1890s Hamilton

Perhaps it was best that the Times did not print the Thomas Morris letter to the W.C.T.U. (Women’s Christian Temperance Union) until a Saturday edition of the newspaper. More room was needed as it was a very long letter, and one that had to be published fully, no editing to be done. On Saturday January 25, 1896, the Times printed the Morris letter under an equally long, proportionately, headline: ‘The Sale of Cigarettes : Mr. Morris Reports to the Narcotics Department : Minors Can Buy the Weeds : What the Doctors Say About the Effect on Growing Boys : Remarks on Police Enforcement.’ 1 1 Hamilton Times.    January 25, 1896. The letter was a reprint of a report which Thomas Morris had sent to the W.C.T.U.: “To the Superintendent of the Department of Narcotics, W.C.T.U.: “Dear Madam:           “As requested by you, I herewith submit the following report to your department, with the hope that it will assist you in your n...

“One of the generators at the power house gave out yesterday at noon and several cars had to be taken off. Everything is running smoothly today. “Electric cars will be running on James street south possibly by Thursday next.” 2 2   “The Tracks Too Wide : An Awkward Blunder on the Electric Line on James Street ” Hamilton Times.     July   05, 1892 The very next day, another Times report appeared concerning the Hamilton Street Railway and its operation :   “An unusual runaway incident occurred on King street west yesterday afternoon. W. Pray & Sons new white hearse, to which was attached a spirited team of horses, was proceeding leisurely along the street on a return trip from the cemetery when an electric car came along behind the hearse, and as the big gong was ringing merrily, the horses took fright and bolted. The driver turned them onto Pearl street, and they raced down the incline from King to Hunter street at a breakneck pace that threa...

As the year 1894 neared its end, many of the church in downtown Hamilton were open : “Watch night services were held in most of the churches from 10 to 12 in all of the Methodist churches. The program in most of them included prayer, hymns and brief addresses. In St. Paul’s   A.M.E. church, the attendance was large and the service very interesting. At the James Street Baptist Church, the service lasted from 9 p.m., but was considerably relieved by the distribution of refreshments by the young ladies and the exchange of social courtesies.” 1 1 “Greeting the New Year.” Hamilton Times.    January 02, 1895.           Hamiltonians attending those services surely would have heard the noise of the arrival of 1895 while still in their places of worship.           For those not interesting in sitting quietly in a church pew, they were gathered in very large numbers, particularly f...