalid, suffering at times most excruciating pains, which he bore with patience and fortitude. About 2 years ago he moved to St. Stephen, where he leaves a widow, four sons and three daughters, who may rest assured that the sympathies of a large number of the residents of St. Andrews are with them in their bereavement.
St. Croix Courier
May 3/1883
It is said that E. R. Burpee, manager of the N. B. Railway, and F. W. Cram, of the E. and N. A. R., are arranging for a steamer to run between Campobello, Eastport and St. Andrews during the summer months, in connection with the N. B. Railway.
Died
At. St. Stephen, April 21, Samuel Hallett Whitlock, Registrar of Probates, of Charlotte County, aged 75 years, 9 months.
A remarkable feature of the present spring is the number of deaths which have occurred in our midst. No one appears so young or so strong as to be safe, for the young, the middle-aged, and the old alike have been taken. Prominent among those who have fallen victims to the fell destroyer is Samuel Hallett Whitlock, late Registrar of Probates of Charlotte County, who although a resident of St. Stephen for a short time only has spent the greater part of his life in this county, as a citizen of St. Andrews, where he was universally respected and esteemed. Mr. Whitlock was descended from two loyalist families which landed in Saint John in 1783. He was born in that city in 1807, and resided with his parents there until the summer of 1812, when the family moved to St. Andrews. When a boy he assisted to fire the sixty-minute guns at the death of George III. He studied law in the office of his brother-in-law H. Hatch, was admitted to the bar of the province in 1829 and enrolled as barrister in 1831. He practiced law in St. George and St. Andrews, being at different time in partnership with Mr. Hatch and William Jack. In 1829 Mr. Whitlock was appointed a Lieutenant in the Rifles. During his life, he filled many offices giving the utmost satisfaction to all with whom he had to do. He acted as Secretary to the St. Andrews and Quebec Railway Company and subsequently became Superintendent of Stores under the new company, a position which he held until 1861. He was appointed a Justice of the Peace in 1866 and was the acting Justice at St. Andrews up to 1876, when he suffered a paralytic stroke. In 1867 he was appointed Registrar of Probates of Charlotte County, a position which he filled to the time of his death. Since his affliction in 1876, he has been an invalid, suffering at times severe pain. He has borne his illness with constant patience and fortitude, never complaining but exhibiting throughout that geniality and cheerfulness of disposition which were among his characteristics when in good health. Mr. Whitlock was a man of generous and open nature. He won the esteem of all with whom he was brought in contact, and by these his death will be deeply regretted. He leaves a widow, four sons and three daughters. The sons are all well known in business circles in St. Stephen.
St. Croix Courier
May 24/1883
The Campobello Co. has purchased the steamer Escort from Boston parties to run between Campobello and Eastport and around the bay.
Pilot
June 1, 1883
The Shoe Factory. Long article on new business.
Destruction by fire of the American House. Hugh Waddell arrested on a charge of having fired the building. [cf. Armstrong's review of how Waddell escaped and was recaptured]
Pilot
July 26 1883
Robert Ross petitioning Minister of Marine and Fisheries to extend his wharf at Indian Point.
Pilot
Aug 2, 1883
Escape from the County Jail of Waddell, the American House incendiary and Three Others.
A great general jail delivery, without the interposition of Court or Jury, took place here on Saturday evening under the following circumstances. It will be remembered that Hugh Waddell, bar keeper of the late American House, in this town was arrested here on the morning of Saturday the 16th of June, charged on the information of William H. Whitlock, livery stable keeper of St. Stephen, with having set fire to the American House, which with its contents was burned down on the morning of Friday the 15th of June, and that Waddell, on the 18th of June, after an investigation held before Justice C. E. O. Hatheway, was committed to take his trial at the County Court to be holden here in October next. Besides Waddell, there were four other persons confined in the jail: Charles McCarty, James Stevens and Gilbert Lauchlan, hailing here from Saint John , New Brunswick, who were committed on the 10th inst. from St. Stephen on a charge of drunkenness and vagrancy, the two former for sixty days and Lauchlan for thirty days, and James McCardy of St. Andrews, committed for safe keeping.
Mrs. Murchie, Proprietress of the American House, has at intervals, since Waddell's commitment, visited him at the jail. On Saturday evening last about a quarter past eight o'clock, she applied at the jail for admission to see Waddell, saying she had heard he was sick. Mrs. Paul, daughter of Mr. Mark Hall, the jailor, who had gone down street on business, answered the call, and admitted her. While Mrs. Murchie was standing talking to Waddell, through the grating, Mrs. Paul ran upstairs to see why her child was crying. She almost immediately came down again, and while coming down the stairs, heard a noise, like what would be made by tapping the stick of an umbrella or cane on the flags. She quickened her pace, and just as she turned the foot of the stairs, into the hall, she met Mrs. Murchie going in the direction of the outer door. She was looking very pale and said as she passed: They have opened the door, or the door is open. Mrs. Paul ran and laid hold of the solid iron door, which is used to cover the grated door, and is hung outside of it, and tried to close it and nearly succeeded in doing so but the prisoners inside pushed against it, forced it open again, stepped out into the hall, and passed through the outer door to liberty. They ran into the street and round the corner of the Court house. Mrs. Paul immediately went downtown, and meeting Mr. Charles O'Neil, told him what had occurred, and requested him to find Mr. Hall.
Upon examination it was discovered that by some means, probably the lever in the hand of Mrs. Murchie, the large padlock attached to the grated door had been wrenched off, the link of the lock was broken, the hinge pin was forced out and the keeper end of the link broken off. The dropping of the lock on the floor was doubtless the noise heard by Mrs. Paul. If Mrs. Murchie was not a party to the escape, it seems a strange coincidence that she should be on hand at the moment that it took place, and why she should display so much sympathy for Waddell, who beyond the shadow of a doubt, set fire to her house, requires explanation. The plan of escape was well matured and effectively carried out, both as regards the method and time. The night was dark, the Telegraph office was closed, and no doubt Mr. Hall's movements were carefully watched, and his temporary absence taken advantage of to carry out the scheme.
On being informed of the escape Sheriff Stuart immediately placed officers in motion, and had a watch kept during the night, and at daybreak on Sunday morning started in pursuit of the fugitives. Their footprints were discovered in the mud on the road leading from Edward's corner on the Saint John Road across to the above road, and up to Johnson's cove about three and a half miles from town. Enquiry at Mr. Thomas Johnson's elicited the fact that his boat, when was at anchor in the cove Saturday evening had disappeared during the night. The boat has since been found at Red Beach, on the United States side of the river, and it has been ascertained that Waddell and his comrades landed from her, having paddled the boat over with a pair of paddles, which they found in a punt which laid near the boat in the cove.
The escape of Waddell created a sensation in town; on Monday it was the general topic of conversation on the street. Public opinion demands that a strict investigation into the circumstances connected with the escape be made.
Scott Act Repeal
We understand that steps are about to be taken to secure the repeal of the Scott Act in this county. It must be admitted that the Scott Act, so far as Charlotte County is concerned, has been a complete failure. Although we are in favor of prohibition, pure and simple, we are not in favor of a prohibition whose only effect has been to prohibit on paper, while it has left the county a prey to the most deplorable effects of the liquor traffic. The question may be asked: why has the Scott Act been a failure? Our answer is that it had not and has not public sentiment to back it up, and sustain its enforcement, and further that experience has taught us, that laws, the enforcement of which are left to popular caprice, are seldom effective in their operation. How many people would pay duties at the Custom House if the government did not appoint officers whose duty it is to enforce the revenue laws? Now believing as we do that the Scott Act is a failure, we are in favor of its repeal, and a return to a license law, which imposes restraints to the Liquor traffic.
Prohibition is doubtless the true and best remedy, where practical, but where its enforcement is impracticable, as has proved to be the case in this county, the next best thing is to stringent license law. It is certainly better than permitting the free and unrestricted sale. Although the license law permits the traffic in intoxicating drink, it does so under restrictions and regulation that have a tendency to lessen the evils connected with the traffic.
Pilot Editorial
Aug 9/1883
The number of places of summer resort has rapidly increased of late years. Every situation possessed of any of the desired advantages is sought out; hotels are erected; easy and rapid means of access are provided. To the retreats people flock in ever increasing thousands.
Pilot
Aug 16/1883
Kennedy's Hotel is receiving very large patronage, being full nearly all the time. . . . by a consensus of opinion, it is admitted to be one of the best hotels in the province.
Pilot
Aug 23, 1883
10th anniversary of Picnic Club—1873 to 1883. Long article.
Pilot
Aug 30, 1883
Our attention has been called to the disgraceful practice of late indulged in by some young men and boys, who, in one of the most public places in this town, the Market Wharf, in full view of the passersby, strip stark naked, run about the wharves, climb in to the rigging of the vessels laying thereat and jump therefrom into the tide. Now we beg to inform the parties indulging in such reprehensible practices, and who appear to be lost to all sense of decency, that they subject themselves to imprisonment for a term not exceeding two months, with or without hard labor, or to fine, not exceeding fifty dollars, or to both, in the discretion of the Magistrate. We notify them that should occasion arise the law will be enforced. There are plenty of opportunities to indulge in the healthful practice of bathing, in and around St. Andrews, without doing it in such public places, and in the indecent manner referred to above.
Pilot
Sept 6, 1883
As Others See Us.
Article by correspondent of the Moncton Times, recently in St. Andrews.
Pilot
Sept 13, 1883
More Water Tanks Required
It must be admitted that the supply of water tanks for fire purposes in this town is totally inadequate, and that the sooner steps are taken to add to the number already existing, the better for the interest of all. What is the use of keeping up fire engines for the extinguishing of fire unless water is available. This was forcibly impressed on our minds, at the fire in the O'Neill barn last Saturday night. Had that fire spread to Water Street, where was water to be found with which to protect the buildings on that street, in the block between Swift's and Mallory's corner on the one side, or Swifts' and Wren's corner on the other. Then it must be remembered, that while it is practicable to force water through long lengths of hose, in mild or warm weather, it is not so when the thermometer registers below zero. No whining cries of economy should prevent the immediate inauguration of the policy of sinking tanks at points where most required. We look to W.D. Forster; and other live members of the Board of Fire Wards to move in this matter, and promptly to.
It was discovered Monday last that the large saltwater tank on the Market Square, had sprang a leak, and most of the water had ran off. Material was at once ordered for its repair. It might be worthwhile for the fire Wards to consider whether or not it would be in the interest of the town to abandon this tank, which is held under lease from the Madras Board, and build a new one on the town property. It is only a few years since a large sum was expended on repairs to this tank, and the probabilities are, that the repairs on the recent occasion, if put on, will cost equally as large, if not a larger amount. Now if the lease from the Madras Board were surrendered the saving of rent for five years, together with the amount that will now be required to repair the tank, would enable the Fire Wards to build a new and better tank.
Pilot
Sept 27/1883
Ball at Argyll
"The dresses of the ladies in most instances were conceived in good taste and of elegant design. It is seldom that such a galaxy of fine woman and gallant chiefs, can be seen assembled in one room." (The Argyll's place as the most fashionable hotel in town was taken by the Algonquin)
St. Croix Courier
Sept 17/1883
The hotel at Campobello have closed for the season. Already a number of rooms have been engaged for next season, among them a suite of rooms for General Hancock and family.
The Masonic ball healed last evening at the Argyll hotel, St. Andrews, under the auspices of St. Marks' lodge, was largely attended and a very brilliant affair.
Pilot
Oct 11/1883
We understand that Captain Herbert is so pleasedf with his success this season, that he intends purchasing the building, and grounds from the Railway Company.
Sir Henry Charles Keith Petty-Fitzmaurice, 5th Marquess of Lansdowne, 6th Earl of Kerry
Governor General: 1883 - 1888
Appointed: August 18, 1883
Sworn In: October 23, 1883, Quebec City
Born: January 14, 1845, London, England
Died: June 3, 1927
Pilot
Oct 18, 1883
The first sardine factory ever started in New Brunswick is that of the Eagle Preserved Fish Company, St. Andrews. They were represented at the Exhibition and made a very good showing. The sardines, which are packed in spice, mustard, tomato sauce and olive oil, are neatly put up in boxes of various sizes.
Pilot
Oct 25, 1883
Alexander Gibson has shipped this year from Saint John 97,000,000 feet of deals in 115 vessels. Last year he shipped 110,000,000 in 136 vessels. Mr. Gibson's cash expenditure from January 1st to Oct. 1st is said to have amounted to $1,500,000, this includes the expenditure on the Cotton Mill he is building at Nashwaak.
Pilot
Nov 1/1883
Marquis of Lansdowne new Gov. Gen. of Canada
Pilot
Nov 15, 1883
A much-needed addition is being made to the farm buildings in connection with the St. Andrews Alms House, viz: a frame building 30 x 24 ft. post and 17 ft. rafters, the lower floor of which will be divided into a stable, grain room and a room for the storage of farming implements not in use. The upper floor will afford additional room for the storage of hay. The frame is up and boarded in and the roof shingled; the work is being done under the supervision of Mr. Thomas A. McCurdy.
Pilot
Nov 29, 1883
Use of the Knife in St. Andrews
On the night of Wednesday, the 21st inst. a lad named James Gallagher, for some misconduct, was by the proprietor of Kennedy's Hotel, ordered off the premises; refusing to go he was ejected; shortly afterwards Gallagher returned and attempted to force his way into the hotel. Mr. Kennedy barred his entry, when a tussle took place. Gallagher drew a jack knife and stabbed Mr. Kennedy in the left breast where the passage of the knife was stopped by the rib, and in the abdomen immediately below the ribs where the knife, fortunately, only made a slight puncture. Both wounds were in a dangerous locality. Had the knife been thrust with a little more force, either of them, would probably have cost Mr. Kennedy his life. Mr. Kennedy also had one of his fingers gashed. Mr. Mark Hall, the County jailer, came to Mr. Kennedy's assistance, and succeeded in disarming Gallagher who we are informed, was severely punished by Mr. Kennedy striking him across the head and face with a whip.
Pilot
Dec 13, 1883
Lighthouse Changes
Cornelius McNichol has taken charge of Bliss Island Light House vice Hugh Maloney transferred to Sand Reef Light House, Passamaquoddy Bay, of which he has taken charge, relieving Mr. John Conley who has been superannuated on a pension, after many years of faithful service.