1890s Hamilton

When the summer’s heat was up, it was not unusual for a large number of people to be encountered in the waterfront area of James Street North. Especially in the vicinity of the dock of the Hamilton Steamboat Company, there was usually a crowd when the passenger steamer, Macassa, arrived back in the city after a trip from Toronto, or when the Macassa set off from Hamilton to her outward destination. During the morning of Thursday, August 12 ,1892, passengers for the trip to Toronto had embarked on the Macassa. Friends, family and general onlookers watched when the big boat started to move out towards the bay Those people saw something that afternoon which many would not soon forget : “A young man named Harry Brothers was employed on the steamer Macassa as a kitchen helper, and while the boat was at the dock at the foot of James street, he was working in the cook’s gallery cleaning vegetables, and just as the steamer was leaving and when she was about 200 feet from the do...

On a chilly Saturday afternoon, October 21, 1889, nearly 1,500 people from Hamilton boarded several open cars of the Hamilton, Grimsby and Beamsville Electric Railway to be transported to the Stoney Creek battlefield. The attraction was an event organized by the Women’s Wentworth Historical Society to mark the formal opening of the public park and museum on the grounds. The guest of honor was Lady Aberdeen, wife of Canada’s Governor-General. There was some delay before the ceremonies could begin. The cars of the H.G. & B. electric railway had been forced to stop several times on the way because of power shortage, much to the annoyance of the many Hamiltonians on board. “The ladies of the historical society had put together a well-rounded guest list of prominent people to witness the opening ceremony at Battlefield Park: “British nobility was represented by the Countess of Aberdeen; Canadian letters were looked after by O.A. Howland, of Toronto; the patriotic spirit ...

From just after dawn, Wednesday, August 9, 1899, the bee in aid of the Stoney Creek Battlefield project was in full swing: “At an early hour, and later during the day, as required, twelve teams, loading plows or scoops, and a contingent of thirty-six stalwart men, many of whom were the representatives of U.E.L. families   in the county, set to work to transform the fruit orchards surrounding the old Gage homestead, of 1812-13 memory into a public park. “All small fruits and undergrowth have been cleaned and, when entirely completed, there will be three natural terraces, from which, as a crown, the site in pre-eminent and commanding fitness, will raise its head, a spot from which at night the electric lights of Hamilton, Guelph, Toronto and St. Catherines are to be seen exchanging friendly greetings with one another.” 1 1 Citation incomplete –need to check with HPL – from one of the Gardiner Scrapbooks. The day before the Bee, there was nearly a second major battle ...

 “Travelers who journey to Niagara Falls, or the villages and towns between, on the Queen’s highway, cannot fail to have noticed, a short distance west of Stony Creek, and to the south of the road, a long, rambling sort of a wooden structure which would not present an appearance of habitation, were it not that the surroundings of vineyards, apple and peach trees and other products of luscious fruit, show that man is somewhere very near, and that, in all likelihood, he is to be found in the big wooden building before mentioned. That frame structure, odd as it looks, has a history, and a lively one; the chief events being connected with the great battle of Stony Creek in 1813. In and around the house occurred some strange events such as have not infrequently, changed the whole course of a country’s history.”           Hamilton Spectator.              October 17, 1896. Th...

For weeks and weeks, Hamiltonians had been venturing to Zealand’s wharf to observe the construction of the first large ship to be built in the city for many years. The Arabian was a large, steel-hulled steamship. As the workers neared completion, the hull could be seen blocks away. The date selected, and publicized widely, for the launching of the Arabian was Saturday July 21 1892. The morning before the scheduled afternoon event the Arabian was the subject of much conversation. The Hamilton Times, in its early edition of the paper, carried the following, detailed summary of the Arabian story: ““Getting a large vessel off the ways in it has rested for months, while in the course of erection, is always an interesting event. This afternoon, the large steel propeller, built and owned by Messrs. J.B. and Hugh Fairgrieve, of this city, will enter the waters which she is expected to sail for some years to come, and will, at the same time, receive the name which she will make famil...

At 2:15 p.m., Saturday September 23, 1899, four hundred citizens boarded a special train at the Hunter Street Toronto, Hamilton and Buffalo Railway station to be transported to the new Rifle Ranges. A formal opening ceremony was scheduled for that afternoon although the ranges had been is use since early that morning. Equipped by the Dominion Government in Ottawa for the use of Hamilton’s militia units, the ranges were very much needed for the training of the citizen soldiers. Located in the shadow of the Niagara Escarpment, the ranges were about midway between Hamilton and Dundas and close to the line of the T.H. and B. railway. The officers of the 13 th battalion anticipated that the T.H. & B. company would be willing to provide special trains on the occasions when special shooting matches were scheduled to take place at the new rifle ranges. The formal portion of the afternoon was scheduled to be held at 4 p.m.: “When the special train arrived at the ranges, the se...

“In Wesley church last evening, a very large congregation was present to hear Rev. Mr. Wilson’s remarks concerning the late A.D. Stewart.” Hamilton Times.           September 25, 1899. There had been rumors that former Hamilton Police Chief and two-term mayor had died on the Klondike trail, but only vague references to that matter had been learned. On September 15, 1899, Mrs. Stewart received a definite notification regarding the fate of her husband when another Klondike gold seeker reached civilization and was able to send a telegram to her. It was said that he had died of scurvy the previous spring and his body had been buried on the trail. Six days later, Mrs. Stewart received a letter from a Mr. Cresswell who knew A.D. Stewart well, and who could describe some of the events of his final days. It was then that it became known that A.D. Stewart had become a Christian in his last days. A.D. Stewart had had a remarkable lif...