Old newspaper letters/articles

scotto

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The Beach Strip
#1
January 2, 1902
BLOCKS AT THE CANAL​
Repairs to Railway Bridge Are Being Made as Rapidly as Possible.

Repairs of a temporary sort have already been made to the Grand Trunk railway bridge at Hamilton beach. The canal length of the bridge has been piled up all the way across the canal, and a temporary structure has been fixed over the broken span. It is rather lucky for navigation purposes that the break occurred in the winter season. If it had been in the summer time all boat traffic would of been stopped. The making good of the break will cost a good deal of money.

September 9th, 1927

BEER SEIZED
Charges Against Mrs. Sapia Arises Over One Bottle

In the county police court this morning Mrs. D.P. Sapia, Station 26, Hamilton Beach, was found guilty of a charge of violating the Liquor Control without a permit. According to the evidence of the provincial police who figured in a raid on the defendant's summer home at 11:15pm on August 27, a bottle of strong ale was found in the refrigerator; some empty bottles with froth were found under the house, and a bag of empties was found in a bedroom upstairs. Officer Brien said they were not admitted to the house when he knocked and an entrance was forced. before they got in the they saw three men jump over a fence in the rear.
Inspector Tabor said that the women's permit was in the hands of the court at the time of the visit, as she had entered an appeal from a conviction under the L.C.A. made by Magistrate Jelfs last June. So far as he knew she had no permit.
On the stand the women admitted her permit was held by the court, but she denied having any knowledge of the bottle of ale in the ice box or of the fresh empties outside. She said she had rented the house to U.S. tourists for two weeks and their time was up on August 28. She went down the previous evening to collect the rent and was in the place only a short time when the officers arrived.
The police in court served a second summons on Mrs. Sapia, charging her with keeping liquor for sale, but her council declined to go on the charge, and the crown prosecutor consented to an enlargement.
 

scotto

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Feb 15, 2004
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The Beach Strip
#2
May 29, 1942
PROTECTORS OF BEACH PROPERTY—


The above picture of the new fire truck at Hamilton Beach along with firemen and members of the C.D.C., was taken on Victoria day, just before the truck made its initial trip to Burlington. Persons in the picture are, first row, from left: Gordon Truscott, chairman of Beach commission; J. F. Robbins, assistant chief; William Greenwood, secretary of Beach commission; Daniel Hazel, fire chief; C. R. Chadwick; Howard E. Nickling, police chief, and John Lynch, commissioner. Second row: W. C. Hewitt, B. R. Somerville. Lieut. G. E. Hayward, Lieut. W. F. Thornton and Clare W. Simmons. Third row: A. R. Robbins, ? Rosebrook, B. G. Allan, M. J. McMaster, Capt. J. L. Dibden, Charles Pearson and Lieut. F. A. Milligan.

1945
Burlington Beach Resident Feels Charges Unfair
To the Editor:
During the past week a letter signed "Fogo" was published in your column castigating Burlington Beach as a defiled swamp. This correspondent claimed a disease epidemic would break out as a result of flooded conditions of the Beach along the bayside streets. Well, we had flooded conditions in 1895, 1915, 1929 and 1943 and an epidemic did not ensue. Then, a number of transient residents up toward the canal presented a petition to the Government asking that the flooded streets be sprayed and all the children be inoculated against germs. So much for that! It is well known that stagnant water is a breeding place for mosquitoes and sand flies. This kind of water also contains typhoid and polio germs, so does the pure water, hence the chlorination of the city's water supply.
The months of July and August constitute the season for infantile paralysis germs, and is the result of pollen-carrying germs also. A case of polio happened in 1912 in which a local boy contracted the disease through bathing in Lake Ontario, but this was pure water! He was crippled and died at thirty years of age in 1939. These children are receptive to the germ. However, this is no reason why spraying stagnant water should not be done. We must remember typhoid fever! And so I would calm the fears of Beach residents from being alarmed, because the polio season comes like all things in nature, in cycles and regardless of stagnant waters. Look at Britain!
With the views expressed by "Fogo" Hamilton Beach is being given a bad name, spoiling business and keeping tourists and future-residents away. For does he tell why Beach-flooded waters are disease-ridden? And so I will explain the cause, if such there be. The condition all along the bayshore is deplorable, dirt, filth, and slimy oil-soaked bottles, logs, and barrels swish atop the waters and come to rest on the Beach shore. The faster the refuse is cleared up, the bay waters deposit more, including millions of tiny dead fish killed by the filthy water. This all comes from the waterfront industrial centre, in Hamilton. Hasn't the City
Council agitated long and loudly against this pollution of Hamilton's beautiful harbour? One day last week the dense smoke was so thick for about an hour that station 5 residents could hardly see each other on the street as a southwest wind wafted it across the Beach. The smoke came from the dump on the south shore. And so, why does "Fogo" write about the Beach ? In closing let me advise our Beach mothers not to be unduly alarmed by such nonsense. The waters will recede in November,
Royston C. Kime.
Hamilton Beach,


Beach Residents Are Alarmed About High Water
To the Editor:
The residents of Hamilton Beach are really alarmed about what the spring of 1946 will bring in the way of high Lake Ontario waters. The conditions at present owing to the high waters of the lake and bay have made life miserable for many residents. Because their cellars are flooded they are unable to light their furnaces, the coke floats around and they well-nigh have to fish for it. In one cellar at Station 10 the water is actually four feet deep and frogs and turtles playfully swim through the stagnant water. This condition exists on the lake-side as well. One family shivered for three days without fire in the furnace as the water was up past the grates. The depth varies from 18 inches to three or four feet according to how near the houses are to the lake or bay. One or two families have moved to the city on account of these deplorable conditions.
The Beach residents claim many reasons for the high waters and flooded gardens and cellars. It is stated that, owing to the diversion of the waters of Long Lac and River Rouge in various power projects, the level of the lake waters has been raised. One sailor on the Beach says that the waters are two feet above normal. It is claimed that in the spring of 1946 the bay and lake will almost flood the entire Beach. This will be caused, it is said, by the damming and backing up of distant waters into Lake Ontario when the Great Waterways project is started.
Back in 1914 the bay waters were very high. At that time plank bridges were erected so that residents could get to boat and ice houses on the shore. Every seven years the lake waters rise. The waters of Lake Ontario rise in three cycles. During the first half of the fourteenth year the high water is at its maximum. As the years move toward the twenty-first the high lake waters should recede and then the cycle starts all over again. In 1914, as most of the houses were summer cottages, the residents did not complain much. The average rainfall for Ontario is from thirty to forty inches a year, but during 1943 was fifty inches and the water that year was unusually high. Being the fourteenth year from 1929 the water should have kept receding, but it has not done so! The water was so high in 1895 that lake and bay met during an east storm.
Another explanation for the high water is that the earth in its revolutions is turning crookedly on its axis and thus precipitating the unusually heavy rainfalls and moisture in this part of the world. It is pointed out that in Asia, Africa and Australia there has been the greatest dry spell in those continents' history. In Australia thousands of sheep died of thirst and starvation because the grasslands had been burned up. Another claim is that the bursting of shells over in Europe has caused the repeated showers and rainfalls. Hence the high Lake Ontario waters.
The fact remains that 1945 has seen an unusually heavy rainfall in this part of the world. Perhaps if a wall was constructed 100 yards out in the lake from Beach road to the Brant Inn, another sandbar would be formed and thus would eliminate the flood menace on Hamilton Beach.
Royston C. Kime

High Waters Of Lake Ontario And Recurring Flood Problems
1951
To the Editor:
Since writing my last letter on the flood problem caused through high Lake Ontario waters I have received information giving the cause of these conditions and the solution. Accordng to this version it is claimed that 90 per cent of storm damage is caused by high water during the time navigation is closed, and when flood season comes Lake Ontario is already at high level. And then the remedy is put forth, if the lake level was lowered three to five feet by opening the sluice gates in the Lachine lock gates at the close of navigation, Lake Ontario could then be used as a reservoir in the early spring. It is then stated that the spring floods alone would bring Lake Ontario up to normal level and by doing so would, in a big way, by absorbing this over flow, prevent the flood damage in lower St. Lawrence Valley.
Thus by lowering the lake five feet it would make the shoreline 100 to 150 feet further out, on which the breakers which are washing away the highways and homes would expend their energy. For it is said bottleneck is at Lachine Rapids
Again, it is claimed that if the outlet of Lake Ontario beginning slightly below Kingston were dredged deeper to allow more water to pour out into the St. Lawrence it we be a far better solution. This we be a big job and would cost a few million dollars.
However, many rumours are going around that Hudson Bay and Lake Superior water diversions have caused such high Lake Ontario waters, that diversions on the Albany River are the real reason, Long Lac and the River Rouge and so forth. These rumours cannot all be right, so Lachine could be the real cause. It will be remembered that I intimated that removing the oak trees on the bayshore and the poplar bushes on the lakeshore and filling in the swamp was a factor in Hamilton Beach flood problem. In the opinion of an Indian who has lived in Ontario all his life cutting down trees along riverbanks and forests near bays and lakes has be one of the real factors causing flood conditions in Northern Ontario However, it is to be hoped that the flood problem can be solved by opening the sluice gates in the Lachine lock gates the Ottawa government will pass enabling legislation that the danger of high Lake 0ntario waters will be eliminated. In closing, if people built all their homes inland there would not be enough room in the cities for the population or any shipping by water and the age of tribal savages would return. For, contrary to "Simple Simon's” letter, most of humanity's ills are man-made.
Royston C. Kime
Hamilton Beach.

Cartoon, Hamilton Spectator.
August 19, 1947
 

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Drogo

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Feb 8, 2005
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#4
Oh dear I think I know what happened minutes after that picture. Didn't think of it until now. That says 1942. My Dad was 19 at the time. Yep the right age. He used to tell the story of how he was always in trouble with Nickling. Dad drove an Indian bike. He told the story many times of the new fire truck and the big ceremony. He came spinning around on the bike and hit the fire truck in the middle of the big hoopla. Smashed the fender in. Yep it was probably this truck.
 

scotto

Administrator
Staff member
Feb 15, 2004
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The Beach Strip
#5
Usually when a fire truck and a motorcycle collide, the fire truck wins. If you were on the wrong side of the Chief, I guess you always lost.
Now I will have to watch for pictures with a dent in the fender of the fire truck.
 

Drogo

Moderator
Feb 8, 2005
402
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#6
My father, Jack Hall and Reg Chadwick spent most of that time in their lives doing whatever to make Nickling look stupid. My father's cousin was Dan Hazell. Dan wasn't impressed so I heard. Didn't have to be a huge dent because the stupidity of the whole stunt was it happened in front of everyone. He never explained what he was doing but a wheely wouldn't be out of the question. Spent alot of time driving down the middle of the traintracks steering with his feet. See here goes a whole story in the book. Got to quit telling all the stories. I didn't live long on the Beach but my Father and Grandfather spent alot of time relating embarrassing moments from life down there. Lest you think I jest check this out.
 

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Drogo

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Feb 8, 2005
402
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#8
When Dad died Mom's sister came to stay for awhile. A few days after his death I showed up at the house in the morning to a bag. In it was that picture (I had made him show it to me a hundred times when I was little), our sailing trophy from the BSBC, his kidney belt with round red reflectors spelling BOB on the back and a musical carriage clock that plays "Bonnie Dundee" and "Rule Britannia". No accounting for what connects your mind to someone elses.

Yes that picture would have been taken on the Beach. Probably in front of 814 or very close to that area.
 

David O'Reilly

Registered User
Dec 15, 2012
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#9
BEER SEIZED
Charges Against Mrs. Sapia Arises Over One Bottle

In the county police court this morning Mrs. D.P. Sapia, Station 26, Hamilton Beach, was found guilty of a charge of violating the Liquor Control without a permit. According to the evidence of the provincial police who figured in a raid on the defendant's summer home at 11:15pm on August 27, a bottle of strong ale was found in the refrigerator; some empty bottles with froth were found under the house, and a bag of empties was found in a bedroom upstairs. Officer Brien said they were not admitted to the house when he knocked and an entrance was forced. before they got in the they saw three men jump over a fence in the rear.
Inspector Tabor said that the women's permit was in the hands of the court at the time of the visit, as she had entered an appeal from a conviction under the L.C.A. made by Magistrate Jelfs last June. So far as he knew she had no permit.
On the stand the women admitted her permit was held by the court, but she denied having any knowledge of the bottle of ale in the ice box or of the fresh empties outside. She said she had rented the house to U.S. tourists for two weeks and their time was up on August 28. She went down the previous evening to collect the rent and was in the place only a short time when the officers arrived.
The police in court served a second summons on Mrs. Sapia, charging her with keeping liquor for sale, but her council declined to go on the charge, and the crown prosecutor consented to an enlargement."

Scott,
Did people on the beach have to have a permit to possess beer?
 

scotto

Administrator
Staff member
Feb 15, 2004
6,985
218
63
The Beach Strip
#10
BEER SEIZED
Charges Against Mrs. Sapia Arises Over One Bottle

In the county police court this morning Mrs. D.P. Sapia, Station 26, Hamilton Beach, was found guilty of a charge of violating the Liquor Control without a permit. According to the evidence of the provincial police who figured in a raid on the defendant's summer home at 11:15pm on August 27, a bottle of strong ale was found in the refrigerator; some empty bottles with froth were found under the house, and a bag of empties was found in a bedroom upstairs. Officer Brien said they were not admitted to the house when he knocked and an entrance was forced. before they got in the they saw three men jump over a fence in the rear.
Scott,
Did people on the beach have to have a permit to possess beer?
Apparently prohibition was still around in the Province of Ontario until 1927 and only light beer was allowed, notice they found "strong ale".
Also it seems Mrs. Sapia could of been running some type of rooming business and would be allowed to sell alcohol if her permit was in place.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prohibition_in_Canada
 
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