1890s Hamilton

“Gloomy weather caused the party that started at 3 o’clock on Saturday afternoon last – in response to a circular sent out by a committee of citizens and the promoter – for the purpose of inspecting the Beckett Mountain Drive, to defer the inspection.”           Hamilton Evening Times.   October 30, 1893.           Many of those invited to inspect the route of Mr. Beckett’s drive on October 28, 1893 did arrive at the head of Queen street at the appointed time. It was disappointing, however, that only two members of the Hamilton City Council choose to respond positively to the invitation. The mayor as well was not present.           Heavy rain had made the walking along the route of Beckett’s Drive less than favorable. With even more unpleasant weather expected, it was decided to cancel the event, although Adam Brown, on behalf of the committee favoring the construction of the road, verbally invited everyone to return to the same place, at the same time, on the followin

The Unveiling – Poem by J. Mitchell, Hamilton           Who can unveil it,           The life-work of our immortal hero?           Who can sum it up that we may shower           All due honor at his statue’s feet           And crown the brow with victorious laurels?           Did he not lay successfully The sure foundation of the Dominion’s greatness? Who can descend to fathom it, Or scale the heights our knight attained, To view the summits of the towering splendor Of our grand and vigorous nation? While thus I sat and wrote, Time glided by on her noiseless wings, And saw me half-perplexed because I could not fathom it, nor see The height nor breadth of Sir John’s labors; And while she passed, she saw and said. ‘O mortal child, whose life is but a span, Thou canst not pierce the heart of time – Thine, thine the present, mine the future.’ As I unveil the stars in your great arch