1890s Hamilton

1895 – Smelting Works         “The full force of men was hard at work on the smelting works all day yesterday completing preparations for the ‘blowing in’ this afternoon. Fires were lighted in the furnace to dry out the brick work, and the smoke drifting from the top of the big smoke stack made the place look like business. Hundreds of citizens managed to make their way through the deep mud from the Sherman avenue trolley terminus to inspect the works, and they swarmed all over the place during the day.”                    “Ready for the Opening : Hamilton ’s Great Iron Industry Begins Operations : The Workmen Employed All Yesterday Finally Completing the Preparations – A Special Train Carried the Visitors to the Works This Afternoon”                                                                              Spectator. December 30, 1895           To attract the steel industry to Hamilton , the City Council had offered long-term tax exemptions, a free site of 75 acres and a bonu

On January 23, 1896 , the Toronto , Hamilton and Buffalo Railway was formally opened with a ceremony attracting many of the major investors in the line.         At 11:30 a.m. that day, a trainloads of about 80 capitalists arrived in Hamilton from Buffalo .         According to the Spectator, “the guests of the company assembled at the Iroquois and Tifft houses in Buffalo last evening in order to be on time for the early start this morning, and the train pulled out of the M. C. R. depot at 8:30 . The leading magnates occupied the observation apartment on the rear coach, in company with President Peabody and Mr. Beckley, and loosely scanned the roadbed, station buildings, and right-of-way as the train came along. Unfortunately, before the brow of the mountain was reached, mist and rain came on and blotted out the beautiful view of lake and valley beneath.”         When the official train pulled into Hamilton ’s new Toronto , Hamilton and Buffalo railway station on Hunter street

Hamilton in 1893 as seen by Miss Sama, a visiting reporter for the Toronto Globe During the month of December, 1893, a lady reporter for the Toronto Globe was sent to Toronto ’s great rival city, Hamilton .           Despite the fact that the reporter, known only to the readers of the Globe as Miss Sama, was telephoned bright and early to remind her of the assignment, she still suffered through what she later described as “a hurried toilet and a still more hurried breakfast. A feeling of certainty that I would miss my train did not tend to amiability or peace of mind, more especially when I refused a second transfer in the street cars to which I knew I was entitled.”           Street cars were still on Miss Sama’s mind when she arrived at Hamilton ’s Grand Trunk Railway station. She told her friend who met her on arrival that Toronto ’s station was much better than Hamilton ’s because the street car lines were closer to the passenger platform.           “Yes,” her companion agree